A possible alternative pellet?

[crausch]

I have been hanging around this forum for a short time now. This will be my first year with my pellet stove. I can't say that I have heard any mention though about something I found in this article:

Grass pellets...oh the possibilities or NOT?
(broken link removed)

With the cost gas going up to mow my yard, it would be nice if one day I could repurpose the clippings and recover the fuel cost.

 

[JBlank912]

I think bamboo might be a better alternative. It grows fast and is hard. I wonder how it burns? I wonder how it would do as a pellet?

 

[crausch]

Ha...yeah

I could see bamboo having a similar consistency to say nut shells. Might make a good pellet (as long as we don't have to import from China).

 

[webbie]

This has been talked about for a long time!
One concern has always been that EVERY material has value in other ways. Your clippings, if left on the lawn, may do away with the need for some other additives.

Etc. Etc.

But I think this is thinking in the right direction.

 

[JustWood]

Read about an electric generating pant in central NY(recently online or about to come online) That is going to use switch grass and other grasses. Maybe pellet production from grass is near also.
Every abandoned field around here is being baled and sent to mushroom farms down south. Quality of grass does not matter.Probably see some crazy stuff in the next 10 years with high energy prices fueling inovation.

 

[crausch]

I am just glad that people are thinking outside the box to help solve our energy needs.

 

[Pelletluvr]

Yeah. We should quit filling the open fields with houses, and grow our altrernative energy whatever it turns out to be.

 

[hoverfly]

I think bamboo might be a better alternative. It grows fast and is hard. I wonder how it burns? I wonder how it would do as a pellet?

I wonder about that as well, it's worth looking into, mabye grow it in your back yard and process it. The only issue will be how to dry it to use as pellets in the same year.