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<br /> A. mirillesota company designs
<br /> ,,,:i,,,,I,,,,,,-if-1_;',ii...„1120,-,,, a furnace toburn corn--..„..„,,,-,__ ---7:".ztjAii,„, ?",_',„1-9,:._:''4,,,,,,;,„%,,,,,,,,„,,,,,,..„*,..... ...„..,,.__
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<br /> agricultural byproducts.
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<br /> ,,,,,..;,,,,-,=,, 4.,._:::., , -2..,,,:,:i.,,,,,,:, BY DAN LEMKE
<br /> t Elk River illinn.—Robert Walker has smelled Power as well as heat
<br /> _ 4 the opportunity in biomass energy,and it has
<br /> l';'''''''' '''-'
<br /> him wide awake after a comfortable sleep. Furnaces maybe the first products avallables,
<br /> but Bixby Energy's goal is to develop biomass
<br /> _ � As founder of Select Comfort Corporation and systems capable of heating a home and its
<br /> designer of the"Sleep Number Bed"air sleep Fater and generating electricity.Walker hopes
<br /> j� to have these distributedpower
<br /> _ , system,"the products I'm interested in are systems
<br /> ones that I think are beneficial to mankind," available within three years.
<br /> '1''''''4''''''''''''
<br /> N Walker says."I'm intrigued by a similar "(America is)too dependent on foreign
<br /> ;fr scenario—providing an effect on our energy sources for our energy—too dependent on
<br /> system." others'whims,"Walker says."By utilizing
<br /> �:' ,> , Last March,Walker founded Bixby Energy these'super pellets'made from ag products,
<br /> :' Systems with a vision of developing and we can make a real impact.There's a double
<br /> marketing high-tech biomass energy.Bixby benefit,because the money for our energy
<br /> 1• .''
<br /> beganproducing a space heater in November. isrit leaving the country,plus we're using up a
<br /> P
<br /> • But its sights aze set much higher. low-value product that is really a valuable,
<br /> renewable resource.
<br /> s�� Alternative energy sources have
<br /> High burn rate gained attention as fuels such as
<br /> fa natural gas,liquid propane and fuel
<br /> High fuel costs last heating
<br /> .° - oil have undergone wild price
<br /> season gave rise to renewed fluctuations.Walker says that when
<br /> t interest in alternative energy, y
<br /> "" including burning dry shelled biomass fuels reach their most cost
<br /> �� competitive level,they'll be cheaper
<br /> corn.Several corn-burning than fossil fuels,which adds to their
<br /> furnaces have alread been
<br /> y attractiveness.
<br /> ���� -,":5+'-i. developed,but Walker says'
<br /> a _ Bixby's proprietary .. "The evolution is occurring,"he says.
<br /> fi f - 4 technology makes its "With knowledge and
<br /> � , systems operate more training we can become used
<br /> t efficiently.Developed to biomass as an energy source.
<br /> F
<br /> *; f 55 by Bixby's chief This is agold mine we just haven't
<br /> � _ technical officer, tapped."
<br /> ,i,-0,i Marion Mast,the
<br /> g r` z, Y ,' ' '+e '- .,,.:-,,,::,.,,,,,-.,.,-,,_,..z.,,,,,,,,_,,,_t y - BI I,E'77-ei-gr ;ste/nssto,�eS are available at
<br /> "MaxYield"system incorporates high levels of selected ireplaceandavooclstovereta lens.For
<br /> �'" + - oxygen for a good burn rate and constantly
<br /> �� more i�zforrnation visit lithe it1�site:
<br /> ''''P';' ''''V monitors and adjusts fuel flow to maximize
<br /> ; ,, uunu.Gixb1'e�zerg}�com ■
<br /> - 44°a f heat output.
<br /> * a Bixby •Energy is working to certify fuels for
<br /> '_ their systems.Accordingut o the U.S.
<br /> � R Department of Ener ,shelled corn
<br /> a p rcc'Vis one of the lowest cost fuels per AU RI t Fork
<br /> "° fl , - ,,. , j Btu.Bixby isn't limiting its efforts to
<br /> -.',,,i-,,. ,l-1,X71%4'Alf.'---, '-'14'''''., -,„ -I: 'It ` corn,however;AURI is helping erviceS � i provided
<br /> ti w - r identify and test a wide range of ag
<br /> . ' Bixby E,-iergy Systems.
<br /> a x -, products that could be pelleted as
<br /> fuel.
<br /> Fuel development
<br /> "They're not just selling burners, + Fuel estinn and :,,,-,:,,,,,,-,.::- -:,:..1:,...,,:l.,z;-!,..,k,-
<br /> ;, 1'Fs:� � . -,,,,,,,,i,,,::S , �h they're integrating the fuels into their analysis
<br /> a system,"says Jack Johnson,who `
<br /> heads up AURI's coproducts 1 j11
<br /> �` t,3 utilization program."It's a technology a h
<br /> that burns efficiently and combines
<br /> :; renewable fuels.That's what makes it
<br /> f ;� y x t attractive to us.,,
<br /> 's+3 nl'-' :.14-i ani-t sk^}:}`,:-.,,%..., ' .:cam s-a s a"c k :� x .
<br /> AURI AG INNOVATION NEWS•JANUARY 2002 PAGE 5
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