Biomass

Biomass Opportunities

Significant growth opportunity

Industrial wood waste

Industrial mill residues

Forest residues

Biomass Fuel

Boiler fuel – direct firing with wood Co-fire with coal Wood pellets Gasification with pyrolysis Torrefaction – still in development Cellulosic ethanol – still in development Gasification with plasma – still in

development

Forest Residues

Small trees, limbs and tops are reduced with a drum chipper or grinder depending on the operation

Grinders are needed if the material is too contaminated for a chipper

Grinders can use carbide bits for contaminated material or sharp bits for clean material

Industrial Mill Residues

Bark, chip rejects, sawdust, slabs and end-cuts, shavings, rejected lumber

Clean sawdust often has a higher value as pellet fuel than boiler fuel

Bark may also have a higher value as landscape cover

More mills are selling these higher value products and using lower value forest residues for boiler fuel

Urban Wood Residues

Wood pallets, wood crates, furniture, cabinets, yard and tree trimmings

C&D materials are often taken to a recycling center for separation

The wood separation is reduced for fuel with a grinder

Direct Combustion

Used for combustion of solid fuel Pile systems Suspension Combustion Systems Fluidized bed combustion Systems

Typical Biomass Burner

Boiler Fuel Requirements

Consistent size Overs can plug conveyers and

hoppers Common specification is three inch

minus for 90% of product Minimize dirt Minimize fines (most boilers)

Direct Combustion Biomass Energy Plant

Direct Combustion Biomass plant

Co-fired Coal & Biomass Energy Plant in England

Slash burning

Still a common practice in many areas

Burning bans becoming more common

No longer accepted!

Wood Pellets Standard grades are used in large industrial

boilers or coal plants and can contain ash Premium grades need to be low ash which

means debarked wood Premium pellets are mostly bagged and sold

through retailers Pellet feedstock typically comes from sawdust

however with increased demand pulpwood logs are being used

Wood Pellets

Home wood pellet stoves

Pellets made from different feedstock’s

Gasification

Thermo chemical gasification uses heat to decompose the woody feedstock under oxygen-limiting conditions

Gasification removes ash including most alkali metals

The gaseous form has a wider range of energy applications vs. solid fuel

Biomass Gasification Plant

Biofuels production plant

Biomass Markets

Some loggers will expand into biomass

Trucking efficiency will be a key to profitability

Transportation CostNumber one cost

Every other load is waterat 50% moisture content

Drying the Forest ResidualsWill increase the wood heating value

Transportation Cost

Some loggers will expand into biomass

Trucking efficiency will be a key to profitability

Peterson BenefitsBiomass market

High production

Consistent product size

Minimum fines High density

with sharp bits and slower rotor speeds