scholarly journals Estimating Biomass Availability and Cost When Implementing Forest Restoration with Tethered Harvest Systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-339
Author(s):  
Joshua H Petitmermet ◽  
Jeremy S Fried ◽  
John Sessions

Abstract Using an adaptation of Forest Inventory and Analysis’s BioSum framework, which models prospective management of forested landscapes using forest inventory data, we tested several fire-resistance-promoting restoration treatments, implemented with tethered cut-to-length harvest systems, for effectiveness and economic feasibility in the dry national forests of southern Oregon and northern California. Treatments elevated fire resistance on most forested area, primarily via increases in the separation of canopy and surface fuels and among tree crowns, and the most effective treatments could more than cover treatment cost with sales of wood in most stands. If, instead of disposal by burning at the landing, small-diameter wood was delivered to a biochar facility capable of paying US$50 per bone dry ton, this would increase the share of forest area on which treatment could break even from 61 percent to 67 percent, slightly more than the 66 achievable with a treatment subsidy of US$100 ac−1. Potential treatment area appears to be currently constrained by institutional capacity, not treatment effectiveness, economics, opportunity, or need. Even with the currently modest scale of management activity, sufficient biochar feedstock is available in the upper Klamath Basin to supply at least one large-scale biochar facility over the next 20 years.

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 458
Author(s):  
Haiyan Deng ◽  
Linlin Shen ◽  
Jiaqi Yang ◽  
Xiaoyong Mo

Background and Objectives: The stable stand structure of mixed plantations is the basis of giving full play to forest ecological function and benefit. However, the monocultural Eucalyptus plantations with large-scale and successive planting that caused ecological problems such as reduced species diversity and loss of soil nutrients have presented to be unstable and vulnerable, especially in typhoon-prone areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nonspatial structure difference and the stand stability of pure and mixed-Eucalyptus forests, to find out the best mixed pattern of Eucalyptus forests with the most stability in typhoon-prone areas. Materials and Methods: In this study, we randomly investigated eight plots of 30 m × 30 m in pure and mixed-Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake × E. grandis W. Hill) plantations of different tree species (Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser, Acacia mangium Willd., and Pinus elliottii var. Elliottii Engelm. × P. caribaea Morelet) on growth status, characterized and compared the distribution of nonspatial structure of the monoculture and mixtures, and evaluated the stand quality and stability from eight indexes of the nonspatial structure, including preservation rate, stand density, height, diameter, stem form, degree of stem inclination, tree-species composition, and age structure. Results: Eucalyptus surviving in the mixed plantation of Eucalyptus and A. mangium (EA) and in the mixed plantation of Eucalyptus and P. elliottii × P. caribaea (EP) were 5.0% and 7.6% greater than those in pure Eucalyptus plantation (EE), respectively, while only the stand preservation rate of EA was greater (+2.9%) than that of the pure Eucalyptus plantation. The proportions of all mixtures in the height class greater than 7 m were fewer than that of EE. The proportions of EA and mixed plantation of Eucalyptus and N. cadamba (EN) in the diameter class greater than 7 m were 10.6% and 7.8%, respectively, more than that of EE. EN had the highest ratio of branching visibly (41.0%), EA had the highest ratio of inclined stems (8.1%), and EP had the most straight and complete stem form (68.7%). The stand stability of the mixed plantation of Eucalyptus and A. mangium presented to be optimal, as its subordinate function value (0.76) and state value (ω = 0.61) of real stand were the largest. Conclusions: A. mangium is a superior tree species to mix with Eucalyptus for a more stable stand structure in the early growth stage to approach an evident and immense stability and resistance, which is of great significance for the forest restoration of Eucalyptus in response to extreme climate and forest management.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2772
Author(s):  
Vishwas Powar ◽  
Rajendra Singh

Plummeting reserves and increasing demand of freshwater resources have culminated into a global water crisis. Desalination is a potential solution to mitigate the freshwater shortage. However, the process of desalination is expensive and energy-intensive. Due to the water-energy-climate nexus, there is an urgent need to provide sustainable low-cost electrical power for desalination that has the lowest impact on climate and related ecosystem challenges. For a large-scale reverse osmosis desalination plant, we have proposed the design and analysis of a photovoltaics and battery-based stand-alone direct current power network. The design methodology focusses on appropriate sizing, optimum tilt and temperature compensation techniques based on 10 years of irradiation data for the Carlsbad Desalination Plant in California, USA. A decision-tree approach is employed for ensuring hourly load-generation balance. The power flow analysis evaluates self-sufficient generation even during cloud cover contingencies. The primary goal of the proposed system is to maximize the utilization of generated photovoltaic power and battery energy storage with minimal conversions and transmission losses. The direct current based topology includes high-voltage transmission, on-the-spot local inversion, situational awareness and cyber security features. Lastly, economic feasibility of the proposed system is carried out for a plant lifetime of 30 years. The variable effect of utility-scale battery storage costs for 16–18 h of operation is studied. Our results show that the proposed design will provide low electricity costs ranging from 3.79 to 6.43 ¢/kWh depending on the debt rate. Without employing the concept of baseload electric power, photovoltaics and battery-based direct current power networks for large-scale desalination plants can achieve tremendous energy savings and cost reduction with negligible carbon footprint, thereby providing affordable water for all.


2017 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 649-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph W. Veldman ◽  
Fernando A. O. Silveira ◽  
Forrest D. Fleischman ◽  
Nataly L. Ascarrunz ◽  
Giselda Durigan

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 462
Author(s):  
Houssame Boujjat ◽  
Sylvain Rodat ◽  
Stéphane Abanades

Solar biomass gasification is an attractive pathway to promote biomass valorization while chemically storing intermittent solar energy into solar fuels. The economic feasibility of a solar gasification process at a large scale for centralized H2 production was assessed, based on the discounted cash-flow rate of return method to calculate the minimum H2 production cost. H2 production costs from solar-only, hybrid and conventional autothermal biomass gasification were evaluated under various economic scenarios. Considering a biomass reference cost of 0.1 €/kg, and a land cost of 12.9 €/m2, H2 minimum price was estimated at 2.99 €/kgH2 and 2.48 €/kgH2 for the allothermal and hybrid processes, respectively, against 2.25 €/kgH2 in the conventional process. A sensitivity study showed that a 50% reduction in the heliostats and solar tower costs, combined with a lower land cost of below 0.5 €/m2, allowed reaching an area of competitiveness where the three processes meet. Furthermore, an increase in the biomass feedstock cost by a factor of 2 to 3 significantly undermined the profitability of the autothermal process, in favor of solar hybrid and solar-only gasification. A comparative study involving other solar and non-solar processes led to conclude on the profitability of fossil-based processes. However, reduced CO2 emissions from the solar process and the application of carbon credits are definitely in favor of solar gasification economics, which could become more competitive. The massive deployment of concentrated solar energy across the world in the coming years can significantly reduce the cost of the solar materials and components (heliostats), and thus further alleviate the financial cost of solar gasification.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
Tongyuan Wang

This article proposes a systematic engineering for sustainable economic and ecologic development. This system is deemed to be applicable in any country of the world. The system aims to realize five important objectives: water source clearance, energy saving and emission reduction, renewable energy and organic fertilizer production, and ecological agriculture development, all in large scale and at low cost. The main conception of the new system to reach these goals is the replacement of the conventional sewage treatment approach with more efficient and more ecological process – the natural fermentation of the mixture of the urban sewage and agrarian wastes, such that water body clearance, including water de-eutrophication, green algae prevention and siltation dredging will all be accomplished at virtually a zero cost. Along with this process, the system can produce a vast amount of renewable energy and organic fertilizers, consequently ecological agriculture development in large scale can be realized. As a result, this system will greatly reduce the use of chemical fertilizers thus largely reduce the consumption of fossil energy and the related polluting emissions. This system is thus fully a circular economy model through full west-reuse processes, which ultimately will enhance our life quality with healthier food and living environment. The system is flexible and adaptable to be implemented in either small towns or megacities. The implementation and operation of this system will also benefits employment growth. Lastly, in terms of economic feasibility and profitability, millions to billions of dollars of annual revenue can be generated from the running of this system in a country.


2016 ◽  
Vol 88 (9) ◽  
pp. 811-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianjiao Guo ◽  
James D. Englehardt ◽  
Howard J. Fallon

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zar Chi Win ◽  
Nobuya Mizoue ◽  
Tetsuji Ota ◽  
Tsuyoshi Kajisa ◽  
Shigejiro Yoshida ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 062004
Author(s):  
Vladan Henek ◽  
Václav Venkrbec ◽  
Miloslav Novotný

Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Mikulik ◽  
Hana Petroková ◽  
Josef Mašek ◽  
Milan Kuchar ◽  
Andrea Vítecková Wünschová ◽  
...  

Introduction: Direct clot targeting represents attractive concept for clot imaging as well as targeted delivery of drugs, e.g. thrombolytics. Small protein binders attached to nanoliposomes may target thrombi and deliver drugs although selective affinity to fibrin and not fibrinogen is the main challenge. Methods: For identification and preparation of fibrin-specific artificial protein binders derived from scaffolds of albumin-binding domain (ABD) of streptococcal protein G, a highly complex ABD-derived combinatorial library in combination with ribosome display selection was used. In vitro models were used to document delivery of nanoliposomes to human thrombi. Results: A recombinant target as a stretch of three identical fibrin fragments of 16 amino acid peptides of the Bβ chain fused to TolA protein carrying polyhistidylated tag and Avitag was constructed. Ribosome display was followed by large-scale ELISA screening of protein binders. Only four protein variants had selective affinity to human fibrin - see figure 1A. The most selective, variant D7, was modified by C-terminal FLAG/His 6 or His 6 /His 6 tag in order to be attached onto the surface of nanoliposomes. The electron microscopy then confirmed the structure of nanoliposome-binder particles. Isothermal titration calorimetry provided dissociation constant for liposome-binder metallochelating bond in the range 10 -7 to 10 -9 for mono- and double-HisTag forms. In vitro, in silicone replica of small diameter artery, the confocal and scanning electron microscopy confirmed a successful binding of D7-attached- to-nanoliposomes to fibrin fibres, see figure 1B. Conclusions: We developed binders relatively selective to fibrin, attached them to nanoliposomes, and documented targeting of fibrin in vitro. As the next step, selectivity needs to be now documented in animal studies.


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