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Locating poplar biorefineries in the Pacific Northwest

Posted by Stephen Locker | September 17, 2014

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

View the recording at http://breeze.wsu.edu/p1om4flx5xb/

Finding the right locations for polar biorefineries is essential for making profitable biofuels.  The choice of location depends on where poplars grow best, what the competition for the land is, the size of the biorefinery, and the cost of transporting poplar chips to the biorefinery. Researchers at the University of California, Davis are evaluating potential biorefinery locations in the Pacific Northwest using the Geospatial Bioenergy System Model (GBSM). The model evaluates locations under a range of conditions including limiting poplar production to rangelands or croplands, variations in expected poplar yields, and different biorefinery sizes.

In this webinar, Nathan Parker from the University of California, Davis explains how a model can be used to site biorefineries that utilize poplar trees as the primary feedstock.

What’s covered? 

  • Optimal biofuel production systems
  • Practical applications for the GBSM
  • The best locations to establish biorefineries in the PNW

Presenters: Nathan Parker, University of California, Davis

Sponsored by:   Washington State University Extension with funding from Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Competitive Grant no. 2011-68005-30407 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).