Feedback sought on Wood Pellet Association of Canada’s Regional Risk Assessment for sourcing biomass from Nova Scotia’s harvestable forest land base 16Jun2024
Post on this website June 16, 2024
Feeding the Fire: Biomass and Nova Scotia’s Race for the Bottom
Linda Pannozzo in the Halifax Examiner, Mar 4, 2016. Some historical perspective; major issues remian in 2024.
Comment on Forest Bioenergy Paper
Page on www.versicolor.ca/nstriad, posted Jan 21, 2023. Also available on this website as a PDF . ““New paper out on life cycle #GHG dynamics for different scenarios of forest-based bioenergy in Nova Scotia” So reads an Announcement on Twitter by James Steenberg, first author of the paper, on Jan 2, 2023. The tweet provides a link to: Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Forest Bioenergy Production at Combined Heat and Power Projects in Nova Scotia, Canada, by James W N Steenberg, Jérôme Laganière, Nathan W Ayer, Peter N Duinker, published in Forest Science Jan 2, 2023. Comment. The full paper is not publicly available on the publisher’s site. I learned about it from a Facebook Post on Jan 20, 2023 in which a PDF of the paper was also provided. I was asked to comment on the FB page…Steenbery et al. have introduced what seems to be a new ploy in the obscurification of GHG balances: the “different market/supply-chain assumptions around additionality and product substitution”. All additionality runs of the model for primary biomass (roundwood) have carbon parity times of 86 to 100 years. No surprise** But the corresponding “Product Substitution”. also referred to as BAU (Business as Usual) scenarios, are 4-9 years. Basically the latter means that “oh gosh we lost the Northern Pulp operation, and this is a substitution for that industry that would have been emitting GHGs anyway.”
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BIOFUELS FROM NOVA SCOTIA FORESTS?
The latest rendition: SustainAgro’s “Renewable Diesel”. Forestry Sector Council Newsletter, July 26, 2024. Vol 3, Issue 4:
So what is this all about?  Joachim Stroink registered with the NS Gov. as a lobbyist for SustainAgro on 12-September-2018; “last date of any Changes” 15-April-2024. Stroink was a Liberal MLA 2013-2017 SUSTAINAGRO LEADING THE WAY IN LOW CARBON LIQUID FUELS AND CLIMATE ACTION From www.sustain-agro.com:
“SustainAgro Ltd. is a renewable diesel and agricultural product manufacturing and sales company utilizing a world-class patented biomass pyrolysis technology to produce premium quality outputs of providing alternative solutions to the forestry’s use of cellulose with up to 4 value-added green and sustainable products. “This technology converts biomass to produce renewable diesel, bio-accelerant, high carbon content biochar, and graphene outputs. SA’s overarching goal is scalable emissions reduction, with a focus on low-carbon intensity operations, products, and partners.” “…SA’s renewable diesel is a direct diesel fuel substitute made from renewable materials (waste products), used to power diesel engines. SustainAgro produces synthetic diesel, which is renewable, manufactured domestically utilizing wood fiber and a biomass pyrolysis process to produce a product virtually identical to petroleum diesel, where there are many direct replacement applications.” “… How We Commercialized “SustainAgro has completed an in-depth evaluation of the technology, the patents, and the complete economic model. Commercialization is well underway in our Eastern Canada operations. The senior team is finalizing contracts, and working towards breaking ground in 2024. “We note the Federal Climate Action plan released in December 2020 identified the gradual carbon pricing growth to $170 per ton of GHGs by 2030. The new clean fuel standard is legislation, coming into effect in 2023, and the resulting decarbonizing of liquid fuels will increase the value of our carbon-neutral fuels. Thus providing a significant tailwind to our business.” “…ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS PRODUCED INCLUDE: Biochar A charcoal is produced from plant matter and stored in the soil as a means of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, increasing moisture/nutrient retention, improving resistance to pests, and has greater drought tolerance. Wood Vinegar An organic, non-bleaching bio-stimulant that improves soil quality, controls plant growth, and is resistant to pests and diseases. While there are many possible applications, the most promising market for wood vinegar is related to agriculture and organic farming. Graphene An allotrope of carbon consisting of a single layer of atoms arranged in a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice nanostructure. Graphene can be used in many construction materials, including nano-technology, bio-technology, quantum computing, superconductors, solar energy, EV batteries, etc.” – SustainAgro eyes Kensington, P.E.I., for first-in-Canada renewable diesel pant – Kensington Mayor Blames Province for Loss of $150M Plant, 30 Jobs
Scaling Biochar to Restore Soils SHADES OF CELLUFUEL?
Plan B/Biorefinery Richard Spinks did not invent Nova Scotia’s Plan B to replace the lost market for “low value wood” Nova Scotia L&F and Energy, take note: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission petitioned to protect investors against misleading claims about biofuels and the like  Above: Brazil decimated its Atlantic rainforest to grow sugarcane for ethanol. Below: An old yellow birch left standing in a clearcut in N.S. Will biofuels replace pulp and paper as the final agent of destruction of our native Acadian forest? Are biofuels from Nova Scotia forests good for the environment? Show us the science! He cites Cellufuel in Brooklyn N.S, as “forging a new innovative path, developing a renewable diesel that can be made from wood chips (a byproduct from sawmills)” and notes that “The province has been supportive of this innovation”. Reducing carbon-emissions associated with petroleum fuels is cited as a major benefit. Use of genuine by-products from sawmills to produce biofuels could reduce carbon emissions compared to use of petroleum products. However, that’s a slippery slope as we have seen in the case of our larger biomass energy plants which take in primary forest biomass when there are not enough wastes, or just because it’s cheaper…. |
Evaluating biomass sustainability: Why below-ground carbon sequestration matters
Naycari Forfora et al., 2024. In Journal of Cleaner Production
Abstract
Biomass, as a raw material, has been identified as a crucial component of decarbonization strategies to mitigate climate change. Decisions on which biomass should be targeted for different purposes are dependent on variables such as availability, chemical composition, and sustainability. Consumer perception often positions non-wood sources, such as bamboo, as environmentally preferable feedstocks for fiber-based product production. Yet, this perceived environmental benefit lacks robust scientific substantiation and standardized methodologies. This study addresses this gap by conducting a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of twelve biomass production systems encompassing tree plantations, dedicated crops, and agricultural residues for energy and bioproducts manufacture. The evaluated feedstocks include southern softwood, wheat straw, rice straw, rice husk, hemp hurd, sugarcane bagasse, switchgrass, biomass sorghum (United States), eucalyptus (Brazil), bamboo (China), and northern softwood (Canada). Incorporating a critical yet often overlooked factor, this LCA integrates the potential soil organic carbon sequestration (SOC) via below-ground biomass for each biomass type. This consideration significantly alters the estimated carbon intensity per ton of feedstock, potentially reshaping sustainability perceptions as certain systems emerge as carbon sinks. From a cradle-to-farm gate perspective, the assessed global warming potential for biomass production spans 12–245 kg CO2eq per oven-dry ton (ODt), factoring only anthropogenic emissions. However, when accounting for SOC sequestration, the range shifts to −170 to 228 kg CO2eq per ODt, highlighting the potential role of biomass to act as carbon sink systems. By illuminating the dynamic influence of SOC sequestration, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of biomass-related carbon emissions, shedding light on pathways to mitigate environmental impact.
Sustainability implications of the EU’s bioeconomy transition along global supply chains
Johannes Többen et al., In Journal of Cleaner Production. “…Our results show that, especially without further measures focusing on the circular use of biomass, the EU’s BE is likely not contributing to a general improvement in SDG indicators. Instead, there are major trade-offs between various SDGs. Firstly, between the goals of climate change mitigation, on the one hand, and preservation of ecosystems through the protection of natural land, especially forests, and water bodies on the other. The second major trade-off is between the EU’s goals of fostering the economic competitiveness and lowering the import dependency of fossil energy and food security especially in low income countries outside Europe.?
Assessing the sustainability of forest biomass harvesting practices in the southeastern US to meet European renewable energy goals
Hannah C.M. Bays et a., 2024, In Biomass and Bioenergy. “Biomass demand can be met, but long-term influence on forest structure is unknown.”