We’ve long wanted to provide a reasonably priced grid-tie solution for the Power Pallet. However sync equipment for small scale systems is scarce, and usually at price points near equal the Power Pallet itself.

 

Today we’re announcing the availability of a fully complete, non-hacked, and equipment certified grid-tie solution for the 20kw Power Pallet for $4,995. This is a solution that will work for nearly all global grid standards, as well as enable off-grid parallel feeding with large gensets already at your facility.

 

We think this tie solution is a game changer for the broad usability of the Power Pallet. For years many of you have told us the Power Pallet won’t be relevant for your location until it will connect either to the main grid, or an already existing local diesel grid at your site. Now we can do both. Hopefully this news is as pleasurable for you, as it is for us.

 

The road to here has explored many grid-tie options, and found most all of them less than ideal. Here’s the handicapping of the main scenarios:

1. An inverter based grid tie, using solar or wind equipment, is in principle easy, but for a 20kw system the inverter alone is @$10,000. You still need to rectify the AC to DC, and more importantly you still need to smart control the genset governor to set power levels and error driven engine shut downs. Also, the combination of inverter and rectifier is going to consume about 10-12% of your power. OK, you can use a PM DC genhead, if you can find one (and ouch on the price) but you still have 5-8% inverter losses.
2. A synchronous (inductive) genhead is easy to sync as a DIY option, as the grid is energizing the fields, thus sync is native. However, proper async genheads are double the cost of standard genheads, and you still need to add all the genset power controls and protective features. This equipment is mostly only built for large scale systems, and at related price points. Also, asynchronous genheads are usually about 3-5% less efficient than synch ones, and moreso if you are repurposing an inductive motor as a generator.
3. A sync system for a standard synchronous (auto-exciting) genhead is the typical path, and most efficient path, for grid tie of spinning generating media. However most equipment is made for industrial or utility scale systems, and priced accordingly. To date there been little driver to make this equipment value optimized for the under 100kw market, like there has been for residential scale solar. Furthermore, the equipment has historically been offered as separate control boxes for the different functions: sync control, voltage control, governor control for power level set, and protective functions. When putting all these pieces together I’ve always ended up with prices in the $15-20k range.

What has changed recently on our end recently, is finding new all function integrated genset controller and sync systems that are reasonably priced. In our new world of “electronics always tend towards free”, what was previously complicated multi box systems, are now getting packaged into simple multi function blocks, with nice software and push button interfaces. And certified out of the box!

 

Multiple providers now have interesting options in this space. We reviewed the offerings from Deif, ComAp, Deep Sea, Gov Corp of America, Besler, Woodward, Beckwith, Minco, Heinzmann, etc etc and found the best balance of factors in the Deep Sea Equipment. We chose Deep Sea as it provided not only the most attractive solution for the current grid tie issue, but also has a full line of expansion equipment for future needs like remote monitoring and multiple unit paralleling.
 

 

Our solution is based on the Deep Sea Electronics 8610 module. We’ve mounted this unit in a custom genhead dog house, and added the needed smart mains contactor, current sensor coils, and interface with our Woodward governor and Power Pallet PCU controls. Sadly the solution is not as simple as just an add-on box to the mains out, as you need to control the genset governor, voltage regulator, and integrate start up and error shut down states across the gasifier and engine control systems. This means a full integration down into the bowels of the Power Pallet control system.

 

Nonetheless, the outcome we’ve achieved is a full and complete onboard solution. This includes gen-to-grid sync, grid feed level control, gen-to-grid voltage matching, grid and gen protective functions, and onboard master contactor for connect and disconnect. All that is left is to run wire from the onboard Power Pallet contactor to your breaker panel on site.  

 

A critical feature of this solution is the elimination of the usual engineering project for the smart mains contactor on the install end. This can be a non-trivial problem, usually found as an after thought in the project. Most grid tie gensets leave this to the installer, which not only requires a smart contactor, but also lots of control wire and current sensors run back and forth between the panel and the generating equipment. Each installation is custom, so an electrical engineer and drawings will be required, in addition to the equipment and install costs. In the process the local code agent is sure to get shaky as they’ve never seen anything like what you’re doing. This problem consumed 10s of thousands of dollars in the 100kW Powertainer project at University of Minnesota, and we still don’t have it correct. Thus here we’ve been highly motivated to solve it all on-board, and relieve you of similar messes in the future.

 

The Deep Sea unit and other added electronics are certified for all common regulatory regimes (most importantly CE). The Mecc Alte genhead is similarly certified. However, the Power Pallet itself is yet to be certified (we’re working on this), but to date we’ve typical found exemptions for experimental or emerging equipment. You need to assess what is likely OK / not OK in your particular location. So far, creativity is working for early and one off installs.

 

Write to “sales@allpowerlabs.org” if you’d like more information.

 

More pictures are at: http://www.gekgasifier.com/products/gallery/new-electronics-and-grid-tie

 

 

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The Open House events offer all interested a regular time to visit APL, see a Power Pallet run, and generally tour the details of our operation. Each Open House has a short talk introducing gasification and the Power Pallet biomass power generation system. This will not be as in depth as our full workshop weekends, but it will get you through the fundamentals, and help you assess the relevance of our machines for your application. 

People considering a purchase, or a larger deployment of our units, often use these events as an opportunity to visit and discuss specifics. If you would like to go through a particularly large project proposition, please try to tell us ahead of time so we are sure to schedule adequate time for specifically you.

If you plan to join us in any manner this Friday, please RSVP ahead of time to “sales@allpowerlabs.org“. If you are coming from out of town we can help you logistics. Surprisingly, people fly in internationally just for the day quite frequently!

If you can’t make it this time, remember they happen monthly, the second friday of the month. This puts the next Open House on Friday, May 10th.

The post APL Monthly Open House – Friday, April 12th: 5-7pm appeared first on GEK Gasifier.

Upcoming Open House events

The post Job Opps: 1. Senior Mechanical/Thermal Engineer. 2. Assembly Tech appeared first on GEK Gasifier.

 

Given the new year, we thought it a good time to get some general feedback about how we’re doing and how we might do better.  In particular, we’re interested in your assessment of our products and your pro/con deliberations about whether you’d like to get one, whether through buying or building on your own.

 

We are currently selling and shipping between 6 and 10 Power Pallets a month.  About 10 GEK gasifier kits a month too.  Lots of you build them DIY too, but the numbers are more difficult to count.  While this is more gasifier-engine system building than anyone else on the planet by a factor of around 10x, it is still tiny compared to the real need, and the amount of interest writing us daily.  Here’s some numbers on the scale of interest we see each month.

 

We have around 50,000 unique visitors to our website a month.  Of these around 300 write in directly asking for info about building or buying something.  Of these about 50 progress to a formal quote or invoice.  And of these the numbers above decide in the end to get a unit.

 

We’re interested in learning more about what is happening between the beginning and end of this process.  What are the factors across our organization, product and financial particulars that drive your deliberations to either a yes or no?  A now or later?  Or a conclusion that things are “X”, when you really want them to be “Y”.  Or that things are in fact the “Y” you want, but “Z” is a problem for you.   Why did you stop?  Or why did you continue?

 

In short, what is right and what is wrong with our efforts.  We’d like open-ended and honest feedback.  We’re not going to elicit this with a survey, as it is difficult to do such without leading the topics and answers.  So we’re just going to leave it open and you tell us what the real issues are, pro and con.

 

No essays are needed; just some short and helpful (or non-helpful) comments.  Enlighten us about your perspectives and deliberations.  Fast and quick.  All input will be held confidential. 

 

Input should go to “survey@allpowerlabs.org“.

 

Sadly, there are no free raffle tickets for submittals: just appreciation for the input, a promise to consider it carefully, and a desire to use the suggestions to improve all the things you care about.

 

Thank you for helping us better bring you what you really want, in the curious world of biomass thermal conversion.

 

 

First Authorized Representative Demo at Savona Combustion Laboratory, Italy

 Our Director of Business Development, Dusty Swartz, travelled to Italy in late October to host the first of what will be many Authorized Representative demos.  We’re still processing the interest for many locales around the world, but the Italians demanded immediate attention, and got started right away as a result.  We encourage others in queue to do similarly and we’ll likewise highlight your efforts and send the interested in your direction.  

 

This group in Italy is now hosting monthly demos, and tending many requests for project development and support.  The interest in this tech from Italy is rather overwhelming.  Other groups are starting and/or working in parallel with them as ARs in other parts of Italy.

 

 

Here’s Dusty’s report from the event.

 

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The Authorized Representative (AR) program officially launched in August with a focus on six key regions.  Within eight weeks we offered our first international AR demonstration in Savona, Italy. 

 

The demonstration was held at the Savona Combustion Laboratory and hosted by Tecnoforest of Italy.  Interest in the event exceeded our expectations and we had to split the demo into two sessions to accommodate the number of attendees.  Dusty Swartz, the APL Director of Business Development, gave an hour presentation about our gasification technology to each group. This was followed by a demonstration of a 10kW Power Pallet to 70 businessmen and women from all regions of Italy.

 

          

The Savona Combustion Laboratory (SCL) and the Dept. of Thermal Machines, Energy Systems and Transportation (DIMSET) is headed by Professor Ferruccio Pittaluga, and comprised of 10 associates, including professors, academic researchers, research assistants, and Ph.D. students. The laboratory is located north of the campus of the Savona School of Engineering, and is housed in an old hanger that was once part of a military compound. There are two sections within the building—the LF Area, which is devoted to liquid-fuel combustion systems, and the NGF Area, which is dedicated to natural gas fueled combustion systems testing.

Professor Pittaluga believes “to achieve efficient biomass-based energy generation careful selection of the thermo-chemical process must be taken into consideration.” The balance between the need for heat and electricity in each specific application determines whether gasification or direct combustion is the most appropriate technology for distributed CHP needs.  DIMET/SCL is involved in both biomass gasification and direct combustion technologies. They monitor the operation of a Bevera 2.8MW steam-based power plant near Ventimiglia, and have two downdraft biomass gasifiers in their laboratory.

In 2006 SCL installed an Ankur 12kW downdraft gasifier and paired it with a Field Marshall engine. The Ankur gasifier was used for a number of years to do research on a mixture of biomass and coal dust. Shown below:

 

The 10kW Power Pallet was purchased from ALL Power Labs in the summer of 2012. The staff mentioned they preferred using the 10kW Power Pallet because it is a smaller and more efficient system, and one that does not produce wastewater through a gas scrubbing process.  The Power Pallet has over 300 hours of operation since the demonstration in October.

Shown above: 10kW Power Pallet with Professor Pittaluga, in the center, joined by SCL students and Tecnoforest employees. 

Savona Combustion Laboratory works in conjunction with Tecnoforest—an academic spin-off to pursue R&D activities. In the field of renewable energies SCL is developing an integrated strategy referred to as soil to engine that includes agronomy, thermo-chemistry conversion, and energy technology. The strategy takes into account all the steps that are necessary in order to achieve the so-called triple-E sustainability—Energy, Ecology, and Economy.

Tecnoforest is focusing on sustainable forestry. According to Professor Pittaluga, “High biodiversity, rapid growth forestation techniques, in order to achieve a substantial increase, is often critical for attaining economic sustainability.” The forestation modality is called consociated forestry—it features a great capacity of sequestering atmospheric carbon and producing high energy density wood. By applying this forestation pattern the expected yields are about 10 times higher than standard forestry based on poplar clones or other single-species forestry. Tecnoforest has a specialized rapid-growth wood-seed bank and an annexed biodynamic nursery for production of tree seedlings ready for transplanting.

 
Sequence of pictures: (A) Transplanting ; (B) After 18 months; (C) After 7 years: example of energy-rich rapid-growth forestry: test terrain at Bossarino, Vado Ligure (joint endeavor Tecnoforest and DIMSET/SCL)

The strategic objective of DIMSET/SCL is to develop a highly intelligent and synergic approach to energy that does not view renewable energies as an option that must exclude the use of fossil fuels, but as a complementary resource that can be made compatible with fossil fuel infrastructure. When they fulfill their mission, SCL may become known as “Sustainable” Combustion Laboratory for their efforts in this field.

Tecnoforest is collaborating with a company in Terni to assist with installation of Power Pallets purchased through their organization. This combined company will be overseeing the CE approval process in Italy. Tecnoforest will be hosting demonstrations of the Power Pallet on a monthly basis, providing technical information to customers about gasification and the Power Pallet, and also selling units. 

 

They serve as an example to others that wish to be Authorized Representatives within Italy and throughout Europe. For those interested in seeing the 10kW Power Pallet in Savona- Professor Pittaluga is planning another demonstration in February.

 
For more information visit these websites:

Savona Combustion Laboratory: http://www.en3.unige.it/savona-combustion-lab/
Tecnoforest: http://www.tecnoforest.net

 

The post Survey of your thoughts? Italy hosts first AR demo to an overflow crowd appeared first on GEK Gasifier.

ALL Power Labs is preparing for a year of significant growth in 2013. As of the beginning of 2013, we have over 400 systems out in the world, in over 50 total countries.   Here’s an updated map of where most of them are.  By the end of 2013, we plan to add at least 200 new dots to the map . . .

 

   

Image Link: http://www.gekgasifier.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/GEKproject_image_v2.png

 

 

Two hundred new dots will continue our pattern of doubling in size and shipped product each year.  To double again in 2013 we’ll need to hire on all fronts, so expect a regular series of job announcements.  We try to hire from within the community whenever possible, so do consider applying for these openings (or tell us about other positions you think you should have at APL). 

 

We’ve recently taken on a veteran COO, Alejandro Abelos, who previously led manufacturing expansions at PowerLight, SunPower, and Green Volts here in California.  He and the rest of the manufacturing group are now laying the groundwork to get us from current capacity of 10 Power Pallets a month, to around 25/month by the end of 2013– and continued doublings yearly beyond there.

 

We’re similarly building out a higher horsepower business group, to be led by an as of yet unfound CFO.  Details on this CFO search will come in the spring.  In the interim, we’re starting a search for the new position of Accounting Manager /  Controller.  This position will have central responsibility for the nuts and bolts of our daily financial management.   It requires a person who wants to be operationally and strategically active postion in the org, not a cave dwelling number cruncher.  It is not impossible the CFO might rise up from this position, so those with interest in the future role might still want to talk with us about the current position.  There is room for growth.  Details on the Accounting Manager / Controller position are findable here: http://gekgasifier.com/oldsite//2012/11/job-announcement-account-manager/

 

Customer Service and Product Support will also get full redo into a dedicated department(s) in the coming year.  The initial “hurrah!” of prototype engineering and early manufacturing has now given way to 100s of units in the field, and many people wanting support, parts, training and general logistical help for larger deployments.  We’re starting this with a dedicated Customer Service Manager postion.  The details of this position came through in a previous GEKnews, and are still findable here:  http://gekgasifier.com/oldsite//2012/12/job-announcement-customer-service-and-sales-support-manager/

 

Finally, this spring we’re setting in motion the next phase of 100kw Powertainer development, and plan to build several more units for continued refinement and testing through the end of 2013.  Ramping developing and production of these units is going to require multiple hires across mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, project management, and yet more manufacturing production mangers.  We can’t add all this on top of the existing GEK and Power Pallet production system.  We will need to build out a new group and potentially a second site to produce the larger Powertainers.  More info on this over the coming year.

 

 

Many of you have been watching our progress since the first experimenter’s kits in 2008.  We’re blessed so many of you have wanted to participate in this curious engineering adventure, and together prove biomass gasification an actually useful technology for repowering today’s planet.   We easily forget that only 5 years ago small-scale gasifiers were DIY rarities, or high dollar govt boondoggles.  Today we have 100s of new ones out in the world, and about 5 other companies newly formed with their own offerings of small scale gasifiers, and related web based info and collaboration.  This is all wonderful news for the general proposition.  

 

We’re not yet at the one million plus gasifiers and the 10s of manufacturing companies during WWII, but at least we do now have a growing new industry around this tech, and proof that it can be relevant beyond a DIY curiosity.  And much more is to come.  We’re only just getting started on the real deployment and scaling phase . . . 
 

 

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Open House this coming Friday at APL

 

Our next Open House at ALL Power Labs is this Friday, January 11th, from 5-7pm.  There will be food and drink, as well as other gasifier geeks gathered and talking shop for your entertainment. 

 

The Open House events offer all interested a regular time to visit APL, see a Power Pallet run, and generally tour the details of our operation.  Each Open House has a short talk introducing gasification and the Power Pallet biomass power generation system.  This will not be as in depth as our full workshop weekends, but it will get you through the fundamentals, and help you assess the relevance of our machines for your application.

 

People considering a purchase, or a larger deployment of our units, often use these events as an opportunity to visit and discuss specifics.  If you would like to go through a particularly large project proposition, please try to tell us ahead of time so we are sure to schedule adequate time for specifically you.

 

If you plan to join us in any manner this Friday, please RSVP ahead of time to “sales“.  If you are coming from out of town we can help you logistics.  Surprisingly, people fly in internationally just for the day quite frequently!

 

If you can’t make it this time, remember they happen monthly, the second friday of the month.  This puts the next Open House on Friday, Februrary 8th.  

 

 

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Winter in Minnesota

 

Multiple APL folk spent much of this winter in Morris, Minnesota testing the 100kw Powertainer.  We did a full characterization of gas composition, engine emissions, fuel consumption rates, and learned many interesting issues of cold weather operation.  Btw, did I mention it’s cold there?

 

We’ll soon post all the details on these runs, as well as what’s next for the Powertainer project.  In the interim, here’s a pix of local research conditions in Morris, MN, late December. 

 

 

 

Image link: http://wiki.gekgasifier.com/w/file/62440428/PowertainerInSnow-1000.jpg

 

 

 

More soon,

 

 

Jim

 

The post Job Opps in 2013, Open House this Friday, Winter in Minnesota appeared first on GEK Gasifier.

The post Job Announcement: Customer Service and Sales Support Manager appeared first on GEK Gasifier.

Download Announcement: APL-Job-Announcement-Accounting-Manager 

Summary
The Accounting Manager has leadership responsibilities for accounting functions of the organization and reports directly to the Finance Officer. The position provides oversight for all essential accounting functions including, but not limited to, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll and General Ledger activity Position will also support Human Resource activities such as employee benefits management.

Duties and Tasks

• Manages the Accounting, Payroll, Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable functions
• Manages and executes daily operations of the Accounting Department.
• Preparation and posting of monthly journal entries.
• Compiles and analyzes financial information to prepare entries to accounts, such as general ledger accounts and documenting business transactions.
• Analyzes financial information detailing assets, liabilities, and capital, and prepares balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and other reports to summarize current and projected company financial position.
• Create and develop financial reporting tools and metrics for use by Executive Leadership team.
• Actively involved in the organization’s annual audits and tax return preparation.
• Establishes, modifies, documents, and coordinates implementation of accounting internal control procedures.
• Guides accounting decisions by establishing, monitoring and implementing policies and procedures.
• Very strong interpersonal communication skills, both written and verbal, are required.
• Constantly strives to achieve excellence in day-to-day operations of respective department.
• Manage employee benefits programs

Qualifications

• BA or BS in Business with an emphasis in Accounting
• Must have a minimum of five years prior supervisory experience in financial reporting and general accounting areas.
• Must be PC proficient and prior experience with Quickbooks and/or other accounting systems.
• Must be proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite. Must be able to thrive in a startup, fast-pace setting.
• Must have excellent written and spoken communication skills.

About ALL Power Labs:

ALL Power Labs is a Berkeley, CA based start-up specializing in biomass gasification equipment for small-scale, distributed power generation. Our project started in 2008 with the open source Gasifier Experimenter’s Kit (GEK), supporting research, education and DIY hacking in biomass thermal conversion. Four years later it has evolved into the Power Pallet— a fully automated solution for personal scale biomass power generation. Today you can find over 300 of our systems in 40 countries, supporting research in over 50 universities.

To Apply:
Please send a letter describing your interest and qualifications, as well as your resume to jobs@allpowerlabs.org

The post Job Announcement – Accounting Manager appeared first on GEK Gasifier.

Cost: Free for GEK or Power Pallet owners, otherwise $150 for Newbies.  

Add $100 for extended AR program and dinner.  Add $50 for welding supplies if you will be building a GEK

Sign up here:  http://www.gekgasifier.com/about/workshop/sign-up/

More Info on travel and accommodations: http://gekgasifier.com/about/workshops/
Contact: sales@allpowerlabs.org

 

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Join us at ALL Power Labs in Berkeley CA, this coming November 2-5, 2012 for the next in our long running series of Biomass Gasification weekends. This round the weekend will focus on our recently launched Authorized Representative program.  This is our major new endeavor in house, and we want to create a forum where the interesting can gather to explore the opportunity, as well as start the training process for supporting customers on their end.

 

The weekend will continue to offer general demos and instruction in GEK and Power Pallet running, as well as the usual deep tour down the rabbit hole of biomass thermal conversion science.  We’ll orchestrate our standard multi-track teaching program, but with the tracks for this round a little less esoteric (i.e. sadly, no Lister spark conversion or vehicle conversion projects), and more pragmatically focussed on the details of supporting Power Pallet installations.  Nonetheless, all topics and projects offered will also be of high relevance for DIYers, researchers, and home power enthusiasts.

 

For an introduction to the Authorized Representative program, see the original announcement here: http://gekgasifier.com/2012/07/announcing-the-apl-authorized-representative-program/  Note that we are still in the process of reviewing and selecting ARs from a large and still growing pool of candidates.   The workshop weekend is intended as an opportunity for us to meet many candidates, and for the candidates to me us- assessing fit in both directions.  Attending the AR program does not guarantee you will become an AR, but we find that most correct candidates tend to select themselves through some type of proactive gesture.

 

For a general introduction to our workshop weekends, here’s a video touring the workshop from last spring.

 

     

 

The latest versions of both the 10kw and 20kw Power Pallets will be on site and running throughout the weekend.  We invite you to come kick the tires, and see how much progress we’ve made lately.  

 

                 

 

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General Program and Schedule for the Weekend

 

 

Friday Night- 7:30-9:30pm:  

Gasification 101 Lecture

 

 

 

The workshop begins with an evening talk by APL Director, Jim Mason, on the science of gasification and a survey of its engineering history.  Biomass thermal conversion is explored from the most simple introduction, to a highly technical consideration of the variable dynamics of our 4 core processes: Drying, Pyrolysis, Combustion and Reduction.  A variety of reactor types are explained and critiqued, and the particular motivations of the GEK TOTTI architecture are illuminated.

 

The Friday night program is the “Gasification 101″ course of the weekend.  It is the foundation for the rest of the weekend and should not be missed.  AR candidates in particular need to make sure they are here for this intro talk or the rest of the weekend training will be compromised.

 

 

Saturday and Sunday-  11am-7pm:   

Hands on Projects and AR Operational Training

 

         

 

Saturday and Sunday are full days of hands-on projects, demonstrations, and general wrench turning.   We will offer multiple projects running in parallel, all open for you to wander between and enjoy.

 

The AR specific training projects will be run in series over the weekend, so AR candidates can go through them all in order.  We plan for two main sessions a day, over the following critical topics.  

 

1. GEK and Power Pallet assembly, disassembly and maintenance

 

2. Gasifier fuel types and preparation methods

 

3. Power Pallet start up, run modes and trouble shooting

 

4. Power Pallet electronic control and self-diagnostic codes.

 

 

In two days, we cannot offer a full technical certification program.  However, we’re going to attempt as dense and complete orientation as possible.  You should expect to come away with a good core understanding of the machine, and be able to properly represent it to potential customers.  If you arrive technically inclined and fast learning, you will likely leave with enough understanding to provide basic support to new users in the field.

 

 

GEK Gasifier Building:

Want to build you own gasifier?  Here’s your chance to do so, using our tools and instruction from the local crew.  

We have tables and welders for 4 people who want to weld together a GEK kit over the weekend.  Given clear inhouse instruction, you should be able to get through the building process by the end of Sunday.  Finished gasifiers can Russian doll back into the hopper and filter for checking as oversize baggage on the plane.  Yes this does work.  We do this regularly.  Airline security surprisingly does not mind too much.

 

Anyone who wants to do this will need to reserve a spot by purchasing a Level III weld together GEK kit.  The workshop is free if you get a kit, but there is a $50 charge for welding supplies and other consumables you’ll use during fabrication.  Again, there are ONLY 4 slots for gasifier building.  Welders are limited.  Please reserve ahead of time if you want to build a kit.  

 

If you want to get a jump on what we’ll be doing, here’s the general process shown in video form: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI7ooKZFF6Q&list=UU4E_vZftsMPmFfzTTlHW5Ag&index=4&feature=plcp
 

 

 

 

Monday: 10am – 7pm: 

AR Business Seminar and Dinner

 

 

We’re adding another full day to the workshop (Monday) for an AR dedicated seminar and dinner.   All the physical training sessions for the ARs are Saturday and Sunday: Monday we’ll explore the broad range of business models, issues, policies and projects imagined for your end.  

The business seminar will follow the general outline of the full AR “Program Overview” document that many of you have already received (and more of you can get if you write with your AR interest).  We expect many questions, as well as proposed refinements to the general vision we’ve outlined to date.  We look forward to engaging the specifics of your plan and related questions.

Monday evening we’ll celebrate the completion of the AR weekend with a group dinner.  The dinner is included in the price of the extra AR track for the workshop.  Location to be announced.  Limit of 50 people.

More information on the AR Seminar and dinner will be on the way in the coming weeks.  However please do RSVP to us with your interest as soon as possible so we know how many to prepare for.

 

General Info and Signup

If you want to join us in any capacity, you need to RSVP (and potentially pay) before the event.  You can do so via credit card here: http://www.gekgasifier.com/about/workshop/sign-up/ or to sales@allpowerlabs.org.

 

Information on local accommodation, maps and airports is here: http://www.gekgasifier.com/about/workshop/travel-and-accomodation/.  There is some camping space available onsite, but it seems to be getting more packed with each workshop.  Tell us soon if you need sleeping bag space.

 

If you’re coming from overseas, or an institution that requires an invite, we’ll help with visa letters and other travel support as we can.

We look forward to seeing many of you here soon.

 

jim

The post Workshop Weekend: Authorized Rep Training. Nov 2-5, 2012 appeared first on GEK Gasifier.

ALL Power Labs is receiving a growing stream of proposals for overseas representation and reselling of our products.  Many of these come from individuals who’ve been watching our progress for years, and find our products have now achieved a level of maturity to justify pilot scale rollouts in their region.  Fortunately, we agree.  

We also know the next stage of our growth cannot happen without commercial partners in “faraway” local markets.  There are many details of product demonstration, last mile services, and local project development that we cannot well serve online from Berkeley, California.  This is where you come in.

Today we’re announcing the launch of our global Authorized Representative Program. The goal of this program is to find individuals who can successfully localize our products, and build the related businesses to grow the results.  This will be much than an arms length reseller agreement.  It will be an active participatory role, somewhat like a “Value Added Reseller”, but with responsibilities and opportunities extending well beyond a typical VAR. 

As an Authorized Representative (AR), you will be expected to orchestrate regular product demonstration events at your site, somewhat like we do with our monthly Open House events in Berkeley.  You’ll be offered a wide array of “last mile service” commercial opportunities, as well as the add-on projects that regularly arise around a gasifier installation.  You’ll become the “go to” person in your region for small-scale biomass power generation, and be given a front row seat to develop the larger deployments in your region.

To succeed in these activities, you’ll need to possess technical abilities across gasification and internal combustion engines; general business and logistics expertise; and financing capability, expertise or contacts to enable purchase scaling.  Few people come with all of these resources together by default.  You should at the very least be willing to assemble teams or local partnerships that in time will address all these pieces of the puzzle.

We’re open to establishing AR relationships anywhere in the world.  However, for the six months of the program, we’d like to focus on the following regions.

• Italy
• Indonesia
• Eastern Europe
• Australia
• South Africa
• India
• Canada

Note that we already have reps in three additional regions.  These individuals chose themselves prior to this program through getting a Power Pallet and starting action on-the-ground.  They are Holger Roswandowicz in Germany, Yoav Palatnik and Vickson Korlewala in Liberia, and Gerardo Turrubiate in Tulum, Mexico.  Hundreds of others have asked or proposed things over the last 4 years, but we didn’t have a clear program to offer.  Now finally, we do.

We believe our personal scale power products are on the cusp of a transformational uptake in-the-market and on-the-ground.  Waste biomass fuel is nearly everywhere and often free.  Rural electrification –whether developing world or otherwise– usually suffers from high cost or high intermittency, with few options that truly replace the usability of the grid or a diesel genset.  Those who’ve been watching us for last few years have been watching us progressively roll out the answer– and do so at a price point unprecedented in the biomass energy sector. 

We are in no way done with our development.  Both our technology and its productization continue to undergo rapid development, and will continue to do so for years to come.  However, we are finally at a first point of design stability and manufacturing capacity to support meaningful pilot scale rollouts, and encourage local businesses to form to drive the opportunity forward.

We expect these efforts to return significant rewards in future years –across multiple bottom lines– however in the near term, there’s mostly just going to be lots of work.  Understand clearly that this will be a high opportunity cost engagement, appropriate for only the exceptionally motivated, and those in possession of a long view.  Nonetheless, we hope you will seriously consider joining us for the adventure, and help us put a significant dent in the universe of the energy problem.

If you would more information on the program, please write us at sales@allpowerlabs.org and we’ll send you the full program details.

Thank you for considering.  I hope you will join us. 

Jim Mason
www.gekgasifier.com

————————————————————————–  

UPDATE ON AUGUST 15, 2012

We had a bit more response to the Authorized Representative Program
announcement than expected.  Nearly 300 of you have written in to date
to get the full package explaining the details.

We’re still working through all the notes, so if you’ve yet to hear
back from us, know you are not forgotten; we’re just overwhelmed with
email.  Dusty and Brian are daily curating and assessing the list of
interested via email and skype calls.  Site visits to APL have already
started for some, and we invite more.

As usual, action on your end will speak louder than complicated
proposals and long negotiations.  The most important action is, as
always, to get a Power Pallet at your site and start demos.  Buying a
Power Pallet and doing something interesting with it quickly
distinguishes you and your proposal from the crowd.  Mostly, we let
people organically select themselves.

In launching this program, we decided we needed to focus on a limited
number of countries.   Attempting everywhere at once would be too much
on the logistics front.  However, responses to the original note show
we missed a couple important countries, and many of you wrote in with
proposals anyways.   We’d now like to formally add a few more
countries, so that others from the same know they can propose things
also.

The original list of focus countries/regions was:

·      Italy
·      Indonesia
·      Eastern Europe
·      Australia
·      South Africa
·      India
·      Canada

We’d now like to add:

·      UK
·      Spain
·      Brazil
·      Costa Rica
·      Thailand (or mainland S.E.A)
·      Israel

Yes, the list is getting rather long.   We can’t well do 12+ countries
simultaneously.  We’ll likely need to choose 5-7 countries/regions
with people and proposals of unique fit and ability, and focus on
those.  So we encourage you to convince us why we should pick you for
our early dance partner.

If you are in a country/region listed above and would like more info,
please write us and we’ll send you the full Authorized Representative
package.  The original email introducing the program is copied above.

Thank you again for your interest in collaborating with us.  We look
forward to hearing from you.

More soon,

jim

The post Announcing the APL Authorized Representative Program appeared first on GEK Gasifier.

Bear Kaufmann, Jeff Tiedeken and Jim Mason are at University of Minnesota, Morris this week installing the Powertainer and setting it up for its initial runs onsite.  This has been a long haul, and we’re very happy to finally have it here and soon begin pumping biomass power back into the grid.  A big thank you goes to Lowell Rasmussen, Jim Barbour and Dave Aronson at the UMM for making this project possible, as well as their general dedication to proving small scale biomass energy for midwestern ag applications. As well a huge thank you to APL team member Nick Monahan for taking on the complexity of managing the overall construction project and CAD sheet metal origami that rendered it to real.

There is a formal opening and demonstration onsite this Thursday from 1-3pm.  It is open to the public so if you are in the area, you are welcome to attend. More information on the opening and the project can be found in the press release here:  http://www.power-eng.com/news/2012/06/23/university-of-minnesota-morris-demonstrates-new-power-technology.html

For the next 6 months we’ll be learning and refining the installation onsite, and hopefully ending with a daily running installation.  There are many details to work out, and surely many things yet to learn.  However, we are very satisfied with the fundamentals, and the general proving that one can compact and integrate the full gasification system (gasifier, filtration, engine and hopper) within one 20′ shipping container.  The goal is the total system in a box, drop it off the truck and go.  No onsite construction.  Fill the hopper with a conveyor, skid steer or bucket tractor.

The architecture for this system is essentially the TOTTI vessel and heat exchange relationships scaled up, with an additional stage of using the engine radiator blast for predrying the fuel.  The hopper is open to atmosphere, with a louvered base, so we can pass the hot radiator blast through the bed.  This should significantly extend the fuel moisture range beyond the 30% or so top we can tolerate in the standard TOTTI on the Power Pallet.  We’ll be running corn cobs at UMM.  Most of the testing at APL were on wood chips. 

As usual, what started as a gasifier project turned into a fuel handling project.  Getting a 24hr hopper integrated into the shipping container, with airlock and secondary heated auger to the gasifier, turned into a non-trivial 3D LEGO puzzle.  See the galleries for the details for how we finally solved it. 

See here for the full gallery of photos from the install at Univeristy of Minnesota, Morris http://gekgasifier.com/wpgallery/powertainer-at-university-of-minnesota-morris/

See here for the full gallery of photos from the testing at APL in Berkeley http://gekgasifier.com/wpgallery/100kw-powertainer-at-apl-june-2012/

We get many people asking us when we can offer this unit to other projects.  The answer is not yet.  We are not yet at a point of maturity in the design and details to offer this as a regular commercial unit.  We expect to be there in about one year.

To help us get there, we are looking for additional projects where a still in development system is an appropriate fit.  This will be a research or entrepreneurial setting that can tolerate a not-yet-fully-hands-off-24/7-running-systyem, in return for the ultimate reward of a much compacted and price optimized total solution vs other current options on the market.  Write us at sales@allpowerlabs.org if you are interested.

Hope to see some of you in Morris this Thursday.

The post APL in the Field: Powertainer install at UNM Morris appeared first on GEK Gasifier.