Small Landowner Production of Pellets from Green, Beetle-Killed, and Burned Lodgepole Pine

Xuexian Qin, Robert F. Keefe and Daren E. Daugaard
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Xuexian Qin: Forest Operations Research Lab, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
Robert F. Keefe: Forest Operations Research Lab, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
Daren E. Daugaard: Burning Oak Energy, Rolla, MO 65401, USA

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: To meet the growing need for raw materials to produce pellets and wood-based biofuels, trees killed by natural disturbances have increasingly been considered as potential feedstock in bioenergy development scenarios in the Western U.S. and Canada. While much research has focused on utilization of beetle-killed and fire-salvaged timber from federal lands in this region, small private landowners make up a large portion of land holdings in the Rocky Mountain Region and may also provide an important potential supply of uniform feedstock pellets in decentralized energy supply systems in the future. In this paper, we evaluated the quality of pellets produced from green, beetle-killed, and burned lodgepole pine with and without bark using a chipper, hammer mill, and pellet mill intended for use by small landowners. Results show that green, beetle-killed, and fire-salvaged lodgepole pine produced by small landowners, including material with bark, are suitable as feedstock for pellet production. Further, pellet quality can be varied through the blending of source lodgepole pine products when needed to meet pellet quality standards.

Keywords: biofuels; beetle kill; fire salvage; bark; durability; ash content; calorific value (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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