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Potential Capacities of Two Combined Heat and Power Plants Based on Available Corn Stover and Forest Logging Residue

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  2012 Dallas, Texas, July 29 - August 1, 2012  121338209.(doi:10.13031/2013.41887)
Authors:   Selvarani Radhakrishnan, Joel O Paz, Fei Yu, Sandra Eksioglu, Donald L Grebner
Keywords:   Combined heat and power, sustainability, corn stover, forest logging residue, GIS

Combined heat and power production using renewable energy sources is gaining importance because of its flexibility and high-energy efficiency. Biomass materials, such as corn stover and forestry logging residues, are potential feedstocks for CHP production. In this study, we collected and analyzed 10 years of corn stover data (2001-2010) and 3 years of forest logging residue data (1995, 1999, and 2002) in each county in Mississippi to determine the potential of these feedstocks for sustainable CHP energy production. We identified six counties, namely: Amite, Copiah, Clarke, Wayne, Wilkinson and Rankin, that have forest logging residue feedstock to sustain a CHP facility with a range of capacity between 8,044 kW to 9,766 kW. Using corn stover alone, Yazoo and Washington counties can produce 13,430 kW and 13,497 kW of energy, respectively. Considering both feedstocks and based on a conservative amount of 30% available forest logging residue and 33% corn stover, we found that 20 counties have adequate supply for a CHP facility with a capacity of 8,257 kW to 19,564 kW. Forest logging residue accounted for the highest percentage of biomass to the total available feedstock in these counties. We also analyzed the amount of available biomass feedstock that can sustainably support the potential increase in energy capacity of two existing CHP plants. Three biomass source buffer distance scenarios were considered in this study. The amount of corn stover and forest logging residue within a 10-mile radius can satisfy the existing requirements of CHP plants in Scott (1 MW) and Washington counties (5 MW). Increasing the radial distance of biomass utilization to 30 miles can potentially produce 24.5MW and 27.6MW in Scott and Washington counties, respectively. Furthermore, if adjacent counties were considered as biomass supply areas, the available feedstock can produce 49.4MW and 61.6MW in Scott and Washington counties, respectively.

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