The material shown in the picture behind NC FL Renewable’s first chairman (2005-2008) Don Post is approximately 40 tons of “logging debris” or enough for 2 semi-loads when reduced in a chipper! Logging debris is one component of the waste wood now available in NC Florida for woody biomass energy at the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center (GREC). Don did a study for GRU in 2003 to detrmine how much waste wood was avaialble within a 25-mile radius of Deerhaven, the City of Gainesville’s principal power plant. That study revealed that that were 60 MW of waste wood available from all sources. Over 60% of it was from logging debris. Logging debris includes what is left from most clear cut operations where pulp wood is harvested. In 2007, the School of Forestry at UF, under Dr. Doug Carter, did a more complex study of available woody biomass in a much larger “wood-shed.” Similar results were obtained. Because this logging debris is best used for fuel wood, the Council is working with equipment maufacturers like John Deer to identify the best means to package and deliver this energy-dense debris to biomass plants. The best part about logging debris is that it is much dryer than pulp chips. Therefore, the Btu content per unit volume is high. Why deliver excess water to any wood-to-energy facility?
For much more detailed information on the supply of biomass, we refer you to the March 2010 “Woody Biomass Economic Study” on the Division of Forestry’s web site. Access this web site from the “Helpful Links” on our sidebar. The Report is on the right side on the DOF’s web page.
A healthy forst requires best management practices one of which is controlled burning. For a “How It Works” summary of controlled burn click Anatomy of a Controled Burn from an IFAS pub in 2009.