There was an event at the Green Liquid and Gas Technologies' warehouse today. It showcased a new invention that some believe could be the way the United States lessens their dependence on foreign oil.
It's called the Green Pyrolyzer Gasifier or GPG.
The machine was invented by Dr. Alex Green, a former University of Florida professor with an impressive background in everything from physics to advising the U.S. Military during World War II.
Dr. Green said this technology is the culmination of all the work he's been doing since the Seventies, when he first realized the United States needed to look into alternative energy sources.
Green said, "When I heard of a small scale micro-turban, I thought well then, I can do my own small scale utility and do it all by myself."
The machine works by taking organic wastes such as sawdust, horse manure, sewage sludge, wood chips and other biomass and heating it indirectly without air or oxygen.
As the machine completes its function, to pyrolyze-gasify the biomass, it creates a lot of energy during the conversion process and produces a bi-product called biochar.
Green said, "In addition to getting the energy more cleanly, we get a charcoal. And that charcoal can improve the fertility of the soil and it can last in the soil for a thousand years."
The potential benefits of biochar and this technology are tremendous, but more research needs to be done before it can be used extensively.
Dr. Nicholas Comerford is in charge of the UF research facility that will test the GPG and he said, "The process is well known. It's the making it commercial and refining the process and for us, understanding the material that comes out is the challenge today."
Dr. Green is confident that the GPG will make a big difference in the agricultural industry and will be a strong alternative to fossil fuel, all while helping the environment.
And although there is more research and testing that needs to be done to determine the benefits and risks of biochar, those who attended today's open house were very excited to have one of the first looks at the Green Pyrolyzer Gasifier.
Attendees even took home biochar samples to try in their gardens.
For more information, go to GreenLiquidandGas.com