BiomassEnergy Outline

Lets imagine cleaning up the yard and using the left over tree branches and grass clippings to create energy. This is essentially what biomass consists of. A few common forms of biomass include, wood, agricultural products, solid waste, landfill gas, and alcohol fuels.

The extraction of energy takes place by burning the biomass and creating steam. That steam is then used to turn turbines that generate electricity. Other forms of biomass energy collection would include the fermentation of biological matter to create alcohol and the capture of methane gas from landfills.

Biomass energy requires a biomass species for harvesting. Usually the fastest or most common biologically growing material in the area is used. It requires the species to be within a short distant of the plant because most biomass projects are never pursued because the distance to transport the material out weights the benefit.

Biomass projects require a system that harvesting and gathers the biomass species. The next step is to create a processing facility that can reduce the size of the biomass product1. The major components of a biomass power plant are the boiler and incinerator.

Outline Technology

There are essentially three efficient ways to capture energy from biomass. The first is to burn the biomass and create steam to run turbines. The second is to allow the biomass to go through a fermentation process and create alcohol. The third is a gasification process where the biomass is turned into a gas.

1 (Zarf 2012)

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2 (Sobolik 2012)3 (Alexandra Dock 2012)

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Energy Output

The largest biomass project that is under construction is projected to produce 750 megawatts of energy5. “Biomass energy in general costs around 10-13c/kWh depending on the feedstock used and the type of technology used in energy conversion.”6

4 (WPP Energy Corp 2012)5 (The Bio Energy Site 2012)6 (Green World Investor Mar 2011)

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Pollution

Biomass is considered a renewable green energy for a few reasons. The biomass that is burnt to produce energy can be replanted. The replanting process absorbs the carbon that is emitted from the burning process.

“Inevitably, the combustion of biomass produces air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulates such as soot and ash. The amount of pollution emitted per unit of energy generated varies widely by technology”8

Laws on Biomass

Biomass plants are subject to industrial inspection laws as well as state safety requirements. Biomass plants produce soot that is displaced into the air and then mixes with rainwater. The plant must be continually test for pollution output levels which would

7 (National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy)8 (Michael Brower 1992)

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include Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Sulfur Dioxides (SO2). The Environmental Protection Agency requires by law that continues emissions monitors be in place during operation.9

Operational/Supplier Costs

Depending on the efficiency of the technology, between 7,500 and 9,000 pounds of fuel is required to produce 1 MW of power on an annual basis. Many previous feasibility studies have shown that access to fuel is a make-or-break factor. The two main options are to produce or to find a supplier.

Idaho has some potential to produce enough material for biomass energy. Biomass energy is measured in dry bone tons (dbt). Idaho has the potential to produce crop residue., forest residue, and primary mill residue. Primary mill residue is composed of wood materials (coarse and fine) and bark generated at manufacturing plants (primary wood-using mills) when round wood products are processed into primary wood products, like slabs, edgings, trimmings, sawdust, veneer clippings and cores, and pulp screenings.

There are many different suppliers for biomass energy. Many biomass plants use wood pellets as fuel. Wood pellet suppliers are fairly common in the United States. There are also various grades of wood pellets. Residential grade

pellets are available for at-home use at local hardware stores. Bulk pellets are used for large-scale power production. The closest supplier for bulk pellets is in Oregon.

Job Creation

Construction Jobs Created/Retained

Direct Consulting (Architecture/Engineering) 6-8Direct Construction (Mechanical, Electrical, General Contracting, etc.)

50-75

Indirect (Parts Houses, Distribution, Supply Vendors, etc.)

30

9 Continuous Emissions Monitors (CEMs) (2005)

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Long-Term

Maintenance /Operations Staff Jobs Created (staff needed)

8-12

Direct Wood Products Industry Jobs Created/Retained (Logging, Transportation, Parts, etc.)

10+

Annual Temporary Service & Maintenance (2-3 weeks)

2-310

Start up and Feasibility costs (3 MW Facility)

Fuel Storage & Reclaim $400,000 - $700,000Gasification System & Emission Control

$3.5 MM - $5 MM

ORC Power Generation $2.5 MM - $3.5 MMInstallation $2 MM - $3 MMTotal Installed Cost $8.4 MM - $12.2 MM

Plus Building & Foundations

$1.5 MM - $2.5MM

Potential Project Cost $9,900,000 - $14,700,000

Cost of Fuel $30 per bone dry ton (bdt)

Cost of Power (Purchased)

$88 per MW h (includes green tags)*

Cost of Money 5% tax-exemptCost of Construction $15.4 million 11

10 Boise County Woody Biomass Feasibility. 201111 Boise County Woody Biomass Feasibility. 2011

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Pay back scenarios based on 25 years. Scenario #1 assumes the current market cost of fuel ($30/bdt); cost of power purchased ($88/MW h); and a 5% interest rate. Based on a construction cost of $15.M this project would require a grant of $10-12M in order to make a 3MW project viable.

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Scenario #2 demonstrates that without a grant to offset capital costs, and assuming current power purchase rates, fuel cost would have to be as low as $3.32/bdt in order to make the project financially viable.

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Feasibility and Recommendations

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Boise case final recommendations

“The capacity of existing infrastructure provides for a plant no larger than 3MW. At current power purchase rates this becomes financially unfeasible without substantial capital assistance in the form of Federal grants. In lieu of this, power purchase rates must increase from $88/MW h to $130/MW h, which is not likely for several years (if ever). Additionally, there is no credit-worthy source for a 20-year investment-grade supply of fuel. Although there is an abundance of biomass resources – particularly on Federal lands, there is no policy allowing for the sustainable recovery of waste biomass from overgrown forests. Unfortunately, the present state of our forests may likely result in future catastrophic fires, with commensurate loss of property and even lives. Although the proposed Boise County biomass project would not solve this larger challenge, it could have a positive impact on the local economy and forest. As our energy demand increases and the economy continues to evolve around projects that are sustainable and renewable, this project may become financially and politically viable at some point in the future.” 12

The following map shows “logging residues and other removable material left after carrying out silviculture operations and site conversions. Logging residue comprises unused portions of trees, cut or killed by logging and left in the woods. Other removable materials are the unutilized volume of trees cut or killed during logging operations. Source: USDA, Forest Service's Timber Product Output database, 2007.”

12 Boise County Woody Biomass Feasibility. 2011

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Depending on the efficiency of the technology, equipment, and design, between 7,500 and 9,000 bone dry tons (bdt) of fuel is required to produce 1 MW on an annual basis (Boise). Fremont’s available biomass is below operational needs. A chart on the next page shows the available biomass resources in Fremont County. In the earlier WGA (2006) study, it was assumed that 50% off the removals would be used for higher-valued products and 50% available for use as fuel 14

New Bundling Technology

$29 to $34 per bdt cost to per ton of biomass 15

13 National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy. (2012)14Philip S. Cook and Jay O’Laughlin. (201115 Bob Rummer, Dan Len and Obie O’Brien Forest Residues Bundling Project. (2004)

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System cost does not include support cost, move-in cost, cost of employee transportation, cost of transportation to market, or profit allowance 16

Feasibility

The over all cost of bundling the biomass out weights the current cost thresholds for a financially feasible operation. The current amount of biomass yield in the area doesn’t meet the minimum requirements for the plant to operate efficiently. The county itself contains a sufficient amount of biomass but 50% of that wood could be used for higher valued production.

“There is no credit worthy source for a 20 year investment grade supply of fuel. Although there is an abundance of biomass resources particularly on Federal lands, there is no policy allowing for the sustainable recovery of waste biomass from overgrown forests.”17

16 Whisper Mountain Professional Services, Inc. (2010)17 Boise County Woody Biomass Feasibility. 2011

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Study based on 22 yrs. public and 30 private.

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Boise County Woody Biomass Feasibility. 2011 18 Philip S. Cook and Jay O’Laughlin. (2011

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http://www.energy.idaho.gov/stimulus/d/boise_county_feasibility_study.pdf

Salman, Zarf. (Jan 2012). Major Requirements for Plant Biomass Energy Plants http://cleantechsolutions.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/major-requirements-for-biomass-energy-plants/

Jessica Sobolik. (2012). Anaerobic Organisms Key to Coskata's Rapid Rise

http://www.bioethanol.ru/second_generation/Pirolys/Coscata/Alexandra Dock. (2012). Biomass Power Station. http://www.alexandradockproject.co.uk/biomass-energy/what-is-biomass.aspx

WPP Energy Corp. (2012). Biomass Gasificationhttp://wppenergy.com/biomass-gasification.html

The Bio Energy Site. (Jan 2012). Global Bioenergy Industry Newshttp://www.thebioenergysite.com/news/10268/104-billion-global-biomass-investment-by-2021

Green World Investor. (Mar 2011). Cost of biomass Energy and Biomass Plant Investment – Wide Range

http://www.greenworldinvestor.com/2011/03/09/costs-of-biomass-energy-and-biomass-plant-invesment-wide-range/

National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy. (2012)

http://www.nrel.gov/gis/images/map_biomass_total_us.jpg

Michael Brower. (1992). Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-of.html

Bob Rummer, Dan Len and Obie O’Brien Forest Residues Bundling Project. (2004) -------Retrieved from

http://www.fs.fed.us/woodybiomass/strategy/bundling/documents/bundler_report_final.pdf

Whisper Mountain Professional Services, Inc. (2010) Clark County Renewable Energy Park. Retrieved from http://www.energy.idaho.gov/stimulus/d/clark_biomass_study.pdf

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Philip S. Cook and Jay O’Laughlin. (2011) Idaho Forest Biomass Supply Estimate by County. Retrieved from

http://www.nationalbiomassutilization.org/Idaho_forest-biomass-supply-analysis.pdf

Continuous Emissions Monitors (CEMs) (2005)http://www.ejnet.org/toxics/cems/

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