Izmir’s Termodinamik to export corn-fuelled heating system to US

Izmir-based heating system producer Termodinamik is working on building a central heating system, which will use corn as a fuel. The project is aimed at creating an alternative to natural gas in the United States and Canada, according to the Anatolia news agency. Due to the rising price of natural gas, Americans have been looking for a cheaper alternative, said Termodinamik Deputy Chairman Mehmet Guran. Three times more corn is cultivated in the United States than in Turkey and there are only a few local manufacturers of corn fuel, said Gurkan, adding that they have not, however, been able to achieve successful results due to the lack of technology in this field.

Guran said that Termodinamik solid waste fields were being improved and the same knowledge would be applied to corn. “After noticing the need for an alternative in the United States, our research and development section began working,” said Guran, adding, “After nine months and 20 tons of burnt corn, we have improved the technology to allow the product to burn completely.”

“A system was built to efficiently burn 93 percent of 260 kilograms of corn, producing only one kilogram of ash. We have completed the process of getting the necessary forms for exporting the product to the United States. In cooperation with Nebraska, 350 sellers from the Eventemp firm will begin exporting this Sunday,” he said.

“Despite the fact that it has not even been a year since the system was built, there has been a great amount of orders. We are planning to export 1,500 products this year and 7,000 products by 2009.”

Burn, baby burn:

Not only corn but also impacted sawdust, which are the preferences in the northern states of the United States and Canada, can be used as a fuel for this heating system, said Guran. The product called “Termocorn” will be used especially in places where there is substantial corn production.

“The corn has the same amount of energy as Soma coal and is 40 percent cheaper than natural gas, while it is 65 percent cheaper than propane gas,” said Guran.

“Chicken waste, olive pomace, nutshells, and cherry seeds are also being tested for alternative fuel purposes. Heating systems that operate with olive pomace are found in olive distribution areas and the preference is green house heating systems,” he said. Heaters that use chicken waste for fuel are also being manufactured for use in the heating systems of chicken coops.

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