Demonstration of the BioBaler harvesting system for collection of small-diameter woody biomass

As part of a project to investigate sustainable forest management practices for producing wood chips on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) for the ORNL steam plant, the BioBaler was tested in various Oak Ridge locations in August of 2011. The purpose of these tests and the subsequent economic analysis was to determine the potential of this novel woody biomass harvesting method for collection of small-diameter, low value woody biomass. Results suggest that opportunities may exist for economical harvest of low-value and liability or negative-cost biomass. (e.g., invasives). This could provide the ORR and area land managers with a tool to produce feedstock while improving forest health, controlling problem vegetation, and generating local employment

Investigation of biochemical biorefinery sizing and environmental sustainability impacts for conventional bale system and advanced uniform biomass logistics designs

The 2011 US Billion-Ton Update1 estimates that there are enough agricultural and forest resources to sustainably provide enough biomass to displace approximately 30% of the country’s current petroleum consumption. A portion of these resources are inaccessible at current cost targets with conventional feedstock supply systems because of their remoteness or low yields. Reliable analyses and projections of US biofuels production depend on assumptions about the supply system and biorefinery capacity, which, in turn, depend on economics, feedstock logistics, and sustainability. A cross-functional team has examined optimal combinations of advances in feedstock supply systems and biorefinery capacities with rigorous design information, improved crop yield and agronomic practices, and improved estimates of sustainable biomass availability. Biochemical-conversion-to-ethanol is analyzed for conventional bale-based system and advanced uniform-format feedstock supply system designs. The latter involves ‘pre-processing’ biomass into a higher-density, aerobically stable, easily transportable format that can supply large-scale biorefineries. Feedstock supply costs, logistics and processing costs are analyzed and compared, taking into account environmental sustainability metrics

U.S. Billion-ton Update: Biomass Supply for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry

The Report, Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply (generally referred to as the Billion-Ton Study or 2005 BTS), was an estimate of “potential” biomass within the contiguous United States based on numerous assumptions about current and future inventory and production capacity, availability, and technology. In the 2005 BTS, a strategic analysis was undertaken to determine if U.S. agriculture and forest resources have the capability to potentially produce at least one billion dry tons of biomass annually, in a sustainable manner—enough to displace approximately 30% of the country’s present petroleum consumption. To ensure reasonable confidence in the study results, an effort was made to use relatively conservative assumptions. However, for both agriculture and forestry, the resource potential was not restricted by price. That is, all identified biomass was potentially available, even though some potential feedstock would more than likely be too expensive to actually be economically available. In addition to updating the 2005 study, this report attempts to address a number of its shortcoming

A precautionary public health protection strategy for the possible risk of childhood leukaemia from exposure to power frequency magnetic fields

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epidemiological evidence showing a consistent association between the risk of childhood leukaemia and exposure to power frequency magnetic fields has been accumulating. This debate considers the additional precautionary intervention needed to manage this risk, when it exceeds the protection afforded by the exposure guidelines as recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The Bradford-Hill Criteria are guidelines for evaluating the scientific evidence that low frequency magnetic fields cause childhood leukaemia. The criteria are used for assessing the strength of scientific evidence and here have been applied to considering the strength of evidence that exposures to extremely low frequency magnetic fields may increase the risk of childhood leukaemia. The applicability of precaution is considered using the risk management framework outlined in a European Commission (EC) communication on the Precautionary Principle. That communication advises that measures should be proportionate, non-discriminatory, consistent with similar measures already taken, based on an examination of the benefits and costs of action and inaction, and subject to review in the light of new scientific findings.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The main evidence for a risk is an epidemiological association observed in several studies and meta-analyses; however, the number of highly exposed children is small and the association could be due to a combination of selection bias, confounding and chance. Corroborating experimental evidence is limited insofar as there is no clear indication of harm at the field levels implicated; however, the aetiology of childhood leukaemia is poorly understood. Taking a precautionary approach suggests that low-cost intervention to reduce exposure is appropriate. This assumes that if the risk is real, its impact is likely to be small. It also recognises the consequential cost of any major intervention. The recommendation is controversial in that other interpretations of the data are possible, and low-cost intervention may not fully alleviate the risk.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The debate shows how the EC risk management framework can be used to apply the Precautionary Principle to small and uncertain public health risks. However, despite the need for evidence-based policy making, many of the decisions remain value driven and therefore subjective.</p

Why Isn’t Framing Influenced by Personal Relevance?

Abstract. Monitoring resources is an important aspect of the overall efficient usage and control of any distributed system. In this paper, we describe a generic open-source resource monitoring architecture that has been specifically designed for the Grid. The paper consists of three main sections. In the first section, we outline our motivation and briefly detail similar work in the area. In the second section, we describe the general monitoring architecture and its components. In the final section of the paper, we summarise the experiences so far and outline our future work. 1

Adaptation and forage productivity of cool‐season grasses in the central USA

Abstract Cool‐season grass species (18) and cultivars (85) were evaluated for use in seeded grasslands in the tallgrass prairie and shortgrass steppe ecoregions of the central United States at the test locations of Ithaca and Sidney, NE, respectively. Both native and introduced grasses were evaluated in sward trails. Significant differences existed among species and cultivars for all traits evaluated except for in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) among cultivars within species at Sidney. The grasses that had the best establishment, persistence, and forage yields in the Ithaca trial were introduced wheatgrass (Thinopyrum) and bromegrass (Bromus) species. At the Sidney location, the best species using the same criteria were wheatgrasses (Thinopyrum, Agropryon, Pascopyrum, and Elymus spp.) and wildryes (Psathyrostachys). The only native grasses that were marginally competitive with the introduced grasses were western wheatgrass [Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Löve] and thickspike wheatgrass [Elymus macrourus (Turcz.) Tzvelev] at the Sidney location and western wheatgrass at Ithaca. The study was the largest cool‐season forage grass multispecies and cultivar sward evaluation to date in these two major land areas. The superior species and cultivars that were identified represent the best cool‐season grasses available for restoring marginal croplands to grazed grasslands in these two major land areas