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Calculator Estimates Biomass Potential
Matthew Weaver Published: October 10. 2013 Matthew Weaver/Capital Press University of Washington research scientist and engineer Luke Rogers demonstrates use of the biomass calculator during a workshop Oct. 9 in Spokane. A biomass calculator is designed to help determine the amount of woody biomass available for potential biofuel development. University of Washington research scientist and engineer Luke Rogers says the tool helps determine the viability of bringing in a biofuel facility. The tool also indicates that the U.S. Forest Service needs to step up forest health efforts if they are to have an impact. SPOKANE — A new calculator can be used to estimate the amount of biomass materials available on forest lands. University of Washington research scientist and engineer Luke Rogers developed the calculator as part of the Washington Forest Biomass Supply Assessment in 2012. The calculator determines the amount of material that would be left over after a commercial timber harvest, Rogers said. That material is typically left behind or burned. Potential users include investors interested in building a new biomass facility or infrastructure like chippers to remove material from the forest land, policy makers supporting legislation to help the biomass industry and the DNR. The calculator shows that if the U.S. Forest Service doubles or triples its current program to treat federal forest lands in Washington, it could “substantially resolve” the majority of forest health issues on eligible lands by 2025 or 2030, Rogers said. “The existing program of treating about 6,000 acres a year doesn’t ever get us to the point where we’ve tackled the majority of forest health issues,” he said. “There needs to be some more aggressive treatments going on in order to get us there any time soon.” The calculator is meant for a watershed scale or larger. It has less use for private landowners, Rogers said, because it’s impossible to model individual landowners and their specific operations. But the tool could be useful to a group of landowners interested in developing a new industry on a countywide or watershed-wide basis. Rogers said landowners could compare the cost of the current practice of burning slash piles, including obtaining air quality permits, to bringing in somebody to take the material to a biofuel facility. “Even if you had to pay to have somebody come in and do that, and it was less than you’re paying now to get your air quality permits and pay to burn, that would be a win as well,” Rogers said. “There is a real opportunity for landowners to be able to change the way they do business and provide a product, rather than carbon into the atmosphere and smoke.” He sees the calculator as a good start toward understanding the floor-source biomass available in Washington. Future companion tools could be expanded to hardwood biofuels, such as planting short-rotation poplars, and all agricultural, municipal or construction wastes as feedstock for biofuels. Online http://wabiomass.cfr.washington.edu – See more at: http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20131010/ARTICLE/131019987#sthash.W6RmmWse.dpuf Continue reading
Ag Secretary Vilsack Reaffirms Support for Biofuel Mandates
The Obama administration strongly supports biofuel mandates and opposes any legislation that would return transportation fuel choice to the states or the people, said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a speech to ethanol producers. Vilsack Blasts Congress In a September speech sponsored by the ethanol industry, Vilsack blasted efforts in Congress to amend the 2007 statute that forces consumers to purchase biofuels and ethanol-blended gasoline. Under the law—passed by a Democrat-controlled Congress and signed by Republican President George W. Bush—refiners are required to blend biofuels into the nation’s motor fuel supply in greater quantities every year, with the mandate reaching 36 billion gallons a year by 2022. More than half that amount, or 21 billion gallons, is required to come from what are called “next-generation fuels” that do not use corn starch as a feedstock. “There is no need for Congress to intervene in this,” Vilsack said. “There is no need for Congress to try to rewrite this renewable fuels standard. They got it right the first time.” Mandates Face Wide Opposition Whether Congress “got it right the first time,” as Vilsack says, is at the center of an intense debate. Opponents of the renewable fuel mandates, which include environmentalist groups, livestock producers, automobile associations, and consumer advocates, point out the mandate diverts 40 percent of the nation’s corn crop away from feeding people and livestock. This in turn drives up food prices and induces farmers to develop marginal cropland that would otherwise be left in its natural state. The ethanol itself, moreover, delivers fewer miles per gallon and fewer miles per dollar than gasoline. Adding to the ethanol controversy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently approved the sale at fueling stations of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol as conventional gasoline, up from the former 10 percent cap. Automotive engineers warn the higher blend of ethanol will make fuel substantially more corrosive and will increase damage to vehicles. “If the EPA continues to dictate unrealistic levels of ethanol that fail to recognize declines in gasoline consumption, one of two scenarios will occur. Refiners will either be forced to raise the price of gasoline to pay fines to the EPA, or they will be forced to export raw gasoline in order to make a profit, leaving a massive shortage of gasoline here at home,” U.S. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, noted in an open letter published on his website. EPA Requires Nonexistent Product A further problem arises with cellulosic ethanol mandates imposed by EPA. Contrary to the expectations of lawmakers in 2007, fuel made from switchgrass, corn stover, wood chips, and other materials remains commercially unviable. Nevertheless, EPA is using its discretion under the law to tell refiners they must use cellulosic ethanol that, for all practical purposes, does not exist. EPA is targeting refiners with steep fines for not blending the nonexistent cellulosic ethanol into gasoline. An Oil Industry Conspiracy? Unmoved by such arguments, Vilsack told the ethanol producers the oil industry wants biofuel manufacturers to fail so they can buy up the ethanol plants. He said the oil industry is conspiring with its allies to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from funding the installation of pumps at gas stations capable of blending higher levels of ethanol into gasoline. House Takes Action On Capitol Hill, where the biofuel mandates originated, members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee are drafting an amendment to address the problems that have surfaced with the biofuels mandate. House leaders plan on conducting hearings on the topic later this year. Vilsack’s comments, however, strongly suggest any legislative revision of the biofuels mandate would face a near-certain presidential veto. “The biofuel mandates subsidize the U.S. corn farmer at the expense of livestock producers and American consumers,” said Daniel Simmons, director of state policy at the Institute for Energy Research. “It is a disgrace that Secretary Vilsack supports policies that drive up food and fuel prices in exchange for subsidies for special-interest groups,” Simmons added. Bonner R. Cohen, Ph. D. ( bcohen@nationalcenter.org ), is a senior fellow at the National Center for Public Policy Research. Continue reading
Active Energy Says Wood Chip Shipments Dipped But Remains Positive
Wed, 9th Oct 2013 10:33 LONDON (Alliance News) – Active Energy Group PLC Wednesday said the amount of wood chip it shipped in the three months to September 30 declined compared with the three months ended June 30. In a trading update the biomass fuel provider said it shipped 50,000 metric tonnes of wood chip between July and September, down from 57,000 metric tonnes between April and June, of which 38,000 metric tonnes was subject to a profit-sharing arrangement with Nikofeso Holdings Limited, a biomass exporter it acquired in June. Active said the third quarter shipments have generated gross revenue of USD5.3 million for the group and “reflect positively in the context of a clearly growing market opportunity”. The company plans to ship up to 350,000 metric tonnes of wood chip a year on Black Sea markets by the end of 2015, with a similar quanta of cargoes of power plant feedstock shipped to European clients. The entire volume shipped in the third quarter was for biomass feedstock to customers in Southern Europe, while shipments to clients engaged in medium-density-fibreboard manufacture in the Black Sea region are expected to resume in the fourth quarter in parallel with continuing biomass shipments. The company expects to release its results for the year ended December 31 in March or April 2014. Active shares were trading at 2.65 pence Wednesday, up 0.15 pence or 6.0% By Anthony Tshibangu; anthonytshibangu@alliancenews.com; @AnthonyAllNews Continue reading
