Forest biomass is defined as any plant or tree material produced by forest growth. Much of the forest
biomass is currently used as a raw material in the manufacturing and refining of traditional types
of wood products, such as lumber, plywood, paper, chemicals, and many other items. These types of items are typically produced from trees that are over 5" in diameter at breast height (dbh), reasonably straight, and otherwise sound. Biomass used in these trees is considered "merchantable".

Forest Biomass Energy Systems are capable of using otherwise wasted or "unmerchantable" biomass. Specific types of biomass targeted for use in energy systems include: tops and branches of trees left after timber harvests, poor quality trees in managed forests, trees removed during land clearing operations, wood waste from urban areas, and wood residues produced by sawmills. As demand for these types of forest biomass increases, their value value will increase and they will become "merchantable".

Secondary Wood Biomass

Secondary biomass is any material that was derived from raw biomass but has undergone significant chemical and physical changes. Secondary biomass includes paper and cardboard, leather, pulping liquors, cotton, linen, hemp, natural rubber products, cellulose-derived casings, used cooking oils, tall oil, cheese whey, etc.
A major source of biomass is residues that are produced during the processing of a product that is unrelated to energy.
Examples include:

- Sawmill residues such as sawdust, bark, trim, sort-yard debris, chip fines, shavings
- Pulpmill residues such as liquors, tall oil, sludges, bark, pin knots
- Secondary wood-industry residues such as sawdust, shavings, trim, sander dust, rejects
- Industrial Waste Wood (i.e. from construction, demolition, crating, palletizing etc.)

Wood-Biomass in Forests

Canada has millions of hectares of managed forests and extensive tests have shown that only a small percentage
of forest growth is harvested for forest products.
Nutrient balance experiments have shown that forest residuals can be removed for fuel without adversely affecting the forest ecosystem.
In fact, residuals must be removed in some forests to
allow replanting of productive tree species.
Furthermore, some of the harvested logs are not used for traditional products. They could be used as fuel for generating energy for mills. Unfortunately, much of the residue is not used and is sent to a landfill or is still being incinerated without capturing and utilizing the energy.

Energy from
Wood Presentation

Alberta Wood
Energy Report

KALWA's Project Planning Guide

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