Biomass Energy Influencing Factors

There are vital but basic starting factors which need to be taken into
consideration when biomass energy is considered for wider use. These
factors are significant to the success of any commercial project dealing
with biomass materials, and in particular a project researching the
viability of biomass energy.

These factors are:

a. Distance b. Transportation
c. Processing d. Sorting
e. Storage (temporary & permanent) f. By-products

a. Distance
‘Transports longer than 50-100km are not economically or
environmentally viable’ (Rupar k., et al. 2005).
There is no point in trying to reduce the CO2 in the atmosphere if the
method of transportation of biomass materials is pumping the same
amount (or more) back into the atmosphere. For this reason, when it
comes to the transportation of biomass materials, consideration of
distance is vital.
Emissions, from whatever source, should be tackled purely for the
purpose of achieving the balance needed. ‘The results show that
emissions from long range transportation, 1200 km, performed with
ships, is of minor importance compared to emissions from local bio-
energy systems in a local market’ (Forsberg GoÈ ran, 2000).

b. Transportation
There are four basic points which should be considered when dealing
with all aspects related to a biomass transporting system:

Method of transport & cost

Density
Moisture
Seasonal availability

The method of transportation can be looked at in two different ways.

The first is to make sure that the emission is low and the second is the
cost of transportation itself, as this is one of the main components in the
total biomass power cost.
A recent study in western Canada (Kumar Amit, et., al., 2003) has
estimated that for a truck operating at optimum power to transport one
completely chipped tree, forest residues, and agricultural residues, such
as straw and chaff, it would cost respectively US$10 per dry ton, $38 per
dry ton, and $20 per dry ton. This makes up 14%, 38%, and 25% of the
biomass power cost. Usually it costs more for forest residues; however,
the maximum distance for the transportation was 330km (137 MW). A
450MW biomass power plant would require 10-15 trucks per hour.
The same study also suggests a new idea related to the creation of a
pipeline to transport biomass materials, which are first evaluated by
using water or oil as the carrying liquid.
Transportation systems are a condition for development of an effective
bioenergy system, and therefore an important factor at the present stage
of energy crops development.

Density, moisture and seasonal availability are other factors which

should be considered when transporting biomass materials. Depending
on the type of materials being transported, and how these materials are
processed before the transportation takes place, density will vary
accordingly.
Moisture should be at a minimum level in the majority of biomass
materials during transportation, and/or in that waiting in temporary
storage for the purpose of transportation later on. Seasonal availability
can also be linked to the transportation process, in that cost and climate
changes do play an important role.

c. Processing
Processing can include crushing, shredding and chipping preparation.
The use of biomass energy can be classified, according to generation
method technology, such as direct burning, physical conversion,
biological conversion and changing into liquid form.

The physical pre-treatment techniques, which are grinding, milling,

irradiation and steaming, are all part of the biomass process.

d. Storage (temporary and permanent)

When storing biomass materials a number of factors should be taken
into account, especially if these materials will be stored over a long
period of time. Temporary and permanent stores may have different
requirements. In general, however, factors to be considered are:

1. Moisture content
2. Type of material
3. Age of the material
4. Size of the material

Without taking the above factors into consideration, there can be danger
to the environment as well as to human health (e.g. hydrocarbons and
fungal spores).

e. By-products
There are a variety of by-products, of which ash is the cause of various
problems related to the processing equipment. Best biomass processing
practice reduces the ash volume, improving ash quality, reducing
gaseous emission and preventing/or reducing by- products hardware
corrosion.

Najib Altawell
References
Kumar Amit, Cameron Jay B., Flynn P.C. (2003) Pipeline transport of
biomass. Oral Presentation 1A-04 Department of Mechanical
Engineering, University
of Alberta.

Forsberg GoÈ ran (2000) Biomass energy transport - analysis of

bioenergy transport chains using life cycle inventory method. Biomass
and Bioenergy 19, 17±30.

Rupar k., Sanati M. (2005) The release of terpenes during the storage of
biomass. Biomass and Bioenergy 28, pp. 29-34.

© Altawell 2010