Program Code 8.1: Forests and Related Resources, Subtopic 7: Sustainable Bioenergy and Development of Value-Added Products From Forest Resou

For sustainable forests, residues must be managed at low cost. If residues could be converted to a valuable energy product, then management costs would be offset, leading to improved forests. To create a valuable energy product from low density residues, they must be densified to reduce handling, transport and storage costs. In this project, the technical feasibility of the low cost Biomass Fuel Block (BFB) densification system will be proven through laboratory testing of the process and the product. Test results, combined with engineering and economic analyses, will be used to prove the feasibility of a low cost self-propelled BFB system for forest residues. BFB is expected to produce dense and durable logs, which will have attractive handling, storage and transport characteristics that will lower costs. These attractive economic characteristics will drive the adoption of this technology to upgrade forestry residues for integrated biorefineries, coal co-firing at power plants, industrial boiler, and home heating applications. Utilization of BFB technology will reduce the cost of forest maintenance, reduce forest fires, increase the employment opportunity for rural youth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also, production of biofuels from US sourced material will reduce dependency on foreign crude and increase energy security.