University of Tennessee
Tennessee Forest Products Center
Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries
2506 Jacob Dr
Knoxville, TN 37996-4570
865-946-1125
An important aspect of products marketing and of emerging biofuels technologies is their impact on the environment. Life cycle analysis (LCA) has become the standard method for evaluation the environmental impacts of processes and products. The basis for LCA is the life cycle inventory (LCI), which is an accounting of all of the inputs and outputs related to the product or process being evaluated. Hardwood pellets are an important component of the biofuels programs. Pellets are dry, dense, easily handled, and can be burned directly as a heating fuel or can be a preliminary processing step in a biofuel conversion process. The goal of this project is to develop an LCI for hardwood pellets in the southeastern U.S. This inventory will be an important first component in evaluating the environmental profile of hardwood products as a whole. A workshop will be held to provide information to wood products manufacturers that are considering producing pellets.
1. Develop a life cycle inventory of hardwood fuel pellets from the southeastern U.S.
2. Conduct a workshop on wood pellets for existing and prospective pellet manufacturers.
life cycle analysis, wood pellet, workshop, Tennessee, hardwood, life cycle inventory, biomass
US Forest Service Grant
$ 63,000
Cooperative Funding
$ 78,567
Total
$ 141,567
Project was completed as planned. Project details and resutls are included in the attached reports.
For detailed results of this project, please see the references below.
