Formosa Ontario, March 12, 2012

1. Agricultural Biomass
Ontario’s Potential
Nick Betts
Outreach Coordinator
Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Assoc.
One Stone Road West |!Guelph, Ontario
519.826.4219 | nbetts@ontariosoilcrop.org
Thursday, May 17, 2012

2. Agricultural Biomass
The Crops
The Products & Markets
The Ontario Projects
The Potential
Thursday, May 17, 2012

3. The Crops
Rhizome Grasses
- high yield
- wood-like qualities
- high cost to establish
- higher quality soil needed
Seeded Grasses
- “marginal” land crop
- fibre uses
- lower yield
Thursday, May 17, 2012

4. Rhizome
Grasses
Thursday, May 17, 2012

5. Miscanthus
Thursday, May 17, 2012

6. Harvest
Practices
Thursday, May 17, 2012

7. Harvest
Practices
Thursday, May 17, 2012

8. Seeded
Grasses
Thursday, May 17, 2012

9. Harvest
Practices
Photos: Don Nott
Thursday, May 17, 2012

10. Harvest
Practices
Photos: Don Nott
Thursday, May 17, 2012

11. Switchgrass
Thursday, May 17, 2012

12. Ontario Tallgrass
Thursday, May 17, 2012

13. The Products
Photos: The Grower, EERE US DOE, University of Guelph, Pellet Mill Guide
Thursday, May 17, 2012

14. Household, Institutional,
or Community Heat
“1.5m2 PELLEMATIC SMART also makes additional use of flue gas
heat and increases the efficiency to approx. 106%. Condensing
technology reduces emission levels!to 4 mg/MJ. !“
Thursday, May 17, 2012

15. Developing
Bio-Composite Markets
Bio-Composite Plastic
Bio-bins
Flower pots
Auto parts
Bio-Composite Fibre Board
Furniture
Construction materials
Wall tile and panels
Thursday, May 17, 2012

16. Bedding
Photo: farmcentre.com
Thursday, May 17, 2012

17. Unique
Bedding
Features
- “dust free”
- high absorbency
- high yield/acre ratio
- low decomposition rate
- low nutrient capacity
- no yearly replanting: “green”
Thursday, May 17, 2012

18. The Markets
Thursday, May 17, 2012

19. E Wood pellet costs
U Germany "240 ($312)
R Denmark "340 ($442)
O
P FOB (free on board) prices industrial pellets
E SE USA harbours: "112 ($146) /tonne
A W. Canada harbours: "98 ($128) /tonne
N Int’l Shipping Costs (freight & unloading)
2011: $50 (US)
M
A Western University FOB price for farmers ($100
R net/acre), plus pelleting ($38), transport ($30),
Shipping ($50 - WSED number)
K
E Miscanthus: $98+$38+$30+$50=$216
T Switchgrass: $112+$38+$30+$50=$230
Thursday, May 17, 2012

20. Ontario Markets?
al
Co as
lG llet
s
ts
tura e lle ts
Na usP Pe elle Oil
nth od P g e
Wo ss tin an el
sca gra ea Pro
p
Die
s
line
Mi ch H
so
Swit l/Ga
ano
Eth
Thursday, May 17, 2012

21. Ontario Markets?
Energy Cost at Consumer’s Gate ($/GJ)
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
al
Co as
lG llet
s
ts 0
tura e lle ts
Na sP Pe elle Oil
nthu od P g an
e
el
sca Wo ss tin p s
Mi gra H ea Pro Die line
ch so
Swit l/Ga
ano
Eth
Thursday, May 17, 2012

22. Ontario Markets?
Energy Cost at Consumer’s Gate ($/GJ)
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
al
Co as
lG llet
s
ts 0
tura e lle ts
Na sP Pe elle Oil
nthu od P g an
e
el
sca Wo ss tin p s
Mi gra H ea Pro Die line
ch so
Swit l/Ga
ano
Eth
Thursday, May 17, 2012

23. Potential
Rural Energy Market
Schools
Municipal Buildings
Homes
Communities not connected to
natural gas
Thursday, May 17, 2012

24. Bedding
Currently market will follow
straw...
- “Premium” hay for horse
market? (dust-free, organic)
- Foaling/calving bedding?
Thursday, May 17, 2012

25. Biocomposites
Challenge:
Carrot, Sticks, Tambourines
Thursday, May 17, 2012

26. Market Development and Sustainability
Thursday, May 17, 2012

27. Market Development and Sustainability
Legal Financial Information
Measures Measures Activities
“sticks”
“carrots”
“tambourines”
Thursday, May 17, 2012

28. Example from Upper Austria biomass heating initiative
Thursday, May 17, 2012