Utilization of Low Value Wood for Biofuel in Schools or Other Institutions

With the growing need for alternative energy sources in today’s world, the utilization of low quality wood for biofuels has become a reality.

Biomass is an organic material that has stored energy from the sun, and can be found in wood (1). This biomass in wood can be thought of as renewable resource because trees can be replanted (1). An example of the chemical energy in biomass released is heat from burning wood (1).

In the United States today wood, bark, sawdust, wood chips, and wood scrap only provides roughly 2% of energy (1).

Manufacturing plants in wood and paper industry have put their wood waste products to produce their own steam and electricity (1).

The Georgia Biofuel Directory came out with a report with industries that reported the use of burning fuels for energy (2).
Table 1. – Industries in Georgia Burning Self Generated Biofuels
Biofuels
Tons/yr
Btu/lb
Tree Chips
42,000
4,300
Sawdust
1,501,042
4,500 – 7,800
Shavings
1,259,384
7,800
Bark
643,961
8,000 – 9,000
(2)

Another company using wood biofuels is located in Soperton, Ga. is using trees and wood scraps for biofules in automobiles (3).










1-http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/biomass.html
2-http://outreach.engineering.uga.edu/publications/Georgia%20Biofuel%20Directory.pdf
3-http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21670502/