Title: Business viability of biomass co-firing and gasification for electricity generation

Authors: Dana M. Johnson, Robert E. Froese, Jillian R. Waterstraut, James H. Whitmarsh, Abraham Rogelio Martin Garcia, Chris A. Miller

Addresses: Operations Management, School of Business and Economics, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USA. ' Biometrics, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USA. ' Law School, University of Iowa, 130 Byington Rd, Iowa City, IA, USA. ' Unimin Minnesota Corporation, 707 S Seventh St, Saint Peter, MN 56082-1435, USA. ' Universidad de Sonora, Blvd. Luis Encinas y Rosales S/N, Col. Centro, CP 83000, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. ' School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USA

Abstract: Greenhouse gas reduction occurs as a result of substitution of woody biomass for coal. Coal is the worst amongst all the fossil fuels in terms of greenhouse gas emission per unit of electricity generated. Recent concerns related to the environmental impact of greenhouse gases from using fossil based feedstock, like coal, for the generation of power, specifically electricity have driven the need to identify alternative bio-based energy technologies in the USA, UK and Germany. The objective of this paper is to determine the business attractiveness of utilising biomass resources to produce electricity through biomass co-firing and gasification through case study analysis.

Keywords: biomass co-firing; biomass gasification; electricity generation; alternative fuels; economic feasibility; biofuels; business viability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2009.027984

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2009 Vol.1 No.4, pp.405 - 431

Published online: 24 Aug 2009 *

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