How Can The Forestry Industry Benefit From Biomass Gasification?
Are you eager to improve the environmental practices of your forestry business but don't know where to start? Concerned that going green might impact your earnings? Have you heard about biomass gasification but are unclear on how it works or how it may benefit your operations? If so, this article will guide you through the essentials.
In this blog post, you will learn everything you need to know about biomass gasification. We will explain how this process works and how it can help your business become greener and more sustainable while boosting your profit in the meantime!
What Is Biomass Gasification?
Most people have never heard of biomass gasification, yet this process can be a great ally in our fight against climate change. Let's start by defining a few terms.
What Is Biomass?
Biomass refers to all sorts of organic materials, from forest and agricultural residues to plants, seaweed, and even animal wastes. Some examples include rice husks, corn stover, wood chips, bark, and organic components of household waste, just to mention a few (National Energy Technology Laboratory).
Trees use a chemical process known as photosynthesis to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water from the atmosphere and produce oxygen and glucose. During this process, trees store carbon in their trunk and leaves. When leaves fall on the ground or trees die, microbes decompose them, releasing the stored CO₂ back into the atmosphere, creating a nearly balanced cycle. Now we understand this, let’s take a look at how biomass gasification works.
What Is Biomass Gasification And How Does It Work?
Biomass gasification is the process through which biomass can be converted into a combustible gas mixture known as syngas, composed of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen. It consists of applying heat and pressure in a controlled environment at high temperatures (>700°C) in the presence of steam and small amounts of oxygen so that combustion doesn't occur (US Department of Energy).
This is a crucial step, as despite what some people suggest, burning wood is not environmentally friendly. In just a few minutes, this process releases all the carbon that has been stored in trunks over decades. When considering the same amount of heat produced, burning wood releases more CO₂ than burning gas, oil, and coal (The Guardian, 2018)! In light of this, biomass gasification is one of the most efficient ways to turn organic waste, such as old trunks, into renewable energy. This process can also be used for carbon capturing by storing CO₂ for hundreds - sometimes even thousands - of years, in the form of biochar.
But what are the benefits of biomass gasification for the forestry industry? Implementing this technology offers businesses two key benefits: environmental sustainability and financial gains.
Environmental Benefits of Biomass Gasification For The Forestry Industry
Biomass gasification processes can help companies working in the forestry sector in three main ways: by helping them create clean energy that can then be reused in their business or sold for a profit, limiting their CO₂ emissions, and reducing the risks of wildfires.
Creating Clean Energy
As we mentioned earlier, biomass gasification turns biomass into syngas. But what exactly is this product, and how can the forestry industry benefit from it? As the name suggests, syngas is a type of gas that can be used in several ways. For instance, it can propel gas engines or turbines, generating electricity that can then be used to power grids. Alternatively, companies can decide to burn syngas to produce heat for industrial purposes. But there is more. This material can also serve as a feedstock to produce biofuels - such as methanol, ethanol, or synthetic diesel - and chemicals, such as ammonia - a key ingredient in fertilizers - and synthetic natural gas. Syngas is also a valuable feedstock for hydrogen production, which can then be used to generate clean energy (Britannica).
Carbon Capturing: Limiting CO₂ Emissions
Carbon capturing, the process of storing CO₂ for centuries and even millennia before releasing it back into the environment, is an efficient way to deal with the current climate crisis. As we mentioned earlier, this often happens in nature, for instance, in trees capturing CO₂ in their trunks. However, when trees die and decompose, the CO₂ is released into the environment again. So, we now need materials that can store CO₂ for longer periods. One of the solutions is biochar, which can be produced through biomass gasification.
This fine-grained, highly absorbent material locks in the CO₂ contained in biomass, preventing it from being released into the environment. Farmers can use biochar to improve soil health, limit methane emissions, and reduce water usage. According to a study published in 2023, when crops are exposed to water shortage, biochar can increase the plants’ readily available water (RAW), namely the amount of water a plant can extract from the soil. This supports crops during droughts, something crucial given the current climate crisis (Ghazouan, 2023).
Besides its benefits for agriculture, biochar is often used in durable materials, including asphalt and cement, keeping CO₂ stored for hundreds—sometimes even thousands—of years (International Biochar Initiative).
Reducing The Risk Of Wildfires
All people working in the forestry industry know how dangerous wildfires can be and how they can destroy years of work in just a few hours. This is why prevention is key. Biomass gasification can help these companies lower their fire hazards.
Wildfires seem to be more frequent where biomass abounds. This is why many believe biomass extraction can be a great tool for managing and preventing wildfires. As of today, most forest residues harvesting for industrial purposes are only concerned with dead-standing trees, yet these don't really reduce fire hazards in forests. Simply put, dead trunks, branches, leaves, and other organic dry materials are all highly flammable. This means that they not only increase the risks of fires but also contribute to their rapid spread (Pinto, 2022).
Biomass gasification can help reduce biomass in forests, keeping wildfires at bay.
Why Industries Need To Go Green
In recent years, the need for all industries to implement green practices has become evident. Plenty of research shows how consumers now strongly favor brands that actively try to limit their CO₂ emissions.
In 2017, 87% of consumers had a more positive opinion of companies supporting social and environmental issues, with 88% being more loyal to such brands (Forbes, 2018).
In addition, a 2022 Google Cloud report stressed that customers were more interested in a company's values than ever before (Google, 2022). The report showed that the vast majority of consumers (82%) preferred to buy from a brand aligned with their values.
What is even more interesting is that 24% of shoppers would break ties even with their favorite brands, at least temporarily, if they were to adopt measures unaligned with their values. And this is not all. 15% of them would also share their concerns on social media, while 28% would talk about it with friends and family.
In light of this data, it's evident that all companies need to implement green practices if they care about their customers' opinions. This leads us to one of the main economic benefits of choosing biomass gasification: better earnings.
Economic Advantages of Biomass Gasification For The Forestry Industry
There are three main ways in which biomass gasification can help the forestry industry boost earnings: attracting more clients, turning waste into extra revenue streams, and increasing the chances of getting government incentives.
More Clients
As the 2022 Google report mentioned above showed, consumers are now interested in purchasing products from brands that align with their values. The document also showed that 55% of shoppers were willing to pay more for a sustainable brand. This means that companies can increase their prices without losing customers!
Turning Waste Into Extra Revenue Streams
Once biomass that would otherwise be left to decay is turned into syngas, forestry companies can use it to power their industry processes, eliminating the need to purchase energy.
Alternatively, businesses may decide to sell their syngas, energy, or biochar to other companies as an additional income stream.
Another great way of generating additional profit is by selling carbon offsets. For instance, let's say your company removed a unit of carbon from the atmosphere, you can then sell this 'carbon offset voucher' to another company, allowing them to meet government regulations.
A Growing Market
It's important to point out that the biomass gasification market is growing fast! As of today, this market is worth a total of USD 55.49 billion, but it is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. According to current estimations, the biomass gasification market will be worth USD 143.35 billion by 2029, making this the perfect moment to start investing in this technology (Yahoo, 2024).
Interested In Trying It Out?
If you are eager to try this revolutionary technology in your forestry business, don't hesitate to contact us! Carbon 2H provides forestry businesses with a mobile biomass gasification system that converts their waste into energy, improving their green practices while maximizing profits! If you are interested in working with us, don't hesitate to email us at sales@carbon2h.com or reach out through our contact form.