Northwest Perspectives on Developing a Biochar Industry: State Agencies, Research & Industry

David SjodingRenewable Energy Specialist

July 31, 2012

2012 US Biochar Conference

Bioenergy & Biochar in WashingtonDavid Sjoding

WSU Energy Program

Mark Fuchs – Ecology, W2R

Manuel Garcia-Perez – WSUBiological Systems Engineering Dept. &CSANRInteragency Agreements between Ecology and WSU EP and CSANR

Overview • The Northwest needs a biochar trade

association• This presentation is a bookend to the

other presentations from the Northwest: Focus on state governments and universities

• Two memorable quotes from 4 years ago:• “I’ve been mining the carbon out of

my soil for 40 years. I used to get 100 bushels per acre, now I’m in the 60s” – Merrill Ott (wheat farmer)

• “What’s the market value of biochar” – Borgford Bioenergy

• Biochar in the Northwest is coming of age

State Perspectives - Plural • Bioenergy is the most complex and diverse of

the renewable resources – It organizationally fans across many departments/agencies• Shifting to a bioeconomy is even broader• The plural does not necessarily mean

inconsistent or in conflict – However, there are “discussions”• Often there are different areas of emphasis or

focus• It is plural within state governments and

between states• Wide Northwest regional variation in

feedstocks• Which end product is produced? – Who wants

what?

Woody biomass feedstock competition

• Woody biomass is a feedstock for a wide variety of bioenergy/biobased products – Assessments needed• Engineered biochar – Carbon sequestration, soil

health & environmental remediation• Pellets – Regional or export markets• Biomass CHP - Supports existing mills, high

efficiency• Biofuels – Cellulosic or drop-in advanced biofuel• Biobased chemicals offsetting the petrochemical

industry• Biorefinery – Combination of the above

• Which products? Which goals? Which trade assn.?

State governments & university research

Strong linkage in bioenergy for over a decade• Washington took a lesson from Iowa (Biowa) http://biowa.us/ • Major focus to develop a full court press to build the bioeconomy• Triggered by $3/gallon diesel & $3/bushel wheat• Major funding followed

• Role of land grant universities: Take the best of knowledge/science & move it into the society/economy – Applied research• Role of research universities – Basic research

Biomass Inventory and Bioenergy Assessment

An Evaluation of Organic Material Resources for Bioenergy Production in Washington StateDecember 2005

Waste Characterization – 68%

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/1007023.pdf.

Washington Example – Wood Waste

• Aviation biofuel – 2011 & 2012 legislation – Two $40 million research efforts (U of W AHBN, WSU NARA)• Densified biomass - Statewide business development feasibility study funded - $75,000• Biomass CHP – 99 MW under construction (state controlled ARRA funding support for 45 MW) – $4.8 million• Composting and wood recycling – Long standing Dept. of Ecology support• Bioenergy research: Major laboratory build out and $7.4 million/biennium (peak) – Biochar is included

Pacific Region – A six state-based team of AK, HI, ID, MT, OR & WA www.pacificbiomass.org

• Significant biennial state funds (both program development & research)• Functions as a team since 1982• Taken together: A “Complete Program” – Near, mid and long term research; development; demonstration; project deployment; policy analysis & legislation; information; outreach• The Northwest states cross-talk a lot & compare notes

The U.S. DOE Northwest Clean Energy Application Center (NW CEAC) is one of eight regional centers funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO). The CEACs support the AMO program’s work to develop and deploy new, energy-efficient technologies for manufacturing. The NW CEAC is a joint partnership between Washington State University Energy Program, Cascade Power Group, Alaska Energy Authority, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, and Idaho Office of Energy Resources. The Center works in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. DOE’s Regional Clean Energy Application Centers promote and assist in transforming the market for combined heat and power (CHP), waste heat recovery, and district energy technologies and concepts throughout the United States.

Combined Heat and Power is the simultaneous production of electricity and useful thermal energy for heating or cooling from a single fuel source. CHP can provide needed energy services in one energy-efficient step. Today it supplies over 10% of our nation’s electricity. District Energy is CHP, heating, and/or cooling for an entire university, office park, medical campus, mixed use sustainable development, or downtown. There are over 700 district energy systems in the U.S.

Waste Heat Recovery is the capture of waste heat from an industrial facility or pipeline compressor station and turns it into clean electricity or useful thermal energy.

Market Assessments: Supporting analyses of CHP market potential in diverse sectors, such as health care, industrial sites, hotels, and new commercial and institutional buildings.

Education and Outreach: Providing information on the benefits and applications of CHP to state and local policy makers, regulators, energy end-users, trade associations and others.

Technical Assistance: Providing technical information to energy end-users and others to help them consider if CHP, waste heat recovery or district energy makes sense for them. This includes performing site assessments, producing project feasibility studies, and providing technical and financial analyses.

For more information on the DOE Clean Energy Application Centers, visit:

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/distributedenergy/ceacs.html

ABOUT US WHAT ARE CHP, DISTRICT ENERGY, AND WASTE HEAT RECOVERY?

OUR SERVICES

State governments • Again a broad range of interested agencies• Topical approach – Structures vary

• Economic development – New jobs & protection of existing jobs

• Solid waste – Waste 2 Resources: “Beyond Waste”

• Air quality – Biopower emissions• Climate change, sustainability & out-put

based emissions• Biofuels, RFS, fuel quality, & low carbon fuels• Inventories, assessments and analysis• RES/RPS• Efficient feedstock use

State governments continued • Healthy forests, rural jobs & re-starting mills• State directed applied research needs for state feedstocks with funding• Biofuel crop development• Rural economy and jobs – No natural gas, maximize in state economy• What’s on the horizon that impacts the various perspectives?

Multi-agency “State Bioenergy Teams” are needed to help develop the biochar industry

Biochar research – Areas of focus

• Engineered biochar• The agronomic impact of biochar• Three recent reports:

• Methods for Producing Biochar and Advanced Biofuels in Washington State Part 1: Literature Review of Pyrolysis Reactors.  150 pages 

• Methods for Producing Biochar and Advanced Bio-fuels in Washington State Part 2: Literature Review of the Biomass Supply Chain and Preprocessing Technologies From Field to Pyrolysis Reactor. 75 pages

• Methods for Producing Biochar and Advanced Bio-fuels in Washington State Part 3: Literature Review Technologies for Product Collection and Refining. 125 pages

What is under development? • An economics and business model for pyrolysis / biochar – “Soon”• A white paper as a precursor information to develop the case for a trade association – At good working draft stage• Mature business & technical plans needed• We recognize the need to work with the US Biochar Initiative & the Pacific Northwest Biochar Initiative

Information Resources• Ecology

Waste 2 Resources Program• http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/

organics/recovery.html• WSU Energy Program

Pacific Region Bioenergy Partnership• http://www.pacificbiomass.org/

• WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources

• http://www.tfrec.wsu.edu/pages/CSANR2010/pubs