Presented By:KAUSTUBH A.

DALAL 11BSP0445

BACKGROUND

The rapid depletion of fossil fuels throughout the world has led to the search of a renewable source of energy. The concept popularity. of biomass fuels has gained

Biomass fuels yields lesser emissions and is a cleaner source of energy.

WHOLE TREE ENERGY

Whole Tree Energy(WTE) is a renewable energy system that includes the use of crop-raised whole trees in biomass power plants to produce clean energy. Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning power plants are some of the largest contributors to global warming. The carbon dioxide produced by the WTE system is completely offset by the carbon dioxide sequestered in the trees used as the fuel source. In addition to carbon dioxide, other fossil fuel plant emissions such as sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides and particulates are very low when using whole trees in place of fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas.

KEY ELEMENTS OF WTE

Tree plantation of fast growing hybrid hardwoods provide a harvest in 7 yrs. A 400 mw plant in a 50 mile radius would require about 3 % of this acreage for plantations, which is more likely marginal farmland with some receiving subsidies to be taken the production of food crops. Trees are efficiently cut and transported to the plant site. Within the large fiber glass dome whole trees are stacked in the cross hatch fashion upwards of 100 feet ( 30 m ) by large crane.

KEY ELEMENTS OF WTE

Waste heat from the plant is piped into the dome to dry the stack for 30 days, removing over 65 % of the trees moisture and allowing a cleaner more efficient burn. Trees are conveyed from the dome to the nearby boiler wall, where they are cut to fit, approx. 28 feet. The slightly oversized boiler promotes high heat release and complete combustion.

TECHNOLOGY TESTING TO DATE

Planting Tests: A prototype machine has been developed to plant 25 cm long tree cuttings at a rapid rate. Approximately 180,000 cuttings were planted at the rate of 1 per second in a single row. Harvesting, Loading, and Transportation Tests: Tree harvesting at the rate of 45 green t/h has been demonstrated using a single harvesting train of one skidder, and one loader. Stacking Tests: Whole hardwood trees were stacked to a height in excess of 30 m. Pilot-scale combustion tests: a deep fixed bed of sectioned hardwood trees on a grate were conducted in a 1.4 m by 2.6 m by 6 m high test furnace located in Northern Minnesota.

CURRENT STATUS OF WHOLE TREE ENERGY Research on poplar tree clones for bio-energy by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and its affiliated Universities, by the US Forest Service-North Central Forest Experiment Station, and by members of U.S. Poplar Council is extensive. As a result of this research, an EPS affiliated nursery for growing hybrid poplar stool trees. EPS holds patents in 30 countries in North and South America. Eastern Europe, Asia, and Australia covering the Whole Tree Energy technology. A rapid harvesting machine has been designed and is being built and tested under a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy. The first Whole Tree Energy power plant is under development by EPS/Beck Power, which is a limited liability corporation formed by Energy Performance Systems, Inc

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Energy crops provide vegetative cover throughout the year, reducing soil erosion and improving wildlife cover, unlike annual row crops. Much lowered applications of agricultural chemicals and reduced tillage benefit water quality. Conversion of agricultural land from row crops to woody crops improves soil structure, organic matter content, and water quality. Woody crops develop an extensive root structure that adds organic matter to the soil, slows wind and water erosion, and helps to reduce soil compaction.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Soil nitrogen and inorganic nutrients are maintained by means of a controlled combination of fertilizer, leaf litter, and fly ash pellets from the power plant. Woody crop cover in agricultural areas benefits a wide variety of birds, small mammals, and deer. Woody crops provide edge effects and corridors with native habitats thereby improving wildlife diversity. Plots averaging about 32 hectares are envisioned so that landscape diversity is preserved.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The Whole Tree Energy power plant is clean burning, and should meet all Federal and State emission standards. The power plant is carbon dioxide neutral since the carbon emitted by the power plant is balanced by the carbon previously sequestered by the trees and roots.