Urban wood waste in Michigan: Supply and policy issues
- Public Policy Associates, Lansing, MI (United States)
This study provides the most comprehensive and detailed non-proprietary assessment and characterization of urban wood waste (UWW) to date for Michigan and the U.S. Nine components of the UWW stream were quantified and analyzed by surveying 44 UWW haulers and processors and 19 urban wood foresters in the Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing markets. The nine UWW components consist of (1) used pallets, (2) wood scraps, (3) construction debris, (4) demolition debris, (5) tree trimming residue, (6) land clearing wood waste, (7) plywood/particleboard waste, (8) used railroad ties, and (9) {open_quotes}other{close_quotes} wood waste. UWW is defined as wood residue generated by municipal, industrial, commercial, construction, and demolition sources, and includes pallets/dunnage, wood scraps, construction and demolition debris, railroad ties, tree trimmings, land clearing, plywood/particleboard, and other UWW component streams. Our final estimate of 593,395 tonnes of annually generated UWW compares with 781,630 tonnes of residue generated by Michigan`s secondary wood manufacturing industry. Our study estimates that 90 MW of electric generating capacity can be produced from the UWW supply in our study area. Total electric power capacity is about 20,000 MW in the state. The UWW market was found to be highly dependent on used pallet generation (46% of total UWW). Current fuel demand by Michigan`s wood burning power facilities is 1,530,360 TPY and will increase to 1,936,800 TPY as a major new facility comes on-line. Unless regulatory standards for {open_quotes}contaminated{close_quotes} wood supplies are relaxed, supply shortages may occur. Other significant end-markets for UWW compete for UWW supplies which may drive prices up. UWW markets and prices are extremely volatile, and they are extremely sensitive to various regulatory and market factors that are not always carefully considered nor understood.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 115238
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/CP-200-8098; CONF-9508104-; ON: DE95009230; TRN: 95:006736-0017
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. meeting on biomass of the Americas, Portland, OR (United States), 21-24 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]; Related Information: Is Part Of Second biomass conference of the Americas: Energy, environment, agriculture, and industry. Proceedings; PB: 1741 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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