Journal article
A Review on the Potential of Forest Biomass for Bioenergy in Australia
Energies, Vol.13(5), 1147
2020
Abstract
The use of forest biomass for bioenergy in Australia represents only 1% of total energy production but is being recognized for having the potential to deliver low-cost and low-emission, renewable energy solutions. This review addresses the potential of forest biomass for bioenergy production in Australia relative to the amount of biomass energy measures available for production, harvest and transport, conversion, distribution and emission. Thirty-Five Australian studies on forest biomass for bioenergy are reviewed and categorized under five hierarchical terms delimiting the level of assessment on the biomass potential. Most of these studies assess the amount of biomass at a production level using measures such as the allometric volume equation and form factor assumptions linked to forest inventory data or applied in-field weighing of samples to predict the theoretical potential of forest biomass across an area or region. However, when estimating the potential of forest biomass for bioenergy production, it is essential to consider the entire supply chain that includes many limitations and reductions on the recovery of the forest biomass from production in the field to distribution to the network. This review reiterated definitions for theoretical, available, technological, economic and environmental biomass potential and identified missing links between them in the Australian literature. There is a need for further research on the forest biomass potential to explore lower cost and lowest net emission solutions as a replacement to fossil resources for energy production in Australia but methods the could provide promising solutions are available and can be applied to address this gap.
Details
- Title
- A Review on the Potential of Forest Biomass for Bioenergy in Australia
- Authors
- Sam Van Holsbeeck (Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastMark W Brown (Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastSanjeev K Srivastava (Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastMohammad R Ghaffariyan (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - School of Science and Engineering
- Publication details
- Energies, Vol.13(5), 1147; 19
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Date published
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.3390/en13051147
- ISSN
- 1996-1073
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; USC Business School - Legacy; Forest Industries Research Centre; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Forest Research Institute; Sustainability Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450839502621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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