• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.70-78
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• 2022

To respond to global warming, there is an increasing interest in eco-friendly alternative energy sources. Therefore, unused forest biomass that has been neglected due to a lack of marketability is attracting attention. With the introduction of the "unused forest biomass certification system" in 2019, ways of determining quantity of unused forest biomass have steadily increased. However, there have been reported cases whereby unused forest biomass weighed more than the amount of harvested trees. It was found that it was possible that forest resources that can be used as round wood were mixed with unused forest biomass. In this context, this study aimed to estimate the amount of mixed round wood in the unused forest biomass supply. The relative expression of growing stock/ha versus the amount of final clearing/ha collected was modeled (y=1.490x-94.341, R²=0.861). As a result, it was found that round wood was mixed into the unused forest biomass, contributing to the disparity observed between the weighted forest biomass and the amount of trees harvested. In conclusion, proper declaration and certification procedures should be carried out for the use of forest resources and promoting unused forest biomass usage.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.317-330
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• 2022

Recently, the policy regarding climate change in Korea and overseas has been to promote the utilization of forest biomass to achieve net zero emissions. In addition, with the implementation of the unused forest biomass system in 2018, the size of the Korean market for manufacturing wood pellets and wood chips using unused forest biomass is rapidly expanding. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate the total amount of unused forest biomass that can be used as an energy source and to identify the capacity that can be continuously produced annually. In this study, we estimated the actual forest area that can be produced of logging residue and the potential amount of unused forest biomass resources based on GT (green ton). Using a forest functions classification map (1 : 25,000), 5th digital forest type map (1 : 25,000), and digital elevation model (DEM), the forest area with a slope of 30° or less and mountain ridges of 70% or less was estimated based on production forest and IV age class or more. The total forest area where unused forest biomass can be produced was estimated to be 1,453,047 ha. Based on GT, the total amount of unused forest biomass potential resources in Korea was estimated to be 117,741,436 tons. By forest type, coniferous forests were estimated to be 48,513,580 tons (41.2%), broad-leaved forests 27,419,391 tons (23.3%), and mixed forests 41,808,465 tons (35.5%). Data from this research analysis can be used as basic data to estimate commercial use of unused forest biomass.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.447-458
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• 2012

This study was carried out to evaluation of biomass generation mechanisms and to propose the estimation method of biomass generation. Agricultural by-product biomass is generated during crops cultivation and after harvest. However these are not uniformly generated yearly and these depending on the seasons. For planning of biomass utilization, accurate information of the biomass resources is needed, especially characteristic and productivity of biomass are necessary. Agricultural by-product biomass are generated in a wide area being scattered and it is one of the major reason why agricultural biomass utilization is not activated compared with other waste biomass. In this study, estimation and evaluation biomass generation is achieved in specific spatial and temporal boundary, A-city in Gyeongi-do and september to November respectively. Quantity and quality of by-product biomass show big difference depending on the crop species and cultivation periods and these difference bring up that accurate biomass estimation should be considered during planning of biomass utilization and technology selecting for biomass converting to energy and other forms.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.247-253
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• 2018

To replace the imported biomass and to effectively cope with growing RPS(Renewable Portfolio Standard) in power sector, the domestic forest biomass resources for wood pellets were estimated from the preceding research and annual growth rate of forest trees in this study. Assuming that 20% of the by-product from forest trees processing were used as raw material for wood pellet and the wood pellet production capacity was based on the average value derived from the above two methods, unused by-product and residues generated 1.99million tons in 2016, 2.28million tons in 2020 and 3.08million tons in 2030. If 20% of by-products(pebbles, sawdust, etc.) from roundwood processing were used as raw material for wood pellets, the wood pellet could be produced 2.74million tons/year in 2016, 2.95million tons/year in 2020, 3.98million tons/year in 2030. Therefore, total amounts of wood pellet would be increased to 2.74million tons/year in 2016, 3.14million tons/year in 2020, 4.23million tons/year in 2030 when it considered unused by-product and residues from wood processing as raw materials.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2009

Recently, various efforts for the extended utilization of woody biomass has been attempted due to the fact that global warming, energy and environmental problems are urgent ones to be solved. Development of new energy sources at our national security level is desperately needed as we depend on almost all of energies supplied from other countries, let alone the economic crisis caused by oil price hike. Woody biomass can be converted to energy by means of thermochemical, biological, or direct combustion processes. Many processes are available for producing bioenergy, such as bioethanol, wood pellet, wood chip, combined heat, and power system. Political support and R&D investment should be provided that can boost the utilization of the wood biomass, the eco-environment, and recyclable and alternative energy resources for national power security. In addition, a long-term strategy that can utilize unused and low efficient woody biomass resources, and systematically collect and manage them in a national level should be set up. Even though the possibility in total exchange of fossil oil with woody biomass is quite low, technology developments of woody biomass for the solution to global warming and environmental problem through its commercialization are expected to grow steadily.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.17-23
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• 2017

In South Korea, 25 % of annual agricultural residues (11.64 million tons) are unused. The hydrophilicity, low lower heating value (LHV), and low energy density of agricultural residues can be obstacles for efficient usage. Torrefaction, a low temperature pyrolysis process, can be a solution to overcome these disadvantage of agricultural residues. In this study, agricultural residues such as bean stem, pepper stem, perilla stem, sorghum stem, acorn shell, and ginkgo shell are torrefied at 200, 230, and $250^{\circ}C$ and evaluated energy properties, respectively. The torrefaction can increase the LHV and energy density rate of agricultural residues from 3,331~4,444 kcal/kg to 4,166~5,830 kcal/kg and 20~30 %, respectively.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.325-331
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• 2021

In this study, bio-carbons were produced by activation process from unused biomass (Grade 3 wood pellet and spent coffee grounds) to determine the removal performance of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. The activation experiments were conducted in a fixed bed reactor using CO₂ as an activation agent. The temperature of the activation reactor and input of CO₂ were 900 ℃ and 1 L min^-1 for all the experiments. The maximum BET surface area of about 788 m² g^-1 was obtained for bio-carbon produced from Grade 1 wood pellet, whereas about 544 m² g^-1 was achieved with bio-carbon produced from spent coffee grounds. In all the experiments, the bio-carbons produced were mainly found to have micro-porous nature. A lower ash amount in raw material was favored for the high surface area of bio-carbons. In the removal test of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, the bio-carbon produced from spent coffee grounds showed excellent adsorption performance compared with woody biomass (Grade 1 wood pellet and Grade 3 wood pellet). In addition, the comparative experiment of commercial impregnated activated carbon and bio-carbon produced from spent coffee grounds was conducted. In terms of formaldehyde removal performance, the commercial impregnated bio-carbon was excellent, while bio-carbon produced from spent coffee grounds was excellent in acetaldehyde removal.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

This study analyzed the anticipated supply-and-demand of forest biomass energy (through wood pellets) until 2050, in South Korea. Comparing the utilization rates of forest resources of five countries (United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Japan, and S. Korea), it was found that S. Korea does not nearly utilize its forest resources for energy purposes. The total demand for wood pellets in S. Korea (based on a power generation efficiency of 38%) was predicted to be 3,629 and 4,371 thousand tons in 2034 and 2050, respectively. The anticipated total wood pellet power generation ratio to target power consumption is 1.13% (5,745 GWh), 1.17% (6,336 GWh), and 1.25% (7,631 GWh) in 2020, 2030, and 2050, respectively. Low value-added forest residues left unattended in forests are called "Unused Forest Biomass" in S. Korea. From the analysis, the total annual potential amount of raw material, sustainably collectible amount, and available amount of wood pellet in 2050 were estimated to be 6,877, 4,814, and 3,370 thousand tons, respectively. The rate of contribution to Nationally Determined Contributions was up to 0.64%. Through this study, the authors found that forest biomass energy will contribute to a carbon neutral society in the near future at the national level.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.89-99
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• 2019

The project to utilize kenaf as thermal power plant fuel has a positive effect on the unused energy utilization, greenhouse gas reduction, and farm income. However, it is analyzed that it is difficult to secure economical efficiency because the fuel cost of kenaf is higher than that of power by thermal power plant and Renewable Energy Certification (REC). The project of power generation using kenaf is meet the government's major policies, while government support is essential for securing economical efficiency. As a result of the sensitivity analysis on the ratio of the government subsidies, to secure economical efficiency, the power generation prices using kenaf through the direct financial support of the government indicate that 47% and 76% of kenaf fuel cost are supported by government in case of the Saemangeum reclamation and Gangneung-si, respectively. In the case of the government indirect policy support, if kenaf is included as a renewable energy source of Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard and REC is granted, the economic efficiency of Saemangeum reclamation and Gangneung-si is obtained when REC secured at 1.05 or more and 2.43 or more, respectively. The results of this study are meaningful in that the direct and indirect effects of the government on the development of the herbaceous energy crop, kenaf, were evaluated economically. These results are to suggest the need for demonstration study, but economics analyze and evaluate are necessary based on operational data through the demonstration phase in the future.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.874-882
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• 2019

In this study, the gasification characteristics of four types of unused woody biomass and one waste wood in a lab-scale bubbling fluidized bed gasifier (Diameter: 0.11 m, Height: 0.42 m) were investigated. Effect of equivalence ratio (ER) of 0.15-0.3 and gas velocity of $2.5-5U_0/U_{mf}$ are determined at the constant temperature of $800^{\circ}C$ and fuel feeding rate of 1 kg/h. The silica sand particle having an average particle size of $287{\mu}m$ and olivine with an average particle size of $500{\mu}m$ were used as the bed material, respectively. The average product gas composition of samples is as follows; $H_2$ 3-4 vol.%, CO 15-16 vol.%, $CH_4$ 4 vol.% and $CO_2$ 18-19 vol.% with a lower heating value (LHV) of $1193-1301kcal/Nm^3$ and higher heating value (HHV) of $1262-1377kcal/Nm^3$. In addition, it was found that olivine reduced most of C2 components and increased $H_2$ content compared to silica sand, resulting in cracking reaction of tar. The non-condensable tar decreases by 72% ($1.24{\rightarrow}0.35g/Nm^3$) and the condensable tar decreases by 27% ($4.4{\rightarrow}3.2g/Nm^3$).