Green Energy News | September 7, 1997

September 7, 1997 – Vol.2 No.23

ENERGIES... week of September 7, 1997

THE SQUABBLE OVER CHICKEN MANURE. If it’s true that nutrient runoff from chicken farms on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is causing the fish kills on local rivers, the solution may lie in the form a new furnace under development by Vayda Energy Associates, also of Maryland.

Chicken growers have a problem - tons and tons of manure. Currently the manure is stored in sheds and from time to time spread on surrounding fields to fertilize the next crop of chicken feed. A seemingly simple and productive way to dispose of the stuff.

Environmentalists, and others, think that too much manure is being spread with high levels of nutrients running off into the rivers’ watershed. The extra nutrient level is believed, but not proven, to cause a microbe, Pfiesteria piscicida, to flourish. The microbe allegedly causes fish to develop lesions and eventually die. Some people who have had contact with the water in one of the rivers have also become ill.

Thus the cackling begins. Farmers want proof that the problem begins with them. Maryland Governor Parris Glendening has mentioned curbing runoff from farms. Yet the real solution may come from Vayda’s direct manure-to-heat furnace. Farmers have more manure than they can handle and chickens thrive in hot 96-degree houses. The innovative furnace could burn the manure and provide that heat.

North Carolina has a similar problem with Pfiesteria. This time the culprit may be hog manure - but again, not proven. One hopes there’s a direct hog manure-to-energy device under development .

FAST CHARGER. Ford Motor company took delivery this week of its first PosiCharge(tm) electric vehicle conductive charging system from AeroVironment. Aimed at working in conjunction with the introduction of 1998 Ranger EV, PosiCharge can restore 80% of the power to the vehicle’s lead-acid batteries in 20 minutes. Full charge takes about 6 hours.

The Ranger has a real world range of 50 miles on full charge. Partial charging could increase the daily range to 150 miles, given recharges at coffee breaks, lunch, and other down times.

HYUNDAI’S EV. Korean car builder Hyundai has introduced the Atos EV, based on the company’s mini-car of the same name. Tech specs include a 120-mile range in stop-and-go traffic (thanks to its “creeper” mode), 24 nickel metal hydride batteries (bringing it’s net weight to 2585 lbs), a full recharge in 7 hours, a 50Kw AC induction motor and an integrated single module electrical system (DC-AC inverter, 6.6Kw conductive charger, heat pump air conditioning and power steering controls). Top speed is 80 miles per hour.