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Thursday, 9 February 2017

Learning in dedicated wood production systems: Past trends, future outlook and implications for bioenergy

Author
Marc de Wit, Martin Junginger and André Faaij
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2013, vol. 19, issue C, pages 417-432

Abstract: This paper assesses the learning potential of dedicated wood production systems to boost yields and reduce production costs. In particular, the paper analyses past trends and provides a future outlook of developments in dedicated wood production for three cases: eucalyptus production in Brazil, poplar production in Italy and willow production in Sweden. A main objective of this paper is to evaluate the extent to which experience curves can be devised for conventional woody plantation systems, and whether these can also be applied to short rotation cropping (SRC) production systems. For current average SRC production systems, Italian poplar shows the highest cost at 5.5 €GJ−1 followed by Swedish willow at 4.4 €GJ−1 and Brazilian eucalyptus is produced to the lowest costs at 2.8 €GJ−1. It was assessed to what extent production costs can be reduced per step in the production cycle and how this affects the minimum cost levels that can ultimately be achieved. Ultimate cost reduction could lead to delivered costs of 2.2 €GJ−1 for poplar, 1.9 €GJ−1 for willow and 1.9 €GJ−1 for eucalyptus on better quality lands. Based on historic cost data and production trends, experience curves were applied providing progress ratios for poplar in Italy and eucalyptus in Brazil. Brazilian eucalyptus production follows a steeper slope (63–73%) than poplar in Italy (71–78%). The extent to, and rate at, which cost reductions can occur within the next 20 years were evaluated by combining current costs, minimum cost levels and progress ratios with ranges in European and global biomass demand projections. This shows that, at the assumed growth rates for biomass production in Europe and for global production, minimum cost levels can be reached within the next two decades for all cases.
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Managing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Nutrients for Switchgrass Produced for Bioenergy Feedstock in Phosphorus-Deficient Soil

Author
Mohua Haque, Jon T. Biermacher, Maru K. Kering and John A. Guretzky

Abstract: There is limited information available explaining the agronomic and economic relationships between yield and nitrogen and phosphorus applications to growing switchgrass produced in phosphorus-deficient soils. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers on feedstock yield and measures of expected total cost, gross revenue, net return, and breakeven price of feedstock produced in phosphorus-deficient soils in the southern Great Plains. Data were collected from a three-year, two-location agronomic field study conducted in south-central Oklahoma. Two discrete nitrogen treatments (0 and 134 kg ha-1) and four discrete phosphorus treatments (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha-1) were randomly assigned to small plots arranged in a randomized complete block designed (RCBD) study. Random effects mixed ANOVA models were used to estimate the effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and nitrogen by phosphorus interactions on feedstock yield and the economic variables specified. Results showed that, on average over site-years, switchgrass yield increases from 10.5 to 12.3 Mg ha-1 with the highest (101-kg ha-1) treatment; however, we found no statistical difference in net profitability between phosphorus treatments. Yield and net return did respond significantly to 135 kg-1 of N ha-1. Our results suggest that phosphorus-deficient soils do not seem to have the same impact on switchgrass yield and profitability as they do for the yields and profitability of other cropstraditionally grown in this region.
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Financing Growth of CellulosicEthanol

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Abstract: The U.S. biofuel industry is striving to produce ethanol from cellulosic feedstock sources in an effort to augment its existing corn grain-based ethanol production infrastructure. Technology to commercially produce cellulosic ethanol is rapidly advancing due in large part to the availability of substancial federal research and development funding. At the moment, several firms have pilot scale cellulosic ethanol production facilities under construction and testing. The transition from pilot scale to full commercialization of cellulosic ethanol will be difficult, due in large part financial constraints being imposed both internally and externally on the biofuels industry. This paper provides an overview of the biofuel industry’s current financial setting and describes future challenges it faces in attempting to expand. These challenges are rooted in lack of industry capital, limited availability of performance benchmarks, concerns regarding future prospects of the industry, and general uncertainty in U.S. financial markets. If the U.S. biofuels industry is unable to capitalize and develop this next phase of growth, foreign competitors, primarily Brazil and Mexico, appear well positioned to fill U.S. consumer’s demand for advanced biofuels.
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Characterization of products from hydrothermal treatments of cellulose

Author
Ying Gao, Xian-Hua Wang, Hai-Ping Yang and Han-Ping Chen
Energy, 2012, vol. 42, issue 1, pages 457-465

Abstract: The main aim of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of products from hydrothermal treatments of cellulose in an autoclave at various temperatures (200 °C–400 °C) and residence times (5 min–2 h). The gas products mainly consisted of CO2, CO, CH4, and H2 at 250 °C–400 °C for 30 min. Heavy oil mainly contained furans, phenols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, and high molecular compounds at all hydrothermal temperatures. Aldehydes, phenols, ketones, acid groups and sugars were determined in the aqueous phase by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The solid residues were analyzed by elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron microscopy, FTIR, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. The results showed that the residues had core–shell structure and better physicochemical characterization at lower temperature (250 °C) and longer residence time (2 h).

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Can cellulose be a sustainable feedstock for bioethanol production?

Author
Indra Neel Pulidindi, Baruchi B. Kimchi and Aharon Gedanken
Renewable Energy, 2014, vol. 71, issue C, pages 77-80

Abstract: Bioethanol is a promising substitute for conventional fossil fuels. The focus of this work was to convert commercial cellulose (Avicel® PH-101) to ethanol. In the first step, cellulose was selectively converted to glucose. Cellulose hydrolysis was carried out under microwave irradiation using hydrochloric acid as catalyst. Process parameters – acid concentration, irradiation time, and power consumption – were optimized. A yield of 0.67 g glucose/g cellulose was achieved under modest reaction conditions (2.38 M acid concentration, irradiation time – 7 min, 70% of power consumption). The glucose thus produced was then converted to ethanol by fermention with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The speed, selective nature of the process and the attractive overall yield indicate that cellulose, a vast carbohydrate source, could indeed be a sustainable feedstock for bioethanol production.
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Cellulosic Biofuels Analysis: Economic Analysis of Alternative Technologies

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Abstract: The passage of U.S. laws mandating and subsidizing advanced cellulosic biofuels may spur the development of a commercial cellulosic biofuels industry. However, a cellulosic industry will only develop if the overall economics including government incentives render investment in the sector attractive to private investors.This study compares the profitability of three biofuel production types: grain based ethanol, cellulosicbiochemical ethanol, and cellulosic thermochemical biofuels. In order to compare the current profitability of each of the production types, the Biofuels Comparison Model (BCM) was developed. The BCM is a spreadsheet model that estimates the net present value (NPV) for each production type given input and output prices, technical, and financial assumptions. The BCM can be updated to reflect the current profitability through embedded web price links. The study finds that grain, biochemical, and thermochemical production types are all currently unprofitable when subsidies and mandates are ignored. However, the grain based ethanol process is predicted to be the most profitable (lowest loss) compared to the cellulosic biofuels. When the 2008 Farm Bill subsidies are added to the BCM, all three production types are projected to be profitable. With the addition of the different subsidies, the cellulosic biofuels are estimated to have higher NPV’s than grain based ethanol. When compared on an energy equivalent basis, the estimated cost of producing grain ethanol is $114/bbl. crude oil equivalent, biochemical ethanol $141/bbl., and thermochemical gasoline $108/bbl.

Keywords: biofuels; cellulosic biofuels; corn ethanol; biofuel economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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Date: 2009
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POLYPYRROLE COATED CELLULOSIC SUBSTRATE MODIFIED BY COPPER OXIDE AS ELECTRODE FOR NITRATE ELECTROREDUCTION

Author
A. Hamam, D. Oukil, A. Dib, H. Hammache, L. Makhloufi(laid_mak@yahoo.fr) and B. Saidani
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Surface Review and Letters (SRL), 2015, vol. 22, issue 05, pages 1550065-1-1550065-11
Abstract: The aim of this work is to synthesize polypyrrole (PPy) films on nonconducting cellulosic substrate and modified by copper oxide particles for use in the nitrate electroreduction process. Firstly, the chemical polymerization of polypyrrole onto cellulosic substrate is conducted by using FeCl3 as an oxidant and pyrrole as monomer. The thickness and topography of the different PPy films obtained were estimated using a profilometer apparatus. The electrochemical reactivity of the obtained electrodes was tested by voltamperometry technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Secondly, the modification of the PPy film surface by incorporation of copper oxide particles is conducted by applying a galvanostatic procedure from a CuCl2 solution. The SEM, EDX and XRD analysis showed the presence of CuO particles in the polymer films with dimensions less than 50 nm. From cyclic voltamperometry experiments, the composite activity for the nitrate electroreduction reaction was evaluated and the peak of nitrate reduction is found to vary linearly with initial nitrate concentration.

Keywords: Polypyrrole; cellulosic; CuO; electrocatalysis; nitrate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Wednesday, 1 February 2017

ACACIA MANGIUM FROM SABAH FOR PLYWOOD AND DECORATIVE PANEL MANUFACTURE: INITIAL TRIALS

Author

W.C. Wong, K.S. Ho & C.N. Wong

Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, 52109 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Received February 1988, accepted July 1988.

WONG, W.C.,,HOK.S.&WONG, C.N. 1988. Acacia mangium from Sabahfor plywood
and decorative panel manufacture: initial trials. Acacia mangium could be peeled and sliced easily. Decorative panel with A. mangium sliced veneer as face appeared to be attractive. Phenolic bonded plywood made with rotary cut A. mangium veneers met the performance requirementfroweather-boil-proof (WBP) grade. However,tehbond quality of A. mangium plywood using urea formaldehyde adhesive was found to be poor. At 15 years of age,the logs were too small to be economically peeled using existing lathes tailoredfropeeling big_tropical hardwood logs.ehTsmall sizetfeohlogs,fowhich some
were of poor form, resulted in low recovery rate. Trees for plywood production should be bigger and in better form.eyKwords: Acacia mangium—slicing —peeling —panel production. 

 Introduction
Acacia, mangiumisbeing plantedaonlarge scaleinforest tree plantationsinSabah
and Peninsular Malaysia. In this paper, assessment on the suitability of A. mangium for the production of plywood and decorative face veneer was carried out. A. mangium sah also been successfully triedfro manufacturing medium density fibreboard (Tomimura et al. unpublished, see also Anonymous 1985), as well as fibreboard (Chew&Jaafar Ahmad 1986). Eight logstfreohtrials were received fromtehSabah
Forestry Development Authority (SAFODA).oTwcommercial mills assisteditenh slicingandpeeling studies sincetehForest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) does tnohaveanyslicing machineitsandpeeling latheisunsuitablefrosmall diameter logs.

Productionfodecorative panels from sliced veneers
Raw material 
Four logs which were numbered 1191, 180, 1526and1552 were selectedfroslicing trials. Their characteristicsrae describedin Table.1These logs were selectedfro slicing because their forms were poorandwere less suitablefropeeling into veneers. These logs were firsttcuinto flitches.fo25mlongtaFRIM before they were sentto the mill for the slicing trial. 

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Modeling multi-stakeholder forest management: the case of forest plantations in Sabah

Author
Ph. Guizol and H. Purnomo 
The underlying decision theory of forest management changed from decisions made by the forest manager, a single stakeholder, to a decision-making process, which involves a variety of stakeholders with different goals. From concept to implementation, forest professionals are in trouble because, despite the potential of technological progress and the development of tools to support decision-mak- ing, tools to facilitate multi-stakeholder decisions are lacking.

This paper proposes a framework to link social, economic, and biophysical dynamics using multi-agent simulation to explore scenarios of collaboration for forest plantation management. The modeling is based on decision theories. This framework uses the concept of a value-added chain as a model of alliances. The added-value breakdown analysis is a tool, which is used at the forest-plot level as a means of anticipating benefit sharing among the stakeholders before they decide to harvest; this also highlights the added-value variation from plot to plot. The framework can also take into account noneconomic-based relationships. Each stakeholder has explicit communication capacities, behaviors, and rationales, and forest management emerges from their interactions.
The purpose of this modeling is to produce shared knowledge about dynam- ics to facilitate coordination among stakeholders; it is a learning tool about forest management. Ourmainhypothesisisthatstakeholders,bycreatingavirtualworld with researchers, will learn about the effects that their own decisions might have on themselves, others, and the environment. In the case of Sabah, we are at the stage of the first loop of learning, and scenarios need to be further tested with the stakeholders themselves. This forest plantation simulation suggests that the development of sawmills adapted to plantation wood might offer a promising pathway for increasing added value and the benefits of many stakeholders, including local communities.

Principle 22 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992) high- lights the importance of local people and their participation in sustainable develop- ment. In forest plantations, this should apply to local communities living in or near forest plantations.

Malaysia, the country where Sabah State is located, is situated right in the heart of Southeast Asia and is divided into two geographical sections: Peninsular Malaysia and the East Malaysian provinces of Sabah and Sarawak in North Borneo (Fig. 1). 

Fig. 1. Sabah location map

 The study area is located in northeastern Sabah, mostly in Bengkoka, Marudu, and Keningau districts. Grasslands, logged-over forest, and secondary forest cover most of the landscape.

Smallholders believe that many opportunities are provided for forest plantation development. A lot of logged-over land is available for plantations. Sabah natives have the possibility to obtain security over land and rural people have the will to invest in forest plantations to secure their ownership of land, to rehabilitate the landscape, to rehabilitate wildlife resources for hunting, and to invest for themselves and the com- ing generations.

The Sabah Legislative Assembly created SAFODA (Sabah Forestry Develop- ment Authority) in 1976. Its mission is to develop highly productive forest plantations for the long-term supply of wood resources and to improve the socioeconomic status of the state and country on a sustainable basis (SAFODA 2003). Currently, SAFODA manages about 100,000 ha of land.

The local government perceives the development of forest plantations in this part of Sabah as a means to improve the landscape and smallholder income. Today, most of the land, which has been logged over and is unused, is highly fire-prone (a lot of areas are covered with Imperata cylindrica and large stocks of remaining deadwood). The development of smallholder plantations could also produce a variety of plantation systems. These plantations will reduce the areas’ fire proneness and would involve the local population in fire control.

The wood price is a major impediment to the development of all plantations. Sabah State has already invested a lot in smallholders’ plantations and SAFODA estates. So far, SAFODA plantation area amounts to 31,000 ha. The planted species are Acacia mangium (28,000 ha) and rattan (2,100 ha). SAFODA encouraged small landowners, adjacent to their forest plantation areas, to grow trees. Currently, these smallholder plantations amount to 3,000 ha supervised by SAFODA. 

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http://www.commod.org/content/download/4265/32016/version/1/file/17_Guizol_2005_BC.pdf
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Governing Forest Plantation to Reduce Poverty and Improve Forest Landscape: A Multiagent Simulation Approach

Author

H. Purnomoa and Ph. Guizolb

aCIFOR, Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia. Email: h.purnomo@cgiar.org
bCIRAD, Centre de coopération Internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développememnt, Bogor Indonesia. Email: p.guizol@cgiar.org

Abstract: Good forest governance lets all relevant stakeholders participate in the decision-making processes. Illegal logging and forest degradation are currently increasing, and logging bans are ineffective in reducing forest degradation. At the same time interest in forest plantations and concern about poverty problems of people adjacent to forests continue to increase rapidly. Governments have identified the development of small forest plantations as an opportunity to provide wood supplies to forest industries and to reduce poverty. However, the development of small plantations is very slow due to an imbalance of power and suspicion between communities and large companies. Current regulations do not offer many links amongst various stakeholders. The paper proposes a framework to link up social, economic and biophysical dynamics using multiagent simulation to explore scenarios of collaboration for plantations. Multiagent simulation is a branch of artificial intelligence that offers a promising approach to deal with multi-stakeholder management systems, such as the case involving common pool of resources. It provides a framework, which allows analysis of stakeholders’ (or agents’) decisions in interaction. Each stakeholder has explicit communication capacities, behaviors and rational from which emerge specific actions. The purpose of this modeling is to create a common dynamic representation to facilitate negotiations to grow trees. Collaborations involving multi- stakeholders, especially local communities and wood based industries, appeared to offer the most promising pathway to accelerate plantation development toward local communities’ poverty alleviation and forest landscape improvement.

Keywords: Governance, forest plantation, local communities, collaboration, multiagent simulation, multiple stakeholders

page1image7776
1. INTRODUCTION
Principle 22 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992) highlights the importance of local people and their participation in sustainable development. In forest plantations, this applies to local communities living in or near forest plantations. In Sabah forest plantation stakeholders believe that many opportunities are met for smallholder forest plantation development. A lot of logged over land is available for plantation. The Sabah natives have the possibility to get security over land and the rural people have the will to invest in forest plantations (to secure their ownership of land, to rehabilitate the landscape, to rehabilitate wildlife resources for hunting, and to invest for themselves and the coming generations). Nevertheless, they do not want to invest as long as the wood prices are low. This situation is a major impediment for development of small plantations.

The challenge is to create the conditions for the co-development of plantation forests and down
stream industries using plantation wood. On the one hand, investors will consider investments into down-stream industries for plantation wood if mature plantations are available; they might also differ such investments as long as faster returns from natural forest logging exist. On the other hand, smallholders will not invest in plantations as long as they do not have the guarantee of better prices. Currently SAFODA (Sabah Forestry Development Authority) have to export, at low price, fast growing wood produced on its own plantations as the existing paper mill in Sabah (Sabah Forest Industries) is too far away from SAFODA plantations.

Sabah State has already invested a lot in smallholders’ plantations and SAFODA Estates. However, this development is in crisis as SAFODA is facing problems in self-financing its development in the current context of low wood prices. It looks like more coordination is needed between the Sabah policy of plantation and smallholder development and wood processing development. 

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http://www.mssanz.org.au/MODSIM03/Volume_03/B02/09_Purnomo.pdf
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Fasting for Runners

Author BY   ANDREA CESPEDES  Food is fuel, especially for serious runners who need a lot of energy. It may seem counterintuiti...