Let me say this first. Ethanol production is not for everyone but for small farmers, preppers, off-gridders and entrepreneurs. quality of life can be raised and cash can be made.
My brother Rex and I have been experimenting with small-scale ethanol production for about 5 years now to build some expertise in the subject. We have built a number of stills based on the classic Warren design and added improvements to the design. The stills we build are near bullet proof. We have also designed and built an energy efficient prototype boiler that will burn practically anything. scrap wood, cardboard, yard waste, regular firewood and my personal favorite, wood pellets.
The reason we went to all this trouble was to build a small scale ethanol production system that is labor minimal and trouble free. What we came up with is a system that doesn’t eat up time everyday, break your back with heavy lifting and labor or require much money to keep in production.
The goal for anyone into ethanol production is to make it pay and pay well. That requires some brain work and handy skills to get it going.
The number one issue is feed stock. All is for not if you don’t have a source of low cost starchy material or sugar. The number two issue is something low cost to burn for fuel to cook stillage and run the alcohol off. Once you have these two issues covered then the rest of the story is to put a system together that minimizes labor and time usage and creates a high quality fuel grade product.
The business model is to take money out of Exxon-Mobile’s hands and put it into your hands. Once you study the subject and apply the info to your life situation then you can customize an ethanol system that serves your purposes.
A five acre mini-farm that feeds corn to steers and milk cows can create the alcohol at near zero cost using the animal feed as the feed stock for your ethanol production. you then feed the spent stillage to the cattle; the stillage being a much higher grade of animal feed.
If properly done the alcohol production radically reduces money spent on Exxon-Mobile, improves the farms profitability and the better animal feed means a better price for your steers and more meat and milk.
If your just an average guy living in the country you can sell ethanol to your neighbors and friends right out of your front yard and that is after you get the government to cover your cost with a $.75-1.00 per gallon subsidy.
A family of preppers producing 25 gallons of fuel grade alcohol a week could stockpile 1300 gallons of fuel in a year. That is trading stock, quick cash, fuel for the four wheeler and side x side and all the hot meals you can eat.
There will be more posts coming on this subject. By the way I have a number of 3″ Warren Column Stills in stock for the bargain price of $2500 apiece. If anyone is interested drop me an email.
paul@paulmariobabcock.com
Paul B.