Biomass Feasibility Project Final Report - Xcel Energy

Fuel Selection Considerations.................................................................................................28
CHAPTER III: BIOMASS AVAILABILITY FOR ENERGY ...................................................................30
Current Biomass Potential Relative to Statewide Energy Use ............................................30
From Theoretical to Technical to Economic Availability................................................31
Theoretical Biomass Energy Potential ................................................................................31
Technical Biomass Energy Potential...................................................................................32
Economic Biomass Energy Potential..................................................................................32
Categories with Greatest Economic Biomass Energy Potential ........................................34
Conversion to Units of Electricity.........................................................................................36
Comparing Theoretical, Technical and Economic Availability ....................................37
Comparing Costs of Biomass and Fossil Fuels ..................................................................38
Summary.....................................................................................................................................39
CHAPTER IV: BIOMASS HARVESTING, PROCESSING AND TRANSPORTATION ........................40
Harvesting agricultural biomass .............................................................................................40
Harvesting Timber......................................................................................................................40
Physical factors affecting biomass processing....................................................................41
Moisture Content...................................................................................................................41
Wood Particle Size.................................................................................................................41
Anaerobic Digester Particle Size.........................................................................................42
Chemical Composition and Physical Characteristics ....................................................43
Issues of Scale ........................................................................................................................44
Processing for Transportation ..................................................................................................44
Wood Chipping .....................................................................................................................45
Baling.......................................................................................................................................45
Pelleting ..................................................................................................................................46
Processing for Storage..............................................................................................................46
Baled Agricultural Biomass ..................................................................................................47
Woody Fuels ...........................................................................................................................47
Fuel Degradation and Decomposition .............................................................................48
Odors .......................................................................................................................................48
Processing Corn Stover for Wet Storage ...........................................................................49
Processing Biomass for Conversion to Power.......................................................................49
Biomass Transportation and Infrastructure........................................................................50
gopher...........................................................................................................................................50
CHAPTER V: BIO-POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGIES .........................................................53
Direct Combustion ....................................................................................................................54
Pile Burners..............................................................................................................................55
Stoker Grates..........................................................................................................................55
Fluidized Beds.........................................................................................................................55
Suspension Burners ................................................................................................................56
Solving Problems in Biomass Combustion ............................................................................57
Alkali Compounds in Conventional Boilers.......................................................................57
Calcium Deposits in Fluidized Bed Boilers .........................................................................57
Gasification ................................................................................................................................59
Biological Gasification..........................................................................................................59
Thermal Gasification.............................................................................................................60
Liquefaction................................................................................................................................63