duteau, 2016. biomass energy presentation

Yukon Biomass Energy: A literature review Forestry, supply chain, harvest, and sustainability

Yukon Biomass Forum Kwanlin Dun Cultural Center Whitehorse Yukon, March 16 2016

Presented by Michel Duteau, biol. MSc [email protected] Cold Climate Innovation Centre

mailto:[email protected]



Outline

Energy context: energy demand

-Heating

-Non-heating electricity

-Transports

Energy context: potential biomass feedstocks

-scales associated with nine feedstock types

Policy/legislation context

-Biomass Energy Policy

-Forest Resources Act

Remaining challenges

Estimated total breakdown of energy use for heat in Yukon (adapted from ESC, 2012 in ESC, 2016).


Space heating

Total: 2,385 TJ

Estimated total breakdown of energy use for heat in Yukon (adapted from ESC, 2012 in ESC, 2016).


Space heating

Biomass: 18%

Non-biomass heat in Yukon (adapted from ESC,

2012 in ESC, 2016).


Space heating

Non-biomass: 82% (1,962 TJ)

opportunity to offset some

fossil fuels


electricity, especially in winter

peak

Relative net cost of heat options in Yukon - 2010 in $/GJ (adapted from ESC, 2014 in ESC, 2016).


Space heating

-Fossil fuel heating is more

expensive than biomass

*especially in off-the-grid

communities

$50 million/yr leaving the

Territory

Power usage in Yukon -2012 (adapted from Brandt, 2013).


Non-heating electricity

-Approximately 90% of

electricity production is for

non-heating purposes


electricity, especially in

winter peak

-Vast majority of electricity is

hydro-power

*exception is with off-the-grid

communities

Yukon electrical grid (adapted from YEC, 016).


Non-heating electricity

-Yukon electricity grid

*not connected with neighbors

*off-the grids rely on fossil fuel

generators for electricity

opportunity to offset fossil

fuel for generation of

electricity in off-the-grid

communities

Sternwheeler ‘’Dawson’’ taking on cordwood at

a wood camp on the Yukon River – July 1990

(adapted from Yukon Archives in DED, 1997)


Transport

-Accounts for 37% of all

energy consumed in Yukon

-Virtually entirely fossil-fuel

powered

-Little opportunity exist at

the moment to offset any


Feedstock Potential quantity Delivered cost to a

Whitehorse end-user*

Net (TJ) Relative to opportunity (1,962 TJ)

Sawmill residues

Incidental harvesting and driftwood

Recycled wood waste

Salvage from wildfires

Salvage from beetle kills

Imported biomass

Short rotation coppice

Dedicated energy crops

Round wood

*does not include any processing

(e.g. chipping, pelletizing)

Exercise meant to compare on same basis

*Any statistic has a margin of error



Whitehorse end-user

net Relative to opportunity (1,962 TJ)

Sawmill residues Haines Junction < 60 TJ/yr

< 3% of yearly opportunity

Cheapest Dawson City Unknown but already allocated None


Whitehorse end-user


Incidental harvesting and driftwood Unknown Unknown Unknown



Whitehorse end-user


Recycled wood waste Unknown but partly allocated (Raven Recycling)

Unknown Unknown



Whitehorse end-user



Yearly average 5,893 TJ/yr 3 times the yearly opportunity

Depends

Fox Lake Burn + Minto Burn

35,981 TJ (however, some double-dipping…)

18 years of yearly opportunity

Fox Lake: $52.67/m3 Minto: $75.13/m3

Standing dead tree energy content (adapted form Preto, 2011).



Whitehorse end-user



Haines Junction 8,018 TJ (assuming that all Yukon cordwood currently comes from there, and taking into account other allocations (e.g. timber)

4 years of yearly opportunity $64.56/m3

Burn areas and beetle kills within a 250 km radius from

Whitehorse (adapted from Morrison Hershfield, 2011).



Whitehorse end-user


Imported biomass Unlimited Unlimited $350/tonne



Whitehorse end-user



Poplar 0.109 TJ/ha/yr 18,024 ha to fulfill the yearly opportunity

Unknown Willow 0.197 TJ/ha/yr 9,967 ha to fulfill the yearly

opportunity


Perennial grasses 0.204 TJ/ha/yr 9,617 ha to fulfill the yearly opportunity

< $240/tonne

Dr Darleen T. Masiak by a short rotation

willow stand at UofA Fairbanks

Research program by Dr Amanda Byrd at Uof A Fairbanks



Whitehorse end-user


Round wood Addition of all current AACs and annual limits, less Haines Junction

1,289 TJ/yr 67% of the yearly opportunity $48.99/m3



Whitehorse end-user




Cheapest Dawson City unknown but already allocated None

Incidental harvesting, driftwood, and recycled materials

Unknown Unknown Unknown

Recycled wood waste Unknown , partly allocated Unknown Unknown



Depends


35,981 TJ 18 years of yearly opportunity $52.67/m3 $75.13/m3


Haines Junction 8,018 TJ 4 years of yearly opportunity $64.56/m3

Imported biomass Unlimited Unlimited $350/tonne



Unknown Willow 0.197 TJ/ha/yr 9,967 ha to fulfill the yearly

opportunity


Perennial grasses 0.204 TJ/ha/yr 9,617 ha to fulfill the yearly opportunity

< $240/tonne

Round wood Current limits less Haines Junction

1,289 TJ/yr 67% of the yearly opportunity $48.99/m3



Whitehorse end-user

Cost per GJ




Cheapest Cheapest Dawson City Unknown but already allocated None

Incidental harvesting, driftwood, and recycled materials

Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown

Recycled wood waste Unknown , partly allocated Unknown Unknown Unknown



Depends Depends


35,981 TJ

18 years of yearly opportunity $52.67/m3 $75.13/m3

$6.26/GJ $8.93/GJ


Haines Junction 8,018 TJ 4 years of yearly opportunity $64.56/m3 $7.65/GJ

Imported biomass Unlimited Unlimited $350/tonne $19/GJ



Unknown Unknown Willow 0.197 TJ/ha/yr 9,967 ha to fulfill the yearly

opportunity


Perennial grasses: 0.204 TJ/ha/yr 9,617 ha to fulfill the yearly opportunity

< $240/tonne

< $13/GJ

Round wood Current limits less Haines Junction

1,289 TJ/yr 67% of the yearly opportunity $48.99/m3 $6.01/GJ


Political/regulatory context: Biomass Energy Strategy

Political/regulatory context: Forest Resources Act

Currently under review

Forest Management

Branch will receive

comments until April 30,

2016

Aim:

-Warrant responsible and

sustainable management of

Yukon forest


Planning

-Annual Allowable Cuts

in consideration of the

evidential forest capacity, as

well as economic,

environmental, and social

factors

-Completed for 3 regions,

and 1 being developed

* When not completed,

harvest is capped by an

annual limit

Planning level Geographic Scope Forest Resources

Management Plan

(FRMP)

First Nation traditional territories

Timber Harvest

Plan (THP) Watershed or landscape (500 to 50,000 hectares)

Site Plan Harvest block level (5 to 500 hectares)

Licenses and Permits

-Timber resource license

commercial timber

-Fuel wood license

commercial fuel wood

-Cutting permit

with commercial licenses

-Forest resources permit

personal

-Woodlot license

not anymore


Challenges: Economic

-Capital investment remains

high – higher than for fossil

fuels

private investment?

Challenges: Social

-Past technology failures

have left a bitter taste

-Past lengthy feasibility

studies have been tabled and

lead to no implementation

*Success stories outnumber

failures

-Past experience with old

biomass technologies have

lead to a fear that

environmental gains might

not be fulfilled (e.g. particles

and emissions)

-Past forest management

failures in other jurisdictions

have lead to a fear that

Yukon forest management

might not be sustainable

Challenges: Environment (Social)

-Technology has to be

adapted to harsh, cold

climate

-Technology has to be

matched with feedstock

-Supply chain yet has to be

developed (e.g. chipping,

pelletizing)

Challenges: Technical

Conclusion

We’ve seen

-Opportunities

offset fossil fuels and electricity for heating, especially in winter

offset fossil fuels for electricity, especially in off-grid

offset carbon footprint

Conclusion

We’ve seen

-Opportunities exist

-Potential feedstocks are proven

-Technologies are proven

have to choose which feedstock first, than find the right technology,

as feedstocks are not interchangeable

-Remaining challenges

capital investment

regulation context (soon!)

supply chain

social license is key

duteau, 2016. biomass energy presentation

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