Wood entered the renewable energy debate with a vengeance last year, but it may soon be overshadowed by a new, perhaps more innovative use of forest byproducts — jet fuel.
State Public Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark announced last week he is seeking legislation to create a jet fuel biomass pilot project.
The goal, said state Department of Natural Resources spokesman Bryan Flint, is to get a fuel production plant built in Washington.
‘Furthers our efforts’
While a bill has not been introduced, state Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam — whose 24th District includes the North Olympic Peninsula — said he intends to sponsor the legislation.
“It just furthers our efforts to do better with green energy and get reliance on fossil fuels out of our system,” he said.
Biomass jet fuel can be created from vegetable oil, algae and, yes, wood, said John Gardner, a Washington State University professor.
Gardner is part of Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest, which also includes Boeing, Alaska Airlines and international airports in Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Spokane.
The group’s goal is to assess the viability of biomass jet fuel production in the Pacific Northwest.
Gardner said that the aviation industry is moving toward “nextgen” fuel sources, such as biomass, but there remains a lack of “regional supply chains” needed to make it happen.
The pilot project, a recommendation from the group, is intended to help resolve that problem, he said.
While agricultural products are the easiest to turn into jet fuel, Gardner said, wood can be used through a process that uses high temperatures to turn it into “a kind of crude.”
He said it essentially is “speeding up what it took to make a dinosaur or eucalyptus tree from a million years ago into oil.”
In 2009, the state Legislature authorized DNR to start biomass energy pilot projects. Hargrove and Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, both sponsored the legislation.
Four projects were selected for the pilot program, including the 20-megawatt power project Nippon Paper Industries USA plans to build at its Port Angeles mill by 2012.
In terms of help from the state, Nippon received a $1.4 million loan and $600,000 grant.
Port Townsend Paper Corp.’s 24 megawatt biomass energy project was not part of the pilot program.
As with the biomass energy projects, wood used to produce jet fuel would come from slash — tree tops and branches left at logging sites — and other byproducts of the timber industry, Gardner said.
Wood not primary source
But Gardner also emphasized that wood is not seen as a primary source of jet fuel.
Wood biomass jet fuel is still in its infancy, Gardner said. But the state’s extensive forests guarantees that wood will be used to some degree, he said.
“If you look at the Pacific Northwest, you couldn’t help but say one of these sources could be forest residuals,” Gardner said.
At first, Gardner said, any biomass jet fuel plant started in the state would likely only use vegetable oil and other agricultural sources.
Wood then algae
“I think the next likely feedstock to come in will be cellulose biomass likely from wood. After that, it will likely be algae,” he said.
A DNR-funded study to determine how much forest biomass is available for use in the state is ongoing.
Gardner said he is not concerned about biomass jet fuel production competing with wood-to-energy projects for supply since other supply sources are available.
Van De Wege and Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, said they also support legislation to create a biomass jet fuel pilot project.
They said Rep. Derek Sanford, D-Bothell, plans to sponsor the legislation in the House.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
