Electricity From North American Forest Residues

Electricity from biomass feedstocks is often considered as a sustainable Greenhouse gas reduction option compared to electricity generated from fossil fuels. Past research has shown that significant emission reduction from wood pellets is possible, but that these are also related to large uncertainties. This chapter describes supply chains emissions and related uncertainties of electricity generated from wood pellets from forest and sawmill residues through lifecycle assessment. The results indicate that GHG reductions of up to 83% can be reached compared to coal-based electricity. Nevertheless, considering parameters like feedstock drying, storage, and dry matter losses shows strong variations of the emission profile. To avoid potentially higher GHG emissions from large-scale bioelectricity compared to coal, good practice and storage management as well as the use of renewable energy for energy-intense supply chain processes, like drying, are necessary.