Intensifying forest biomass utilization for energy production

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This project will assess the feasibility of using locally-sourced wood (including unmerchantable wood and mill residues) to cogenerate heat and power in small gasification plants. We will employ remote sensing and harvesting trials to quantify the harvestable volume of unmerchantable wood at several sites in central Ontario, including Haliburton Forest where a combined heat and power (CHP) plant may be installed to utilize wood that cannot be sold as timber or pulp. We will also conduct a life cycle assessment at Haliburton in order to estimate: 1) the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions incurred during the production of bioenergy (including reductions in forest carbon storage); 2) the GHG emissions avoided by displacing coal-fired electricity from the grid; 3) the life cycle costs of producing bioenergy and mitigating GHG emissions from conventional energy sources.