An integrated on-farm production system: Agricultural briquettes for residential heating in Nova Scotia, Canada

Kenneth W. Corscadden, Jaclyn Biggs and Allan Thomson

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2014, vol. 39, issue C, 394-402

Abstract: Agricultural biomass is emerging as a sustainable and suitable resource for use in the production of solid fuel, designed for residential markets. The development of such a fuel source faces several challenges including combustion properties, a reliable supply of raw materials, distance from and access to conversion facilities, production scale and market access for agricultural biomass products. This paper evaluated the economic feasibility of an “integrated on-farm production system” based in Nova Scotia, Canada and considered the importance and influence of policy on the development of a sustainable on-farm production system. This integrated approach is evaluated with input and output based incentive models, both of which are currently available in the USA and Prince Edward Island, Canada. The results indicate that the development of an integrated on-farm approach, while showing promise, will require policy implementation and pragmatic incentives to be truly sustainable. It is proposed that the benefits to the agricultural sector, rural communities and the environment should outweigh the costs of such incentives.

Keywords: Agricultural biomass briquettes; Energy policy; Economic feasibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032114005279
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:rensus:v:39:y:2014:i:c:p:394-402

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 600126/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2014.07.075

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews is currently edited by L. Kazmerski

More articles in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().