Woody Biomass Utilization Technologies: What is real now?

http://ucanr.org/WoodyBiomass

Woody Biomass Utilization

Woody Biomass Utilization Technologies:

What is real now?

Forest Guild 2010 National Meeting, Lake Tahoe, June 17 2010

Gareth J Mayhead University of California Berkeley In partnership with: USDA Forest Service Region 5

Woody Biomass Utilizationhttp://ucanr.org/WoodyBiomass

Overview of todayPurpose:Look at some alternatives for woody biomass

utilization based on challenges and opportunities that will work today

Outline:• Logic of utilization• Key criteria• Some technologies to consider


Overview: Value chain considerations

Resource : quality, price, availability

Transport: mode, distance, terrain

Process – Product (technology)

Transport

Market


Woody biomass in California


Key criteria: Raw material form is important

Every process has a raw material specification


Value helps to move residuals

Saw log $$$$

Slash $

Pulp log $$Slash $

Pulp log $$

Slash $


Processing small logs

Eg: 6” vs 10” diameter

• More logs to process for same output• Higher transportation costs• More handling in mill• Less valuable products• Defects have a greater impact (knots, juvenile wood etc)• Efficiency is very important

– Speed and volume


It behaves badly…


Post and Pole• Low tech• Low investment (~$750k)• 10-20,000 tons/yr • Need to treat poles


Breaking wood down into particles minimizes the impact of defects (knots, juvenile wood, insect galleries etc.)


Creating uniformityPlywood

OSB Fiber-Plastic Composites

Engineered lumber

Densified Paper

MDF/Particleboard


Leverage existing industry

• Existing infrastructure is an important opportunity: – Contractors– Primary processing (sawmills, veneer etc)– Powerplants– Panelboard– Pulp

– What do they pay?– Feedstock specification?– Opportunity to adapt to changing feedstock?

Infrastructure is difficult to bring back…when it is gone it is gone


Scale

• Bulk (100,000+ ton/yr)

– A monster to feed?– Long term (~10+ years) supply

commitments required • Small-medium markets (<60,000 ton/yr)

– Less risk– Less controversial– Socially acceptable

Scale of markets vs biomass availability


Technology

• Wood technology can do almost anything

• There are many existing proven technologies

• Even more “emerging technologies” – Carry out due diligence– Silver bullets do not exist


Key questions to ask for any technology

• Is the technology commercially deployed (proven)?

• What is the feedstock specification?• What are the markets for the output products?• Do the economics work?• Is the process a net energy user?• Permitting requirements?• Do not rely on technology vendors for balanced

information – carry out due diligence


Technologies and products that make sense

Chips, shavings and barkEnergy

1. Heat2. Electricity3. Pellets


Woodchip and bark

• Hog fuel• Landscaping products (bark,

mulches, compost etc)


Animal bedding

• Animal bedding (shavings ~$1m)• Chunk chip (cattle corrals ~$60k)


Bio-filtration

• Ground wood as an air filter


Heating systems

• Can be cheaper than alternatives – it is easy to calculate simple payback

• 75%+ efficient • Local market• Opportunities for public

buildings (10,000 sq ft to 1m+ sq ft)

• Air quality permitting can be an issue

• Long payback period may be a problem (5-15+ yrs)

Heating Fuel Cost Comparison (Av National Prices)

$0$5

$10$15$20$25$30$35$40$45

WoodChips

WoodPellets

NaturalGas

Electricity Propane HeatingOil

Fuel Type

$ pe

r MM

Btu

Source: US DOE Energy Information Administration, Sept 08


Heating - cordwood


Heating – chip based


Biomass power• 20 MW plant provides electricity to 15-

20,000 homes• New plant construction cost = $50-60m+• Processes 160,000 tons/yr

(1BDT/MW/hour burn rate)• Biomass transported up to 50 miles• Delivered biomass valued at $15–

60/BDT• Average production cost ~ $0.07-

$0.10/kWh• Installed cost $1700-$3500 per kW• 20-30% efficient (60% + CHP)



Smaller scale electrical generation

• 5 kW-3 MW • Emerging technologies such as gasification• Costs $5,000-10,000/kWh installed (may make

sense for off-grid areas)• Operations and maintenance (who will do this?)• Reliability• Fuel specification (can be very specific)• Is the technology proven?


Small scale combined heat and power (CHP) NNCC 1MW steam cycle


Gasification - Fluidyne Pacific Class

• Heat (1 MMBTU) and/or electricity• Raw material

– Wood chunks


Densified Wood Products

Firelogs

Fuel Pellets


Example: 40,000 ton/yr pellet facility

•100 BDT/day

•$5.5-$7m build cost

•24/7 operation

•3-5 acre site

•30-35 jobs


Summary

• Many utilization technologies exist• Some are proven• Many are not• If a technology sounds too good to be true it

usually is• Each situation is unique• Investigate and understand your options• Find your niche


Thank you

[email protected]://ucanr.org/WoodyBiomasshttp://twitter.com/WoodyBiomass

Help with: • Grants• Technology• Markets • Networks• Healthy skepticism

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Woody Biomass Utilization Technologies: What is real now?