Moving Biomass: Technology,

Economics, and Possibilities

Plum Creek Conference on Forests and Bioenergy
2009

Bob Rummer
Forest Operations Research
 Outline

„ Some context
„ Forest Operations paradigm
„ Biomass Technology options
„ Economics
„ Ecological impacts and issues
 Why Biomass?
„ Renewable Energy:
„ Only possible renewable base load
„ Cellulosic liquid fuels
„ Greenhouse Gas and fossil energy
„ Energy Security
„ Public support/demand for more
Introduction

renewables
„ Developing markets and policy
People want it
Energy for Our Way of Life
 We Want More Renewable Energy!
Introduction

Source: EIA, 2008 Annual Energy Review

 New Technology
Introduction
 Billions and billions …
„ Mergers
„ CE industry
„ Biorefinery Deployment
„ DOE
Introduction
 Why Biomass?
1. A reasonable view of the
future is increased use of
woody biomass for energy
Introduction
 Show me the Biomass!
Introduction
 We’re not in MT anymore
Introduction
 Feedstock Logistics
Introduction
 Why is it such an issue?
„ Cost of feedstock is biggest single cost
Introduction

Operating & Maint

1 bdt = $70-80Capital
electricity
Recovery
Profit
Hog Fuel = $36 to 40 bdt delivered
 Key Points

„ There is demand for energy from wood

„ There is investment in R&D and
production capacity to meet that demand
„ US has significant biomass potential
Demand is driven by global factors
Introduction

„ Feedstock logistics are key to making

renewables work
 Forest Operations
Forest Operations Paradigm

Existing
conditions
Desired Outcome

Range of Forest Values

Forest Operations Paradigm
Not just machines …
Forest Operations Paradigm

A tool for every job

 Impacts
Soils
Forest Operations Paradigm

People

Water

Equipment
Residual Stand
 Key Points
Forest operations produce both future
Forest Operations Paradigm

„
stands and products
„ Complex systems involving human,
engineering and ecological constraints
„ Impacts must be addressed
„ Get the right tool for the job
„ Different jobs need different operations
 Different Biomass Solutions
„ Logging residues
„ Fuel reduction thinning
„ Fuelwood harvesting
„ Understory utilization
„ Short rotation woody crops
Technology

„ Stumps
 Logging Residues
Technology: Logging residues

„ 10 to 20% of stand volume left behind

conventional product removals
„ Limbs, tops, culls, butt cuts and defect
„ At roadside? In-woods? Concentrated?
„ Large potential existing source
„ Disposal issue
“The low hanging fruit”
Technology: Logging residues

Integrated Recovery
 2-pass or 1-pass
Rec. Vol Harvest Cost
Technology: Logging residues

„ Conventional 50% $10/gt

„ One-pass w/e-wood 85% $7.50/gt
„ Two-pass w/e-wood 84% $9/gt
 Biomass Product Sorting
Technology: Logging residues

„ Separate biomass from other (Delimb)

„ Piling, handling, storage for processing
„ Processing for transport
„ Chipping/grinding
„ Baling/bundling
„ Other conversions
„ Loading and hauling
 Chipping or Grinding
Technology: Logging residues

„ Chipping or grinding capacity

 Comminution
Technology: Logging residues

„ Feedstock and material constraints

 Work organization
Technology: Logging residues

Clean Chips Fuel Chips

Roundwood
 Densification
Technology: Logging residues

www.forestconcepts.com
26 pcf
 Baling/Bundling
Technology: Logging residues

JD B380 Biomass Bundler

 Baling/Bundling
„ Transport density
Technology: Logging residues

„ Separates processing and hauling

„ Drying/storage characteristics
„ Production operations in Europe
Technology: Logging residues

In-woods Processing
 Forwarding or Skidding
Technology: Logging residues

Payload = 1/3 solid wood

Technology: Logging residues

Brush Forwarders
Technology: Logging residues
Terrain Chipping
Technology: Logging residues

Composite Residue Logs

Technology: Logging residues

Fuel reduction
 Logging Residues
Cheapest and easiest to get
Technology: Logging residues

„ Co-product of another operation and

biomass is NOT the main event
„ Scattered residues are too costly to
collect for energy
„ Densifying logging residues is key to
reducing costs of handling and transport
 Fuelwood harvesting
Technology: Fuelwood harvest

ƒ Cutting trees specifically for energy

product
ƒ Thinning or plantation clearcut
ƒ Short Rotation Woody Crops (SRWC)
ƒ BCAP Phase II
Technology: Fuelwood harvest

Small tree felling

 Small trees are … small
Technology: Fuelwood harvest

volume

1600

1400

1200

1000
Vol (dry lbs)

800

600

400

200

0
0 5 10 15 20 25
DBH (in)
 Operations Productivity
Technology: Fuelwood harvest

14.00

12.00

10.00
Green tons/hr

8.00
7 gt/hr

6.00
4 gt/hr
4.00

2.00

0.00
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
DBH
 Cost/ton = f(Prod, Cost)
Technology: Fuelwood harvest

Cost

$25.00

$20.00
Cost ($/odt)

$15.00

$10.00

$5.00

$0.00
0 5 10 15 20 25
DBH (in)
Technology: Fuelwood harvest

Fuelwood
Technology: Fuelwood harvest

Short Rotation Woodys

 Fuelwood
Technology: Fuelwood harvest

„ High utilization of biomass

„ Simplified operations
„ Smaller equipment possible
„ Full cost of operation charged to biomass
„ Piece size
„ Emphasis on high production
Woody Feedstocks: Understory harvest

Brush and understory harvest

ƒ Brushlands (TX, MN, NV)

ƒ Understory biomass (coastal plain)
ƒ Lower volumes per acre
ƒ Management value in addition to
product value
 Technology: Understory harvest

Photo: BLM, Alturas

Technology: Understory harvest

Mulched and Towed

Technology: Understory harvest

Mulched and baled

 Brush and understory harvest
Technology: Understory harvest

ƒ Recovery volumes are relatively low

per acre
ƒ Material is mixed
ƒ Questions about nutrient impacts
 Feedstock Processing

ƒ Function of the end use

Sizing—chippers, grinders, screens
Technology: Processing

ƒ Cleaning—dirt removal, bark

ƒ Drying—transpirational, compression,
heating
ƒ Pre-conversion—torrefaction, pyrolysis,
digestion
 Roadside Conversion
„ Mobile reduction
Technology: Processing
Technology: Processing

Torrefaction
 Field Conversion
Technology: Processing

1 od ton 1200#
2 g tons
Technology: Processing

Transport Cost
 Biomass Transportation
„ Generally half the delivered cost
„ Payload is key
Technology: Transport

„ Product form and system affect

loading
„ Accessibility with large cube transport
can be limiting
 Active steering trailer
Technology: Transport
 Stinger-steer Chip Van
Technology: Transport
Technology: Transport
2-stage Hauling
 Biomass Transportation
„ Getting to the biomass
„ Compatibility with other mat’ls
Technology: Transport

„ Maximize payload to reduce cost

„ Logistics efficiency
 Biomass Technology
„ Wide range of technical solutions
„ Requirements of user and the forest
Technology: Transport

are the constraints

„ Systems engineering problems
„ Not everything works
 That’s some cool stuff … but
Economics
 How much does it cost?
Economics
 Costs
„ Machine costs
„ Enterprise costs
„ For a given system, the $/ton is variable
„ Piece size, haul distance, season, etc.
Economics
 Supply Curve
Economics
 Supply Curve
$35.00

$30.00

Biomass pays its way--noncompete

$25.00

$20.00
Cost ($/t)

$15.00

$10.00
Economics

$5.00
Residues—limited by other activity

$0.00
0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00 250.00 300.00 350.00 400.00 450.00 500.00
MTons
 Costs
„ Caution when applying cost numbers
„ Biomass procurement is complex
„ Existing assessments rarely address
supply curve issues
„ The cost function is not fixed
„ Technology varies along the curve
Market forces rule
Economics

„
 Sustainability
„ Key issue of public policy
„ Cut too much volume per acre
„ Cut too many acres
„ Adverse effects of operations
Impacts

Development of Biomass Guidelines

 Biomass Challenges
„ Manage impacts of biomass removal
„ Develop systems with acceptable ROI
for contractors
„ Meet feedstock specifications for
advanced biofuels
Manage reliable biomass supply
Summary

„
 Biomass Operations in MT
„ Residue recovery, fuel thinning, forest
health projects—a tool for resource
management
„ Cost is critical, not all solutions are
economically viable
Summary