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Wisconsin Biomass as a Sustainable Energy Resource
Green Innovations Symposium 2009
Joe Kramer
Increasing Sustainability Focus
Renewable Portfolio Standard
10% renewables by 2015
Wisconsin’s 25x25 goal
Externalities internalization
Sulfur dioxide trading
Carbon markets / Carbon tax policies
Difficulties siting new coal
Benefits to Utilities of Biomass Use Renewable, carbon neutral fuel
Can directly substitute for coal
Can be handled similarly
Can be dispatched – base load power
Benefits to Wisconsin Large supply
Benefits state economy – dollars not exported
Environmental benefits of production
Supports supply industries and landholders
Xcel Energy Bay Front Plant Has been substituting wood
for coal for decades
Proposed gasification system to allow100% biomass-fired generation
Add up to $20 M per year to regional economy
Benefit bottom lines of businesses and utility
Wood Production Timeline
ForestGrowth
DisposalHarvest Primary Processing
SecondaryProcessing
End Use
End Use
Harvest Residues: not collected, high moisture, high bark, some dirt
Mill Residues: collected, more uniform quality, more competition for use
Secondary Mill Residues: collected, some kiln dried, higher fuel quality, greatest competition for use
Post-Consumer, Construction and Demolition: collected, variable moisture, possible contaminants
Time
Maintenance: often not collected, thinnings and selective cuts
ForestGrowth
DisposalHarvest Primary Processing
SecondaryProcessing
End Use
End Use
Harvest Residues: not collected, high moisture, high bark, some dirt
Mill Residues: collected, more uniform quality, more competition for use
Secondary Mill Residues: collected, some kiln dried, higher fuel quality, greatest competition for use
Post-Consumer, Construction and Demolition: collected, variable moisture, possible contaminants
Time
Maintenance: often not collected, thinnings and selective cuts
Challenges to Biomass Use
Utilities tend to use the lowest value wood (e.g., slash and tops)
Current practice is to leave on site
Utility scale use is large
Less energy density than coal = cannot haul it very far economically
Sawlogs: minimum of 8-10 in. diameter
Pulpwood: minimum of 4 in. diameter
Biomass: can use smaller
Biomass
Sawlogs
Pulpwood
Sawlogs: minimum of 8-10 in. diameter
Pulpwood: minimum of 4 in. diameter
Biomass: can use smaller
Biomass
Sawlogs
Pulpwood
Challenges (continued)
Market not established and will be local/regional – location is very important
May compete with large established users and future biofuel facilities
Issues with harvest and sustainability practices
Some forests unmanaged and ownership fragmented (many small landholders)
Use of non-native species plantations limited, little-tested in Wisconsin
Energy Center Roles
Address supply issues
Feedstock supply studies
Market studies – availability
Explore business models for supply/ aggregation
Provide market enabling services
Resource information
Demand information
Market Assistance
Biomass Mapping Tool
Opportunityfuels
Facilities
Infrastructure
Urban “wastesheds”
Agricultural Energy Research Station
Repurpose portion of former UW Ashland Ag research station for energy crops
Reserve acreage for production trials
Advance agreement with sustainability research partners (UWSP, UW Madison)
Meet need for regional testing of energy crops while fast-tracking sustainability knowledge of planting schemes
Agricultural Energy Research Station (continued)
Benefits
Regional biofuel companies
Utility biomass users
Paper companies
Former dairy operations with idle lands
Grow regional economic base
Need for Sustainability Research Biomass resources are limited
Supply strategies must be sustainable in the long term
Wisconsin (and Illinois) values forest resources for recreation and aesthetics
Ecosystem services must be recognized (soil, water, habitat)
Increased market for biomass should be used to:
Bring more stands into sustainable management,
Expand working forests focused on production, and
Restore native stands
