LCA of Biochar: How feedstocks and production systems stack up

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Jemima Walsh
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1 LCA of Biochar: How feedstocks and production systems stack up Presented by: Maureen Puettmann WoodLife Environmental Consultants Corvallis, OR

2 My Collaborators! Kelpie Wilson Wilson Biochar Associates Elaine Oneil Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM) Mark Severy and David Carter Schatz Energy Research Center Humboldt State University

3 Production of Quality Feedstock From Forest Residues for Emerging Biomass Conversion Technologies

4 Waste to Wisdom Project Overview Forest residuals and slash are an immense, underutilized resource. But transportation costs are prohibitively expensive due to their low bulk density and low market value. These economic barriers can be overcome by increasing the transportation efficiency, and/or increasing the value of the residuals

5 Waste to Wisdom Project Overview Utilizing forest residuals for the production of bioenergy and bio-based products. Briquettes Torrefied Biomass Biochar

6 Waste to Wisdom Project Overview Utilizing forest residuals for the production of bioenergy and bio-based products. Briquettes Torrefied Biomass Biochar

7 What is LCA?

8 LCA Framework

9 LCA of Biochar What are the environmental impacts of producing biochar? What environmental impacts are we looking at? Energy consumption from each system Emissions generated from each system (eg. CO, CO2, particulates, NOx, CH3) Impact categories such as GWP and respiratory effects Compare to pile & burn of forest residues/slash in the woods

11 LCA Framework for Biochar Production Cradle to gate Harvesting Fuel Equipment Transportation Slash Burn Logs to Mill Collecting Oregon Kiln Collecting Air Burner Collecting BSI Machine Collecting Power Pallet Fuel Equipment Transportation Lumber Wood Boiler Feedstock Prep. Cutting? Feedstock Prep. Cutting? Feedstock Prep. Grinding Chipping Drying Feedstock Prep. Grinding Chipping Drying Fuel/Electricity Equipment Transportation Energy Production Energy Production Fuel/Electricity Equipment Transportation Biochar Production Biochar Production Biochar Production Biochar Production Fuel/Electricity Equipment Transportation Slash Emissions National Boiler Emissions BSI Machine Emissions Oregon Kiln Emissions Air Burner Emissions Power Pallet Emissions

12 Slash Recovery Operations

13 Whole Tree Chipping

14 LCA: Biochar Bringing forest residue to landing Skidders Log loaders Feller bunchers Chain saws Processing residue at landing Chain saws Small loaders Water pump trucks Grinders Chippers Sifters Dryers

15 LCA: Biochar Systems 1. Biochar Solutions Inc. (BSI) Western forest residues 7 combinations of feedstock, comminution methods, and contaminant level were tested. 2. Oregon Kiln (Biochar Wilson Associates) Western forest residues 3. Air Burner Western forest residues

16 Biochar Production Systems BSI Biochar Machine Biochar Solutions, Inc

17 Biochar Production Systems Photo credit: Wilson Biochar Oregon Kiln

18 Biochar Production Systems Air Burner

19 Framework

20 Conclusions - LCA of Biochar Large data uncertainty in the biochar systems Missing data present between systems BSI system data is based on a first trial run, second trial run data will be available by mid-september No feedstock drying system in the current model

21 Conclusions - LCA of Biochar Power Pallet (small gasification generator potentially used to power the biochar machine and the drying system) data is just rolling in. Preliminary!! - Power Pallet reduced impacts by 73% in most categories over a diesel generator For reports and presentations see

22 Results Biochar Systems

23 Results Biochar Systems

24 Results Biochar Feedstocks Biomass absorbed 0.62 kg CO2 /kg of feedstock 0.80 kg CO2 /kg of feedstock 0.95 kg CO2 /kg of feedstock 0.75 kg CO2 /kg of feedstock

25 Results Biochar Feedstocks Does not show biochar quality Does not show feedstock input composition (mc, ash etc.) Labor hours/per kg input

26 LCA Biochar Next Steps Obtain updated input/output data for BSI unit Obtain complete data set for Power Pallet for use in drying and energy for BSI unit Addition of the dryer! Relationship between productivity and feedstock moisture content Incorporate biochar quality into the LCA Sensitivity analysis on biochar quality to feedstock quality. Obtain additional upstream data on feedstock collection and handling of forest residues

27 Thank you!

Feedstock. Guide page 41. Home. Feedstock for the complete set of guidance please visit 1.

Feedstock. Guide page 41. Home. Feedstock for the complete set of guidance please visit 1. Feedstock Guidance on the issues which will affect the accessibility, security and suitability of waste materials as fuel for energy from waste processes 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Feedstock types 3.0 Fuel preparation