Think Globally Act Locally

The Role of Forests in Energy and Climate

Change

Dave AtkinsForester and Forest Ecologist

TopicsContext

– Energy– Climate Change– Forest Health

• Future vs Current technologies• Overview of Critical Issues

– Local Champion– Fuel Quality, delivery, choices– Air Quality– Financing– Combustion Technologies

Community

Economics Environment

Sustainability

Role of Forests in Energy Security and Climate Change

• Embodied Energy• Fossil fuel offsets=Mitigation

– 1 BDT= 2.7 barrels of oil– 50 t/ac = 135 barrels/ac

• Sequestered C in live forests• Sequestered C in utilized wood• 20% C emissions from tropical

forest DEFORESTATION

Climate Change• Living in a C constrained world

– Energy Sources - Multiple distributed•No silver bullet – need all of them

– Forests provide solar collectors with wood batteries:•No mining needed to manufacture•Native habitat – plants & animals•Water purification system•Aesthetically pleasing

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Electri

c Power

Transp

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Industry

Agricu

lture

Commerc

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identia

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Ag Soils

Landfill

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rban

Was

teUrb

an Tr

ees

Forests

and W

ood Pro

ducts

Sectors

Perc

ent C

O2 E

q.

Note: Negative numbers denote sequestration. Forests and wood products sequester 11% U.S. GHG emissions annually.

Percent Total U.S. Greenhouse Gas Annual Emissions by Sector (EPA, 2003)

Asking Right Question?

Mountain Top Removal Coal Mining

No Free Lunches!

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

Energy Choices• Tar Sands footprint

– Water quality– C 3x conventional oil

• Coal-Bed methane– Water quality/quantity

• Wind Farms – birds/bats, not firm• Solar Farms – huge expanses needed,

batteries, not firm• Geothermal – effects?• Tidal/Wave – marine life?• Nuclear – storage safety issue• Biomass – use trade-offs• Conservation/Efficiency ☺

Woody Biomass Potential368 million tons annually

Biomass as a feedstock for a bioenergy and bioproducts industry

Conservation – Embodied Energy

Stave church in Norway

More than 500 years old

Protected with wood tar

Biomass Rides Coattails

• Higher values brings biomass to the landing;– Flooring, windows, boards, posts & poles,

shavings, pulp, energy – pellets, chips

• OR – other objectives pay for treatment– Fire thinning– Wildlife Habitat– Watershed protection

Engineered Roundwood

Higher Value

Dance Studio

Larch Flooring

Douglas-fir

Blue Pine

ShavingsMoulder - Shaper

Dry Kiln – Flooring, Paneling, Studs Pellet Fuel

Treated vs. Untreated

“The sharp line in the aerial photograph is obvious, abrupt and dramatic: black forest on one side, green canopy on the other. “ Missoulian Sept. 2005. Camp 32 Fire Eureka, MT

Rodeo-Chediskeei Fire

Camp 32 Fire 2005

Fire Hazard & Bark Beetle Hazard Thinning Project

Slash, Pile and Burn or Pay to Thin Remove and Utilize

Woody Biomass Potential368 million tons annually

Using existing activities in 2004

Future Technologies• Cellulosic Ethanol and Diesel

– Fermentation ethanol only– Thermo – Chemical•Gasification – low O2• Fast Pyrolysis – Bio Oil - No O2 • Torrefied Wood – No O2 slow

• Biorefinery – ethanol, diesel, butanol, plastic• Pulp mills – half way there!

– American Forest and Paper Association’s “Agenda 2020” initiative

• Combine forest/ag & clean coal technology- capture C and store it geologically

Pyrolysis – Bio-oil & char

Heat or Cooling or PowerCombined Generation -Fuels For Schools And

Beyond

Existing Technologies

Lessons Learned• Local Champion!!!!• Matching combuster to fuel;

– Conveyance system;– Combustion system – grates, single vs two chamber

• Fuel Quality– Moisture content– Chips vs. ground vs. pellets– Oversize pieces, Dirt and rocks– Bark and needles = ash content

• Production Delivery - vendors?• Operation and Maintenance• What is the market potential?• Financing Options• Air Quality considerations• www.fuelsforschools.info

Efficiencies• Power production

– Dedicated – 25% efficient– w/o counting line loss

• Transportation– Cellulosic ethanol – 40%– Train vs. plane vs. car

• Thermal or CHP – 70-90%• Conservation – “Negawatts”

– Long-term vs. short bldg life– Embodied Energy

Biomass Energy Return

BTUs of Biomass Energy per BTU of Diesel

0

5

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20

25

47 54 60 65 69 72 76 79 82 85

Average Haul Distance (miles)

BTU

s of

Bio

mas

s En

ergy

• 15 systems built.• 4 more design/construction.• Other states AK, CO, OR, PA, MA, GA, SC, SD, NE, etc.• Commercialization Studies.

Existing SystemsChadron State College – 15 yr University of Idaho -20+ yr

Industry – Wood Products

Food – Potatoes, Beer

Darby, MT – 5+ yrPulp Mill -CHP

Automated Facility

Darby, MT

Darby, MT

Offset Fuel Oil

Saved $140k in 2007-8

Pellet Systems• Solagen

• 750k btu/hr

• Utility grade pellets

Troy, MT School• 500k btu/hr Decton - $300k• 90 tons/yr• Offset fuel oil• 35 ton storage

17 Mega Watts – Smurfitt Stone - CHP

Clearwater Pulp Mill

65 MW

What are the Opportunities?

• Boiler databases by state• MT – 6700 boilers• UT – 12,000+• MI – 65,000 boilers

– 38k <750k btu/hr – 58%– 15k .75-2.5 mill btu/hr – 23%– 3k 2.5-5 mill btu/hr

• OR – 10,700 boilers• NEW vs retrofit

District Energy • Universities

– U of Idaho– Northwestern Missouri State– Chadron State College, NE– U of So. Carolina– UM Western, Dillon MT – Middlebury College

• Communities– St. Paul, MN – 80+% wood fired

• 31 mill sq ft heat• 21 mill sq ft of cooling• 25 MW of electricity

• Hospitals, Prisons, Shopping Centers, etc.

Financing• USDA Rural Development

– Community Facilities– Renewable Energy - REAP

• Municipal Bonds;• QZAB – low income schools• Carbon Offset sales• State Incentives – rebates, tax

credits• Foundations• Self- financed through savings

Fuel Cost Comparison

$3.2

5/ga

llon

$2.0

0/ga

llon

$11.

00/d

ecat

herm

$35.

00/to

n

$130

.00/

ton

$0.00

$5.00

$10.00

$15.00

$20.00

$25.00

Fuel Oil Propane Natural Gas Pellets Wood Chips

$ pe

r m

illio

n B

TU's

Storage• Do you need it?• Where to put it?• Moisture

management

Grinders, ChippersCost Initial vs maintenance

Size and production

Dump at Central Location

Slash Collection Report

Accumulation Yard

Moisture management

www.fuelsforschools.info

“Canned Wood” - Forwarders

Smoke Management• New PM 2.5 rules

–Health concerns–Big picture perspective–PCD’s

• New PM2.5 rules, New MACT• Fewer burn days• PCD for small systems – FS Technology Development Project

This

Or

This

Pollutant Emission Rates for Wood Boilers and Fire Activities

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Darby WoodBoiler

ThompsonFalls Wood

Boiler

Wildfire PrescribedBurning

Slash PileBurning

Poun

d of

pol

luta

nt e

mitt

ed p

er

ton

of w

ood

burn

edParticulate Matter Nitrogen Oxides Carbon Monoxide

Pollutant Emission Rates by Fuel Type (lb/MMBtu)

0.00.20.40.60.81.01.21.41.6

Fuels forSchools

Wood Boiler

Coal -Average

DistillateFuel Oil

No. 6 FuelOil

Natural Gas -Average

Propane

Particulate Matter Nitrogen Oxides Carbon Monoxide

Toxicity of PM Study from Switzerland 2007

• Comparison diesel engine vs. automated pellet vs. old wood stove;

• Toxicity of automated pellet is 5 times less than diesel and comparable to KCL;

• Old wood stove operated poorly is 10 times worse than diesel;

• Operation makes substantial differences in amount of pollution produced;

• PM is still an issue for total ambient PM load therefore control is still needed.

Take Home Message• Renewable energy source• Carbon Neutral• Developing a new Energy Sector

– selling btu’s• Coattails - integrated industry• Fuel Quality• Sustainable – Forests are green!