[extropy-chat] Trees and EVs

[Dan Clemmensen]

Kevin Freels wrote:

>So who wants to start work developing a home solar/wind combo re-charging
>station?
>
>  
>
OK, now we have it: Grow trees and leave them standing: they sequester 
carbon as they grow.

Harvest the fallen leaves in the fall into big leaf piles. Convert the 
leaves into methanol and/or methane
as needed. Any extra leaves can be sequestered to given to folks who 
have no trees.

Convert the methanol and/or methane into electricity to charge the EV 
and run the home electrical system

Use the process heat to heat/cool the house.

The major advantage of this approach is that you can implement it 
locally, with no
infrastructure.

The major disadvantages are two-fold:
1) high capital cost.
2) high complexity.

OK, how many tons of leaves do we need to do this? Research the 
following: for each, identify
the capital costs and the conversion factor.

1) Leaves-> methanol/methane
2) methane-> electricity
3) methanol->electricity
4) Acres (eastern US) ->leaves.
5) electricity->road miles.

Note: those of us with private septic systems can generate additional 
methane.