Graduation Date
Spring 2023
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Science degree with a major in Environmental Systems, option Energy, Technology, and Policy
Committee Chair Name
Dr. Kevin Fingerman
Committee Chair Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Hunter Harrill
Second Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Third Committee Member Name
Dr. Erin Kelly
Third Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Subject Categories
Environmental Systems
Abstract
Attempts to address wildfire risk and forest resilience have increased substantially over the last 20 years with specific interest in removing excess vegetation from stands, commonly referred to as “forest biomass”. However, the market capacity for and the economics of biomass utilization have been a limiting factor to achieving statewide goals for forest health and fire resilience. This thesis looks at the Southern Cascade and Northern Sierra Nevada biomass supply chain to benchmark current market capacity for biomass utilization through mapping and harvest record analysis. It also calculates the net revenue of biomass mobilization based on costs developed from a literature review, in addition to updating a harvest cost model with 2022 diesel and contractor haul prices. Finally, research estimates a potential market price for biomass in order to incentivize removal. I found that this region has over 400,000 unutilized bone-dry tons (BDT) net available per year in the region when accounting for biomass availability along roads located within recently burned areas. However, some of this material is not made available on a reliable basis year to year. Only 200,000 BDT is unutilized per year on a reliable basis with at least 65% of the material originating from in-woods operations. I also estimated that the market prices to cover mobilization costs for biomass should be $56.42 to $73.34 per BDT and $61.46 to $79.90 per BDT in order to incentivize additional acres treated at a distance of 55 miles one way. Using the current average market price of $50 per BDT, this would equate to providing a subsidy of $76.48 to $356.43 per acre.
Citation Style
APA
Recommended Citation
Stevenson, Clarke, "Establishing a market capacity and economic baseline for forest biomass utilization in the southern Cascade and northern Sierra Nevada mountain range, California" (2023). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 634.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/634
Included in
Business Analytics Commons, Forest Management Commons, Operations and Supply Chain Management Commons