Biomass Feasibility Project Final Report - Xcel Energy

Wood Chipping
Trees and logging residues may be chipped before shipping to reduce its volume and help dry it
out. The challenge is finding the cheapest way to do it. One way, chipping wood residues at
the logging site, reduces the number of times the wood has to be handled. But it might increase
other costs.
(Photo by Warren Gretz (NREL, n.d.)
Figure IV-2: Tree Chipper
For example, if mobile chippers were moved from logging site to logging site, those expensive
machines would spend much of their time moving up and down roads instead of chipping
wood. The opposite option, hauling logging residues or logs to a central chipping yard, keeps
the chipper busy but complicates logistics. Which strategy is cheapest depends largely on the
kind of equipment the logging company already owns. Even if it could chip wood more
efficiently, new equipment might cost more than the money it would save.
Baling
Balers come in a variety of sizes and prices. Some make round bales and some square. Farmers
tend to use round balers because they are less expensive. But biomass energy facilities may call
for large, square bales because they are easier to load, unload and stack with equipment
designed to handle them.
Round bales can be re-baled at an approximate cost of $5 per bale. Some farmers choose to
bale their biomass in round bales initially and then pay to have them re-baled before delivery to
a facility.
Identifying Effective Biomass Strategies: Page 45
Quantifying Minnesota’s Resources and Evaluating Future Opportunities