Improving Land Management and Lowering Costs Through Biomass Harvest Opportunities for biomass production from brushlands and Short rotation woody crops Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN Dean Current, Program Director, Center for Integrated and Natural Natural Resources Management, University of Minnesota
Opportunities to:
Biomass opportunities • Virginia Hibbing Utilities • Central Minnesota Ethanol Cooperative • Metro area biomass burners including UMN • Others: – Turkey litter plant in Benson (15-20%) Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Opportunities to reduce costs:
• Produce dedicated woody biomass crops • Improve forest management – Previously pre-commercial operations may be used for bioenergy – lowering costs, breaking even or generating a profit
• Increase the value of timber sales through the sale of slash materials • Manage brushland areas for wildlife habitat and biomass production. Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
• Different than stand-alone profitability • Areas of opportunity: – Brushland clearing for wildlife – Fuel removal from National Forests – Pre-commercial thinnings/Timber stand improvement
• By selling or utilizing biomass for energy those costs could be reduced Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
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Other Current Projects
Project: Development of
• USDA - Development of Existing Biomass Resources through Education for Key Supply Bottlenecks
Principles for the Removal of
• USFS – Biomass Utilization Grant (BUG) reduce fuels management costs
and Brush Lands
• IREE Minnesota Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Project – Carbon trading
Woody Biomass from Forests
(UMN/IREE/MFRC)
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
The project - Background • Laurentian Energy – Converting Virginia Hibbing utilities to biomass burning • Concern about supply and impacts of plantations • Legislature changed definition to include harvest of brushlands as source of biomass and requested the development of guidelines Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
The project – Components/Partners • UMN – Development and elaboration of research principles to help inform guideline development – The research base • MFRC – Actual development of the guidelines based on principles using their established procedures for guideline development
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
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Biophysical Assessment
The Project Components
Debris Upland Lowland Issue Soils (nutrients, X X X structure) Plant community impacts interaction with X X X regeneration Carbon (soil, biomass X X X and emissions) Wildlife impacts X X X
• Biophysical review • Economic review • Transport model Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Soil nutrient recovery Scenario Name Conifer overstory Total Shrub (high multiple soil nutrients) Conifer overstory Total Shrub (low multiple soil nutrients) Conifer overstory Total Shrub (mod. multiple soil nutrients) Minerotrophic with Alder
Minerotrophic with Willow
(years) Estimate lower upper Estimate lower upper Estimate lower upper Estimate lower upper Estimate lower upper
Biomass (kg/ha) 3830.80 2068.90 5592.70 1411.60 1159.00 1664.20 3730.20 2756.60 4703.80 13757.20 7556.10 19958.30 9769.88 6233.93 13305.83
N 3.16 1.63 4.84 1.17 0.91 1.44 3.08 2.17 4.07 16.91 8.97 25.38 5.78 3.49 8.30
P 2.44 1.25 3.74 0.90 0.70 1.11 2.38 1.67 3.15 8.77 4.57 13.35 6.23 3.84 8.76
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Soil nutrient recovery K 3.18 1.65 4.83 1.17 0.92 1.44 3.10 2.20 4.07 9.88 5.19 14.94 7.01 4.25 10.03
Ca 3.13 1.62 4.76 1.15 0.91 1.42 3.05 2.16 4.00 9.22 4.82 14.01 9.99 6.08 14.24
Mg 1.02 0.53 1.55 0.38 0.30 0.46 0.99 0.71 1.30 3.53 1.86 5.32 2.50 1.53 3.55
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
• For brush growing in lowland areas, – replacement of P 4.7- 24.6 years for willow – replacement of P 6.5-29.7 years for alder – replacement of K 8.7- 44.5 years for willow – replacement of K 11.2-52 years for alder Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
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Impact on birds (example) Species Sharp-tailed Grouse American Black Duck American Bittern Northern Harrier Yellow Rail Virginia Rail Upland Sandpiper Wison's Phalarope American Woodcock Black-billed Cuckoo Short-eared Owl
Harvest Systems
Lowland Lowland Upland Brush 0-3 Brush >3 Brush 0-3 Slash Lands Patch years years years Remvoal cape Size positive
unknown
x
x
• Bulldoze, windrow, and chip or grind – shearing
x
x x x
• Bulldoze, windrow, bundle then chip or grind
x x
• Combined harvest, chip and transport
x
• Evaluation of equipment
negative negative positive positive negative positive positive negative negative positive
unknown unknown neutral unknown neutral neutral unknown unknown neutral
negative positive negative
Note: Years are # of years following harvest
x
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Brushland shearing
SLASH - BUNDLER
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
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Harvester and wagon
Harvesting system - SRWC
• Special harvester which harvests, chips and blows chips into a trailer • Limited to certain ground conditions • Probably following initial harvest
• Short rotation woody crop biomass harvesting system • (SUNY Willow Project)
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Information needs
Next steps
• Impacts on wildlife and vegetation communities • Productivity of brushlands • More information on management options • Viable harvest, storage and transport options • Integration of biophysical and economic info. to define viable systems
• Deliver research assessment to MFRC/DNR • Continued support to guideline process in close coordination with MFRC/DNR • Preparation of guidelines by MFRC • Further development of transport model • Integrate biological and economic issues • Disseminate results
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Workshop March 24, 2006 Rochester, MN
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Questions?
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