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Lifecycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis of Biochar Pellet Production from Forest Residues and Field Application

Author

Listed:
  • Richard Bergman

    (Forest Products Laboratory, United States Forest Service, 1 Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53726, USA)

  • Kamalakanta Sahoo

    (Forest Products Laboratory, United States Forest Service, 1 Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53726, USA
    Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 460 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, USA)

  • Karl Englund

    (Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Washington State University, 100 Dairy Road Pullman, Washington, DC 99164, USA)

  • Seyed Hashem Mousavi-Avval

    (Forest Products Laboratory, United States Forest Service, 1 Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53726, USA
    Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 460 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, USA)

Abstract

Biochar produced from low-value forest biomass can provide substantial benefits to ecosystems and mitigate climate change-induced risks such as forest fires. Forest residues from restoration activities and timber harvest and biochar itself are bulky and thus incur high logistic costs, so are considered major bottlenecks for the commercialization of the biochar industry. The objectives of this study were to assess the environmental footprints and techno-economic feasibility of converting forest residues in Pacific Northwest United States into biochar pellets using portable systems followed by delivery of the final product to end-users for land application (dispersion). Two portable systems (Biochar Solutions Incorporated (BSI) and Air Curtain Burner (ACB)) were considered for biochar production. A cradle-to-grave lifecycle assessment (LCA) and a discounted cash flow analysis method were used to quantify the environmental impacts and minimum selling price (MSP) of biochar. The global warming (GW) impact of biochar production through BSI and ACB was estimated to be 306–444, and 750–1016 kgCO₂eq/tonne biochar applied to the field, respectively. The MSP of biochar produced through BSI and ACB was 1674–1909 and 528–1051 USD/tonne biochar applied to the field, respectively. Pelletizing of biochar reduced GW impacts during outbound logistics (~8–20%) but increased emissions during pelletizing (~1–9%). Results show the BSI system was a more viable option in terms of GW impact, whereas the ACB system can produce biochar with lower MSP. The results of the study conclude that the production of biochar pellets through the two portable systems and applied to fields can be both an environmentally beneficial and economically viable option.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Bergman & Kamalakanta Sahoo & Karl Englund & Seyed Hashem Mousavi-Avval, 2022. "Lifecycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis of Biochar Pellet Production from Forest Residues and Field Application," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:4:p:1559-:d:753878
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Riva, Lorenzo & Surup, Gerrit Ralf & Buø, Therese Videm & Nielsen, Henrik Kofoed, 2019. "A study of densified biochar as carbon source in the silicon and ferrosilicon production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 985-996.
    2. Parkhurst, Kristen M. & Saffron, Christopher M. & Miller, Raymond O., 2016. "An energy analysis comparing biomass torrefaction in depots to wind with natural gas combustion for electricity generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 171-181.
    3. Campbell, Robert M. & Anderson, Nathaniel M. & Daugaard, Daren E. & Naughton, Helen T., 2018. "Financial viability of biofuel and biochar production from forest biomass in the face of market price volatility and uncertainty," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C), pages 330-343.
    4. Sahoo, Kamalakanta & Bilek, Edward & Bergman, Richard & Mani, Sudhagar, 2019. "Techno-economic analysis of producing solid biofuels and biochar from forest residues using portable systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 578-590.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mousavi-Avval, Seyed Hashem & Sahoo, Kamalakanta & Nepal, Prakash & Runge, Troy & Bergman, Richard, 2023. "Environmental impacts and techno-economic assessments of biobased products: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    2. Émilie Robert & Flavia Lega Braghiroli, 2022. "Development of a Biochar-Based Substrate Added with Nitrogen from a Mining Effluent for the Production of Picea mariana Seedlings," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-15, August.

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