Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Stephen, J.D.
• Sokhansanj, S.
• Bi, X.
• Sowlati, T.
• Kloeck, T.
• Townley-Smith, L.
• Stumborg, M.A.

Titel

Analysis of biomass feedstock availability and variability for the Peace River region of Alberta, Canada

Ist Teil von

• Biosystems engineering, 2010, Vol.105 (1), p.103-111

Ort / Verlag

Kidlington: Elsevier Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2010

Quelle

Elsevier ScienceDirect Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Biorefineries or other biomass-dependent facilities require a predictable, dependable feedstock supplied over many years to justify capital investments. Determining inter-year variability in biomass availability is essential to quantify the feedstock supply risk. Using a geographic information system (GIS) and historic crop yield data, average production was estimated for 10 sites in the Peace River region of Alberta, Canada. Four high-yielding potential sites were investigated for variability over a 20 year time frame (1980–2000). The range of availability was large, from double the average in maximum years to nothing in minimum years. Biomass availability is a function of grain yield, the biomass-to-grain ratio, the cropping frequency, and residue retention rate to ensure future crop productivity. Alternate feedstock sources must be identified to supply biomass processing facilities in low yield years.