The importance of forest thinning
After a century of fire suppression, an estimated 80 million acres of federal forest land in the U.S. are overly dense with trees and are now at risk for unnaturally severe fires. Hazardous fuels reduction projects have been proven as a means of restoring fire adapted ecosystems and lessening risk of catastrophic fire. Forest restoration operations such as thinning and removal of small diameter trees are taking place in many parts of the United States to reduce the hazardous fuel in unnaturally dense forests. After thinning operations, huge piles of forest residue remain. If left to rot, these forest slash piles, composed of treetops, small branches with bark, and even small diameter trees, will produce methane and supply fuel for wildfires.
With little to no commercial value, the biomass is usually disposed of in burn piles at the thinning site, sending smoke and particulate into the air. HM3 Energy’s technology can use all this forest residue from forest restoration and management operations as feedstock for its processes. HM3 Energy puts the energy contained in the forest waste wood to good use, by turning it into biocoal, or drop-in coal replacement fuel.
The need for hazardous fuels reduction in forests
- Carbon Emissions – Smoke from wildfires sends millions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
- Harmful Emissions – Smoke from both wildfire and prescribed burns are full of pollutants and particulate which are harmful to people and wildlife.
- Fire Fighting Costs – Budgets for firefighting are being stretched, leaving fewer dollars for fire prevention.
- Water Sources – Wildfires can severely damage watersheds serving large metropolitan areas miles away.
- Economic – Smoke hanging in the air for weeks affects the economic health of communities that depend on tourists interested in outdoor activities.
Benefits of harzardous fuels reduction
- Fire Resiliency – Restored forests are more resilient to catastrophic wildland fires, conserving biodiversity and protecting watersheds and old growth.
- Better Carbon Storage – Research shows that restored forests absorb more carbon even though trees are removed during restoration efforts.
- Protected Watersheds – Trees anchor the soil and their canopies cool the ground, reducing evaporation of precious water resources..