Measuring the Regional Availability of Forest Biomass for Biofuels and the Potential of GHG Reduction

Abstract

Abstract:Forest biomass is an important resource for producing bioenergy and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The State of Michigan in the United States (U.S.) is one region recognized for its high potential of supplying forest biomass; however, the long-term availability of timber harvests and the associated harvest residues from this area has not been fully explored. In this study time trend analyses was employed for long term timber assessment and developed mathematical models for harvest residue estimation, as well as the implications of use for ethanol. The GHG savings potential of ethanol over gasoline was also modeled. The methods were applied in Michigan under scenarios of different harvest solutions, harvest types, transportation distances, conversion technologies, and higher heating values over a 50-year period. Our results indicate that the study region has the potential to supply 0.75-1.4 Megatonnes (Mt) dry timber annually and less than 0.05 Mt of dry residue produced from these harvests. This amount of forest biomass could generate 0.15-1.01 Mt of ethanol, which contains 0.68-17.32 GJ of energy. The substitution of ethanol for gasoline as transportation fuel has potential to reduce emissions by 0.043-1.09 Mt CO 2eq annually. The developed method is generalizable in other similar regions of different countries for bioenergy related analyses.

Mechanism of Guaiacol Hydrodeoxygenation on Cu (111): Insights from Density Functional Theory Studies

“…For example, guaiacol HDO on Pt/Al 2 O 3 has been suggested to proceed via the intermediates catechol and phenol [12], but the atomic-level processes occurring at the catalyst surface remain unclear. Other reactions involving aromatics, e.g., their dehydrogenation [23][24][25][26] or the conversion of benzene to phenol, have been explored computationally for surfaces of Rh, Ni, Pd, Pt, and Cu. The adsorption of aromatic oxygenates, such as phenol, anisole, cresol, or the more complex 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene, have been the subject of computational studies on pure Rh [25], Ni [27], Pd [3], and Pt [25,[28][29][30] surfaces, as well as on surfaces of alloys such as FePd [3] or CuNi [30].…”

Forest Biomass in Bioenergy Production in the Changing Geopolitical Environment of the EU

“…Additionally, Zhang et al [84] developed a model for wood harvesting costs and life cycle energy and emission assessments in the USA. Zhang et al [84][85][86] in the USA, using GIS, designed the location of biofuels by applying a set of decision-making factors, as well as biofuel supply chains to minimize total costs. The developed decision support system optimizes costs, energy consumption, and emissions for selected locations [85].…”

Current (2020) and Long-Term (2035 and 2050) Sustainable Potentials of Wood Fuel in Switzerland

“…It offers good opportunities to substitute energy and emission-intensive energy carriers and materials [18]. Moreover, it may support energy security and decarbonization strategies, while at the same time addressing multiple societal issues, e.g., solutions for the transportation sector and independence from imports [19,20]. Substituted products could be used for important high-end applications, such as the clean energy transition [21,22], urgent medicine, and the cosmetics, textile, and hardware industries.…”