Title: Wood pellets, what else? Greenhouse gas parity times of European electricity from wood pellets produced in the south‐eastern United States using different softwood feedstocks

Abstract

Abstract Several EU countries import wood pellets from the south‐eastern United States. The imported wood pellets are (co‐)fired in power plants with the aim of reducing overall greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions from electricity and meeting EU renewable energy targets. To assess whether GHG emissions are reduced and on what timescale, we construct the GHG balance of wood‐pellet electricity. This GHG balance consists of supply chain and combustion GHG emissions, carbon sequestration during biomass growth and avoided GHG emissions through replacing fossil electricity. We investigate wood pellets from four softwood feedstock types: small roundwood, commercial thinnings, harvest residues and mill residues. Per feedstock, the GHG balance of wood‐pellet electricity is compared against those of alternative scenarios. Alternative scenarios are combinations of alternative fates of the feedstock materials, such as in‐forest decomposition, or the production of paper or wood panels like oriented strand board ( OSB ). Alternative scenario composition depends on feedstock type and local demand for this feedstock. Results indicate that the GHG balance of wood‐pellet electricity equals that of alternative scenarios within 0–21 years (the GHG parity time), after which wood‐pellet electricity has sustained climate benefits. Parity times increase by a maximum of 12 years when varying key variablesmore » (emissions associated with paper and panels, soil carbon increase via feedstock decomposition, wood‐pellet electricity supply chain emissions) within maximum plausible ranges. Using commercial thinnings, harvest residues or mill residues as feedstock leads to the shortest GHG parity times (0–6 years) and fastest GHG benefits from wood‐pellet electricity. We find shorter GHG parity times than previous studies, for we use a novel approach that differentiates feedstocks and considers alternative scenarios based on (combinations of) alternative feedstock fates , rather than on alternative land uses. This novel approach is relevant for bioenergy derived from low‐value feedstocks.« less

Authors:

Hanssen, Steef V.  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Hanssen, Steef V."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-7673-8509"

Duden, Anna S. ^[2]; Junginger, Martin ^[2]; Dale, Virginia H.  ^[3];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Dale, Virginia H."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-4123-7202"

van der Hilst, Floor ^[2]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Department of Environmental Science Faculty of Science Radboud University Nijmegen PO Box 9010 6500 GL Nijmegen The Netherlands, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 2 3584 CS Utrecht The Netherlands
2. Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 2 3584 CS Utrecht The Netherlands
3. Oak Ridge National Laboratory Environmental Sciences Division Center for BioEnergy Sustainability Oak Ridge TN 37831‐6036 USA

Publication Date:

Tue Jan 17 00:00:00 EST 2017

Research Org.:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)

OSTI Identifier:

1374757

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1374758; OSTI ID: 1408611

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Global Change Biology. Bioenergy

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Global Change Biology. Bioenergy Journal Volume: 9 Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 1757-1693

Publisher:

Wiley-Blackwell

Country of Publication:

United Kingdom

Language:

English

Subject:

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 58 GEOSCIENCES; bioenergy; biomass; carbon; counterfactual; forest; GHG emission; parity time; payback time; US South