BioMass, Vetiver Grass, & La Gonave
I have mentioned all three names in many of the blogs that are on this site. Let's start with La Gonave. This is home base for Let's Build La Gonave, Haiti, it is the focus area of Hurko Co.. It is the island that is forgotten, well almost! Then you have Vetiver Grass.
Did you know that Haiti is the number one producer of Vetiver Grass? It produces 50% of the worlds vetiver, and it is even used to make perfume. Not only is the grass great for water retention, reducing soil erosion, but it makes good fodder for livestock, and it can be a replacement for charcoal. That's right, in Haiti's backyard is a product that could easily substitute trees and not only does it grow back every year, it is cleaner to burn than charcoal. It can be made into pellets, or left in it's original form. Either way the product can be used to power a Biomass power plant.
So what does Let's Build La Gonave, Haiti have to do with this. Well we feel that La Gonave could easily grow the veitver as well. The plant can stand salinity soils and will prevent runoff. There is a huge area outside of Anse-a-Galets that would be a perfect place for the veitiver field. Did I mention that there is no maintenance that is needed for the grass? Once it is sown, it will last for years in the same place. The roots penetrate deep into the soil, so removing a mature bunch would need heavy machinery.
So lets talk biomass power plants. You may think it will take millions of dollars to build a power plant. That is incorrect. There are these biomass plants that can even run on corn cobs and fit on a standard pallet. These power plants can power about 40 homes in places like Haiti, or 2 American homes. In different parts of the world, and even in Haiti these power plants are in use. There is a private electric company in Haiti that uses the biomass pallet power plant and powers the community for a profit. These biomass power plants can be purchased for under $50,000 US.
Currently the company is building a larger version of their pallet power plant that would fit inside of a shipping container. While the power plant of that small size wouldn't power all of La Gonave, it would be able to power many of the small villages, clinics, and schools that dot the landscape.
Several of the shipping container size biomass power plants could easily power Anse-a-Galets. There is plenty of land to grow the vetiver grass, and we could easily import it from the mainland. Some people have even made their biomass power plants.
Easily for a small amount of money and for environmental protecting vetiver grass this is a win for La Gonave. We are looking at this and even talking to the manufacturer of this biomass plant to get information. This coupled with wind and solar, and La Gonave could provide its own power without costly imports.
Stay tuned!
Go Gonave!
Did you know that Haiti is the number one producer of Vetiver Grass? It produces 50% of the worlds vetiver, and it is even used to make perfume. Not only is the grass great for water retention, reducing soil erosion, but it makes good fodder for livestock, and it can be a replacement for charcoal. That's right, in Haiti's backyard is a product that could easily substitute trees and not only does it grow back every year, it is cleaner to burn than charcoal. It can be made into pellets, or left in it's original form. Either way the product can be used to power a Biomass power plant.
So what does Let's Build La Gonave, Haiti have to do with this. Well we feel that La Gonave could easily grow the veitver as well. The plant can stand salinity soils and will prevent runoff. There is a huge area outside of Anse-a-Galets that would be a perfect place for the veitiver field. Did I mention that there is no maintenance that is needed for the grass? Once it is sown, it will last for years in the same place. The roots penetrate deep into the soil, so removing a mature bunch would need heavy machinery.
So lets talk biomass power plants. You may think it will take millions of dollars to build a power plant. That is incorrect. There are these biomass plants that can even run on corn cobs and fit on a standard pallet. These power plants can power about 40 homes in places like Haiti, or 2 American homes. In different parts of the world, and even in Haiti these power plants are in use. There is a private electric company in Haiti that uses the biomass pallet power plant and powers the community for a profit. These biomass power plants can be purchased for under $50,000 US.
Currently the company is building a larger version of their pallet power plant that would fit inside of a shipping container. While the power plant of that small size wouldn't power all of La Gonave, it would be able to power many of the small villages, clinics, and schools that dot the landscape.
Several of the shipping container size biomass power plants could easily power Anse-a-Galets. There is plenty of land to grow the vetiver grass, and we could easily import it from the mainland. Some people have even made their biomass power plants.
Easily for a small amount of money and for environmental protecting vetiver grass this is a win for La Gonave. We are looking at this and even talking to the manufacturer of this biomass plant to get information. This coupled with wind and solar, and La Gonave could provide its own power without costly imports.
Stay tuned!
Go Gonave!
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