Forest biomass
A clean and renewable energy alternative
For several years, environmental protection has become a major challenge for energy producers and the public. Exhaustible resources already pose challenges for industrials and alternatives to dirty energy are created in addition to echoing into our consciousness. Residual forest biomass, "green" energy if any, is one of the promising solutions. It includes everything that is not marketable in logging: branches, leaves, crowns, branches, sections of the trunk, etc.. The combustion of this biomass generates a clean energy used, among other things, as heat energy.
Advantages
The use of residual forest biomass as an energy resource has significant advantages. First, its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is 25 times lower than that of oil (0.12144 MT eq. CO2/Mtep against 3.09883 MT eq.CO2/Mtep).
In addition, it would only take half of the residual forest biomass present on Canadian soil to replace the entire propane and fuel oil used for the production of heat in the institutional and commercial buildings as well as in industry. Since this is a local resource, pollution from its transport would only be reduced.
Renewable through nature, since the ashes fertilize the land, residual forest biomass is able to reduce our dependence on oil in many ways.
Conditions for acceptance
For this resource to remain an alternative choice, it should meet certain standards and conditions:
- Protect biodiversity and respect the regenerative capacity of soils;
- Minimize the repayment of the carbon debt by promoting biomass sources;
- Maximize the local benefits in terms of job creation;
- Meet stringent standards in order to protect our quality of air.
Note that the current industrial burners and boilers for wood burning biomass already meet the most stringent standards set by the Ministry of Environment, through the use of advanced technologies.
Switching to forest biomass pays !
Government grants for the analysis and implementation of conversion projects to forest biomass are available to businesses, institutions and municipalities that undertake to reduce their measurable and sustainable use of fossil fuels.
Listed below are the details concerning financial grants:
|
Analysis Component |
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|
Categories |
Calculation of grants / eligible expenses |
Maximum for small and medium consumers |
Maximum for large consumers |
|
Conversion study |
50 % |
25 000 $ per site |
50 000 $ per site |
|
Study of biomass supply |
50 % |
25 000 $ per site |
50 000 $ per site |
Source : https://transitionenergetique.gouv.qc.ca/affaires/programmes/biomasse-forestiere-residuelle/aide-financiere
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Implementation Component A maximum of 5 M$ in grants is allowed |
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|
Categories |
Calculation of grants / eligible expenses |
PRI min |
$/t |
|
Large consumers
|
75 % 75 % |
1 year 3 years |
50 125 |
|
Small and medium consumers
|
75 % 75 % |
1 year 3 years |
125 125 |
Source : http://efficaciteenergetique.mrn.gouv.qc.ca/clientele-affaires/biomasse-forestiere/