Physico-chemical properties and energy potency of wood waste biomass from the logging activities to generate electricity in East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

In this work, the wood waste biomass from the logging activity of the natural forest area in East Kalimantan, Indonesia has been characterized in regards to the physicochemical properties and energy. The four species of wood waste biomass were Shorealeprosula (red meranti), Shoreabracteolata (white meranti), Shoreagibbosa (yellow meranti), and Shorealaevis (bangkirai). The total amount of wood waste biomass produced from the logging activity was 557.87 m3/plot(5.58 m3 ha−1). The waste biomass was identified as log end part (40.07%), bucking (27.39%), twigs (14.61%), stump (12.0%) and branch parts (5.92%), respectively. Among the four species studied, we observed that the highest volume of wood waste biomass was obtained from S. leprosulagiving 48.40% and followed by S. laevis 47.40%, and the last was S. bracteolata. From the field study, We noticed that the waste of wood biomass was not only yielded from the part of the log harvested such as branch, stump, log end and bucking processes but also reached from the damaged trees around the felling trees location and skidding operation. In general, the chemical composition of wood waste biomass studied was almost similar, while the highest calorivic value (HCV) was obtained from S. laeviswith value of 17.90 MJ/kg and followed by S. leprosula of 17.38 MJ/kg, S. bracteolata of 17.09 MJ/kg, and S. gibbosa of 16.86 MJ/kg.The logging wood waste biomass was estimated sufficient to provide and supply 3668.62 GJ energy, to generate ±1,019 MWh electricity that equivalent to ±10.19 MWh electricity potency per hectare.