Biomass Supply Options
Successful biopower projects start with identifying feedstocks & sources, conducting field trials & running test burns for operational data, and drafting site plans for biomass storage & handling logistics. Sometimes the first step is simply getting past the myths about biopower.
Closed-Loop or Open-Loop Sourcing
Closed-loop contracts help reduce the risk of supply disruptions and price fluctuations. They also give generators greater control of feedstock quality, particularly moisture content and composition. Also, an open-loop system generally requires access to 3 to 5 times the necessary feedstock in order to mitigate supply risk. In a closed-loop system, this buffer would be much smaller. The benefits of an open-loop system are primarily flexibility and minimal commitments, but this system subjects a facility to unreliable supply in terms of quantity, composition and pricing.
The Pre-Processing Spectrum
Biomass can be received in many forms, from loosely chopped material to highly pre-processed pellets and torrefied biomass. Densification technologies make it possible to store large quantities of biomass for longer periods of time, as well as ship it greater distances.
However, regardless of the transportation distance and storage capacity, a highly pre-processed (e.g., densified and/or torrefied) biomass may be optimal if you are co-firing at modest percentages (e.g., less than 5%) or are not ready to invest in retrofitting.