Rien Visser, Associate Professor Canterbury University Overview - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Rien Visser, Associate Professor Canterbury University

Overview – Wood Fuel from Landings

• Wood Fuel (woody-biomass) and NZ forestry operations
• International developments
• Production Case Studies
• Biomass preparation options
• drying / covering

(Visser, Hall and Raymond, 2010)

Woody Biomass at Forest Landings: We know its out there...

• Approx 1.6 million tons of ‘residues’ per year at landing…

Potential for further increase:

• More harvesting, in more remote areas
• Greater focus on mechanised felling and processing
• Declining wood fibre markets

So how can we get it?

‘Wood Fuel’ Contractors Forestry Companies (supply) Energy Market (demand)

NZ Situation…

Wood Fuel Contractors Forestry Companies (supply) Energy Market (demand)

Europe…

Be careful in looking overseas.. i.e. Austria

Heat Heat + Electricity

However, lot of commonality with Southern USA…

• Similar pine plantations + large scale thinning / chipping
• perations + residue collection from landings
• Wood fuel market (1) long established wood processing

plants, (2) coal co-firing for electricity, (3) pellets for Europe

Need quality product – market driven

Ideal Consumer Situation

• Reliable supply of quality, suitable product
• Payment that correlates to quality and energy content of product

Ideal Contractor Situation

• Consistent volumes of uncontaminated material for comminution
• Integrated into forest management
• Revenue incentives to produce high quality fuel

Ideal Forest Owner Situation

• Consistent revenue from woody biomass recovery
• Well organised integrated forest mgmt activity
• Maximise positive benefits (improved planting, reduced fire risk)

Need quality product – market driven

Ideal Consumer Situation

• Reliable supply of quality, suitable product
• Payment that correlates to quality and energy content of product

Ideal Contractor Situation

• Consistent volumes of uncontaminated material for comminution
• Integrated into forest management
• Revenue incentives to produce high quality fuel

Ideal Forest Owner Situation

• Consistent revenue from woody biomass recovery
• Well organised integrated forest mgmt activity
• Maximise positive benefits (improved planting, reduced fire risk)

Extract and stack the slash then chip and truck from the harvesting operations, to marketroadside

Integrated into forest management…

EECA / UC research project

• Study NZ Wood Fuel Contractors

– System productivity – Delivered wood fuel cost

• Finding common elements for success….

(because not being successful is typically very expensive!)

• Biomass operation at Sefton MDF plant – 2008)

Case Study 1: Canterbury

• Large scale wood fuel recovery from super-skid

 Hog fuel to local large industrial plant

Case Study 1: Canterbury - Results

• Wood in contact with ground does

not dry and becomes contaminated

• High system cost & low operational

efficiency  Be work opportunistic... i.e. Clearing dairy farm shelter belts

Case Study 2: BOP

• Extracting residue logs from wind-throw areas..

 Chips and firewood to regional customers

Case Study 2: BOP - Results

• 70% of the volume is

in 25% of the pieces

• Simplify business model...

 be equipment opportunistic!

• A lot of landing residue is both ‘wet’ and ‘contaminated’…
• Problem: currently most contractors are paid on ‘weight’
• -> water and dirt are heavier than wood!
• High moisture content  low energy content
• Contamination  high ash content

Not all wood fuel is equal...

Case Study 3: Dunedin

Large scale recovery of residue logs for centralised processing...  high quality wood chip for district heat market

Case Study 3: Dunedin - Results

• Log drying trial...

Results:

• 1. Excellent drying in summer in

exposed location

• 2. Covering slows drying in summer,

but keeps from wetting in winter.

• 3. Large diameter logs benefit

greatly from splitting, but cannot justify cost ($10/m3).

(Visser, Berkett and Spinelli, 2014)

Log Drying cost / benefit?

• Double handling and storage costs and risks?
• Comminution costs?

 dryer logs increases

knife wear and fuel use,

• esp. with chippers.

Case Study 4: Oamaru

• Integrated production  contractor manages both harvesting

systems and firewood recovery

• Market opportunity – landing residue++  firewood

Case Study 4: Oamaru

• Use older landings and simple but effective supply chain
• Relatively high quality

 satisfied customers

Delivery cost of Wood Fuel Energy

Case Study Canterbury BOP Dunedin Oamaru Daily Cost

$3,025 $2,050 $2,125 $1,240

Daily Production

75 t 62.5 t 125 t 15 t

Cost per ton

$45 $29 $17 $42

Cost per GJ

$6.50 $3.55* $2.20* $5.54

* Not comminuted

Conclusions - Wood Fuel from Landings

For user or supplier...

• Forest residues source of large volumes of wood fuel
• Be familiar with wood fuel characteristics  pay for energy,

not for water and dirt For wood fuel contractor…

• Know your market demands – focus on suitable product
• Keep operation simple and be opportunistic

For forest owner…

• Integrate wood fuel recovery operations
• Understand (and help optimise) supply chain