David on sat 5 jun 10
Hello,
I am writing a paper on the carbon footprint of wood firing. The paper will=
include comparison charts for other types of fuel. I would like to ask for=
some help in gathering data from wood firers. The data I need is the total=
weight of the wood you throw into to the kiln for one firing. If anyone is=
willing to go to the trouble to weigh each stoke it would greatly help me =
to calculate a carbon output for a single firing taking into account kiln s=
ize.
If someone is willing to do the hard work please contact me off list or on =
list. I will need some more information such as location, type of wood, kil=
n size, peak temperature, etc.
If you would like to read a little background on the paper please see http:=
//togeii.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/carbon-output-for-wood-firers/ and http:/=
/togeii.wordpress.com/2010/06/03/carbon-footprint-of-wood-firers-part-2/
I will be doing a comparison chart with carbon output for other types of fu=
el. I am interested in how many kilowatt hours for an electric kiln, how mu=
ch gas for gas fueled kilns and any other type of kilns. Sawdust fired kiln=
s would fall under wood fired kilns. If people firing those types of kilns =
would be willing to send me information on how much "fuel" they use it woul=
d be very helpful too.
I will post at least a link to the paper here as it will probably be too lo=
ng to post the whole paper here.
Thank you,
Dave
David Hendley on sat 5 jun 10
The "carbon footprint" of a kiln is more complex than adding up
the total weight of the wood thrown in a wood kiln or the kilowatt
hours used for an electric kiln.
The carbon footprint for my wood kiln, for example, is close to
zero, because if I did not retrieve the wood for my kiln it would
be pushed into a pile at the pallet factory and burned anyway.
In fact, because I burn it more efficiently at a higher
temperature, firing my kiln may actually reduce the amount of
carbon entering the atmosphere.
On the other hand, my truck burns gasoline, so the 20 miles
I drive to pick up a load of wood adds to the true carbon
footprint of firing my kiln.
As for electric kilns, one fired in an area with coal-fired
generators has a much larger footprint than one fired in a
area with hydro-electric generation....
David Hendley
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
----- Original Message -----
> I am writing a paper on the carbon footprint of wood firing. The paper
> will include comparison charts for other types of fuel. I would like to
> ask for some help in gathering data from wood firers. The data I need is
> the total weight of the wood you throw into to the kiln for one firing. I=
f
> anyone is willing to go to the trouble to weigh each stoke it would
> greatly help me to calculate a carbon output for a single firing taking
> into account kiln size.
> I will be doing a comparison chart with carbon output for other types of
> fuel. I am interested in how many kilowatt hours for an electric kiln, ho=
w
> much gas for gas fueled kilns and any other type of kilns. Sawdust fired
> kilns would fall under wood fired kilns. If people firing those types of
> kilns would be willing to send me information on how much "fuel" they use
> it would be very helpful too.
Robert Harris on sat 5 jun 10
Ummm....You're absolutely right that a "carbon" footprint is difficult to
measure. However some of your points are a little skewed. For starters I am
going to assume that when we talk of a carbon footprint we are really
talking about a method of measuring our impact on global warming through th=
e
"Greenhouse Effect"
In burning at a higher temperature you are certainly burning more cleanly -
that is more of your wood is being turned into Carbon Dioxide (the main
greenhouse gas) and water. However this actually means that when you burn a
piece of wood you get closer to the theoretical amount of CO2 that can be
produced - instead of producing a large amount unburnt (or not quite burnt)
material. Which of course is more likely to cause respiratory problems but
adds less to the greenhouse effect.
If the wood is added to a compost heap then far more of the carbon will be
trapped (as organic material) than if the wood were burnt. Of course
depending on how it is decomposed some of it might be turned into methane
which is a far far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2.
The latter fact means that if we really want to affect the greenhouse gases
in a meaningful way we would be far better off becoming vegetarian and not
drinking milk (and I am a committed carnivore - after all I evolved that
way) since the amount of methane put into the air by beef and dairy herds i=
s
far more significant than most people realise.
I certainly agree with your last point - electric kilns in an area where
electricity is generated without burning stuff (be it Nuclear (e.g. France)=
,
Geothermal (Iceland?), Hydroelectric (much of Tennessee), wind or wave, hav=
e
the smallest "Carbon" footprint of all.
Robert
On Sat, Jun 5, 2010 at 9:44 PM, David Hendley wrote:
> The "carbon footprint" of a kiln is more complex than adding up
> the total weight of the wood thrown in a wood kiln or the kilowatt
> hours used for an electric kiln.
>
> The carbon footprint for my wood kiln, for example, is close to
> zero, because if I did not retrieve the wood for my kiln it would
> be pushed into a pile at the pallet factory and burned anyway.
> In fact, because I burn it more efficiently at a higher
> temperature, firing my kiln may actually reduce the amount of
> carbon entering the atmosphere.
> On the other hand, my truck burns gasoline, so the 20 miles
> I drive to pick up a load of wood adds to the true carbon
> footprint of firing my kiln.
>
> As for electric kilns, one fired in an area with coal-fired
> generators has a much larger footprint than one fired in a
> area with hydro-electric generation....
>
> David Hendley
> david@farmpots.com
> http://www.farmpots.com
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
>> I am writing a paper on the carbon footprint of wood firing. The paper
>> will include comparison charts for other types of fuel. I would like to
>> ask for some help in gathering data from wood firers. The data I need is
>> the total weight of the wood you throw into to the kiln for one firing. =
If
>> anyone is willing to go to the trouble to weigh each stoke it would
>> greatly help me to calculate a carbon output for a single firing taking
>> into account kiln size.
>>
>
> I will be doing a comparison chart with carbon output for other types of
>> fuel. I am interested in how many kilowatt hours for an electric kiln, h=
ow
>> much gas for gas fueled kilns and any other type of kilns. Sawdust fired
>> kilns would fall under wood fired kilns. If people firing those types of
>> kilns would be willing to send me information on how much "fuel" they us=
e
>> it would be very helpful too.
>>
>
--
----------------------------------------------------------
Lee Love on sat 5 jun 10
On Sat, Jun 5, 2010 at 8:44 PM, David Hendley wrote:
an area with coal-fired
> generators has a much larger footprint than one fired in a
> area with hydro-electric generation....
I pay extra for windpower from my electric company. St. Paul has a
co-generation plant, that uses wastewood, but can also use natural
gas.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
Eric Hansen on sun 6 jun 10
Additionally, coal-fired power plants don't tell the truth, especially
during summer, they crank those puppies at night way beyond SOP emitting
vast quantities of black smoke. Who measures this?
h a n s e n
On Sat, Jun 5, 2010 at 9:44 PM, David Hendley wrote:
> The "carbon footprint" of a kiln is more complex than adding up
> the total weight of the wood thrown in a wood kiln or the kilowatt
> hours used for an electric kiln.
>
> The carbon footprint for my wood kiln, for example, is close to
> zero, because if I did not retrieve the wood for my kiln it would
> be pushed into a pile at the pallet factory and burned anyway.
> In fact, because I burn it more efficiently at a higher
> temperature, firing my kiln may actually reduce the amount of
> carbon entering the atmosphere.
> On the other hand, my truck burns gasoline, so the 20 miles
> I drive to pick up a load of wood adds to the true carbon
> footprint of firing my kiln.
>
> As for electric kilns, one fired in an area with coal-fired
> generators has a much larger footprint than one fired in a
> area with hydro-electric generation....
>
> David Hendley
> david@farmpots.com
> http://www.farmpots.com
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
>> I am writing a paper on the carbon footprint of wood firing. The paper
>> will include comparison charts for other types of fuel. I would like to
>> ask for some help in gathering data from wood firers. The data I need is
>> the total weight of the wood you throw into to the kiln for one firing. =
If
>> anyone is willing to go to the trouble to weigh each stoke it would
>> greatly help me to calculate a carbon output for a single firing taking
>> into account kiln size.
>>
>
> I will be doing a comparison chart with carbon output for other types of
>> fuel. I am interested in how many kilowatt hours for an electric kiln, h=
ow
>> much gas for gas fueled kilns and any other type of kilns. Sawdust fired
>> kilns would fall under wood fired kilns. If people firing those types of
>> kilns would be willing to send me information on how much "fuel" they us=
e
>> it would be very helpful too.
>>
>
Lee Love on sun 6 jun 10
Robert is right: The carbon you can see does not contribute to the CO
in the air.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
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