Potentials and challenges of wood-biomass energy
generation in off-grid communities:
The Brochet Case Study in Northwest Manitoba
Shirley Thompson, Ph.D.
Rezaur Rahman, MNRM Candidate
7th Annual Biomass Workshop, Arborg, Manitoba.
Context: Energy generation in off-grid communities
• Remote communities and 65kV grid lines and above
• Green: Aboriginal communities, Yellow: Non-Aboriginal communities (Government of Canada, 2011) 2
Energy is a constraining force in the 292 off-grid communities across
Canada where diesel generators are mainly used for electricity generation.
Fossil fuel use in these communities risks shortages, spills, high energy
cost, etc.
Renewable energy technologies can compete more favourably in
off-grid communities than elsewhere because of existing high energy costs.
The Brochet community
3
Off-grid communities in Manitoba
including Brochet (MB Hydro, 2009)
Barren Lands First Nation
Village of Brochet
Airport office
Diesel generating station
Barren Lands First Nations and Community of Brochet
1 of 4 off-grid communities located in northwest Manitoba.
Has biomass energy potential.
Brochet and surrounding area 4
Brief information
Power and heat demand in Brochet Variables Information of Brochet
Size of the three diesel generators 1015 kW, 1015 kW, 600 kW
Total electricity production
(from diesel)
2,800 MWh(el)/year
Total heat consumption
(from wood and oil)
7,651MWh(th)/year
Annual average electricity load 320kW
Peak electric load range in a year 520-595 kW
Number of households/residences 126
Population 537
Number of non-residential buildings 19
5 (Center for Indigenous Environmental Resources report, 2012)
Cost items Quantity Cost (million $)
Diesel purchase 1 million liter @ $1.2a/ L 1.2
Diesel transport 1 million liter @ $.28b/L .28
Operations cost 1.46
Maintenance cost 1.85
Fuel oil for heating .35 million liter .175
Total cost 4.97
6
Yearly cost of power and heat energy generation in Brochet.
A Cost of diesel is based on average price of diesel in Winnipeg in August, 2013. B This cost does not include the cost of vehicle and its maintenance (Fennell, 2013).
(Bhattarai, 2013; Fennell, 2013).
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
Cu
bic
mete
rs o
f w
oo
d
(m
3)
30% 25% 20%
Power Plant Efficiency
Average 45% MC
Average 30% MC
7
(AEBiome, 2008, Fennell,
2013)
Equation (Source: Fennell and Thompson, 2013)
The annual demand of wood for a 1MW biomass power
plant at Brochet
Biomass source areas and transportation routes
for three transport modes analyzed
Source: Fennell and Thompson (2013)
8
Issues to be discussed in this talk
1. Whether or not manual harvesting in the local
forest for biomass fuel is possible.
2. Lack of definite knowledge of appropriate biomass
plant types and biomass energy technologies for
Brochet.
9
Biomass source areas in local forest (Forest Management Unit 79)
10
Burnt wood as fuel: wildfire occurrences near Brochet
11 (Source: Rahman, 2014)
1. Harvesting in local forest (FMU 79) outside formal productive
forest area
Potentials Barriers
• Wildfire burnt forest areas are
suitable for salvaging.
• Knowledge and experience of
harvesting in burnt area needed.
• No notable effect of harvesting
fire-killed and fallen trees on
wildlife and activities in forest.
• Major harvesting has to be performed
in winter and within 2-3 years of burn.
• Brochet/Barren lands community
economic development with local
jobs.
• Manual harvesting not state of the art
technology
• Harvesting biomass and storing
in Brochet.
• Harvesting restriction in close areas to
Brochet for high Caribou density.
• Harvesting green stands in far
areas from the community is an
option.
• Requires volume availability and
permission of Manitoba Conservation.
12
2. Biomass plant types for Brochet
13
Plant size and type Plant type Rank Remark on suitability
Power
only
4 There is no biomass power plant from 300 kW to
1000 kW size (micro-scale) operating in Canada
as technology does not suit economics of scale.
Heat and
power
combined
1 A CHP plant of 600 kW to 1 MW size is
appropriate for Brochet as heat demand is
substantial.
Heat only
2
An attractive option for its advantages over the
use of individual oil heating system in each
houses.
District
heating
3 Suitable for heat supply for 2 km area.
Comparison of the biomass technologies for Brochet
14
Technology Limitations Final remark
Organic
Rankine
Cycle
(ORC),
Entropic
cycle
Electrical efficiency of ORC is
low at 20% requiring more
biomass.
Uses refrigerant (pentane,
Butane etc.), which requires
much expense and care.
Too expensive and
demanding to be used
in Brochet.
Fixed-bed
downdraft
gasification
system (1st
generation)
• Produces tar as waste, which
is toxic.
Gasification plants require
much care.
The system is on test
by MB Hydro for
operational suitability
in a similar situation
to Brochet.
2nd
generation
(Water-
phase shift)
Requires woodchips to be of
specific size for operation.
The most attractive
option for Brochet as
it avoids the need of
conversion of the
energy into steam.
No pilot plant is
established yet.
3. Suppliers of CHP technology
Most companies offering biomass CHP
technologies at medium scale (200 kW to 2 MW),
including ORC technology, are based in Europe,
with very few companies in Canada or the US.
Only one energy company in Canada is offering the
downdraft gasification technology for a single plant
of 1MW size.
15
Wood-biomass CHP plants with potential for Brochet.
16
Company Product® and technological maturity Cost of the product
•Turboden,
Italy
TD 10 CHP 1 MW ORC unit, Commercial • CAD 6.2 Million
• Maintenance CAD
28,566/yr/unit
•GMK,
Germany
ECOCAL .5 to 2 MWe, ORC, Commercial
•Xylowatt,
Belgium
Xylowatt NOTAR 300 kW, Commercial
Fixed-bed downdraft gasification
•Biomass
Engineering
Ltd., UK
Modular 500 kW unit, Commercial
Fixed-bed downdraft gasifier
CAD 0.28 Million
•Biomass
Canada Ltd.,
Alberta
Gasification technology with stratified
catalytic downdraft gasifier.
2nd generation, 1 MW, Commercial
CAD 4 million
•Community
Power
Corporation,
Colorado
BioMax 100 kW, Commercial
Downdraft gasification technology
CAD 1.27 Million
O & M $18,500 &
16% FTE technician
CHP plant - CAD
200K to 250K less.
A biomass-fired ORC plant (Photo: Dong et al., 2009)
Biomass gasifier in Pine Lands nursery, MB 17
Biomass heating plant (2 MW) in Univ. of
Northern BC (Photo: Nexterra, BC)
In conclusion: Harvesting in local forest
A comprehensive ground survey should be performed
with the support of government to know wood volume
availability in the FMU 79.
A forest management plan and guideline for harvesting
burnt stands in the unit should be designed.
Some trials of harvesting and fuel storage are preferable. 18
Harvesting sufficient woody biomass from FMU 79 is a
feasible option.
Biomass conversion technologies for Brochet
The transition from diesel to biomass power generation
technologies/plants should begin slowly but as soon as
possible.
In-depth investigation needs to be performed to identify
suitable types and number of plants.
The biomass systems can be tried for independent
operation or work in harmonization with the existing diesel
generators.
The diesel generators can be modified to use syngas as
part of the overall solution.
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References
Bhattarai, P. (2013). Optimizing an off-grid electrical system in Brochet, Manitoba, Canada. Master’s thesis.
Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg.
Center for Indigenous Environmental Resources (2012). Barren Lands First Nation clean energy: A new and
comprehensive business case. Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources. Final report submitted on
30March, 2012.
Dong, L., Liu, H. & Riffat, S. (2009). Development of small-scale and micro-scale biomass- fuelled CHP systems
– A literature review. Applied Thermal Engineering, 29: 2119–2126.
Fennell, K. (2013). Economic and energy efficiency assessment of biomass harvesting at a northern off-grid
community: A case study of Barren Lands First Nation at Brochet, Manitoba, Canada. Master’s Thesis.
Natural Resources Institute. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg.
Fennell and Thompson (2013). Cost analysis of harvesting and transporting wood biomass to a
northern off-grid community: A case study of Barren Lands First Nation at Brochet, Manitoba, Canada. A report
submitted to Manitoba Hydro.
Government of Canada (2011). Status of off-grid communities in Canada. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern
Development Canada (AANDC) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)’s Report. Accessed on 10 November,
2013 at http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/rncan-nrcan/M154-71-2013-eng.pdf
Manitoba Hydro (2009).Recommendations for reducing or eliminating the use of diesel fuel to supply power in
off-grid communities.Report of Manitoba Hydro.
Rahman (2014). Woody biomass assessment and utilization planning for energy generation in off-grid
communities: A case study of Brochet in North-west Manitoba.
20
Thanks for your attention.
21
Table: Costs to be incurred within 2015-17 for the diesel generators and storage tanks.
22
Cost estimation of a biomass gasification CHP plant
Base Case: Operation plan for current diesel power plant.
Proposed Case: Establishment of a 1 MW biomass
gasification CHP plant
Diesel
generator
maintenance
cost for a 1 MW
plant
New diesel
generator
cost for a 1
MW plant
Total costs for the base case
Case 1:
Replacement of
storage tanks and
maintenance of a 1
MW diesel
generator
(million $)
Case 2:
Replacement of
storage tanks and
purchase of a new 1
MW diesel
generator
(million $)
$594x1,000 kW=
$594,000
$891x1,000
kW=
$891,000
7 + .594 = 7.594
7 + .891= 7.891
Cost comparison of biomass plant establishment with
investment for diesel facility
Note: The costs of wood drying, unloading, storing, and chipping were not
estimated for inclusion in calculating the total cost of the biomass case. 23
Options
Proposed case of biomass CHP plant
A - Total plant
cost – Min.
range
B - Total
plant cost –
Max. range
Cost saving of
proposed case
than the base case
(C-A, C-B)
A. Full-tree harvesting
& barge transport of
feedstock
.543 +3.4 =
3.94
.543 +3.93 =
4.47
4.12 to 3.59
B. Motor manual
harvesting and self-
loading truck
transport
1.05 +3.4 =
4.45
1.053 +3.93 =
4.98
3.61 to 3.08
C. Replacement of all
storage tanks and
purchase of a 1 MW
diesel generator; plus
fuel oil cost
7.89 +.175
=8.06
NA NA
Cost attractiveness of biomass CHP plant
establishment
Running a diesel plant with necessary facilities is
very costly and will be more costly in future.
An economic analysis of a 1MW biomass
gasification CHP plant showed potential to be much
more economical for investment compared to the
diesel system.
It makes economic sense to test/install biomass
energy systems before making new investment in
the diesel facility.
24
25
Biomass plant establishment potential in the
community is closely associated with:
topography
accessibility
fuel availability and
weather condition.
Power load
26
Average monthly electricity production in 2011 at Brochet
(Manitoba Hydro, 2012)
Research performed at NRI relating to biomass energy generation at Brochet
Cost and energy assessment of wood biomass harvesting and transportation for Brochet.
Wood biomass availability and requirement
Harvesting systems
Transportation systems
Co-benefits: Employment creation, CO2 emission
from harvesting and transportation.
Collection and analysis of energy baseline data of the community to provide demand side information.
Power load information and total cost of the existing diesel generating facility.
27