“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

Sustainability Analysis

Economic Feasibility

The Sustainability Analysis team will evaluate the economic feasibility of the three biomass conversion technologies developed in the Biomass Conversion Technology technical area that will use the biomass feedstocks developed in the Feedstock Development technical area, including the costs and benefits of storing carbon on forest sites under carbon cap and trade regulations.

Economic and Social Impacts

We will evaluate the economic and social impacts of implementing the proposed conversion technologies with an emphasis on rural communities, including an estimation of the avoided costs achieved by using forest residues to produce bio­energy products.

Ecological Sustainability

We will determine the ecological sustainability of the three conversion technologies, focusing on forest soils (including carbon storage and nutrient cycling), forest productivity, water quality and air quality.

Life Cycle Assessment

We will conduct a life cycle impact assessment for the three conversion technologies including a cradle­-to-­grave life cycle inventory for each of the individual systems.

Educating and Involving Stakeholders

Involve community stakeholders and other interested parties in the initial development phase of the project to identify and incorporate stakeholder concerns in the project design and implementation and effectively communicate project results and information to these groups to encourage the adoption of the biomass conversion technologies.

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Construct a suite of economic models

Develop a suite of fully integrated economic models that will be used to evaluate the equipment being studied in the Feedstock Development and Conversion Technology technical areas. The models will calculate break­-even costs including not only capital and operating costs, but also taxes, loans, and inflation. Where market prices do not exist, the break­even costs will be used as transfer prices for raw materials produced by the equipment in Feedstock Development going to Conversion Technologies.

Develop a tool to evaluate the value of biochar

Determine the ecological sustainability of using biochar as a soil amendment, focusing on its impact on forest soils (including carbon storage and nutrient cycling), forest productivity, water quality and air quality. An investigation into the avoided costs and environmental benefits needed in the social and environmental analysis will also begin. Biochar application field studies will support estimation of carbon sequestration potential.

Identify an input/output modeling protocol

The goal of this research is to assess the economic impacts associated with the production of biochar using forest-­based materials in communities within Northern California. We will do so by reviewing, developing and using economic models that consider the industries and institutions that make up the economic and social infrastructure in the region.

Develop air quality indicators

The team will develop a series of location-­specific macro­level indicators of changes to air quality as a result of adoption of the proposed technologies. Economic quantification of the effects of the changes to air quality will be conducted using region-­specific indicators. The variables in this section will be populated using secondary regional data as well as primary data from experimental sites based on coordination with the work being done for the life cycle analysis.

Conduct a workshop to explore stakeholder perceptions

The team will continue its analysis looking into market assessment and strategic marketing plans accompanied by the analysis of the avoided costs of producing biochar from forest residuals. The evaluation of social impacts will continue with stakeholder workshops to better understand perceptions and to help guide technology development.

Evaluate impacts on forest soils

Evaluate if and where biochar applications are appropriate on forest soils. Determine if biochar can be used to remediate mine soils. Field trials will be established on either single tree or larger plots (depending on the availability of biochar) and pre- ­and post-­biochar application soil and vegetation samples will be collected. In addition, lab and/or field trials on select mine land sites will be used to determine the feasibility of biochar being used to absorb heavy metals.

Conduct life cycle analyses

Forest Resources Life Cycle Assessment
Develop a cradle-to-gate life cycle inventory (LCI) for the forest collection processes and conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) using the TRACI method (Bare 2002) to determine comparable environmental footprints from harvest to utilization. Provide relative comparisons of fuels (torrefied wood and pellets) to fossil fuel sources and biochar to the alternative of prescribed burning and/or wildfire impacts as federal land management tools.

Biochar Processing, Torrefied Wood, and Densified Briquettes Life Cycle Assessments
Develop a cradle-to-gate life cycle inventory (LCI) for biochar processing, torrefied wood, and densified briquettes and then conduct life cycle assessments (LCAs) using the TRACI method (Bare 2002) to determine comparable environmental footprints from harvest to utilization.

Evaluate impacts on fire reduction and productivity gains

Use GIS spatial analysis linked to inventory data to evaluate the potential feedstock volumes available from selected forest types on federal lands in the western region under a range of sustainable management scenarios and relative to transportation distance, natural disturbance impacts and economic variables.

Conduct outreach

Conduct outreach and public relations efforts over the duration of the project through the creation of 1) online platforms (website, social media, press releases), 2) advertising inventory (banner ads, classified advertising, email marketing, event sponsorship), 3) stakeholder engagement opportunities (webinars, conference speaking engagements), and 4) annual team meetings in order to promote the free flow of information between team members. The goal is to increase awareness about bioproducts and the project’s objectives, and to help influence positive perception of environmental products.

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Feedstock Development

Learn about
Conversion Technology

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