Biomass

Small tree stem volume equations for three plantation species

by Jerome Vanclay

Vanclay, J.K. (1980) Small Tree Stem Volume Equations for Three Plantation Species. Queensland Department of Forestry, Research Note No. 32.

Volume equations are given for small hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghammii Ait. ex D. Don), Caribbean pine (Pinus... more Volume equations are given for small hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghammii Ait. ex D. Don), Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea Mor. var. hondurensis Barr. and Golf) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) trees.

A review on biomass as a fuel for boilers

by Abdelaziz Atabani

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15 (2011) 2262-2289
R. Saidura, E.A.Abdelaziz, A.Demirbas, M.S.Hossain, S.Mekhilef

Currently, fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas represent the prime energy sources in the world. However, it... more Currently, fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas represent the prime energy sources in the world. However, it is anticipated that these sources of energy will deplete within the next 40–50 years. Moreover, the expected environmental damages such as the global warming, acid rain and urban smog due to the production of emissions from these sources have tempted the world to try to reduce carbon emissions by 80% and shift towards utilizing a variety of renewable energy resources (RES) which are less environmentally harmful such as solar, wind, biomass etc. in a sustainable way. Biomass is one of the earliest sources of energy with very specific properties. In this review, several aspects which are associated with burning biomass in boilers have been investigated such as composition of biomass, estimating the higher heating value of biomass, comparison between biomass and other fuels, combustion of biomass, co-firing of biomass and coal, impacts of biomass, economic and social analysis of biomass, transportation of biomass, densification of biomass, problems of biomass and future of biomass. It has been found that utilizing biomass in boilers offers many economical, social and environmental benefits such as financial net saving, conservation of fossil fuel resources, job opportunities creation and CO2 and NOx emissions reduction. However, care should be taken to other environmental impacts of biomass such as land and water resources, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and deforestation. Fouling, marketing, low heating value, storage and collections and handling are all associated problems when burning biomass in boilers. The future of biomass in boilers depends upon the development of the markets for fossil fuels and on policy decisions regarding the biomass market.

Facile Catalytic Dehydration of Fructose to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural by Niobium Pentachloride

by Neha Mittal

Neha Mittal, Grace M. Nisola, Wook-Jin Chung*

Ne İklim Koruması Ne de Enerji Güvenliği: Biyoyakıtlar Biyoşaşkınlar için mi?

by Uluslararası İlişkiler

Joachim H. Spangenberg, Josef Settele, " Ne İklim Koruması Ne de Enerji Güvenliği: Biyoyakıtlar Biyoşaşkınlar için mi? ", Uluslararası İlişkiler, Cilt 5, Sayı 20 (Kış), 2009

Fosil yakıtlardan biyotemelli yakıtlara geçiş, petrolün tavan yaptığı dönemin petrole bağımlı ülkeler nezdinde... more Fosil yakıtlardan biyotemelli yakıtlara geçiş, petrolün tavan yaptığı dönemin petrole bağımlı ülkeler nezdinde yarattığı baskılarla baş etmede kullanılan bir strateji olarak belirmektedir. Buna karşın, biyokütle enerji kompozisyonunun değerli bir unsuru olmasına rağmen, (i) enerji tüketiminde önemli bir düşüş olmadan katkısının son derece sınırlı kalacağı, ile (ii) enerji sisteminde yapısal değişiklikler olmadan (karbon temelinden uzakta) başta biyolojik çeşitlilik olmak kaydıyla çevre güvenliğine ve gıda güvenliğine riskler yüklediği hususları göz önünde bulundurulmalıdır. Bu durum gelişmiş ve gelişmekte olan ülkeler arasındaki ilişkilerde önemli değişikliklere dahi yol açabilir. İkinci nesil ekimlerin fakir topraklardan dış girdi olmadan yüksek verim sağladığı hususu gerçekçi değildir. Karbon birikimi açısından biyokütlenin daha akılcıl kullanımı en iyi toprak içinde gerçekleşmektedir.

Gokcol C., Dursun B., Alboyaci B., Sunan E., "Importance Biomass Energy As Alternative To Other Sources In Turkey" Energy Policy Volume 37, Issue 2, pp.424-431, (2009).

by Bahtiyar Dursun

Analysis of Two Simulated In-Field Chipping and Extraction Systems In Spruce Thinnings

by Bruce Talbot

Talbot, B. & Suadicani, K. 2005. Biosystems Engineering 91(3): 283-292
(free download avalable from Elsevier - click pdf below)
( http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/15375110 )

The productivity, cost and fuel-consumption rates for two wood-chip production systems were tested using computer... more The productivity, cost and fuel-consumption rates for two wood-chip production systems were tested using computer simulation. Both systems included the same terrain-going chip harvester. In the first system, it was supported by a bin forwarder, whereas in the second system, the chip harvester had to cease operations and extract the load once the bin was filled. A largely deterministic base simulation was carried out to illustrate the effects of machine interaction, bin size, chipper productivity, in-field extraction distance, and forest-road haulage distance. Very low turnround times and increased bin size (10, 15 and 20 m3) were beneficial to the single machine system, while increased chipper productivity (40, 50 and 60 m3 h−1) improved the feasibility of the two-machine system, irrespective of bin size. An applied simulation included a larger stochastic component, and showed that for a 15 m3 bin, there was a 95% probability that the single-machine system was between and [loose volume, l.v.] more costly than the two-machine system under typical Danish conditions. Fuel consumption also exceeded that for the two-machine system by between 0·24 and 0·30 l m−3 [l.v].

Experimental Investigation on NOx Reduction by Primary Measures in Biomass Combustion: Straw, Peat, Sewage Sludge, Forest Residues and Wood Pellets

by Ehsan Houshfar

Ehsan Houshfar, Terese Løvås, Øyvind Skreiberg

Journal: Energies

Vol. 5, Issue 2, pp. 270-290, 2012.

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the NOx formation and reduction by primary measures for five... more An experimental investigation was carried out to study the NOx formation and reduction by primary measures for five types of biomass (straw, peat, sewage sludge, forest residues/Grot, and wood pellets) and their mixtures. To minimize the NOx level in biomass-fired boilers, combustion experiments were performed in a laboratory scale multifuel fixed grate reactor using staged air combustion. Flue gas was extracted to measure final levels of CO, CO2, CxHy, O2, NO, NO2, N2O, and other species. The fuel gas compositions between the first and second stage were also monitored. The experiments showed good combustion quality with very low concentrations of unburnt species in the flue gas. Under optimum conditions, a NOx reduction of 50–80% was achieved, where the highest reduction represents the case with the highest fuel-N content. The NOx emission levels were very sensitive to the primary excess air ratio and an optimum value for primary excess air ratio was seen at about 0.9. Conversion of fuel nitrogen to NOx showed great dependency on the initial fuel-N content, where the blend with the highest nitrogen content had lowest conversion rate. Between 1–25% of the fuel-N content is converted to NOx depending on the fuel blend and excess air ratio. Sewage sludge is suggested as a favorable fuel to be blended with straw. It resulted in a higher NOx reduction and low fuel-N conversion to NOx. Tops and branches did not show desirable NOx reduction and made the combustion also more unstable. N2O emissions were very low, typically below 5 ppm at 11% O2 in the dry flue gas, except for mixtures with high nitrogen content, where values up to 20 ppm were observed. The presented results are part of a larger study on problematic fuels, also considering ash content and corrosive compounds which have been discussed elsewhere.

2003_AgrWatMan58_123_143

by Yann Chemin

Renewable Energy: the potential opportunities and obligations of plantation forestry.

by Bruce Talbot

Talbot, B. & Ackerman, P. 2009. Southern Forests 71(1) 79-83
( free download avaialbe via doi button below)

Global demand for woody biomass in substituting fossil fuels does, and will increasingly, place significant pressure... more Global demand for woody biomass in substituting fossil fuels does, and will increasingly, place significant pressure on timber plantations and question conventional management practices. Plantations are rationally laid out, located in areas of high productivity, typically have good infrastructure, and are serviced by technologically efficient harvesting systems. Thus they have an inherent capacity to contribute more to bioenergy feedstocks than other, more natural, forms of forest or forest management. Sustainability goals are defined not only in terms of their in situ effect, but also in how they conform and contribute broadly to sustainable development at the local, regional and global levels. Renewable energy is generally recognised as a positive step on the pathway to sustainable development, but biomass-based renewable energy is becoming a controversial issue. In agriculture, the lure of first-generation biofuels is already distorting world food markets, energy crops such as sugar cane and oil palm continue to encroach on natural ecosystems, while in plantation forestry, everything from stumps and roots to branches and needles has taken on a new value. Not only does this threaten the ecological viability of the site, but it poses a challenge to forest management in suggesting a future and more direct competition for raw materials and the livelihoods of other users and satellite industries. Some level of trade-off between the long-term goals of plantation forestry, ecologically sound harvesting practices, and the benefits of renewable energy need to be arrived at. The challenge lies in ensuring an equitable incurrence of liabilities and distribution of benefits for all, while guaranteeing a feasible supply to a long-term investment in an energy conversion plant. Many argue that the free market should play itself out, oblivious to the fact that renewable energy plants are often subsidised. In this paper, we provide a general overview of some of the issues facing plantation forestry and the bioenergy harvest. The paper is presented primarily to stimulate discussion around issues of relevance to the emerging bioenergy sector

Synthesis of Carbon Nanomaterials through Up-Cycling Agricultural and Municipal Solid Wastes

by Chuanwei Zhuo

Model fitting kinetic analysis and characterisation of the devolatilization of coal blends with corn and sugarcane residues

by Marion CARRIER

Road Transport of Forest Fuels: A re-look at containers vs. bulk trailers.

by Bruce Talbot

Talbot, B. & Suadicani, K. 2006. Forestry Studies |Metsanduslikud Uurimused 45: 11-22.

Adequacy of crop residue biomass as renewable energy source for tea drying in Assam: a spatial assessment.

by Moonmoon Hiloidhari

Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 46(1), 43-50, 2009

Assam is the largest tea producing state with an annual contribution of about 51% of nation's production. Coal, TD... more Assam is the largest tea producing state with an annual contribution of about 51% of nation's production. Coal, TD oil, and natural gas are used in tea drying as a source of thermal energy. Crop residue biomass is considered as a potential substitute of fossil energy. Availability of sufficient biomass in the vicinity of user location, avoiding costly transportation, is one of the major considerations. The present investigation makes a spatial analysis of paddy crop residue biomass availability vis-a-vis energy demand in tea drying in ten spatial units representing all the districts of Assam. Paddy is a major crop in Assam and grown in all the districts. Energy availability from paddy crop residue biomass was compared with the thermal energy demand for tea drying. Husk fuelled gasification and straw fired combustion technologies were considered with assumed levels of energy conversion efficiencies. The analysis indicated that tea drying in Assam required 12.43 PJ of thermal energy annually. Total annual available bio-energy was estimated as 5.09 PJ and 23.37 PJ from paddy husk and paddy straw, respectively. Overall, bio-energy availability from paddy husk would be sufficient to fulfil only 40.97% of the demand of the state. However, entire thermal energy demand for tea drying in Goalpara, Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Nagaon and Karbi-Anglong could be fulfilled through husk generated bio-energy in these districts. For the state as a whole as well as in seven spatial units (baring Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and North Cachar), bio-energy available from paddy straw would be adequate to fulfil the thermal energy demand for tea drying. Dibrugarh and Sivasagar were deficient in paddy residue biomass. An index is defined to test the adequacy of crop residue biomass to support energy demand in tea processing as ratio of growing areas of paddy and tea. The districts with ratio more than 3.58 were found to meet the resource adequacy criteria.

Crop residue biomass for decentralized electricity generation in rural areas (Part 1): Investigation of spatial availability

by Moonmoon Hiloidhari

co-author: D C Baruah; Journal: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews;
Volume 15, Issue 4, May 2011, Pages 1885-1892

Spatial assessments of crop residue biomass and its power potential at village level in Sonitpur district of Assam,... more Spatial assessments of crop residue biomass and its power potential at village level in Sonitpur district of Assam, India is presented in this paper. Recent IRS P6 LISS-III remote sensing data of the study area is analyzed in GIS environment to map crop areas and subsequently residue biomass availability at village level. Altogether 16 different types of crop residues are identified in the district with rice crop as dominant residue. About 0.17 million tonnes of crop residue biomass, having about 17 MW potential power, is spatially distributed in the rural areas of the district. Village level biomass power mapping is done assuming combustion route of decentralized power generation. Considering the acute shortage of grid connected power supply in the study area, the decentralized crop residue based power generation could be an attractive option. At individual level, thermal power plant up to 72 kW could be possible to cater the essential power need of the villager.
Keywords: Crop residue biomass; IRS P6 LISS-III; GIS

Rice straw residue biomass potential for decentralized electricity generation: a GIS based study in Lakhimpur district of Assam, India

by Moonmoon Hiloidhari

co-author: D C Baruah, Journal :Energy for Sustainable Development (Elsevier), Volume:15, Page:214-222, Year: 2011

Decentralized electricity generation potential from surplus rice straw residue in Lakhimpur district of Assam, India... more Decentralized electricity generation potential from surplus rice straw residue in Lakhimpur district of Assam, India is investigated in this study. Appropriately validated Linear Imaging and Self Scanning Sensor (LISS) III satellite images of Indian Remote sensing Satellite (IRS-P6 series, also known as RESOURCESAT-1), are used to map rice croplands of 1117 villages within nine development blocks of the district. Spatial availability of surplus rice straw residue and, hence, potential power are mapped using a GIS integrated methodology taking cropland and associated data as inputs. Overall, 51.5 thousand tonnes (equivalent to 788 TJ) surplus rice straw is available in Lakhimpur district annually which could generate about 5 MWe at continuous generation with 20% overall conversion efficiency. The availability, however, varies amongst the development blocks and villages mainly due to variations in cropped area. Estimated power potential amongst the development blocks varies between 294 kWe and 927 kWe. Variations of power potential amongst the villages are also noticed, the highest power potential at village level being 43 kWe. The clusters of the habitation nearby cropland illustrate prospective utility of straw fired electrical power in the locality. The outcomes of the present study, in the form of spatial maps, indicate prospect of decentralized generation of electricity based on locally available surplus rice straw. Straw fired decentralized generation of electricity could be an attractive option considering (i) huge gaps between the demand and availability of electricity and (ii) the remoteness of the locality.

Florestas Energéticas

by Philip Fearnside

Fearnside, P.M. 2008. Florestas Energéticas. Opiniões 2008(jun-ago): 14-16. http://www.revistaopinioes.com.br.

Brazil's Amazon forest and the global carbon problem: Reply to Lugo and Brown

by Philip Fearnside

Fearnside, P.M. 1986. Brazil's Amazon forest and the global carbon problem: Reply to Lugo and Brown. Interciencia 11(2): 58 64.

See Amazon Controversies:
http://philip.inpa.gov.br/publ_livres/AMAZONIAN CONTROVERSIES.htm

Biomass of Brazil's Amazonian forests: Reply to Brown and Lugo revisited

by Philip Fearnside

, P.M. 1993. Biomass of Brazil's Amazonian forests: Reply to Brown and Lugo revisited. Interciencia 18(1): 5-7.

See Amazon Controveersies:
http://philip.inpa.gov.br/publ_livres/AMAZONIAN CONTROVERSIES.htm

UK microgeneration. Part II: technology overviews

by Iain Staffell

one of the top three papers across all Thomas Telford journals in 2010
published in the Proceedings of the ICE - Energy

This paper reviews the current status of microgeneration technologies at the domestic scale. Overviews are given for... more This paper reviews the current status of microgeneration technologies at the domestic scale. Overviews are given for nine such technologies, grouped into three sections: (a) low carbon heating: condensing boilers, biomass boilers and room heaters, air source and ground source heat pumps; (b) renewables: solar photovoltaic panels, flat plate and evacuated tube solar thermal panels and micro-wind; and (c) combined heat and power: Stirling engines, internal combustion engines and fuel cells.

Reviews of the construction, operation and performance are given for the leading commercial products of each technology. Wherever possible, data are presented from the field, giving the actual prices paid by customers, efficiencies and energy yields experienced in real-world use, reliability and durability, and the problems faced by users. This information has a UK focus but is generally relevant in the international context.

Two issues are found to be prevalent throughout the microgeneration industry. Total installed costs are a premium and vary substantially between technologies, between specific products (e.g. different models of solar panel), and between individual installations. Performance in the field is found in many cases to differ widely from manufacturers’ quotes and laboratory studies, often owing to installation and operational problems. Despite this, microgeneration has demonstrated substantial improvements over conventional generation in terms of fossil fuel consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and energy cost, provided that the appropriate technologies are employed, being installed and operated correctly according to the load requirements of the house and their physical location.

Biomassa e carbono: Incertezas metodológicas para o mecanismo REDD

by Philip Fearnside

Fearnside, P.M. 2009. Biomassa e carbono: Incertezas metodológicas para o mecanismo REDD. pp 28-34. In: RELATÓRIO DO SEMINÁRIO: Perspectivas e Potencial do Mecanismo de Redução de Emissões por Desmatamento e Degradação (REDD) no Estado do Pará. IDESP, MPEG & SEMA, Belém, Pará. http://www.museu-goeldi.br/Relatorio%20Seminario%20REDD_final.pdf