Biomass Summit, Panel 3: Emerging Technologies and Enabling Conditions

By Vernita Ediger, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council and the Central Oregon Forest Stewardship Foundation

Panel Summary

A wide range of technologies and approaches exist for creating value from small-diameter woody material. Each of these has pros and cons that make them more or less viable in certain locations and contexts. Panel 3 explored three different approaches and technologies to utilize biomass, and asked the questions: How does one decide which approach to utilizing biomass makes the most sense? What enabling conditions support success in a particular location?

Western Juniper Utilization
Historic and current-day landscape photos highlight the extent of juniper proliferation and expansion across much of Central and Eastern Oregon. According to Dylan Kruse (Sustainable Northwest), western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) has expanded far beyond its historic range, displacing native shrubs and grasses and creating myriad ecological imbalances. While the impact on forage and water availability is significant, juniper’s proliferation has also created an opportunity to link current rangeland restoration efforts with a market for juniper.

The Western Juniper Alliance (WJA) (formerly the Western Juniper Utilization Group) was created to do just that, and seeks to transform the ecological challenge of juniper expansion into an economic opportunity by creating markets for the invasive western juniper and shoring up the supply chain. WJA is involved through the entire process from juniper felling and decking, hauling, and milling, all the way through to developing commercial products such as decking and siding, and utilizing juniper in landscaping and home interiors. The hope is that by 2020 the western juniper industry will have a self-sustaining supply. At the same time, this market opportunity will accelerate the pace and scale of rangeland restoration as more commercially viable juniper is captured by the market.

Dylan highlighted that the economic margin on juniper markets is very small. Thus, in order to be profitable, the WJA relies on rangeland owners viewing the removal of juniper as a service rather than an opportunity to make money themselves. Essentially, the rangeland owner benefits by having juniper removed from a property and the entrepreneur benefits from access to a supply of juniper. The entrepreneur isn’t charged for the wood, but is allowed to cut, deck, haul, mill, and market it to make a profit. In return, juniper is removed from rangeland, increasing forage production and water retention.

Torrefaction
Other biomass utilization efforts require more up-front investments in infrastructure. Matt Krumenauer of Oregon Torrefaction described the thermo-chemical process by which biomass is subjected to intense heat (200-300 degrees C) in a low oxygen environment and converted from woody material into a high-grade, light-weight biofuel that burns cleaner than coal. Because torrefaction facilities are very expensive—with the plant slated for construction in John Day estimated to cost $31 million dollars—they are cost-prohibitive in most circumstances. In fact, Oregon Torrefaction has been successful largely because of funding available from the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, among other sources.

That said, once sited, it is estimated that the facility slated for construction in John Day, OR will create 13-17 new jobs in Grant County. The total economic impact could be 39 jobs and $6.8 million per year, including plant employment, business purchases, and induced impacts through employee purchases, according to a report from the Oregon Employment Department.

Crook County won’t benefit directly from the torrefaction plant, but forest restoration projects on the Ochoco National Forest may still benefit by shipping biomass over the hill to John Day and thus reducing haul distances for biomass processing.

Biochar
Rather than burning slash piles after a thinning project, Darren McAvoy of Utah State University Extension suggests cooking the woody debris in one of his mobile pyrolysis or gasification units. Applying high-heat in the absence of oxygen—a process called pyrolysis—creates biochar, a charcoal that can be used to augment soil fertility and has broad applications in agriculture. This practice reduces fuel loads in the forest by transforming slash piles into a useful product. Additionally, since biochar is mixed in with soil, biochar production and utilization captures and stores carbon rather than releasing it into the atmosphere through pile burning, creating a net negative carbon balance.

Darren drives his mobile biochar unit into the forest, loads it with biomass “waste” left over from forest restoration projects, and then processes it by cooking in the absence of oxygen. The resulting biochar is a carbon-rich, stable solid. Bio-oil, also produced through this process, can be refined further into higher-value petrochemical products.

Daren’s mobile unit reduces the costs of hauling biomass since the processing facility is transported to the forest rather than the other way around. The raw woody debris is treated in the forest and transformed into a lower weight and lower volume product. The result is that fewer trips out of the woods are required and each trip hauls a higher value product.

In addition to the expensive mobile pyrolysis and gasification units, McAvoy has designed a method of creating biochar in a simple kiln or metal box. Such small-scale production units make biochar scalable. Anyone handy enough to build a simple kiln can get into the business. The current challenge is a need to build market demand and shore up the supply chain.

Cross Laminated Timber
Ethan Martin of WoodWorks focused his presentation on Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), also known as Mass Timber, a building product that can be made from small diameter wood and used in the construction of tall buildings. CLT is made from layers of lumber boards stacked crosswise at 90-degree angles and glued into place. This product design generates incredible strength, as evidenced by its use in an 85 foot high rise in Portland, Oregon.

CLT panels can be used in floors, walls, and roofing. It is cost effective compared to other wood products and can be used in hybrid applications with concrete and steel. Additionally, it can also speed construction times when it is used as a prefabricated building component.

Summary

Key themes that emerged in this panel include: the importance of considering the regional context in which the technology will be deployed, up-front costs of investment in infrastructure, and the importance of supply chain and market development.

Like many biomass utilization options, torrefaction requires a hefty up-front investment in infrastructure. Without a subsidy or grant, this kind of biomass project is typically not economically feasible.

Once a plant of this kind is located in Eastern Oregon, it will have an impact on biomass supply, since it is likely to draw biomass from surrounding forests, including the Ochoco National Forest. While this may be beneficial to forest restoration projects on the Ochoco National Forest, it also influences the context in which Crook County biomass entrepreneurs are operating.

Supply chain and market development are foundational to the success of any product, whether it is CLT, biochar, or juniper decking material. CLT is an exciting opportunity for biomass in part because it is developing a niche market within the building and construction industry. Processing facilities are already in place and the Think Wood movement is encouraging CLT as a replacement for steel and concrete. It’s ready to go with a little extra market development. In contrast, the supply chain for Western Juniper is challenged since it requires working with multiple landowners to access commercially viable wood. On top of that there is a need to cut, haul, and deck the wood so it can then be picked up and transported to a mill. Connecting all the links in the supply chain takes thoughtful planning. The lack of a solid market for biochar is one of its current weaknesses. Although a supply of woody debris is ready-to-hand, a steady market for this soil additive has yet to be developed, making it a less viable option at present. In each of these examples, the supply chain and market demand impact the associated economic opportunity for the product.

This panel highlights that there are many emerging technologies for capturing value from biomass. Identifying which ones offer the best opportunities for Crook County requires a thoughtful analysis of availability and consistency of supply, sources of market demand, and regional competition.

Key Takeaways

• Developing niche markets, such as the CLT market, offers an opportunity to leverage existing market demand. Rather than developing a new market, the opportunity is to carve out a niche within an existing market and take advantage of the existing demand.
• Product profitability hinges not only on supply but also on a consistent market demand for that product—so shoring up the supply chain and increasing market demand is important for long-term success.
• Many biomass utilization technologies require a significant up-front investment in infrastructure. Entrepreneurs should explore available programs such as those offered by the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities to support infrastructure development.
• Regional context matters. Once a biomass utilization facility is located in a particular area, market forces in that region shift as a result of competition for regionally available supply. How can Crook County best take advantage of the proximity of the John Day torrefaction plant?