(599d) Increasing the Economic Efficiency of a Biomass Feedstock Used for Greenhouse Heating

Commercial greenhouses, while not considered a traditional staple of the forest products industry, can provide a stable outlet for waste biomass as a heat source. Originally using natural gas, the Natchez Trace Greenhouse in Kosciusco, MS, has recently converted to using alternative fuels for its heating needs. These greenhouses use biomass as a source of supplemental heat during the winter months, and the amount of land present at the site presents ample possibility for large quantities of biomass storage during the warmer months. Initially, corn was used as a fuel source, however, the cost of corn in Mississippi has risen almost parallel to that of natural gas. Waste sawdust from a local mill is available as a very cost effective fuel, but it alone does not provide adequate heating necessary for the number of greenhouses present on the property. This study aims to find an amendment that can be added to the waste wood to allow for ample heating, while meeting the greenhouse's monetary constraints.