The answer is as varied as the technologies and forms of biomass under consideration. In short, since there are different combinations of biomass feedstocks and biomass conversion technologies, the number of different estimates will equal the number of different feedstock-technology combinations.
Feedstocks
For self-use in the forest products industry, which is the leading owner of biomass generation in Michigan and Maine, biomass is essentially free. Purchasing forestry-produced biomass will cost between $0.50 and $3 per million Btu (mmBtu), with economically successful projects paying less than $1.50/mmBtu.
In the agricultural residue sector, the largest available sources of energy are from corn stover and wheat straw. Corn stover is presumed to sell for $30/ton. Wheat straw is more at $32-$54/ton [1], however the EIA estimates that it only costs $20/bale for farmers to recoup costs associated with lost nutrients and transportation. By 2020, agricultural and forestry residues will be available at $5/mmbtu. [2].
Urban wood waste and mill residues are available at $1/mmBtu. The cost of collecting urban wood waste and mill residues are currently expected to range from $0-$8 per wet ton for mill residues and from $10-14 per wet ton for urban residues [2].
Burnable municipal solid waste (MSW) is usually landfilled for a fee. Thus, it has a negative fuel price. However, plant operators must process MSW to eliminate toxics. They also need to install emissions control equipment.
Dedicated feedstocks, such as woody and herbaceous crops, cost almost 3 times more than residues ($2.50 per Gigajoule [GJ] compared to $0.95/GJ). Energy crops are available for $2.30/ million btu.
By comparison, the cheapest coal costs between $1.50 to $2 per mmBtu. Natural gas costs $3 to $4 per mmBtu. Overall, biomass is competitive when compared with other combustion fuels available.
Power
• The EIA predicts that the cost of power from conventional biomass combustion will be 5.1 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is only slightly higher than the power generated from fossil fuels at 2 cents-4.5 cents per kilowatt hour [3].
• Co-firing biomass with coal is much cheaper, since the power plant is already built and costs are limited to the biomass fuel and its preparation at the plant site. Costs can hover from almost nothing to 3 cents per kilowatt-hour for a project where biomass is 10% to 25% of the total fuel input of the power plant.
• The cost of power from of landfill gas can range from 3.5 – 7.9 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending on the size of landfill, financing available, distance from the grid or local application, and other factors.
Combined Heat and Power
CHP represents an improvement in the energy efficiency of power plants. Instead of releasing steam and heat that are byproducts of power generation, CHP systems capture this energy. Thus, CHP’s cost is primarily capital costs for installing equipment for energy capture. An estimate for the Powering the South effort, which estimates clean energy potential in the South, finds that CHP projects will yield power that costs 3.3 cents per kWh in 2010.
Fuels
Biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel represent 3% of the transportation fuels market in the United States. [4]
• Biodiesel based on soybeans can cost approximately $1.50 to $1.80 per gallon depending on which part of the country you are in [5]. Petroleum-based diesel is selling for a national average of $2.10 per gallon (May 2005 estimate) [6]. Below is a biofuel refueling station in California.
http://www.visionmagazine.com/feb05_vis_cafe.htm
• Ethanol costs about $1.20 per gallon, which compares very favorably to petroleum-based gasoline, again depending on where you are in the United States [5]. Prices are higher towards the coasts. Because ethanol gets less miles per gallon than gasoline, to get a comparitive price to gas, it must be multiplied by 1.5. Even after this is done, the ethanol price only rises to $1.80/gallon, whereas gasoline prices are skyrocketing well over $2.00/gallon, currently at $2.16/gallon [6], and do not look like they will be falling at any time soon.
• There are already 146,000 cars that run on E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline [7]. These vehicles, known as flexible fuel vehicles or FFVs, can also run on the traditional unleaded gasoline should an E85 station not be available. For more information on how to find out if your car is an FFV, or for more info on the E85 fuel, please visit the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.
Sources Cited:
[1] James D. Kerstetter, Ph.D. and John Kim Lyons. "Wheat Straw for Ethanol Production in Washington." Washington State University Study. September 2001. http://www.newuses.org/pdf/WSUCEEP2001084.pdf
[2] Zia Haq. "Biomass for Electricity Generation." Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy. 2002. http://eia.doe.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biomass/. June 2, 2005.
[3] John J. Conti, Dir. Annual Energy Outlook 2005 with Predictions to 2025. Energy Information Adminstration of the Department of Energy. February 2005.
[4] "Biofuels and Agriculture." Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 2001. http://www.smartbuildingproducts.com/Biofuels%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
[5] Alternative Price Fuels Report 2004. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/resources/pricereport/pdfs/afpr_3_23_04.pdf
[6] Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update. Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy. Updated weekly. http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp. Last Update before update of this website, July 4, 2005.
[7] "Ethanol as a Transportation Fuel." Energy Information Association. http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/ethanol.html
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