Any questions ?

Phone (705) 303-8344

What is Biomass?

What are the types of carbon and why is it important in respect to reducing greenhouse gasses?  There are two types of carbon: Geologic and Biologic.  Geologic carbon is carbon that is sealed underground and was never intended to be released into the atmosphere.  These hydrocarbons, such as oil, gas, methane or tar sands cannot contribute to greenhouse gasses while it is retained in the ground. All fossil fuels are produced from refining geologic carbon substances, and when extracted, refined and used as fuel, will contribute to the earths greenhouse gas concentration as there are no natural absorptions. Biological carbon, in contrast, is stored in the soil, bodies of water, forests and grasslands. All biologic carbon is part of a natural one-hundred-year cycle of carbon storage (growth) and carbon release (decay).  For centuries this cycle has been in equilibrium, to the extent that some species of trees have evolved to need forest fires for the heat to open their seeds to propagate. Unintended release of geologic carbon is the cause of carbon imbalance which we are facing today.  Biomass power generation is a carbon neutral process because all of the carbon in trees/plants used are already part of biologic carbon equilibrium that has been maintained on the earth.

In Quebec, the transportation sector is the largest producer of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and most emissions come directly from the use of road transportation. Quebecers’ fossil fuel use continues to drive up greenhouse gas count.

In the past, societies have experienced energy transitions, but these were driven by the addition of new energy sources, not by their substitution. However, the energy transition envisaged today does not follow this logic, as it aims to avoid a climate catastrophe by reducing the use of fossil fuels and replacing them with non-emitting sources (e.g., biofuels) emitting sources (e.g., biofuels, renewable natural gas, solar, etc.).

Bridge the gap more relevant than ever with the objectives of reducing GHG (targets missed by Quebec) and match with the orientation taken by the Government:

It is therefore entirely reasonable and necessary to focus on green alternatives to diesel as a solution to reducing GHG emissions, biomass can then be used to produce electricity and/or heat. Biomass is the most developed renewable energy on the planet, accounting for about 11% of total global energy production. It is composed by either wood, the fruit of certain crops and industrial or agricultural waste. Moreover, methane and ethanol are part of this category of fuels, better known as biofuels.

Unlike fossil fuels which took millions of years to develop before they could be transformed into energy, the energy generated by biomass is renewable and can be used continuously.

 

A recent study states that it is difficult for Quebec to reach its environmental objectives, saying it will be necessary to follow Germany’s lead and first reduce oil consumption and convert to renewable energy sources. The study does point out that innovations capable of changing Quebec’s energy sector are under way, including the development of biogas and green hydrogen projects.

 

Government outlook on climate and energy

 

To accelerate Quebec’s transition to a low-carbon and resilient society, the provincial government must support regional and local projects that meet the objectives of its Plan for a Green Economy. This project supports the development of Quebec’s bioenergy sector and has the potential to positively impact the local economy, as an important step forward in establishing the Quebec’s capabilities to produce sustainable biofuels.

 

This project will supports governmental GHG reduction targets and broader strategies, such as the Plan for a Green Economy2. Some of the listed targets and goals are:

  • Reducing GHG emissions by 37.5% below 1990 levels by 2030

  • Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050

  • 15% ethanol in gasoline by 2030 and 10 % in biobased diesel fuel by 2030  

  • 50% increase in bioenergy production by 2030

  • 70% of off-grid systems energy supply from renewable sources by 2025

 

Importantly, Quebec’s established forest product industry and commitment to sustainable forestry management mean that the province is well positioned for biofuel production that converts forestry residues into renewable products. Leaving harvesting residues unutilized in the forests hinders forest regeneration process and thus slows down carbon sequestration. Removing part of it, while maintaining regeneration capacity of forest soils, supports Quebec sustainable management of forests, and maintains biodiversity.

Biomass: Biomass is biological material derived from living or recently living organisms. In the context of producing bioenergy, it typically refers to agricultural by-products and residues, woody waste products, and crops and microbes grown specifically for fuel.

 

Bioenergy: Bioenergy is a renewable form of energy produced from biomass. Development of bioenergy could contribute to long-term environmental and economic sustainability and help mitigate the climate impact of using fossil fuels.

 

Biomass power is the energy derived from animal or vegetable matter that can be converted into electricity by various methods. As part of a circular economy global vision, there are two strategic ways to use biomass. The first is to burn it; wood is probably the best-known fuel. The second method is to turn biomass into biofuels to power vehicles and replace gasoline.

 

Bioenergy is one of the largest sources of renewable energy today, providing heat, electricity, and transportation fuels. In 2013, Canada accounted for 2 per cent of world biofuels production (5th highest in the world after the United States, Brazil, the European Union, and China)4.

 

From 2010 to 2017, biomass accounted for roughly 7.5% of all energy5 consumed in Québec. Forest biomass is the most frequently used organic matter due to its ready availability. Moreover, in a biomass-fuelled cogeneration plant, 30% to 35% of the energy in the solid biomass is converted into electricity. By recovering the heat released and using it for various purposes, total efficiency can reach 80%6.

 

Hence, for biomass to be directed effectively into energy production, it must be supplied at a competitive cost and its use for this purpose must cause minimal environmental impact. The quality of the biomass must also be optimal for energy conversion and end use.

 

Pros of Biomass Energy:

  • Biofuels emit far fewer greenhouse gases than gasoline

  • Turning waste into energy avoids landfill costs and soil contamination

  • Resource, especially waste, is abundant and cheap

Challenges and issues to mitigate for Biomass:

  • Burning wood and incinerating waste creates air pollution

  • Many environmentalists are concerned that consumption would lead to deforestation, especially in some Latin American countries

  • Others fear that the manufacture of biofuels from agricultural products will monopolize good quality land and that cultivation for biofuels will be at the expense of food for the population.

  • There are also concerns about soil depletion and erosion, especially in the case of intensive farming

Forest biomass

The contribution of forest biomass to Canada’s energy supply has increased from 3 to 4% in the 1970s to 5–6% today. Changes in pulp and paper technology have resulted in most of this increase8.

 

Forest biomass comes from branches and logging residues, as well as bark, sawdust, conifer needles and other forest waste. Forest biomass is the largest source of raw material currently available for bioenergy production in Canada9. The use of residual forest biomass as a source of biomass would allow for the reuse of forestry and sawmill waste. These residues can be used to produce heat, steam, or electricity. Moreover, forest biomass used to produce bioenergy comes from many sources, such as trees that are of harvestable age but are not suitable for lumber, material from stand thinning, harvest residues, trees killed by natural disasters; and trees from plantations grown specifically to provide biomass for conversion to bioenergy.

 

There are approximately 6.5 million dry metric tons of forest biomass available annually in Quebec’s public and private forests. In 2011, Québec’s potential forest, agri-food and urban biomass were estimated at 19.5 million tonnes of dry matter10. This new sector is a new opportunity for economic diversification in the Province, the Quebec Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs developed a forest biomass Action Plan in 2009 11 & 12.

 

Moreover, the by-products of industrial forest processes provide another source of biomass for bioenergy use. Among those by-products are wood residues (such as sawdust, bark, and chips) from harvesting and milling operations, and pulp residues (such as the lignin-rich “black liquors”) left over from the pulping process.

Plantations

Plantations established specifically to “grow biomass” for bioenergy production offer several benefits over natural forest stands as sources of biomass for the same purpose:

  • Trees grown in natural forests usually take 40 to 100 years to mature, and those grown in use-specific plantations usually grow in 3 to 15 years;

  • Having the flexibility to grow biomass in plantations close to where the bioenergy will be used offers substantial supply cost reductions;

  • Surplus or marginal land not economically or biologically productive for agriculture may be well suited for forest biomass crops, providing landowners and farmers with an additional cash crop.

Have a Question?

Subscribe for Updates