Heating with Wood Biomass Energy From Forest to Farm, Food, and Families

Matt Wiggs

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Benefits of wood energy

Technology

Fuel supply and storage

Projects and case studies

Common misperceptions and environmental health considerations

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Reduce and stabilize fuel costs

Provide fuel flexibility

Local renewable fuel

Clean, efficient, scalable

Keep dollars in regional forest economy

Support forest management

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Combustion – burning fuels in the presence of oxygen

Pyrolysis – rapid thermal degradation in absence of oxygen

Gasification – converting biomass fuels into combustible syngas

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Traditional Wood Fuels

Cordwood Chips Pellets

Residential Heating

Small buildings

Commercial and institutional heating

Utility-scale power production

Residential Heating

Small Commercial and Institutional Heating

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Fuel Storage Combustion Equipment Emissions Control

Equipment & Stack

Pellet Silos

Slab chip bins

Below grade chip

bins

Stoker/fixed grate

Stoker/moving grate

Pneumatic/suspension

Fluidized bed

Single cyclone

Multi-cyclone

Baghouse

ESP

Biomass Heating System Configurations

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More Examples

Victor School, Victor, MT

Grant County Regional Airport, Oregon

DNRC Unit Office, Anaconda, MT

Clark Fork Valley Hospital, Plains, MT

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On the Farm

in Vermont

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Greenhouse Pleasant View Gardens New Hampshire 7 acre greenhouse (bedding/perennial plants)

• Saving $800,000/yr

• 97% oil free • 3 year payback

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Northwest biomass energy users saving 25-75% off energy costs

Displacing 50-90% of fossil fuels

Case Study: Eureka Public Schools

Heating cost savings achieved by replacing fossil fuels with wood chips, 2009-2013

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Too much maintenance/labor required

Daily Hours

on O&M

0.33

0.25

1

0.5

2

2

0.5

1

1.25

N/A

.25

2

Facility

Daily Hours on

O&M

Darby Public Schools 0.33

Victor Public Schools 0.25

Thompson Falls Public Schools 1

Philipsburg Public Schools 0.5

Glacier High School, Kalispell 2

U of Montana - Western 2

Townsend School District 0.5

Troy Public Schools 1

Eureka Public Schools 1.25

Deer Lodge Central Park Center N/A

Totals

Range-Low: .25

Range-High: 2

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Particulate matter (PM), CO, NOx, SOx

Wood fuel characteristics affect amount/composition of PM emissions.

Consult with air regulators on local regulations.

Add-on pollution control devices are available.

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Biomass C is already part of the atmospheric C cycle

Carbon neutral fuel if harvested sustainably

Thinned forests exhibit higher growth rates sequestering C in larger trees

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Source wood fuel from mill waste and responsible harvest practices from state, federal, private, tribal, community lands.

Markets for forest products support economic viability of forest management and fire mitigation

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Where heat demand and/or fuel costs are high

Hot water/steam/forced air distribution

New construction projects

With facility enthusiasm (& capacity)

Near a forest or wood pellet fuel source

Near local logging infrastructure (chippers/trucks/mills)

Near other wood energy users

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Grants

o Preliminary technical/economic feasibility assessments

o Engineering and design

Biomass Resource Supply Assessments

Guidance on Financing Options

Tours of Existing Biomass Energy Installations

OTHER:

Wood Innovation Grants, USDA Forest Service

USDA Rural Development

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