Industrial greenhouse gas emissions: Does CO2 from combustion of biomass residue for energy really matter?

Neal Lineback; Taylor Dellinger; Lori Felix Shienvold; Brian Witcher; Audrey Reynolds; Lawrence E. Brown

doi:10.3354/cr013221

Climate Research

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CR 13:221-229 (1999) - doi:10.3354/cr013221

Industrial greenhouse gas emissions: Does CO₂ from combustion of biomass residue for energy really matter?

Neal Lineback^1,*, Taylor Dellinger², Lori Felix Shienvold³, Brian Witcher⁴, Audrey Reynolds¹, Lawrence E. Brown⁵

¹Department of Geography and Planning and ⁵Department of Chemistry, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina 28608, USA
²Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Hickory, North Carolina 28607, USA
³Environmental Systems Research Institute, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110, USA
⁴Department of Geography, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA

*E-mail: linebackng@appstate.edu

ABSTRACT: Woody biomass fuel combustion for industrial heating and processing is increasing in northwestern North Carolina. Sources are mainly biomass waste and residues, including sawdust and chips from the furniture and wood processing industries, greenwood chips from construction sites and right-of-way clearing operations, and wood removed from landfill streams. This paper evaluates 5 hypothetical scenarios for use and disposal of biomass waste to demonstrate effects of industrial combustion of this biofuel on the greenhouse gas emissions bundle. Conclusions are that use of biomass residue as a fuel can be a positive strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

KEY WORDS: Biomass combustion · Industrial biofuel · Industrial fuel switching · Greenhouse gas

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CR 13:221-229 (1999) - doi:10.3354/cr013221