Beneficiation of Chipped and Shredded Woody Biomass

Our firm has been cooperating with engineers and scientists to develop materials that can be made from shredded woody debris. Field work during those projects put us in contact with many contractors and community-based organizations who were frustrated with the lack of markets for "chipped" woody biomass. We found that most community-based wildfire protection program leaders were unaware of the quality requirements for acceptance of wood chips by paper companies, engineered wood products manufacturers, and high technology wood-to-energy systems. When they optimistically sought to sell their chipped biomass to users, they were disappointed that their chips were neither valued, nor wanted by most potential customers. The core premise of the project is that commingled woody biomass chips and shreds contain economically significant amounts of bole and branch wood. If most of the wood content could be separated and cleaned, then more wood fiber would be available in the marketplace and processors would receive more revenue for their material. Forest Concepts, LLC, the proposing company, has been working for more than eight years with rural and suburban communities to better utilize woody biomass to improve local economies, create jobs, and to provide bio-based materials for industry. The principals of Forest Concepts each have more than twenty years experience in the forest products industry, including forestry, forest engineering, wood products marketing and sales. Project results will create new jobs and economic activity in rural communities. Products will improve sustainability of wood products businesses and bioenergy facilities.