“Utilizing forest residues for the production of bioenergy and bio-based products.”

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Waste to Wisdom

Our project is working to utilize forest residues for bioenergy and bio-based Products

Feedstock Development

Quality Feedstocks

Our Feedstock Development team will develop innovative methods and tools to convert forest residues into high quality biomass feedstocks that meet the specification requirements (e.g., size, moisture content, and contaminants) for three biomass conversion technologies (a biochar production unit, a torrefier, and a briquetter), with emphasis on development of how residues are handled to facilitate chipping or grinding and further processing such as mechanical screening.

Collection and Handling

We will evaluate new forest residue collection and handling techniques that increase the quality and accessibility of forest residues and improve the economics of using forest residue feedstocks in biomass conversion technologies, including forest residue sorting and management during harvesting operations, baling and pre­hauling options for various forest residue types, and locating centralized processing sites under an optimized work condition.

Scheduling Model

Develop a landscape scale feedstock development scheduling model to optimize the selection of production pathways including collection, comminution, product upgrading (moisture control, densification, and in­woods biomass conversion), and transportation in order to identify pathway streams that maximize net revenue while reducing adverse environmental impacts.

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Sorting and arranging forest residues

Field-­based experimental studies will be applied to develop strategies and methods of sorting and arranging forest residues resulting from timber harvest and fuel reduction thinning operations. The goal is to develop a feedstock supply that 1) minimizes contamination, 2) facilitates comminution, 3) improves moisture content control, and 4) improves handling and transportation efficiency.

Densification of loose forest residues

The forest residue baler will be upgraded and operated by sub­recipient Forest Concepts on forest residues generated on a Green Diamond Resource Company harvest. The time­-study and bale transport density data will be collected by Forest Concepts and Oregon State University, and subsequently incorporated into forest operations economic models by Oregon State University.

Production of high quality feedstocks through comminution

Processing equipment and equipment configurations that produce high quality feedstock material, with low contamination, and suitable for use with biomass conversion technologies will be identified. Additionally, the effects of different chipping knives and grinding bits on the size distribution of feedstock material, as well as fuel consumption and productivity of the different comminution (i.e. chipping and grinding) technologies will be examined.

Controlling feedstock size with new screening technologies

This task will develop the incorporation of new screening technologies with in-field chipping and grinding operations. It will focus on the effects of incorporating these innovations into biomass operations with the intention of improving product quality and meeting biomass conversion technology particle size requirements.

Centralized biomass feedstock operations

Various opportunities associated with the centralized biomass feedstock operation will be explored with an emphasis to attain a balanced system configuration that can be integrated with biomass conversion technologies. This task will also examine pre­hauling forest residues from harvest sites to centralized processing areas using modified dump trucks or hook­lift trucks.

Landscape level planning and transportation logistics

Develop a landscape scale feedstock development scheduling model to optimize the selection of production pathways including collection, comminution, product upgrading (moisture control, densification, and in­woods biomass conversion), and transportation in order to identify pathway streams using biomass conversion technologies that maximize net revenues while reducing adverse environmental impacts.

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Conversion Technology

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Sustainability Analysis

Who we are

Waste to Wisdom is an innovative biomass research project funded by a $5.88 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Biomass Research and Development Initiative program: Award Number DE-EE0006297. Humboldt State University and 15 regional partners are building on existing research on the conversion of forest residues into bioenergy and other valuable bio-based products.

Project Leaders

US Department of Energy
Humboldt State University