Wood Pellet Production Research Articles

Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimation Using Extended Input–Output Tables for Thailand’s Biomass Pellet Industry

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Thailand’s biomass pellet production were comprehensively assessed, with a specific focus on wood and corn pellets. Employing the extended input and output tables, the anticipated economic and environmental effects of the rising demand for biomass pellets within the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation region, which is projected to see an increase exceeding 33% by the year 2050, were investigated. The estimations of CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions, which were conducted utilizing an open Leontief model based on the 2015 National Input–Output Tables, covered each stage of the production process. The results show that emissions from the production of corn pellets are expected to rise steadily, from 52.91 MtCO2e in 2022 to 75.77 MtCO2e by 2030, whereas emissions from wood pellet production are set to increase more substantially, from 210.30 to 301.18 MtCO2e within the same timeframe. Data derived from surveys and interviews with corn farmers and wood pellet manufacturers informed the lifecycle data for the biomass pellet supply chain from cradle to gate. The findings suggest that Thailand’s power sector could benefit significantly from the biomass potential in the northern part of Thailand, which boasts an estimated energy content of corncob at 39 ktoe (0.0016 TJ). Market demand scenarios were explored in two forms: one where it was assumed that all biomass pellets are to be exported to Japan and South Korea, expecting a combined demand of approximately 560,262 tons by 2030, and another positing that 10% of production will be reserved for the domestic market, with a forecasted annual increase of 10% from 2020 to 2050. This paper highlights the need to prioritize low-emission renewable energy sources, expand technologies with lower lifecycle emissions, optimize the biomass supply chain to enhance efficiency, and introduce sustainable energy practices. The detailed GHG emissions analysis provides critical insights for policy formulation, underscoring the importance of sustainable transitions in the context of increasing biomass demand.

Amplifying concerns: An exploration of community noise levels in rural communities impacted by wood pellet production

Wood pellets are increasingly promoted as a renewable and sustainable energy source, driving the global wood pellet market to a projected value of $16 billion by 2026. However, the rapid expansion of this industry disproportionately affects predominantly Black and low-income communities in the rural South, where approximately 100 pellet manufacturing plants are currently located in the United States. From August 2023 to March 2024, we conducted a noise exposure assessment in Gloster, Mississippi, a community affected by pellet production, and compared it to Mendenhall, a nearby community without industrial activity. In collaboration with a local organization, we measured noise metrics and found significantly higher A-weighted, C-weighted, and Z-weighted sound levels in Gloster, along with elevated decibels at multiple center frequencies. These findings suggest that wood pellet manufacturing can severely alter the soundscape of rural communities, raising environmental justice concerns. Our findings underscore the importance of investigating the cumulative health impacts of noise and other environmental burdens on these vulnerable communities to better inform policy.

Impact of amylose and amylopectin content in starch on wood pellet production

Impact of amylose and amylopectin content in starch on wood pellet production

Integrating process safety management into Canadian wood pellet facilities that generate combustible wood dust

AbstractWood pellets, which are manufactured from sawmill and forest residues, are sold in bulk for biomass power generation or in bags for residential heating. Wood pellet production involves combustible dust, which presents the risk of fires and explosions. Process safety management (PSM) is a framework for preventing and mitigating process‐related incidents. While PSM has historically been integrated within the chemical process industries, there is a need to systematically manage process‐related hazards in other sectors, including wood pellet and wood product manufacturing. However, there is a need to identify an approach to PSM implementation that is reasonable and achievable based on the relative complexity of the production process, as well as onsite resources. The scope of this project was to develop an integration tool for wood pellet production to serve as the foundation for a long‐term strategy and implementation plan led by industry. This research resulted in a PSM integration tool consisting of a PSM survey for gap analysis, self‐assessment worksheets that include numerous PSM best practices, factsheets, and an implementation strategy. Using the CSA Z767 Process Safety Management standard as the basis, the research included the development of a phased approach to integrating PSM elements to help improve feasibility. The selection of PSM element phases was informed by surveys of operations and subject matter experts. This research recognizes that, while PSM is currently mostly voluntary in Canada, some organizations have adopted the CSA Z767 standard into regulations and proactively implementing a PSM framework will position companies well should regulations change.

Impacts of the European renewable energy policy on forest resource markets in the Southern United States: A case of the wood pellet industry

Exports of wood pellet from the southern United States (US) have surged significantly in the last decade to meet renewable energy requirements set by the Renewable Energy Directives in European Union nations. Several export-oriented industrial wood pellet production facilities have been established across the southern US, which utilize a significant amount of woody feedstock including roundwood stumpage. We employ quasi-experimental causal inference approaches to assess the impacts of the growing wood pellet production on pine and hardwood pulpwood feedstock markets in 39 wood basins across 11 southern states in the US. The findings suggest that the booming wood pellet industry has minimal impacts on the pulpwood feedstock markets in the micro-markets that host wood pellet mills. Findings shed light on how the expanding industrial wood pellet production has influenced the forest resource harvests and product prices in the largest wood basket region of the world.

Energy Gain and Carbon Footprint in the Production of Bioelectricity and Wood Pellets in Croatia

The paper presents the process of electricity and thermal energy production in a cogeneration plant and the process of wood pellet production. The aim of this study was to analyze the energy gain—EROI for energy products that are created as a product contained in electrical and thermal energy and the energy contained in wood pellets. According to the obtained results, the production of only electrical energy from wood biomass in a cogeneration plant was not sustainable from an energy point of view, since the obtained electrical energy was only 1.46 times greater than the input wood energy (EROIel = 1.46), while the obtained energy of the produced wood pellets was 4.82 (EROIpel = 4.82). According to the results of equivalent carbon emission, positive net value was achieved only with cogeneration plant and pellet plant working in synergy. Wood is a renewable source of energy, and its economic use can create a significant energy gain. However, due to the trend of using renewable energy sources and the increasing need for electricity, such a process of obtaining electricity is financially profitable, although it is not justified from the energy profitability and environmental sustainability point of view.

Livestock Manure Compost Mixed with Biochar: Efficient Pelleting and Pellet Production Characteristics

Biochar is difficult to make pellets on its own. The pelleting of biochar mixed with livestock manure compost could have the following advantages: (1) use compost as a binder, (2) reduce the moisture content of compost for pelleting by simply mixing without drying, and (3) promote the application of biochar for carbon sequestration by simultaneous application with agricultural machinery for chemical fertilizers while preventing dust pollution and additional work for the farmer. Fertilizer pellets need to be produced in an economical manner. Therefore, we empirically examined the productivity of pelleting using a roller die pellet mill, which is characterized by high throughput and is commonly used in the mass production of multifertilizer and wood pellets. Although a feedstock with 25% biochar mixed with cattle manure compost produced fewer pellets than a feedstock consisting of only compost, the energy input per unit of production remained the same. The results suggest that the addition of biochar may not increase GHG emissions during the production of this new material. Durability and wettability showed similar or higher values in the mixed pellets, indicating that the new material can be used as a fertilizer in the same way as cattle manure pellets.

Economic and Sustainability Comparative Study of Wood Pellets Production in Portugal, Germany and Sweden

During the last decade wood pellets consumption grew rapidly. In this paper the development of the wood pellet production factors for markets in Germany, Sweden and Portugal are compared. Domestic market prices for pellet production factors as well as domestic market prices for pellets variation are analysed. The analysis are based on two model plants, representing the first common technologies for small scale production based on dry sawdust sources, and the second represents large scale production based on wet materials. The results show how differences in costs of raw materials, energy and labour affects wood pellets production. The economic sustainability for European pellet producers depends on their domestic markets as internationally traded pellets are priced lower than their production costs, being Portugal an exception due to lower labour and raw materials costs. Future pellet production will be based on wet raw materials such as logs and wet sawdust. These raw materials are also demanded by pulp and paper or fiberboard industries. The transition from smaller wood pellets plants using dry raw materials to larger plants using wet raw materials, can be expected to follow comparative advantages regarding raw materials, energy costs and economies of scale.

The technology of crushed wood as a factor of environmentally safe forest management

The article considers the prospect of using technologies for processing low-quality, damaged wood and wood waste by grinding in the interests of energy use. The data on the dynamics of the increase in the areas of plantations with impaired and lost stability, the causes of these phenomena on the example of the Krasnoyarsk Territory are presented. Various options for the disposal and use of wood waste, including from logging activities, are described. The main advantages and possible disadvantages of the introduction of technological processes for grinding wood raw materials are also given. The analysis of trends in the production of wood pellets in Russia and the world is carried out. Attention is paid to minimizing the impact of existing wood processing technologies on environmental safety and improving the efficiency of business activities based on the involvement of wood waste in the production process as raw materials for the fuel and energy sector, as well as obtaining new, highly liquid products and materials. The materials of the work can be used in making decisions related to the involvement in industrial production or disposal of low-quality, damaged wood and wood waste.

Measurement of Supply Chain Management Performance in the Wood Pellet Industry Using the SCOR Method Based on AHP, OMAX, and Traffic Light System

Wood pellets are one of the renewable fuels that are environmentally friendly and have the advantage of lower emission values than fossil fuels, so the increasing use of renewable energy fuels today. PT Yale Woodpellet Indonesia is one of the industries engaged in the production of wood pellets. Due to the increasing demand, PT Yale Woodpellet Indonesia once did not reach the production target. The approach that can be used to fix this problem is the SCOR (Supply Chain Operation Reference) model combined with AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process), OMAX (Objective Matrix) and Traffic Light System to support the research. Based on the results of observations, interviews and distributing questionnaires to the company, 12 performance indicators were selected which were adjusted to the company's conditions. The results showed that there are two KPIs (Key Performance Indicator) that have not reached the target, which are in the yellow category so that corrective action needs to be taken to improve the company's supply chain performance. The KPIs are Qualification Accuracy of Raw Material (Slc) and Number of Trouble Machines (M2a).

The Role of Biomass in Decarbonisation Efforts: Spatially Enriched Energy System Optimisation Modelling

Forests are a potentially carbon-negative energy source and function as carbon sinks. However, both of these functions have become threatened significantly by spruce bark beetle infestation in Czechia. This paper assesses how this ecological issue may affect the future energy mix, and in the process, affect carbon emission reduction targets and the available share of renewable energy sources (RESs). We assess several forest development scenarios with three policy incentives: subsidising wood pellet production, striving for climate neutrality, and adhering to ecological constraints. We build a spatially enriched energy system model, TIMES-CZ, based on Eurostat’s NUTS3 regions. We find that the spruce bark beetle infestation may not exert a lasting influence on overall decarbonisation pathways, the energy mix, or system-wide costs in any forest scenario. The RESs share is affected only until 2030, and the effect is minimal, at <1.5 percentage points. Nevertheless, Czechia’s RES contribution is far below the 45% 2030 EU target. Subsidising wood pellet production is a costly transition that does not contribute to meeting the target. Limiting forest biomass availability and adhering to ecological constraints increase the overall system costs and worsen the chances of meeting decarbonisation targets.

Emissions of wood pelletization and bioenergy use in the United States

Despite a significant increase in United States biomass energy sector activity, including domestic bioenergy deployment and wood pellet production for overseas exports, the associated criteria pollutant emissions are not well quantified in current regulatory emissions inventories. We present an updated U.S. emissions inventory, with emphasis on wood-based biomass pretreatment (e.g., drying, condensing, storage of wood pellet) and the use of biomass for energy generation. As a significant number of wood pellet production facilities are not included in current inventories, we find that this sector's emissions could be potentially underestimated by a factor of two. Emissions from biomass-based facilities are on average up to 2.8 times higher than their non-biomass counterparts per unit energy. We estimate that 2.3 million people live within 2 km of a biomass facility and who could be subject to adverse health impacts from their emissions. Overall, we find that the bioenergy sector contributes to about 3–17% of total emissions from all energy, i.e., electric and non-electric generating facilities in the U.S. We also review some drivers of bioenergy expansion, such as various feedstocks and technologies deployed with an emphasis on wood-based bioenergy and discuss their implications for future air quality and health impacts.

Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment of Biomass Pellets Biofuel in Hazara Division, Pakistan

A thorough life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine whether wood pellets were a viable substitute for non-renewable fuels like oil and gas, especially for heating. To evaluate the properties of wood pellets and their effects on the environment, the study was conducted in the Hazara division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A few factors were investigated, including the carbon and water footprints and the identification of potential growth opportunities in the production of wood pellets. One kilogram of wood pellets served as the analysis reference unit. Raw materials were obtained from sawmills and furniture stores to make the wood pellets. Sawdust, a bio binder, and lubricating oil were used in the production process along with the pelletizer machine. SimaPro 9.2 software was used in the environmental footprint assessment to evaluate several environmental effects, including eutrophication, ozone depletion, abiotic depletion, rusting, human toxicity, and aquatic ecotoxicity. The highest contribution was shown by the wood pellets produced from the softwood sawdust as 149.8558 in marine aquatic ecotoxicity. The study’s findings showed that using lubricating oil during the production of wood pellets significantly affected the overall environmental results. The characterization of wood pellets showed that the Higher heating Values (HHV) resulted from burning wood pellets made from sawdust of Melia azedarach as 24.79 MJ/kg. Softwood mixed species recorded the highest water footprint and damage assessment impact and the highest carbon footprint of 0.186 CO2 e. With a 3.84 × 10−7 DALY (disability-adjusted life years) measurement, softwood mixed species showed the highest contribution to human health damage among the damage categories. In terms of cost, producing one kilogram of wood pellets from softwood mixed species was priced at 22 PKR, the lowest among the assessed species. The highest cost of 26 PKR was associated with producing wood pellets from Parthenium hysterophorus and Diospyros lotus.

Prospects for Wood Pellet Production in Kazakhstan: A Case Study on Business Model Adjustment

Biomass and renewable resources are becoming substitutes for fossil-based resources, providing opportunities for more sustainable environmental management and reductions in environmental damage. This paper studies the prospects for wood pellet production in Kazakhstan through the lens of business model adjustment in a microenterprise in Kazakhstan. This study focuses on answering the following questions: (1) How do microenterprises propose, create, deliver and capture value through business models in the wood industry? (2) What are the opportunities and challenges relating to these business models in the context of wood pellet production in Kazakhstan? Kazakhstan has a high potential for biomass production, providing a particularly interesting case for analysing how microenterprises can tap into this potential to create value. This paper combines an analysis of bioenergy and forestry trends with a qualitative case study. The analysis of the business model is based on Osterwalder’s business model canvas. The value proposition of the enterprise studied herein is to provide a local biomass-based alternative to fossil fuels. The overall growth of wood-based industries in Kazakhstan and the national movement towards renewable energy create favourable prospects for microenterprises engaged in the production of wood pellets; however, these industries are also characterised by high institutional and regulatory dependencies.

Life cycle assessment in Indonesia forestry sector: A scoping review

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool to analyze the environmental impact of the process of production or services. Forest provides enormous environmental benefits through ecosystem services, but some forest management activities (nursery, thinning, pruning, pest control, and harvesting) have produced some negative impacts, such as pollution from machine utilization, fertilizer and pesticide, and water consumption. Furthermore, this paper describes the application of LCA in the forestry sector in Indonesia. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) approach to identify, screen, and inclusion the relevant articles. Identified 35 articles related to life cycle assessment in Indonesia's forestry sector, and only 11 articles were eligible for content analysis. The findings have shown that the research trend on LCA in the Indonesia forestry sector started in 2009, but since 2015 the number of publications has been relatively constant. The functional unit used in LCA varied (mass, energy, time, and area size). The system boundary also varied from cradle to gate, gate to gate, and cradle to grave. The environmental impacts found in the articles were global warming potential, acidification, and eutrophication parameters. In conclusion, LCA has been applied in Indonesia’s forestry sectors (roundwood production, furniture industries, biomass and wood pellet production). We propose that the future research direction is specific research in the site forest operation, such as seedling production, forest maintenance, and forest harvesting activities. We also recommend a more varied research scope to elaborate the LCA in private forest and non-timber forest product processes.

Characterization of Portuguese woody biomass: alignment with the ENPlus® standard for the certification of wood pellets

In light of escalating global focus on renewable energy, we examined the potential of wood pellet production as an eco-friendly alternative. Our analysis adhered to the ENPlus certification, a globally acknowledged standard evaluating pellet quality via technical, environmental, and safety indicators. We sought to explore the viability of invasive species and residual biomass, encompassing wood waste, as economical and environmentally responsible substitutes for pellet production. Our exhaustive exploration entailed identifying the challenges and opportunities inherent in establishing a value chain for this process. Despite barriers relating to the availability and quality of waste materials, and economic viability, our study underlines the significant potential of this approach to bolster environmental sustainability and circular economy. It highlights the manifold advantages of employing residual biomass, including reducing reliance on pristine materials, encouraging sustainable forestry, diminishing landfill waste, and enhancing the wood pellet industry’s competitiveness. We discovered that only the P. pinaster species satisfies all ENPlus standard parameters, whereas other species present deviations. The study concludes that the successful implementation of this residual biomass-based value chain hinges on sustainable waste management practices and technological advances in production efficiency.

Wood Pellet Production in the U.S. South and Exportation for ‘Renewable’ Energy in Europe

In recent years, European demand for wood pellets has surged due to a misconception of carbon neutrality. The current legal frameworks posit that simply replacing a harvested tree renders the burning of wood pellets for energy use renewable energy. This oversimplification does not consider a number of factors, including the difference in carbon sequestration capabilities between original, natural forests and replacement monoculture plantations, the cumulative impact of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, and the years required for a replacement tree to sequester as much carbon as the harvested tree. The EU and U.K. can currently utilize emissions “reductions” due to burning wood pellets to reach domestic renewable energy goals along with commitments under the Paris Agreement. The corresponding increase in demand for wood pellets in Europe has resulted in a hotspot of wood pellet production in the U.S. South with several significant consequences. This Note presents the environmental justice and climate change impacts of the growing wood pellet industry in historically marginalized communities in the U.S. South, with a close look at the Enviva wood pellet plant in Hamlet, North Carolina. It provides an overview of the inadequacies of U.S., EU, U.K., and international environmental law in protecting both the global climate and local communities from the impacts of wood pellet production and combustion. This Note then builds on calls to change IPCC and EU carbon accounting rules for wood harvested for energy use to propose a solution to the environmental justice side of the wood pellet dilemma in international environmental law: namely, adding environmental justice safeguards to the UNFCCC Paris Agreement.

Thermal Overload Relay (TOR) Sebagai Sistem Proteksi Motor Induksi 3 Fasa Pada Mesin Molding Biofuel Pelletizer Di PT. Sejin Lestari Furniture

PT. Sejin Lestari Furniture is a company engaged in the production of furniture such as doors, tables, chairs, cabinets, bookcases and other interior equipment. As one of the companies that have succeeded in producing finished goods in large quantities, PT. Sejin Lestari Furniture relies on the help of an electric motor at every stage of its production, including one of the wood pellet production machines, namely the biofuel pelletizer molding machine which has four different types of motors. In order to work optimally, electric motors need a protection system that can protect them from threats. In this study, the protection system used is Thermal Overload Relay (TOR) which functions as an overload controller so that the electric motor is not easily burned or damaged. In this case, the TOR must be adjusted according to the capacity of each induction motor so that when an overload occurs, the TOR will automatically cut off the current flowing in the motor so that damage can be avoided. The TOR trip standards in this study uses the NEMA (National Electrical Manufactures Association) standard with the method used, namely Research and Development (R&D) where this method is carried out to produce certain products and test the effectiveness of these products. The data collection was obtained through journals and books.

Increasing Supply for Woody-Biomass-Based Energy through Wasted Resources: Insights from US Private Landowners

Woody biomass is suggested as a substitute for fossil fuels to achieve sustainable development. However, transitioning the land purpose to produce woody biomass entails investment and a tradeoff between wood pellet production and the current utilities created by the land, hindering the willingness of private landowners. To many forest landowners, forest trees and residues considered unprofitable to transport would be left in the forest without other proper use. The wasted woody resources on the land can be a potential source to increase the woody biomass supply. To support the policymakers, logging companies, state agencies, and landowners to better capitalize on these wasted resources, we aimed to identify the characteristics of woody-resource-wasting landowners and examine how to increase their likelihood to contribute to woody-biomass-based energy. By employing Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics on a dataset of 707 private landowners in the United States (US), we discovered that landowners being male, having higher income, and being a member of a state/national forestry organization were more likely to waste woody resources. Moreover, woody-resource-wasting landowners perceiving woody-biomass-based energy as a substitution for fossil fuel were more likely to sell wood. In contrast, those perceiving environmental costs over the benefits of woody-biomass-based energy were less likely to sell. These findings can be used as insights for policymakers, logging companies, and state agencies to find an additional supply of woody-biomass-based energy from landowners likely to waste woody resources.

Can Wood Pellets from Canada’s Boreal Forest Reduce Net Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Energy Generation in the UK?

We present the results of a study on the climate forcing effects of replacing coal for power generation in the United Kingdom (UK) with wood pellets produced in northern Ontario, Canada. Continuous wood pellet production from two biomass sources were considered: fiber from increased harvesting of standing live trees (stemwood scenario) and from harvest residue provided by ongoing harvesting operations (residue scenario). In both scenarios, biomass was collected from harvesting operations in two forest management units (FMUs) with contrasting harvest residue treatments: natural decay of slash piles in the Hearst FMU and slash pile burning in the Kenora FMU. Life cycle emissions associated with wood pellets were assessed for production, transportation, and combustion to replace coal at a hypothetical power generating station in the UK. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals in wood pellet and coal scenarios were assessed using two methods: global warming potential (GWP)-based mass balance and dynamic life cycle assessment (LCA) approaches. In the stemwood scenario, climate change mitigation from replacing coal with wood pellets was not achieved within the study timeline (2020–2100). In the residue scenario, immediate climate change mitigation was achieved with fiber sourced from the Kenora FMU where the current practice is to burn slash piles; for the Hearst FMU, where slash is allowed to decompose in the forest, climate change mitigation occurred 11.6 and 3.1 years after biomass collection began, as assessed by the mass balance and dynamic LCA methods, respectively. Factors affecting mitigation potential in the studied scenarios are discussed.