Source: WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
MID-ATLANTIC SUSTAINABLE BIOMASS FOR VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS CONSORTIUM (MASBIO)
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1022965
Grant No.
2020-68012-31881
Cumulative Award Amt.
$10,000,000.00
Proposal No.
2019-08303
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2020
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2026
Grant Year
2020
Program Code
[A9201]- Sustainable Agricultural Systems
Recipient Organization
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
886 CHESTNUT RIDGE RD RM 202
MORGANTOWN,WV 26505-2742
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This project will deliver a sustainable and economically feasible biomass for value-added products system in the Mid-Atlantic region through implementation of the Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass for Value-added Products Consortium (MASBio). The integrated and transdisciplinary research, education and extension project will facilitate development and commercialization of bioproducts and the rural bioeconomy through collaborations with regional universities, industry partners and national laboratories while building upon existing partnerships with regional stakeholders. The project leverages and strategically utilizes available resources in the Mid-Atlantic including over 10 million acres of abandoned and surface mined lands that can be used to establish biomass crops, plus 8 million dry tons of forest residues that are produced annually. Together these can form the foundation of a massive regional multi-feedstock biomass supply chain with minimized gate costs, consistent feedstock quality and continuous supply. Short-term milestones include development strategies for feedstock production and harvest logistics optimization, bioproduct manufacture demonstrations, along with business plans, marketing strategies and workforce training to promote bioeconomic development and establish a commercial supply chain with targets of 5 dry tons/acre yield at a cost of $84/dry ton. Mid-term outcomes are to further improve the bioeconomy supply chain with an additional 15% increased feedstock yield from reclaimed and marginal lands and 15% harvest logistics operational cost reduction within 5-10 years. Longer-term impacts are to systematically advance bioproducts industries to produce a bioeconomy with potential of $367 million annual impact from a sustainable biomass to bioproducts system utilizing forest residues and reclaimed and marginal lands in the region.
Animal Health Component
35%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
35%
Applied
35%
Developmental
30%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2050699310035%
1230650202030%
1020199107035%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 205 - Plant Management Systems; 123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0650 - Wood and wood products; 0199 - Soil and land, general; 0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering; 1070 - Ecology; 3100 - Management;
Goals / Objectives
The ultimate goal of this project is to deliver a sustainable and economically feasible biomass for value-added products system in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. through implementation of the Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass Consortium (MASBio). Specific project objectives to fully implement MASBio include: (1) identify and demonstrate feasible and cost-effective approaches to soil amendment and feedstock production to increase the biomass yield on reclaimed and marginal lands, (2) demonstrate efficient and effective harvest and logistics strategies for an optimized supply chain of integrated biomass crops and forest residues for continuous industrial use, (3) develop and optimize bioproduct conversion processes through collaborations with industry partners, (4) evaluate the sustainability and human dimensions of the developed system, (5) conduct system and scale-up analyses using robust artificial intelligence (AI)-based data analytics, (6) engage the next generation of bioproducts leaders through education and internship programs, and (7) outreach and engage with entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and business developers to promote bioeconomic development through integrated outreach programs.
Project Methods
This project consists of many innovative and integrated research, education and extension components. It will focus on several demonstrations showing strategies for yield improvement of biomass crops on reclaimed and marginal lands using biochar and fertilizers as soil amendments. It will develop a cost-efficient and continuous feedstock supply chain through advanced techniques, and models for optimization of harvest and logistics. In cooperation with industry partners the project will develop biomass conversion platforms with high demand and market potential, and will evaluate environmental impacts and explore the scale-up strategies of the products. The educational program will include online courses and a summer undergraduate scholar program. Primary and secondary educators and students will also be engaged through training sessions and learning toolkits to promote the sciences related to sustainable bioproducts systems. Extension activities will engage and educate farmers, landowners, stakeholders, policy makers, and other professionals. Entrepreneurial and bio-business development opportunities will be supported through demonstrations of the engineering processes and commercial applications. Through learning sessions and workshops we will engage a diverse set of stakeholders to encourage workforce development, entrepreneurship, identify barriers, and address critical needs of building biomass production capacity. The three components will be strongly integrated in that the research will develop and improve management strategies and engineering processes which in turn will be demonstrated through industrial extension to show commercial applications, which then feed data back to the research. At the same time, these research and extension activities will provide information to educate future bio-supply chain managers and support workforce development and further market opportunities.

Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes industry partners developing and investing in biomass bio-based products, landowners (e.g. focusing on reclaimed mine land and marginal agricultural land), university and research faculty and students internal and external to the universities funded by this project, educators and students of primary, secondary, community college, and university institutions, people entering and transitioning into the workforce, entrepreneurs, local and state-level policymakers, and governance groups and NGOs developing and supporting sustainable economic development and bioeconomy opportunities in the Central Appalachian region. Changes/Problems: Field Trial Expansion & Site Diversity: Change: The approach to field trials has expanded to increase the diversity of soil types and sites, particularly focusing on more challenging areas like mine lands. Reason: This change was prompted by the need to enhance our understanding of biomass yields under varied conditions, especially in regions that are harder to assess, such as mine lands. The integration of data from existing partnerships will help fill gaps in knowledge and improve the robustness of yield predictions for diverse site conditions. Refinement of Biochar Fertility Recommendations: Change: The team will continue its analysis of biochar's impact on fertility across various site conditions and work with industry partners to establish biochar certification processes. Reason: As biochar's role in land restoration and mine remediation becomes more prominent, ensuring consistency in production and application is essential. The initial understanding of biochar's benefits required further exploration, especially in adapting fertility recommendations based on different environments. Increased Focus on Stakeholder Engagement & Outreach: Change: Due to the slow pace of peer-reviewed publications, the approach has shifted toward increasing direct presentations and outreach to stakeholders, including policymakers and the practitioner community. Reason: Given that scientific publications may take longer to publish, the team has recognized the importance of engaging stakeholders in real time with interim results from biomass trials, biochar applications, and supply chain improvements. This approach ensures the findings are delivered promptly and used to inform decisions on the ground. Challenges in Student Engagement & Participation: Change: Adjustments have been made to increase student engagement in various programs, especially addressing challenges in participation in the MASBio annual meeting and online courses. Reason: Low student participation in certain online activities, particularly in the MASBio annual meeting and graduate seminar courses, prompted a reassessment of engagement strategies. These changes are focused on making these activities more accessible by improving course design, offering live or recorded sessions, and gathering more direct feedback from students to encourage participation. Biochar Demonstration & Public Understanding: Change: The project team has shifted to more resource-intensive field events, such as biochar production demonstrations, to improve public understanding of biochar's ecological and land restoration benefits. Reason: There is an increasing need to expand biochar education to the general public and stakeholders. By partnering with NGOs and forest managers, the team aims to maximize outreach, despite the higher resource demands of conducting field events. Biofuel & SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) Research: Change: The team has decided to initiate studies on the quality of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and collaborate on establishing standards for biofuel production. Reason: This shift aligns with the increasing importance of biofuels in global energy systems. SAF is gaining attention as a potential solution to reduce aviation emissions, and the team aims to contribute to biofuel standards to support the growing industry. Challenges in Funding for Pollinator & Biochar Initiatives: Change: The biochar/pollinator project at Little Indian Creek Wildlife Management Area faced challenges securing sufficient funding for expansion and outreach. Reason: Initial funding support from MASBio was critical, but additional grants from organizations like FirstEnergy and the Right of Way Habitat Working Group were necessary to overcome financial constraints. This funding allowed for the expansion of demonstration sites and outreach programs. Delays in Policy Assessment: Change: Delays were encountered in policy assessments for lignocellulosic feedstocks due to visa challenges faced by a new PhD student. Reason: External factors such as visa issues delayed progress on the assessment of policies affecting feedstock availability. These challenges have caused some slippage in the planned timeline for policy analysis. Refinement of Biomass Supply Chain Models: Change: The biomass supply chain model continues to be refined by incorporating more diverse data sources, and a scenario-based cost estimation worksheet will be created. Reason: This change is due to the recognition that the initial model required further data input to accurately capture the complexities of multi-feedstock supply chains. The goal is to optimize supply chain sustainability and efficiency, which will help better support growers and manufacturers. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Key Impacts Students impacted in delivered programs: + 270 students engaged in various educational programs. Total Students involved in the MASBio Initiative: 27 (10 undergraduates, 13 graduates, 8 PhDs, 4 postdocs, and 1 staff) Key Beneficiaries Undergraduates & Graduates: Participated in research and coursework. Teachers & Students: Gained knowledge of bio-based products. Biomass Industries: Indirect benefits through access to trained graduates. 3 Courses Developed: Two courses onland degradation and reclamation and one course on sustainable bioenergy production. Participants: 173 Undergraduate and 42 graduate student participants. 3 Delivered programs: Cohort-Based Summer Biomass Education Program- West Virginia University •Participants: 5 undergraduate students participated in research and mentoring. •Outcomes: Increased interest in bioproducts careers/ students are more likely to pursue bioproducts careers. Graduate Seminar Course on MASBio Fundamentals •Participants: 16 graduate students engaged. •Outcome: Critical evaluation of renewable systems. Teacher Training Session for Grade-School Educators •20 educators trained to introduce bio-based products and energy. •Challenge: Aligning curriculum with state education standards. •Solution: Adapting content to meet state requirements. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Mid-Atlantic Region benefitted indirectly by having a population better equipped to understand and take advantage of biomass and bioproduct opportunities. Total Peer Review Publications: 16 Published articles Total Presentations: 69(Academic Presentations: 55,Stakeholder Presentations: 14) Outreach efforts reached over 400 stakeholders. Focus on biomass industries and communities in the Mid-Atlantic region. Impact: Increased public awareness of biomass opportunities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Field Trials & Biomass Research Expand Field Trials: Increase diversity in soil types and sites by integrating data from existing projects, particularly focusing on more challenging areas like mine lands to enhance understanding of biomass yields. Herbicide Trial Manuscript: Finalize and submit research on herbicide options for willow establishment to aid land managers. Biomass Harvesting & GHG Research: Conduct studies on pellet feedstock harvesting and expand greenhouse gas research from biocrop soils, addressing variability with more sampling. Biomass Conversion: Test energy-efficient biomass pretreatment and lignin degradation with industry support. Biochar Production & Application Biochar Characterization: Collaborate with industry to establish certification processes for biochar, improving consistency for applications. Enhance Biochar Demonstrations: Plan and execute biochar production demonstrations with partners to educate the public on its role in land restoration and mine site remediation. Biochar Fertility Recommendations: Continue analysis to refine biochar's use in different site conditions and enhance fertility recommendations. Soil & Environmental Research Soil Modeling Collaboration: Share soil data with modeling teams to improve biomass yield predictions for sustainable practices. Soil Health Monitoring: Monitor soil carbon and microbial traits as bioproduct crops mature, preparing a follow-up on long-term soil carbon trends. Microclimate Data Integration: Improve consistency for nitrate concentration studies and enhance predictive modeling reliability. Student & Workforce Development Student Research & Mentorship: Support graduate students in data analysis and research writing, overcoming logistical challenges such as field site access and inflation-related budget constraints. Student Engagement: Increase participation in the summer biomass education program and other educational initiatives. Tailor content to students' needs and expand online resources. Workforce Development: Provide training and mentorship to students and early-career professionals, including support for graduate student research. Outreach & Stakeholder Engagement Broaden Outreach Efforts: Conduct presentations and outreach with stakeholders to share interim results from biomass trials, biochar applications, and supply chain optimizations, ensuring timely delivery of findings. Increase Stakeholder Engagement: Organize workshops and interactive sessions with stakeholders, including policymakers, to promote biomass and bioenergy solutions. Expand Landowner Consultations: Provide tailored recommendations for biomass storage, nutrient management, and new market exploration for willow biomass. Supply Chain & Policy Assessments Refine Biomass Supply Chain Models: Continue refining multi-feedstock biomass supply chain models, integrating diverse data sources and sharing findings through publications and presentations. Policy Assessment for Feedstocks: Assess policies affecting lignocellulosic feedstocks with a new PhD student, despite delays. SAF Research & Biofuel Standards: Begin studies on SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) quality and collaborate on biofuel production standards. Collaboration & Partnerships Engage with PSU & DCNR: Collaborate with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to explore forest regeneration practices using low-grade wood products. Char21™ Filtration Device Development: Move forward with licensing and optimizing the Char21™ SW stormwater filtration device, focusing on real-world performance and durability. Collaborate on Market Assessments: Continue county-level market assessments for low-grade wood in Pennsylvania, identifying economic viability and market opportunities for sustainable forestry.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? (1) Outcomes in woody biomass production and biochar research, addressing challenges in soil management and biomass cultivation, were developed. Early willow biomass trial results emphasized site variability and the need for greater inputs on certain lands, such as mine sites, compared to agricultural fields. Soil characterizations were completed to enhance predictive models for biomass yields and sustainability metrics. Biochar characterization revealed variability due to differing sources and possessing conditions, highlighting the need for informed application rates and potential certification for biochar producers. Herbicide trials for willow establishment expanded weed control options, but further trials are necessary to refine prescriptions. A study on willow cutting length and rooting restrictions showed that limiting root space reduces biomass, emphasizing the importance of proper site preparation. Leaching experiments demonstrated that ion retention and chemical effects vary by soil type and application rate. Two new graduate students joined the project in 2024 to assist with biomass quantification and soil fertility recommendations. (2)Scientific results to both research and practitioner communities were delivered through publications and presentations, including biomass assessments and biochar research. Demonstrations were conducted to educate the forest industry about biochar's benefits while fostering collaborations. Direct outreach to policymakers improved understanding of bioeconomy issues. Despite complexities in multi-feedstock supply chain modeling, integrating various data sources supported sustainable biomass use. Overall, the initiative promoted education, engagement, and policy development in sustainable biomass practices while seeking to establish new markets for woody biomass products. It successfully guided ongoing research, expanded bioeconomy practices, and tailored presentations to stakeholders. New graduate student Zhuoxiao Akila Wu contributed to inventory policy supply chain models, enhancing industry applications. Challenges included staff turnover and the labor-intensive nature of outreach events. (3)Apublication on logging residue's thermal decomposition enhances biomass utilization for energy production, supporting environmental sustainability and economic growth. Challenges with biomass variability and energy-intensive pretreatment were addressed through comprehensive sampling and lower-energy methods. A new postdoc, Wanhe Hu, contributed to understanding bioproducts, facilitating knowledge exchange with the biofuel industry.Additionally, USDA fundingwas received to study organic contaminant residues in biochar and develop innovative techniques to convert CO2into nanomaterials.Publications included two articles on thermal treatment and bio-adhesives from lignin, showcasing potential applications in sustainable packaging. Additionally, the efforts included actively engaging in outreach and collaboration, participating in workshops and conferences to align research with industry needs, and enhancing project impact.Ongoing efforts aim to establish new funding proposals focused on biofuels, tackling challenges like feedstock variability and establishing quality standards for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). (4)Significant findings on soil responses to bioproduct crop production on marginal and reclaimed mined land were published, demonstrating that these soils maintained carbon levels over two growing seasons, unlike agricultural sites. This work indicates potential for sustainable practices in biomass production but requires further monitoring as the crops mature. Additionally, they completed a review on biomass harvesting impacts, concluding that, with proper management, these systems do not adversely affect environmental sustainability compared to conventional methods. New summer scholars contributed to research on microbial activity in biocrop soils. Presentations at conferences shared insights on greenhouse gas production related to biocrops, highlighting the need for more frequent sampling to account for variability in results. Supported by graduate students from UW-Madison and WVU, the team has navigated challenges such as financial difficulties due to inflation. Ongoing research continues to explore soil health and carbon dynamics in the context of bioproduct crop production.(5)Significant advancements in sustainable materials, particularly lignin-soy protein bio-adhesives, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from forest residues, were developed.A novel machine learning model for predicting soil respiration rates in oak forests was developed, showcasing efficiency in processing high-throughput data. Recent publications emphasize these materials' environmental benefits and cost-competitiveness, encouraging adoption in the adhesive and biofuel industries. Challenges include ensuring sustainable feedstock supply, competitive pricing, and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. The study underscores the necessity of techno-economic analyses and life cycle assessments to optimize production methods. Innovative continuous-flow reactors have been introduced to improve the efficiency of bio-adhesive production. Additionally, the potential of non-degradable bioplastics in construction is explored, promoting environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional materials. The research fosters collaboration among stakeholders in the construction, aviation, and bioenergy sectors to enhance sustainability and resource efficiency. (6)Notable progress in educational programs and outreach efforts, engaging over 650participants. Key activities include a cohort-based summer biomass education program at Virginia Tech University, where 5 undergraduate students engaged in research tasks and were mentored by faculty, resulting in increased interest in bioproducts careers. Recruitment challenges led to program adaptations focusing on participant needs. A graduate seminar course on MASBio feedstock production, with 16 graduate students, fostered research refinement, though student engagement with online components needed to be improved. Teacher training sessions in West Virginia empowered 20 educators to introduce bio-based products and energy topics in their classrooms despite challenges in aligning with state curricula. Outreach included presentations, webinars, and extension articles, reaching over 200 stakeholders and aimed at broader audiences, including biomass industries and communities in the Mid-Atlantic region. These programs enhanced student skills and indirectly benefitted biomass industries by producing knowledgeable graduates and raising public awareness of biomass and bioproduct opportunities. (7)Major accomplishments included the development of The CarbonCalc: Biochar Credit Estimator project, which enables biochar producers to estimate carbon credits using methodologies from Puro.earth and Verra. Meanwhile, the Char21™ stormwater filtration device, now patent-pending, was developed to use materials like biochar and other additives to improve pollution control. This product has been licensed and is currently being marketed and produced. Furthermore, the Pollinator Power: Biochar & Bloom Initiative, backed by $16,500 in grants, demonstrated biochar's benefits for pollinator plant growth. Outreach efforts included seminars, attracting over 400 participants, and establishing demonstration sites with educational signage. Despite challenges in scalability and funding, these projects advanced biochar's role in carbon markets and ecological restoration.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Zhao, J. and J. Wang. 2024. An integrated modeling and analytical framework of machine learning and life cycle assessment in forest biomass utilization for bioproducts. The 26th IUFRO World Congress. T2.14 Innovations and new business models towards more sustainable circular forest bio-economy, especially including life-cycle and techno-economic assessments. Stockholm, Sweden. June 23-29, 2024. (poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Kloster, D. and T.A. Volk. 2024. Developing a roadmap for a wood-based bioeconomy in New York State. NY Society of American Foresters annual meeting, Jan. 31  Feb. 2, 2024, Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kloster, D. and T.A. Volk. 2023. New Yorks wood based bioeconomy. Adirondack Research Consortium Fall Forestry Roundtable. Queensbury, NY, Nov. 2, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hossain, M.S. and T.A. Volk. 2024. Identification of land and potential production of willow biomass crops using a multi?criteria land suitability assessment, SUNY Graduate Symposium, April 26, 2024 (Online).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Liu, J., T. Volk, M. Eisenbies, N. Anderson, W. Yu, and J. Wang. 2024. Efficient harvest and logistics models for optimized switchgrass and willow integrated supply chain. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers 2024 Annual International Meeting held in Anaheim, California, August 1, 2024.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Project Demonstration: MASBio Annual Meeting, Penn State University, College Station, PA, Sept. 11-14, 2023.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Project Demonstration: Lolo National Forest CharBoss Demonstration, Rock Creek, MT, October 11-13, 2023.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Project Demonstration: Colorado Charboss Demo and Biochar field site tour, Gunnison National Forest, CO, June 13-14, 2024.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Project Demonstration: Wood Vault Field Tour, various sites in Montana (Willis Enterprises, Lolo National Forest, UM Lubrecht Experimental Forest, Pyramid Lumber, et al.), July 9, 2024.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Project Demonstration: Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Pinter Range District, Maxville Project field tour, Montana, July 10, 2024.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Project Demonstration: Forest Restoration, Biochar and Mine Reclamation Field Visit, Flagstaff and Globe, AZ, August 12-13, 2024.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Project Presentation: MASBio Project Annual Meeting, Syracuse, NY, September 10-12, 2024.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Project Demonstration: 2024 USDS-NIFA Sustainable Agricultural Systems Project Directors Meeting, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, April 15-16, 2024.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Project Demonstration: USFS R&D Congressional Staffer site visit and field tour, Missoula, MT, April 23-25, 2024 (RMRS facilities and field sites, including industry tour).
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Project Demonstration: Council on Forest Engineering, CharBoss Demonstration, Moscow, ID, May 23, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Schuler, J., S. Grushecky, and J. Wang. 2024. Using shrub willows and soil amendments for biomass production and site remediation on reclaimed mine lands and marginal agricultural lands. IUFRO 26th World Congress, Stockholm, Sweden, June 24, 2024.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hass A., and R. Cantrell. 2024. On the use of biochar as soil amendment. 2024 National Meeting of the American Society of Reclamation Sciences, June 2 - 5, 2024 Knoxville, TN.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Chadband A., Hass A., and R. Cantrell. 2024. The use of biochar as a soil amendment to mitigate climate change. 1890 ARD Research Symposium, April 6 - 9, 2024, Nashville, TN.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Chadband A., and A. Hass. 2023. Assembling and implementing field-laboratory to assess soil GHG emission from biochar amended soil. 9th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference. Oct. 11- 15, 2023. New Orleans LA.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Lima I., and A. Hass. 2023. Understanding Biochar Functionalities Based on Feedstock Characteristics and Processing Conditions Bio-Char III: Production, Characterization and Application. September 17-22, 2023, Tomar, Portugal.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Jamie Schuler, Shawn Grushecky, and Jingxin Wang. 2024. The Effect of Cutting Length and Surface Area on Biomass Partitioning in Hybrid Willows. Central Hardwood Forest Conference, March 12-13, 2024, Lexington, KY.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hass Amir. Biochar - On-Farm Production and Use as Soil Amendment. 20th Annual West Virginia Small Farm Conference, February 24, 2024, Charleston, WV
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hu, W., Wang, J., Hu, J., Schuler, J., Grushecky, S., Jiang, C., Smith, W., Nan, N. and Sabolsky, E.M., 2024. Combustion Behaviors, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics of Naturally Decomposed and Torrefied Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) Forest Logging Residue. Energies, 17(7), p.1607. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17071607
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Sygula, E., Ciolkosz, D., and Bialowic, A. (2024). The significance of structural components of lignocellulosic biomass on volatile organic compounds presence on biochar - a review. Wood Science and Technology. 58(2024). 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-024-01557-y
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Tripathi, J., Ciolkosz, D., and Sykes, D. 2023. Torrefied paper as a packaging material and subsequently as a bioethanol substrate: Synergy of torrefaction and alkaline pretreatment for increased utility. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 191(2023). 7pp.
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Changle Jiang, Jianli Hu, Chao Zhang, Gangarao Hota, Jingxin Wang, Lignin Oligomers from Mild Base-catalyzed Depolymerization for Potential Application in Aqueous Soy Adhesive as Phenolic Blends, Reaction Chemistry and Engineering, 2023, 8, 2455-2465, DOI: 10.1039/D3RE00224A
  • Type: Other Status: Submitted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Li Q, Qian Y, Malcolm X, Li B*. (2024). Amino acid-driven CO2 capture and conversion as CaCO3 nano-particles: An innovative approach transforms CO2 into nano-minerals. Submitted.
  • Type: Other Status: Submitted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Li Q, Xing M, and Li B. (2024). Amino acid-driven one step process to transform CO2 into barium carbonate nanoparticles. Submitted.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hu, W., Aryal, B., Goldsmith, T., Batchelor, T., Ranpara, A., Wang, J. 2023. Characteristics and Combustion Emissions of Municipal Solid Waste Pellets for Burn Pit Practices. Waste to advanced resources matter workshop, NCSU, Raleigh, NC, Nov. 15-16, 2023.
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Grover, S., Anderson, H. M., Fleck, J., Kelly, C. N., Schuler, J., Ruark, M. D., & Freedman, Z. B. (2024). Early production of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and willow (Salix spp.) indicates carbon accumulation potential in Appalachian reclaimed mine and agriculture soil. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 88(3), 602-619.
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Bays, H.C.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, H.L. Munro, S.M. Barrett, and A. Peduzzi. 2024. Assessing the sustainability of forest biomass harvesting practices in the southeastern US to meet European renewable energy goals. Biomass and Bioenergy 106:107267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107267
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hubbart, J.A., K. Stephan, and G. Dahle. 2024. Biochar: Advancing Agriculture, Environmental Conservation, and Climate Resiliency with Carbon. Ecology & Conservation Science. 4(3) 555640. DOI: 10.19080/ECOA.2024.04.555640
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Anderson, H., Huang, J., Hartemink, A. and Z.B. Freedman. 2024. Exploring the use of proximal and remote sensing for ecological monitoring of soil reclamation efforts. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. November 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Anderson, H., C. Kelly, J. Schuler, and Z.B. Freedman. 2024. Microbial controls on soil organic carbon formation and persistence in disturbed and degraded soils in the Appalachian region. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. November 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: J. Hubbart: Considering Agriculture Opportunities with Appalachias Changing Climate. Clean Solutions. Invited Presentation at Glenville State University for Climate and Adaptation Speaker Series. January 22, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: J. Hubbart: Vegetations Role in Enhancing Infiltration and Water Quality: Considerations for Production Efficiency. Invited Presentation at the 2024 Appalachian Grazing Conference held in Morgantown, WV. March 7 - 9, 2024 Included material about biomass for clean energy impact on improving marginally productive soils.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Bidisha Abesh and Jason Hubbart. Poster Presentation. Soil-Water Interactions in Riparian Wetlands: A Study of Hydraulic Conductivity and Nutrient Concentrations. Annual College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Student Research and Creative Scholarship Day. April 4, 2024, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV. Poster.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Bays, H.C.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, A. Peduzzi, H.L. Munro, and S.M. Barrett. 2024. Assessing the sustainability of harvesting practices in the southeastern US to meet European renewable energy goals: a review. In: 26th International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) World Congress: Forests and Society Towards 2050. Stockholm, Sweden. June 23-29, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Bays, H.C.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, A. Peduzzi, H.L. Munro, and S.M. Barrett. 2024. Woody debris volume and nutrient retention following conventional pulpwood and wood pellet feedstock harvests in the southeastern US. Poster presented at the 26th International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) World Congress: Forests and Society Towards 2050. Stockholm, Sweden. June 23-29, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Bays, H.C.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, H.L. Munro, S.M. Barrett, and A. Peduzzi. 2024. Estimated erosion and water quality best management practice implementation on conventional and wood pellet harvesting operations in the southeastern U.S. In: 56th Annual International Symposium on Forestry Mechanization (FORMEC). European Solidarity Center; Gda?sk, Poland. June 11-14, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bolding, M.C., H.C.M. Bays, P. DiGiacomo*, and J.L. Conrad, IV. 2023. Sustainability considerations and unique practices related to pellet feedstock harvesting. Invited presentation given at the 11th Annual US Industrial Pellet Association Conference. Miami Beach, FL. October 16-18, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Bays, H.C.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, H.L. Munro, S.M. Barrett, and A. Peduzzi. 2024. Retention of woody residue following conventional and wood pellet feedstock harvesting in the southeastern U.S. In: 46th Annual Council on Forest Engineering Meeting (COFE). Moscow, Idaho. May 22-24, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: DiGiacomo, P.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, H.L. Munro, and K.M. Woosnam. 2024. Comparison of the post-harvest characteristics of wood pellet feedstock and conventional sites in the US South. In: 46th Annual Council on Forest Engineering Meeting (COFE). Moscow, Idaho. May 22-24, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: DiGiacomo, P.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, H.L. Munro, and K.M. Woosnam. 2024. Comparison of the post-harvest characteristics of wood pellet feedstock and conventional sites in the U.S. South. Presentation given at the Southern Region Council on Forest Engineering Meeting in Wakulla Springs, FL. March 13, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kelly, C., Z. Freedman, S. Grover, and M. Keck. 2023. Soil response to bioenergy crop production with biochar on reclaimed mine and marginal lands. Soil Science Society of America Annual Mtg. St. Louis, MO. October 2023
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ahire, J P., Mousavi-Avval, S., Rajendran, N., Bergman, R., Runge, T., Jiang, C., & Hu, J. (2024). Techno-economic and life cycle analyses of bio-adhesives production from isolated soy protein and kraft lignin. Journal of Cleaner Production, 447, 141474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141474.
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ahire J P, Bergman R, Runge T, Mousavi-Avval S, Bhattacharyya D, Brown T, Jingxin W. Techno-economic and environmental impacts assessments of sustainable aviation fuel production from forest residues. Sustainable Energy & Fuels, 2024, DOI: https://10.1039/D4SE00749B.
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hu, W.; Wang, J.; Hu, J.; Schuler, J.; Grushecky, S.; Jiang, C.; Smith, W.; Nan, N.; Sabolsky, E.M. Combustion Behaviors, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics of Naturally Decomposed and Torrefied Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) Forest Logging Residue. Energies 2024, 17, 1607. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17071607
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Kohrs, K. 2024. Evaluating land cover change and opportunities for bioenergy crop development on surface mine sites in West Virginia, U.S.A. 27th Student Research and Creative Scholarship Day April 4th, 2024. WVU Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kohrs, K., S.T. Grushecky, and J. Schuler. 2023. Second year impacts of biochar and compost additions on tree growth in a stream restoration project. Forest Carbon Management in Central Appalachia Conference, September 25-27, 2023, Morgantown, WV. Poster Presentation.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Baker, J., D. Brown, S. Grushecky, S. Owen, J. Schuler, and J. Edwards. 2023. Preliminary Findings on a Relationship Between Percent Soil Organic Matter and Salamander Relative Abundance [Poster presentation]. Proceedings of the 2023 Forest Carbon Management in Central Appalachia Conference. West Virginia University, 2527 September 2023, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kohrs, K., S.T. Grushecky, J. Schuler, M. P. Strager, and R. Burns. 2023. Modeling Surface Mine Use for Potential Bioenergy Crop Development. EnerGIS 2023 Conference, September 21, 2023, Canonsburg, PA
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Pierson, Derek; Anderson, Nathaniel; et al. 2024. Beyond the basics: A perspective on barriers and opportunities for scaling up biochar production from forest slash. Biochar 6:1.
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Zhao, Jinghan; Wang, Jingxin; Anderson, Nathaniel. 2024. Machine learning applications in forest and biomass supply chain management: a review. International Journal of Forest Engineering 2024: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/14942119.2024.2380230
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Page-Dumroese, D.; J. Tirocke; N. Anderson; et al. 2024. In-woods Production of Biochar Using a Trailer-mounted Air Curtain Burner. Journal of Visible Experiments (JOVE) (206), e66716, doi:10.3791/66716 (2024).
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Volk, T.A., R. Spinelli, M. Eisenbies, R. Clark, R. Emerson, J. Frank, K. Hallen, O. Therasme, E. Webb. (2024). Harvesting Systems for Short Rotation Coppice Crops Influence Cost, Performance, and Biomass Quality. In: Bisaria, V. (eds) Handbook of Biorefinery Research and Technology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6724-9_51-1, 34pp.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Volk, T.A., M. Eisenbies, K. Hallen. 2024. The development of harvesting systems in woody biomass supply chains: A case study of short rotation woody crops. In Sustainable Biorefining of Woody Biomass to Biofuels and Biochemicals; Kumar, D., Kumar, S., Rajendran, K., Ray, R. C., Eds.; Woodhead Publishing, 2024; pp 43  63. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91187-0.00004-7.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Anderson, N. 2023 (invited). Carbon and Climate in the Forest Sector: Opportunities for Forest Products and Bioenergy. Montana State University, Resource Education and Agricultural Leadership Program, Columbia Falls, MT, September 15, 2023 (in-person).
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Eisenbies MH, TA Volk. 2024 Harvesting Losses for a Cut-and-Chip Harvesting System Operating in Willow Short-Rotation Coppice. Energies 17 (7), 1541
  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Toth, H. and Liu, J. (2024) Harvesting Technologies and Costs for Switchgrass Production. Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, 15, 112-128. https://doi.org/10.4236/abb.2024.152008
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Anderson, N. 2024 (invited). New Technologies and Case Studies for Multi-business Forest Management at the Landscape Scale. US-Indonesia Bilateral Climate Working Group, Task Force on Sustainable Forest Management, November 15, 2023 (virtual).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Anderson, N. 2024. Mobile Biochar Production from Forest Biomass as a Site Restoration and Climate Change Mitigation Tool. USDA Climate Hub First Friday All Climate Change Talks (FFACCTS) Webinar, May 3, 2024 (webinar).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Anderson, N. 2024. The Economics of Using Forest Biomass from Fuel Treatments to Produce Biochar. U.S. Forest Service RMRS Fire Lab Seminar, March 7, 2024 (in-person, web broadcast).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Anderson, N. 2024. The Role of Biochar in the Forest Economy. Pennsylvania State University, Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass Consortium Graduate Seminar, February 6, 2024 (webinar).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Anderson, N., D. Page-Dumroese, H.S. Han, P. Oyier, D. Ghosh, D. Pierson, D. McCollum and W. Chung. 2024. The economics of producing biochar from forest biomass to meet demand in agriculture. International Union of Forest Research Organizations, World Congress, Stockholm, Sweden, June 25, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Burns, R. J. Wang. 2024. The Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass Consortium (MASBio): Delivering sustainable and feasible biomass for a value-added product system. The 26th IUFRO World Congress. T2.7 Fast growing trees in support of sustainable bioeconomy. Stockholm, Sweden. June 23-29, 2024. (poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Wang, J. 2024. The Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass for Value-Added Products Consortium (MASBio). 2024 MASBio Scholars, Virginia Tech. May 20, 2024. (Invited, virtual)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Wang, J., I. Peszlen, P. Peralta, and M. Byrd. 2024. Strategic future of forest biomaterials at North Carolina State University. 67th SWST International Convention. Portoroz, Slovenia. June 30-July 5, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Zhang, X. and J. Wang. 2024. A Data-Driven Holistic Analysis Framework for Economic Impacts Assessment of Forest Biomass for Bioenergy. The 26th IUFRO World Congress. T2.21 Pathways towards sustainable and circular forest-based bioeconomies: Advances in research to address challenges and realize opportunities. Stockholm, Sweden. June 23-29, 2024.


Progress 09/01/20 to 12/28/23

Outputs
Target Audience: Academic scientists and professional societies in forest ecology, forest chemistry, wood products, forest engineering, systems science and engineering, LCA/TEA Peer-reviewed publications Oral and poster presentations Federal gov't agency scientists and managers (USFS and DOE partners) White papers and newsletters 4th and 5th-grade teachers, WV Outreach - training on soil quality, biochar, plant production Curriculum - lesson for 4th and 5th grade students on soil quality, biochar Undergraduates: West Virginia University, Uni of Wisconsin, SUNY-ESF, West Virginia State University Formal classroom instruction Undergraduates: West Virginia University 5 undergraduate research interns at WVU working with MASBio mentor Graduate students: West Virginia University, Penn State University, SUNY-ESF, Virginia Tech Development of curriculum and certificate Practicum course Wood product businesses Extension - focus group analyses and report on MASBio stakeholders, bioproduct business support re. biochar additives (concrete, poultry litter), water quality (stormwater retention ponds, restored stream on reclaimed minelands, stream crossing gas lines), increase feedstock yield; others Outreach - bi-weekly meetings, bi-monthly meetings (MASbio business/industry stakeholders), YR2 annual meeting presentations at Natl Biochar/MASBio meeting Large private landowners Extension - carbon sequestration and feedstock (Dominion Energy) Outreach - bi-weekly meetings, bi-monthly meetings (MASbio business/industry stakeholders), YR2 annual meeting presentations at Natl Biochar/MASBio meeting State and federal gov't forest sciences, forest managers, engineers Extension - Charboss demos, feedstock and biochar amendment demos Outreach - presentations, podcasts, and seminars on biochar uses and benefits and MASBio research Public and private forest landowners interested in forest stewardship in WV, MD, OH Outreach - WV Forest Steward Seminar Agricultural landowners, small private Outreach - Workshop on biochar uses and benefits at WV Small Farms Conference Forest ecology academics interested in forest stewardship in WV, MD, OH Outreach - WV Forest Steward Seminar Community college students and public - WV Outreach - workshop on pollinator gardens and biochar Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Professional Development Undergraduate research projects, professional presentations, career skills assessment 10 undergraduate research interns conducted 8-week research projects with MASBio researchers at WVU, WVSU, and Uni Wisconsin. Completed career skills assessment. Met weekly with peers and MASBio faculty to discuss progress and career interests. Presented slide presentation at All-Hands Meeting and poster presentation at Annual Meeting. Training Course/Practicum: Student Design, two design concepts were developed for biochar production, and the student groups gave oral presentations on 27 April 2023 9 students from three universities New course: Land acquisition and development Teacher training - Course for 4th and 5th Grade Students: "Designing Bio-Based Products for a Sustainable Society" 2023 MASBio Educator Workshop. Charleston, WV. 14 July, 2023. 11 teachers (4th and 5th grade) Soil field and laboratory techniques 3 graduate students, laboratory and field technicians, 3 undergraduate students, 1 research associate Survey instrument questions, literature derivations, and digital survey draft components for graduate students and postdocs Life cycle assessment (LCA) 1) SimaPro LCA modeling software for quantification of LCA of bioproducts, 2) Workshop "Wisconsin's Circular Bioeconomy - Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Biobased Chemicals" on technical details of current approaches for synthesis of sustainable aviation fuel, policies that affect it, and market overview 1 postdoc How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Peer-reviewed publications Oral and poster presentations academic conferences on forest and wood product science academic/forest managers/landowners/industry - conference on forest carbon WV Extension Seminar Series, WV Forest Stewards Seminar WVU Small Farms Conference - biochar uses and benefits White papers and newsletters - USFS and DOE Podcast USForestService Workshop Eastern WV Tech and Community College - students and general public - biochar and pollinator gardens What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?MASBio members participated in several breakout sessions at our YR3 Annual Meeting to identify and then rank YR4 and YR5 priorities for synthesis products (publications, datasets), stakeholder products and outcomes, and education and outreach. Based on these discussions and activity, we will add the following to our TGs workplan matrix with the activities and milestones identified at the start of our project: Stakeholder Products and Outcomes Biochar - Identify what we can do to create financial and economic benefits. what product portfolio? How to take biochar to scale? Sustainable Aviation Fuel - Develop Business Models using waste biomass (for SAF and Biochar) Industry Partner Consortium - Create a consortium of industry partners working on SAF and Biochar in the region and national-level who can support development of bioeconomy in Mid-Atlantic. Hold a conference in Spring 2024 at central location and relevant venue - propose Pittsburgh Airport. Discuss and develop opportunities informed by findings from MASBio research with goal of investment and start up of new value-added products re. biochar and SAF from biomass in the region. Education and Outreach Provide clear guidance on where and when biochar has benefits Help customers/stakeholders understand the full range of value from biochar/bioproducts Synthesis Products Fact sheets, in-person events for target audience of farmers (via extension) about crop benefits (yield, cost, etc.) with a goal of bioenergy crop adoption Web content, story map with GIS for target audience of public/lay people/policymakers about the MASBio Story, Outputs Content, Resources with a goal of broad support for a bioeconomy

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? YR3 Accomplishments (1) New willow feedstock trial site established on marginal ag land. Herbicide management strategies tested with 10 pre-and 10 post-emergent herbicide treatments on willow plantings. 800 willow cuttings screened, and soil analyses completed on all plots. All planned treatments completed. Biomass crop yields measured for switchgrass and willow plots.Nutrient concentrations of willow foliage analyzed. Analysis of plant allocation patterns using litter traps conducted.(2) Assembled and began analysis of large data set with information on amount of material left behind when willow is harvested with a single pass cut and chip harvester and a one of a kind data set on willow yields over 8 rotations. Preliminary analyses suggest differences minimal, at least in higher biomass stands. Published paper on willow root:shoot ratios and potential greenhouse gas benefits of willow belowground biomass. Found higher producing stands have moderately lower ratios.Information can be used for estimating the carbon balance of these systems and for breeding and selection programs. Public demonstrations of mobile biochar production systems and technical and outreach presentations to a variety of audiences (including staff from US Congress, biomass power plants, lumber companies & two national forests) at conferences, online& at workshops. Collected field data for forest owners and managers and continued engagement with private companies and USFS to inform supply chain modeling.(3) Developed process for isolating lignin from biomass and the preparation of lignin for bioadhesives production. Characterized and testing prepared bioadhesives, mentored summer undergrad internship project producing method for producing phenolic monomer using solvothermal catalytic conversion of biomass to lignin for adhesive production. Development of environmentally friendly catalyst and solvents for lignin depolymerization, low temperature for preparing lignin-derived oligomers and monomers, and high lignin oligomer loading. 3D printing with lignin: modifying lignin improves miscibility in commercial resin materials (i.e. higher % of renewable material), lignin improves light- absorptive properties of 3D printer resins (faster prints at higher resolution); lignin degrades some mechanical properties of printed objects, and further research on additional modifications needed to pinpoint combinations that enhance properties of resins and objects. Products made from CO2 captured during biomass conversion: determined effects of CO2 level in the feed gas on CO2 loading and conversion; the higher the CO2 level, the faster and more CO2 loading and conversion; converted CO2 into multiple solid nanomaterials, including nanofibers, nanoparticles, etc.; developed a method to obtain high purity products; and future research on product formation mechanisms will be conducted to understand the CO2 conversion process and to optimize the outcomes.(4) Analyses related to soil respiration, active carbon, and the fractionation of functionally distinct fractions of soil organic matter (that is, particulate organic matter [fast cycling] and mineral-associated organic matter [slow cycling, stable]) as well as the measurement of the mass and carbon to the nitrogen content of the SOM fractions, and the activity of microbial enzymes associated with carbon cycling have been completed for samples from the first three growing seasons. Began analyses on data collected from 52 sites from LA to GA that were harvested for wood pellet feedstock and traditional pulpwood products. Our sample also included sites that were thinned as well as received final harvests. Preparing surveys to assess the operating characteristics of loggers who harvest pellet feedstock and the sourcing practices of pellet mills. (5) Process model estimation of economic feasibility and lower environmental impact of a bioadhesive developed by WVU-MASBio co-PI's. Simulation analysis comparing economic and environmental impactsof bioadhesive and formaldehyde-based adhesives. Engineering process simulation modeling for sustainable aviation fuel from forest residue and pennycress and 3D printing resin from Kraft lignin. Developed model to assess removal rates for sustainable crop residue management. Generated dataset for C, N flux biogeochemical model, DayCent. Developed model evaluating economic costs of harvesting hybrid willow for energy and other bio-based products. Submitted manuscript on environmental and techno-economic assessments of biobased products. Timeseries analysis of biomass data, utilizing the PROPHET model and novel 1D-to-2D transformation approach. TEA/LCA analysis for 3D printing with lignin-based resins (Penn State-MASBio). (6) Five undergraduate scholars trained in bioproducts at the summer scholars' program in Morgantown WV. The students presented posters at annual meeting. 9 students from three universities participated in the design team program, two design concepts were developed for biochar production, and oral presentations were given by thestudents. Course (Land acquisition and development) developed and taught. 11 educators participated in the teacher training workshop. Coordinated enrichment activities for students at MASBio Annual Meeting: networking mentoring activity, poster session with judging, and student panel discussion.(7) Demonstration Initiatives: 12 ongoing and new projects testing effects of biochar amendments on feedstock yields, pollinator gardens, water quality of restored streams and stormwater retention pond; and testing of biochar mixtures including manure and asphalt. Collaborating on these projects with wood product businesses, oil & gas company, and USFS. Market study and business plans: Completed MASBio Stakeholder Focus Group Study and Report; developed biochar production financial calculator; initiated development of biochar carbon credit production calculator with industry partners; collecting actual production data from collaborators to assess carbon market opportunities. Strengthen market opportunities: Three ongoing projects developing biochar additive product for poultry litter. Meeting to discuss a potential Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) project in the MASBio region. Investigating build of a 25,000 tons per year biomass processing facility in WV using RFS standard. Bi-weekly meetings with industry experts strategize broader biochar adoption. Collaborations with small farmer groups & Small Farms Center - potential biochar contacts for future partnerships. Developing well-plugging projects to drive commercialization efforts. Developing opportunities in global supply chain management to integrate biochar into various industries. Discussed carbon avoidance curves for willow on abandoned mines with DOE. Discussing local wood supply chain dynamics with local biomass supplier. Industrypartner social media outreach with Metzler to enhance market visibility and engagement. Identifying potential Mid-Atlantic mine land sites based on feedstock availability and carbon storage sites optimal for sustainable aviation and bioenergy carbon capture storage facilities. Modeling work with IMPLAN and Oak Ridge's Biofuel Infrastructure, Logistics and Transportation (BILD) model. Business support for Ecostrat doing PA biomass project. Business support for Duquesne Light Company feedstock planting on SW PA reclaimed mine lands Extension programs: Planning, co-sponsorship and presentation of MASBio results at WVU Forest carbon management conference for landowners, gov't managers, industry, and academics.Demo biochar/pollinator garden at state wildlife management area; grant obtained from First Energy. WVU Extension Poultry Science and Biochar seminar. Eastern West Virginia Technical Community College: 2 upcoming Land Ownership and Biochar Seminars and YR3 had 2 biochar-related trainings for public,18 attendees, planning a Biochar Workforce Education Course.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Helal, M.A., et al. 2022. An Optimal Ordering Policy for Biomass Supply Chain Optimization Using Integrated Inventory Control and Life Cycle Analysis. The 54th Annual International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (FORMEC), 44th Annual Council on Forest Engineering Meeting (COFE), and International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Division 3 Forest Operations; Oregon State University; Corvallis, OR. October 4-7, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Helal, M.A., et al. 2022. Biomass Inventory Ordering Policies for Continuous Industrial Supply. INFORMS Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, October 16-19, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: A, Jiang C, Tewari K, Robinson B, Hu J. Phenolic Monomers from Catalytic Solvothermal Depolymerization of Pinewood Sawdust with Alkaline Solvents for Adhesive Applications. Polaka MASBio Annual Meeting, State College, PA. Sept 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Wager R, Li B. Poster presentation. Biomimetic structural self-assembly. 20th Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol, Charleston, WV, Feb. 10, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Wager R, Miller B, Bao Z, Li B. Poster presentation. Biomimetic structural self-assembly. MS&T conference, Pittsburgh, October 9-12, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bao Z, Li Q, Akhmedov NG, Li BA, Wang J, Morsi BI, Li B. Oral presentation. Investigation of potential cycling reaction mechanisms in CO2 solvents. 39th Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, Pittsburgh, Sept. 19-22, 2022 (virtual).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Abesh, B.F., and J.A. Hubbart. 2023. Assessing Soil Water Nitrate Concentrations Under Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) and Salix (willow) Crop Treatments in Marginally Productive Lands. Annual College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Student Research and Creative Scholarship Day, March 22, 2023, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jiang, C., Hu, J., Zhang, C., Hota, G., Wang, J. and Akhmedov, N.G., 2023. Lignin oligomers from mild base-catalyzed depolymerization for potential application in aqueous soy adhesive as phenolic blends. Reaction Chemistry & Engineering, 8(10), pp.2455-2465. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3RE00224A
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: De Souza, D.P., Eisenbies, M.H. and Volk, T.A., 2022. Growing Season Harvests of Shrub Willow (Salix spp.) Have Higher Nutrient Removals and Lower Yields Compared to Dormant-Season Harvests. Forests, 13(11), p.1936. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111936
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Ferdous, S.N., Li, X., Sahoo, K. and Bergman, R., 2023. Toward sustainable crop residue management: A deep ensemble learning approach. Bioresource Technology Reports, 22, p.101421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101421
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hawks, E.M., Chad Bolding, M., Michael Aust, W. and Barrett, S.M., 2023. Best management practices, erosion, residual woody biomass, and soil disturbances within biomass and conventional clearcut harvests in Virginias Coastal Plain. Forest Science, 69(2), pp.200-212. https://doi.org/10.1093/forsci/fxac050
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Helal, M.A., Anderson, N., Wei, Y. and Thompson, M., 2023. A Review of Biomass-to-Bioenergy Supply Chain Research Using Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization. Energies, 16(3), p.1187. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16031187
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Li, Q., Bao, Z., Akhmedov, N.G., Li, B.A., Duan, Y., Xing, M., Wang, J., Morsi, B.I. and Li, B., 2022. Unraveling the Role of Glycine in K2CO3 Solvent for CO2 Removal. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 61(34), pp.12545-12554. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.2c01637
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Mousavi-Avval, S.H., Sahoo, K., Nepal, P., Runge, T. and Bergman, R., 2023. Environmental impacts and techno-economic assessments of biobased products: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 180, p.113302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2023.113302
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Sleight, N.J., Volk, T.A. and Eisenbies, M., 2023. Belowground Biomass and Root: Shoot Ratios of Three Willow Cultivars at Two Sites. Forests, 14(3), p.525. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030525
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Tripathi, J., Ciolkosz, D. and Sykes, D.G., 2023. Torrefied paper as a packaging material and subsequently as a bioethanol substrate: Synergy of torrefaction and alkaline treatment for increased utility. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 191, p.106882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.106882
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: De Souza, D.P.; Eisenbies, M.H.; Volk, T.A. 2022. Growing Season Harvests of Shrub Willow (Salix spp.) Have Higher Nutrient Removals and Lower Yields Compared to Dormant-Season Harvests. Forests 13, 1936. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111936
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hu, W., Wang, J., Hu, J., Schuler, J., Grushecky, S., Nan, N., Smith, W. and Jiang, C., 2023. Thermodegradation of naturally decomposed forest logging residues: Characteristics, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Bioresource Technology, 376, p.128821.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jiang, C., Hu, J., Zhang, C., Hota, G., Wang, J. and Akhmedov, N.G., 2023. Lignin oligomers from mild base-catalyzed depolymerization for potential application in aqueous soy adhesive as phenolic blends. Reaction Chemistry & Engineering, 8(10), pp.2455-2465. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3RE00224A
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Zhang, X., Wang, J. and Strager, M.P., 2022. Industrial Development and Economic Impacts of Forest Biomass for Bioenergy: A Data-Driven Holistic Analysis Framework. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 182, p.106296.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Schuler, J., Land reclamation and feedstock production, Presentation to Eastern Biochar Meeting, April 21, 2021.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Anderson, N. Forest Biomass for Biochar Production. December 7-11, 2020. Invited presentation during National Biochar Week. Virtual. (MASBio was a co-organizer of the conference)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N. Biochar Production, Economics and Policy Implications for the Forest Sector. January 12, 2021. Invited presentation to the National Forest-Climate Working Group and the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Virtual.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Vance, J. Advancing Forest Logging Residue Harvesting and Collection Logistics in the Eastern United States. December 7-11, 2020. National Biochar Week. Virtual.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Volk, T.A. 2021. Shrub willow for energy and ecosystem services. Owasco Watershed Lake Association, Sept. 1, 2021, Online.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Wang, J. Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass for Value-added Products Consortium (MASBio)-Outreach, Demonstrations and Commercialization. December 7-11, 2020. National Biochar Week. Virtual.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Eisenbies, M.H., Volk, T.A., DeSouza, D., Hallen, K., Stanton, B., Espinoza, J., Himes, A., Shuren, R., Stonex, R., Summers, B., Zerpa, J., 2021. An assessment of the harvesting and fuel performance of a single-pass cut-and-chip harvester in commercial-scale short-rotation poplar crops as influenced by crop and weather conditions. Biomass and Bioenergy 149:106075.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2021.106075
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Wang, J. 2021. Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass for Value-Added Products Consortium (MASBio): Opportunities for Aviation Fuels. Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI). May 6, 2021. (invited, virtual)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N. 2021. Bioeconomy Business Clusters: Opportunities for Forest Biomass and Biochar. U.S. Forest Service/U.S. Biochar Initiative webinar series hosted by Southern Regional Extension Forestry, June 10, 2021 (live and recorded).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N., M. Thompson, J. Wang, R. Bergman, K. Sahoo, and D. Hartley. 2021. MASBio 2.4: Next Generation Multi-feedstock Biomass Supply Chain Management to Advance the Bioeconomy. Forest Products Society, Virtual International Conference, June 16, 2021. (recorded)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Wang, Y., Wang, J., Zhang, X. and Grushecky, S., 2020. Environmental and Economic Assessments and Uncertainties of Multiple Lignocellulosic Biomass Utilization for Bioenergy Products: Case Studies. Energies, 13(23), p.6277.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zhang, X., Wang, J. The Siting Suitability Assessment and Recovery Cost Analysis of Logging Residue Utilization for Bioenergy, Oral Presentation, in 2021 Meeting of the International Society of Forest Resource Economics(ISFRE): Virtual, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zhang, X., Wang, J. A Machine-Learning Holistic Analysis Framework for Biomass to Bioenergy Facility Siting Optimization, Oral Presentation, In 2021 Conference of American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers(ASABE): July 12  16, Virtual, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zhang, X., Wang, J., Li, B. Life-Cycle Assessment of an Innovative Nanotechnology Converting CO2 from Power Plant Flue Gas to Valuable Products, Oral Presentation, in 2021 Conference of American Center of Life Cycle Assessment. 2021, ACLCA: Virtual, USA
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zhang, X., Wang, J., Vance, J. Quantifying the Life Cycle Impacts of Forest Logging Residue Logistics, Oral Presentation, in the 43rd annual meeting of the Council on Forest Engineering and the 53rd annual meeting of the International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (COFE-FORMEC 2021 Joint Meeting): Virtual, USA.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Sahoo, K., Upadhyay, A., Runge, T., Bergman, R., Puettmann, M. and Bilek, E., 2021. Life-cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of biochar produced from forest residues using portable systems. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 26, pp.189-213. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01830-9
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Mousavi-Avval SH, Sahoo K, Runge T, Bergman R. 2021. Environmental impacts and techno-economic analysis of bioadhesive production. 2021 ASABE Annual International Meeting. July 12-16, 2021, Virtual. [Poster].
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sahoo K, Bergman R., Runge T, Cai Z. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of Carbon-foam from lignin. 2021 ACLCA Conference. September 21-24, 2021. [Oral]
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sahoo K, Bergman R., Runge T, Mani S. 2021. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of biochar produced from forest residues using smaller-scale portable and large-scale fixed systems. 2021 ASABE Annual International Meeting. July 12-16, 2021, Virtual.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Mousavi-Avval SH, Sahoo K, Runge T, Bergman R. 2021. Techno-economic and environmental impact assessments of aviation biofuel production from oilseeds and lignocellulosic biomass. 2021 ACLCA Conference. September 21-24, 2021. [Oral]
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Grushecky, S.T. 2021. Overview of MASBio. Pennsylvania Agricultural Progress Days, 2021. August 10, 2021.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Hass A., D. Danford, J.M. Gonzalez, R. Cantrell, Hill R.D. and I. Lima. 2021. Effect of biochar modification on removal of selenium and heavy metals. SSSA national meeting, November 7-10, Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Hass A., I.M. Lima, and R. Cantrell. 2021. CO2 Emission from Fast-Pyrolysis Biochar Amended Soil  Feedstock Effect and Agronomic Management Implications. AGU meeting, Dec. 13-17, 2021. New Orleans, LA.Danford D., Hass A., Cantrell R., Hill R. 2022. Activating Biochar for Removing High Concentrations of Heavy Metal From Solution. Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol. Feb. 18, Charleston, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Danford D.S., R. Cantrell, and A. Hass. 2022. Biochar modification for enhancing removal of selenium and heavy metals from water. 1890 ARD Research Symposium, April 2 - 5, 2022, Atlanta, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Ellis A., R. Cantrell, and A. Hass. 2022. Biochar application effect on soil fertility. 1890 ARD Research Symposium, April 2 - 5, 2022, Atlanta, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Jamie Schuler, Zac Freedman, Shawn Grushecky, Amir Hass, Jeff Skousen, Michael Jacobson, Louis McDonald, and Tim Volk. 2022. Establishing Biomass Plantings in the mid-Atlantic Region. Poster presentation at Central Hardwood Conference, August 8-9, 2022, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N. 2021. Biomass and biochar processing, market barriers and opportunities for biochar, and the role of biochar in sustainable forest management. Western Forest Governors Association, Working Lands, Working Communities Workshop: Forest Infrastructure Round Table, October 7-8, Denver, CO.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N., M. Thompson, J. Wang, and D. Hartley. 2021. Integrating Forest Biomass into Regional- scale Multi-feedstock Supply Chain Models. Keynote at the 43rd annual meeting of the Council on Forest Engineering and the 53rd annual meeting of the International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (COFE-FORMEC 2021 Joint Meeting): Virtual, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N. 2021. Bioeconomy enterprises to improve the financial viability of forest restoration. Northern Arizona University, Ecological Restoration Institute Seminar Series, November 2.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N. 2021. Bioeconomy enterprises to improve the financial viability of forest restoration. Keynote presentation at Innovations in Forest Operations and Biomass Utilization in the Southwest, Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes Workshop, Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 16  18.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Volk, T.A. 2021. Key lessons from the 6th IPCC Assessment. NYS Green Forum, Nov. 18, 2021, Energy Center, Utica, NY.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Volk, T.A. 2021. Impacts of high grading vs. good silviculture on carbon stocks in NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension in service training. November 15, 2021 (online).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Volk, T.A. 2021. What is the wood based bioeconomy. ESFPA Regional Meeting, Sept. 27, 2021.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Wang, J. 2021. Sustainable Biomass for Decarbonized & Value-Added Bioproducts and Bioenergy. 3rd Bioenergy Sustainability Conference. 2021. (invited, virtual).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Anderson, N. 2022. Economic Tradeoffs and the Future of Forest Bioenergy in Climate Change Mitigation. First Friday All Climate Change Talks (FFACCTs), hosted by the USDA Forest Service R&D in cooperation with the USDA Climate Hubs. Webinar, February 4, 2022.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Anderson was interviewed by BBI International on February 17 for a recorded podcast highlighted (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7XY8zzcW0c ).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: " Wang, Y.;Wang, J.; Zhang, X.; Bhattacharyya, D.; Sabolsky, E.M. Quantifying Environmental and Economic Impacts of Highly Porous Activated Carbon from Lignocellulosic Biomass for High- Performance Supercapacitors. Energies 2022, 15, 351. https://doi.org/10.3390/ en15010351
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Zhang, X., Wang, J. and Strager, M.P., 2022. Industrial Development and Economic Impacts of Forest Biomass for Bioenergy: A Data-Driven Holistic Analysis Framework. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 182, p.106296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106296
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Eisenbies, M. T.A. Volk, D. DeSouza. 2022. Evaluation of dropped material following cut-andchip harvester operations in willow. 13th International Short Rotation Woody Crops Conference, Asheville, NC, May 1  3, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hallen, K., M. Eisenbies, T.A. Volk, D. DeSouza. 2022 Considerations of harvesting timing for production and nutrient removal in shrub willow. 13th International Short Rotation Woody Crops Conference, Asheville, NC, May 1  3, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: " Anderson, N., H-S Han, and D. Page-Dumroese. 2022. The economics of biochar production from forest biomass. Forest Products Society 75th International Convention. Session organizer: Sustainable agriculture operations through the expansion of forest bioeconomy. Madison, WI, June 13-16.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Anderson, N., M. Thompson, Y. Wei, A. Helal, J. Wang, and D. Hartley. 2022. A Systems Approach to Regional Multi-feedstock Biomass Supply Chain Models. The 19th Symposium on Systems Analysis in Forest Resources, Estes Park, CO, July 24 to 27.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Helal, A., N. Anderson, Y. Wei, and M. Thompson. 2022. Optimal Ordering Policy for Storage and Delivery of Forest Residues and Willow Biomass for Continuous Industrial Supply. The 19th Symposium on Systems Analysis in Forest Resources, Estes Park, CO, July 24 to 27.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Anderson, N., Wang, J., Bolding, C., Eisenbies, M., Hartley, D., Helal, A., Liu, J., Thompson, M., Volk, T., and Y. Wei. 2022. MASBio Task 2: Developing the Next Generation of Multi-feedstock Biomass Supply Chains to Advance the Bioeconomy. North American Biochar Conference 2022, Morgantown, West Virginia, August 8-11.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Helal, A., Anderson, N., Wei, Y., and M. Thompson. 2022. A Systematic Visualization Assessment of Research Focused on Biomass to Bioenergy Supply Chain Design. North American Biochar Conference 2022, Morgantown, West Virginia, August 8-11.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zhang, X., Wang, J., Vance, J. Quantifying the Life Cycle Impacts of Forest Logging Residue Logistics, Oral Presentation, COFE-FORMEC 2021 Joint Meeting: Virtual, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N. 2021. Leveraging demand for renewable energy and innovative bioproducts to facilitate forest restoration. U.S. Forest Service R&D/SCIENCEx Webinar Series. Online, December 6.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Wei, Y., Helal, A., Anderson, N., and M. Thompson. 2022. A conceptual framework of inventory control models to study biomass facility supply chain management and enhance supply chain resilience. North American Biochar Conference 2022, Morgantown, West Virginia, August 8-11.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Wickramasinghe S, Wang J, Morsi B, Li B. (2021). Carbon dioxide conversion to nanomaterials: Methods, applications, and challenges. Energy & Fuels 35(15):11820-34.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Wang R, Ashkanani HE, Li B, Morsi BI. Oral presentation. TEA of a unique process for producing high- value nanomaterials or CO2 capture and sequestration. 38th Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, Pittsburgh, Sept. 20-23, 2021 (virtual).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zhang X, Wang J, Li B. Oral presentation. Life-cycle assessment of an innovative nanotechnology converting CO2 from power plant flue gas to valuable products. 2021 Conference of American Center of Life Cycle Assessment. Sep. 21-24, 2021, ACLCA: Virtual, US.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bao Z, Li Q, Akhmedov NG, Li BA, Xing M, Wang J, Morsie BI, Li B*. (2022) Innovative cycling reaction mechanisms of CO2 absorption in amino acid salt solvents. Chem Eng J Adv 10:100250.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Nan Nan, Wanhe Hu, Jingxin Wang. 2022. Lignin-Based Porous Biomaterials for Pharmaceutical and Medical Application. Biomedicines. 10(4):747. doi:10.3390/biomedicines10040747.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Wanhe Hu, Jingxin Wang, Nan Nan, 2022. Surface-modified hydrochar derived from logging residue for heavy metal ions removal. The 75th Annual International Conference, Forest Products Society, June 13-16, 2022, Madison, WI, USA. Changle Jiang, Jianli Hu*,
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Changle Jiang, Jianli Hu*, Jingxin Wang. Aldehyde Free Bio-adhesive Prepared from Soy Protein Isolate and Partially Degraded Lignin. Oral Presentation. August 10th, 2022, North America Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Li, Q., Bao, Z., Akhmedov, N.G., Li, B.A., Duan, Y., Xing, M., Wang, J., Morsi, B.I. and Li, B., 2022. Unraveling the Role of Glycine in K2CO3 Solvent for CO2 Removal. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 61(34), pp.12545-12554.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hegberg, C., J. Egan, J.A. Hubbart, K. Cappiella. 2022. Advancing biochar use to achieve the Chesapeake Bay water quality goals & climate resiliency (Round Table Discussion). 2022 MASBio Annual Meeting, Aug 8 - 11, Morgantown, WV, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Li B. Oral presentation. Conversion of carbon dioxide into nanomaterials using amino acids. 2022 North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV, August 8-11, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bao Z, Li B. Oral presentation. Innovative cycling reaction mechanisms of CO2 absorption in amino acid salt solvents. 2022 North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV, August 8-11, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Mostafa Rohi, Aditi Arya, Stephen Chmely. (2022). Introduction of Kraft Lignin as an Environmentally Friendly Component for Improving Mechanical Properties of 3D Printing Resins based on Soybean Oil. NABEC Conference in Maryland.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Mostafa Rohi, Aditi Arya, Stephen Chmely. (2022). Introduction of Modified Kraft Lignin to Enhance Mechanical Performance of 3D Printed Resins based on Soybean Oil. ACS Conference in Chicago
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hu W, Wang J. Early results of removal heavy metal ions using surface-modified forest logging residue hydrochar Prepared at the North American Biochar Conference 2022, Aug. 08-11, 2022, Morgantown, WV, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Freedman, Z.B., J. Kane and E. Morrissey. 2021. Harnessing the Power of the Microbiome to Improve Bioenergy Agroecosystem Services on Severely Degraded Agricultural Lands across Appalachia, USA. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Keck, M. and Kelly, C. N. 2022. Greenhouse gas production from soil amended with biochar in bioenergy cropping systems. Poster. National Biochar and Bioenergy Conference. Aug 8 - 11, Morgantown, WV, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Kelly, C. N., Grover, S., Freedman, Z.B. 2022. Sustainability of bioenergy crop production with biochar on reclaimed mine and marginal agricultural land. National Biochar and Bioenergy Conference. Aug 8 - 11, Morgantown, WV, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Kelly, C. N. 2022. Biochar as a soil amendment: Applications and caveats. Oral Presentation. West Virginia Conservation Districts Quarterly Meeting, July 27, Parkersburg, WV, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Freedman, Z.B., J. Kane and E. Morrissey. 2022. Harnessing the Power of the Microbiome to Improve Bioenergy Agroecosystem Services on Severely Degraded Agricultural Lands across Appalachia, USA. World Congress of Soil Science, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Abesh, B.F., and J.A. Hubbart. 2022. Assessing Soil Water Nitrate Concentrations Under Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) and Salix (willow) Crop Treatments in Marginally Productive Lands (Poster). 2022 MASBio Annual Meeting, Aug 8 - 11, Morgantown, WV, USA.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hawks, E.M., Chad Bolding, M., Michael Aust, W. and Barrett, S.M., 2023. Best management practices, erosion, residual woody biomass, and soil disturbances within biomass and conventional clearcut harvests in Virginias Coastal Plain. Forest Science, 69(2), pp.200-212.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Garrena, A.M., Boldinga, M.C., Barretta, S.M., Hawksa, E.M., Austa, W.M. and Coatesa, T.A., 2022. 5.0 A META-ANALYSIS OF FOREST BIOMASS AND CONVENTIONAL HARVESTING EFFECTS ON ESTIMATED EROSION, BMP IMPLEMENTATION, GROUND COVER, AND RESIDUAL WOODY DEBRIS IN VIRGINIA. Evaluating Energywood Harvesting Operations in The Lower Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States, p.150.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sahoo K, Alanya-Rosenbaum S, Bergman R, Abbas D, Bilek E.M. (Ted). 2021. An integrated environmental and economic assessment of producing heat and electricity from wood and torrefied briquettes manufactured from forest residues using portable systems. Fuels 2(3):345- 366. https://doi.org/10.3390/fuels2030020
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Mousavi-Avval SH, Sahoo K, Runge T, Bergman R. 2021. Techno-economic and environmental impact assessments of aviation biofuel production from oilseeds and lignocellulosic biomass. 2021 ACLCA Virtual Conference. September 21-24, 2021.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sahoo K, Bergman R., Runge T, Cai Z. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of carbon- foam from lignin. 2021 ACLCA Virtual Conference. September 21-24, 2021.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bergman R, Sahoo K, Englund K, Mousavi-Avval SH. 2022. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of biochar pellet production from forest residues and field application. Energies: Special Issue: Analysis of Bio-Based Products for the Circular Economy. 15(4), 1559. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15041559.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson N, Gu H, Bergman R. 2021. Comparison of novel biochars and steam activated carbon from mixed conifer mill residues. Energies. Special Issue: Analysis of Bio-Based Products for the Circular Economy. 14(24), 8472; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248472.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Sahoo K, Khatri P, Kanwar A, Singh HP, Mani S, Bergman R, Runge T, Kumar D. 2022. Integrated life- cycle analysis and economic assessment of producing energy crops with cover crops for simultaneous use as biofuel feedstocks and animal fodder. Industrial Crops & Products. 179(2022), 114681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.114681.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Ferdous SN, Sahoo K, Bergman R, Xin L. 2022. Analysis of biomass sustainability indicators from machine learning perspective. Submitted to Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, section AI in Food, Agriculture and Water on April 1, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bergman R, Li X, Bhattacharyya D, Brown T, Ferdous SN, Das P, Sahoo K, Mousavi-Avval SH, Ahire J. 2022. MASBio system scale-up analysis: Artificial intelligence (AI) tools. North American Biochar and Bioenergy Conference 2022. Morgantown, WV. August 8-10, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Ferdous SN, Li X, Sahoo K, Bergman R. 2022. Analysis of biomass sustainability indicators from a machine learning perspective. North American Biochar and Bioenergy Conference 2022. Morgantown, WV. August 8-10, 2022.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Catchmark, J., and Marshall, M. 2022. A multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional capstone experience. Resource Magazine. Sept/Oct 2022. p24.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Ciolkosz, D., Catchmark, J., Marshall, M., Volk, T., Bolding, C., Grushecky, S., and Wang, J. 2022. A regional design approach for senior engineering students. Presented at 2022 Northeast Agricultural and Biological Engineers Conference (NABEC). Edgewood MD. 31 Jul  03 Aug, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Froass, E., L. Jia, K. Ananthakrishnan, T.A. Volk, D. Kumar. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from shrub willow biomass using low severity pretreatment. 2022. North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 8  11, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hass A., S. Grushecky, T. Volk, H. Payne, J. Schuler, C. Bolding, D. Ciolkosz, J. Wang, M. Ramsey. 2022. Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass - Educating Future Producers and Users of Biochar in the Mid Atlantic. 2022 North America Biochar & Bioenergy conference, August 8  12, 2022, Morgantown WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Herrington, A. and T.A. Volk. 2022. Long term soil carbon dynamics in willow biomass crops. North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 8  11, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Quinones, Z. and P. Crovella. 2022. Bio-based wall panel asn an energy retrofit solution for buildings. 2022. North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 8  11, 2022.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Knox, T. , S.T. Grushecky, C. Kelly, P. Kinder. 2021. Offsetting Emissions of a Gas Processing Facility in West Virginia with Tree Planting and Biochar Additions. MS Project Report for Energy Environments, West Virginia University, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Paul, A.* G. Cunningham, O. Sanyal, H. Amini, and S. Grushecky. 2022. Extraction of Rare Earth Elements using Biochar. 2022 WVU Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium. April 9, 2022. Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Grushecky, S.T. 2022. MASBIO: Feedstocks on Marginal Land. MASBIO 2022 Seminar Series. Jan 31, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Grushecky gave a presentation to Kingsford management team on MASBio project and discussed using Kingsford Char products on future projects.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: On April 20, 2022, McGill traveled to Eastern WV Technical College (EWVTC) with Dr. Sheldon Owen (WVU Extension Wildlife Resources) to promote the use and teaching of biochar as a soil enhancement for pollinators. Presentations included one on biochar and one on pollinators to faculty and local farmers.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Grushecky, S.T. and J. Schuler. 2022. Effects of biochar and biochar & compost blends as a soil amendment in stream restoration tree plantings. North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference. August 8-11, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Grushecky, S.T., D. McGill, M. Jacobson, and E. Thomchik. 2022. MASBIO: Energizing the MidAtlantic Bioeconomy. North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference. August 8-11, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Knarr, L. J. Moritz, and S. Grushecky. 2022. Biochar use for ammonia reductions, moisture content, and composting of chicken broiler litter. Poster presented at North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference. August 8-11, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: MacKenzie, A., W. Veselka, S. Grushecky, and J. Anderson. 2022. A Test of a Hardwood Biochar Soil Amendment on Trees and Shrubs in Riparian Wetlands. Poster presented at North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference. August 8-11, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: McGill, D.W. 2022. Riding on the back of pollinators. North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference. August 8-11, Morgantown, WV
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Skousen, J. 2022. Switchgrass and Giant Miscanthus Biomass Production on Reclaimed Mine Lands. North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference. August 8-11, Morgantown, WV
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: short video for future outreach related to restoration tour: https://westvirginiauniversity- my.sharepoint.com/personal/lnestor2_mail_wvu_edu/Documents/Attachments/mitigation%20video%200 71522.mp4
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Anderson, N. and D. Page-Dumroese. 2022. Biomass, Biochar, and Byproducts Markets. "Lunch & Learn" RMRS U.S. Congressional Staff Briefing on Forest Science, virtual, October 19, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Anderson, N., et al. 2023. Its All Climate Shit Now: Valuable and Potentially Profitable Links between Forest Restoration, Lumber, Carbon and Climate. Sun Mountain Partnership Meeting, Deer Lodge, Montana, May 18, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Anderson, N., M.A. Helal, Y. Wei, M. Thompson, J. Wang, C. Bolding, T. Volk, M. Eisenbies,, J. Liu and D. Hartley. 2022. Integrated, Multi-scale Supply Chain Modeling to Grow the Mid-Atlantic Bioeconomy. The 54th Annual International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (FORMEC), 44th Annual Council on Forest Engineering Meeting (COFE), and International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Division 3 Forest Operations; Oregon State University; Corvallis, OR. October 4-7, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bao Z, Li B. Innovative cycling reaction mechanisms of CO2 absorption in amino acid salt solvents. 2022 North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV, August 8-11, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bolding, M.C. 2023. Supply of log truck drivers. Invited presentation and panel member at the Southeastern Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting: Challenges and opportunities in the forest industry. Panama City Beach, FL. February 15-17, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bays, H., Bolding, M., Conrad, J., Schilling, E., Peduzzi, A., & Barrett, S. (2023). Sustainability of biomass harvesting in the U.S. South: A literature review. In International Conference on Forest Engineering-Forest Engineering Technologies. Flagstaff, AZ.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bays, H.C.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, A. Peduzzi, H.L. Munro, and S.M. Barrett. 2023. Assessing the sustainability of wood pellet feedstock harvesting from pine plantations in the U.S. South. Poster presented at the 2023 MidAtlantic Sustainable Biomass Consortium (MASBio) Annual Meeting; Penn State University, State College, PA. September 11-12, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Chadband A., R. Cantrell, and A. Hass. 2023. The Use of Biochar as a Soil Amendment to Mitigate Climate Change. Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol (URDC), February 10, 2023. Charleston WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Grover, S., J. Fleck, and Z.B. Freedman. 2022. Exploring Carbon Dynamic Responses to Bioproduct Feedstock Production on Reclaimed Mined and Marginal Land in Appalachia, USA. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. Baltimore, Maryland. November, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Changle Jiang, Jianli Hu, Jingxin Wang. Aldehyde Free Bio-adhesive Prepared from Soy Protein Isolate and Partially Degraded Lignin. Oral Presentation. August 10th, 2022, North America Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Freedman, Z.B. 2022. Its the little things that count: Illuminating the microbial black box of soil ecology. Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Biological Sciences Colloquium, Milwaukee, WI, November 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Freedman, Z.B., J.L. Kane, and E.M. Morrissey. 2022. Miscanthus x giganteus acts as an ecosystem engineer to increase soil C in Appalachian bioenergy agroecosystems. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. Baltimore, Maryland. November, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Grushecky, S.T. 2023. Carbon Markets and NetZero 101. 2023 Appalachian Land Institute. Mar 21-22, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Grushecky, S.T. 2023. MASBIO: Energizing the Mid-Atlantic Bioeconomy. Forest Resource Association Annual Meeting. May 24, 2023, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Helal, M.A., et al. 2022. Sustainable Supply Chain Management For Biomass-to-Biofuel Production: A MASBio Project. International Congerternce on Sustaibable computing and management, August 6-8, 2022, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Virtual presentation.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hu, W., J. Wang. 2023. Effects of pretreatment methods on combustion and energy characteristics of forest logging residues. 2023 Forest Products Society International Convention, Morgantown, June 6-8, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hu, W., and Wang, J., 2023. Thermodegradation of naturally decomposed forest logging residues: Characteristics, kinetics, and thermodynamics. The 66TH SWTS INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION. Ashville, NC, June 25-30, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Knight, C., Bolding, M., Conrad, J., & Barrett, S. (2023). Log Truck Transportation Challenges and Innovative Solutions: Evaluating the Perspectives of Truck Drivers, Logging Business Owners, and Foresters. In International Conference on Forest Engineering-Forest Engineering Technologies. Flagstaff, Arizona.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Knight, C.R.D., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, and S.M. Barrett. 2022. Improving supply chain efficiency by evaluating forest transportation obstacles and innovative solutions in the Southeastern US. Poster presented at the 54th Annual International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (FORMEC), 44th Annual Council on Forest Engineering Meeting (COFE), and International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Division 3 Forest Operations; Oregon State University; Corvallis, OR. October 4-7, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Li B. Conversion of carbon dioxide into nanomaterials using amino acids. 2022 North American Biochar & Bioenergy Conference, Morgantown, WV, August 8-11, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Schwarz, U., A. Pothen, H. Kaper, M.A. Helal, and S.A. Gamboa. 2022. The End of Fossil Fuels. Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Workshop on Climate Science, Sustainability, and Clean Energy, Virginia, October 10-12, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Wei, Yu, et al. 2023. Developing inventory management models to study biomass supply chain resilience. Council on Forest Engineering (COFE) and Symposium of Forest Engineering and Technologies (FETEC) Annual Meeting, May 24, 2023, Flagstaff, AZ.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Zhao, J., Mandal, D., and Wang, J. 2023. Integrating GIS and optimization method for multi-feedstock biomass supply chain management. The Forest Products Society Annual International Conference, Morgantown, WV. June 6-8, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Zhao, J., Wang, J., and Anderson, N., 2023. An integrated modeling and analytical framework of machine learning, optimization, and spatial analysis in forest biomass supply chain management. International Conference of COFE-FETEC, Flagstaff, AZ. May 23-25, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Alex Smith, Jamie Schuler, R. Chandran, Shawn Greshecky. Screening Herbicides to Control Weeds in Newly Established Willow Bio-Feedstock Plantations. 2023 MASBIO Annual Meeting., State College, PA
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: PODCAST: Anderson, USDA podcast landing page: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/topic/come-rain-or-shine-podcast-series
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jianli Hu. Cross Task Collaboration: Bio-adhesive Production. MASBio Annual Meeting, State College, PA. Sept 2023.


Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:Academic scientists and professional societies in forest ecology, forest chemistry, wood products, forest engineering, systems science and engineering, LCA/TEA Peer-reviewed publications Oral and poster presentations White papers and newsletters (USFS and DOE partners) 4th and 5th-grade teachers, WV Outreach - training on soil quality, biochar, plant production Curriculum - lesson for 4th and 5th grade studentson soil quality, biochar Undergraduates: West Virginia University, SUNY-ESF Formal classroom instruction Undergraduates:West Virginia University, Uni of Wisconsin, SUNY-ESF, West Virginia State University 5 undergraduate research interns at WVU working with MASBio mentor Undergraduates: West Virginia University Development of curriculum and certificate Graduate students: West Virginia University, Penn State University, SUNY-ESF, Virginia Tech Practicum course Wood product businesses Extension - focus group analyses and report on MASBio stakeholders, bioproduct business support re. biochar additives (concrete, poultry litter), water quality (stormwater retention ponds, restored stream on reclaimed minelands, stream crossing gas lines), increase feedstock yield; others Outreach - bi-weekly meetings, bi-monthly meetings (MASbio business/industry stakeholders), YR2 annual meeting presentations at Natl Biochar/MASBio meeting Large private landowners Extension - carbon sequestration and feedstock (Dominion Energy) Outreach -bi-weekly meetings, bi-monthly meetings (MASbio business/industry stakeholders), YR2 annual meeting presentations at Natl Biochar/MASBio meeting State and federal gov't forest sciences, forest managers, engineers Extension - Charboss demos, feedstock and biochar amendment demos Outreach - presentations, podcasts, and seminars on biochar uses and benefits andMASBio research Public and private forest landowners interested in forest stewardship in WV, MD, OH Outreach - WV Forest Steward Seminar Agricultural landowners, small private Outreach - Workshop on biochar uses and benefits at WV Small Farms Conference Forest ecology academics interested in forest stewardship in WV, MD, OH Outreach -WV Forest Steward Seminar Community college students and public - WV Outreach - workshop on pollinator gardens and biochar Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Professional Development Undergraduate research project, professional presentations, career skills assessment 5 undergraduate research interns conducted 8 week research projects with MASBio researchers at WVU, WVSU, and Uni Wisconsin. Completed career skills assessment. Met weekly with peers and MASBio faculty to discuss progress, career interests. Presented slide presentation at All-Hands Meeting and poster presentation at Annual Meeting. Training Course/Practicum: Student Design,two design concepts were developed for biochar production, and oral presentations were given by the student groups on 27 April, 2023 9 students from three universities New course: Land acquisition and development Teacher training - Course for4th and 5th Grade Students: "Designing Bio-Based Products for a Sustainable Society"2023 MASBio Educator Workshop. Charleston, WV. 14 July, 2023. 11 teachers (4th and 5th grade) Soil field and laboratory techniques 3 graduate students,laboratory and field technicians,3 undergraduate students,1 research associate Survey instrument questions, literature derivations, and digital survey draft components graduate students and postdocs Life cycle assessment (LCA) 1) SimaPro LCA modeling software for quantification of LCA of bioproducts, 2)Workshop "Wisconsin's Circular Bioeconomy - Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Biobased Chemicals" on technical details of current approaches for synthesis of sustainable aviation fuel, policies that affect it, and market overview 1 postdoc How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Peer-reviewed publications Oral and poster presentations academic conferences onforest and wood product science academic/forest managers/landowners/industry - conference on forest carbon WV Extension Seminar Series, WV Forest Stewards Seminar WVU Small Farms Conference - biochar uses and benefits White papers and newsletters - USFS and DOE Podcast USForestService Workshop Eastern WV Tech and Community College - students and general public - biochar and pollinator gardens What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?MASBio members participated in several breakout sessions at our YR3 Annual Meeting to identify and then rankYR4 and YR5 priorities for synthesis products (publications, datasets), stakeholder products and outcomes, and education and outreach. Based on these discussions and activity, we will add the following to our TGs workplan matrix with the activities and milestonesidentified at the start of our project: Stakeholder Products and Outcomes Biochar - Identify what we can do to create financial and economic benefits. what product portfolio? How to take biochar to scale? Sustainable Aviation Fuel - Develop Business Models using waste biomass (for SAF and Biochar) Industry Partner Consortium - Create a consortium of industry partners working on SAF and Biochar in the region and national-level who can support development of bioeconomy in Mid-Atlantic. Hold a conference in Spring 2024 at central location and relevant venue - propose Pittsburgh Airport. Discuss and develop opportunities informed by findings from MASBio research with goal of investment and start up of new value-added products re. biochar and SAF from biomass in the region. Education and Outreach Provide clear guidance on where and when biochar has benefits Help customers/stakeholders understand the full range of value from biochar/bioproducts Synthesis Products Fact sheets, in-person events for target audience of farmers (via extension) about crop benefits (yield, cost, etc.) with a goal of bioenergy crop adoption Web content, story map with GIS for target audience of public/lay people/policymakers about the MASBio Story, Outputs Content, Resources with a goal of broad support for a bioeconomy

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Major Activities (1)New willow feedstock trial site established on marginal ag land. Herbicide management strategies tested with 10 pre-and 10 post-emergent herbicide treatments on willow plantings. 800 willow cuttings screened, and soil analyses completed on all plots. All planned treatments completed. Biomass crop yieldsmeasured for switchgrass and willow plots. Nutrient concentrations of willow foliage analyzed. Analysis of plant allocation patterns using litter traps conducted. (2) Assembled and began analysis of large data set with information onamount of material left behind when willow is harvested with a single pass cut and chip harvester and a one of a kind data set on willow yields over 8 rotations. Preliminary analyses suggest differences minimal, at least in higher biomass stands. Published paper on willow root:shoot ratios and potential greenhouse gas benefits of willow belowground biomass. Found higher producing stands have moderately lower ratios. Information can be used for estimating the carbon balance of these systems andfor breeding and selection programs. Public demonstrations of mobile biochar production systems and technical and outreach presentations to a variety of audiences (including staff from US Congress, biomass power plants, lumber companies &two national forests) at conferences, online &at workshops. Collected field data for forest owners and managers and continued engagement with private companies and USFS to inform supply chain modeling. (3) Developed process for isolating lignin from biomass and the preparation of lignin for bioadhesives production. Characterized and testing prepared bioadhesives, mentored summer undergrad internship project producing method for producing phenolic monomer using solvothermal catalytic conversion of biomass to lignin for adhesive production. Development of environmentally friendly catalyst and solvents for lignin depolymerization, low temperature for preparing lignin-derived oligomers and monomers, and high lignin oligomer loading. 3D printing with lignin: modifying lignin improves miscibility in commercial resin materials (i.e. higher % of renewable material), lignin improves light-absorptive properties of 3D printer resins (faster prints at higher resolution);lignin degrades some mechanical properties of printed objects, and further research on additional modifications needed to pinpoint combinations that enhance properties of resins and objects. Products made from CO2 captured during biomass conversion: determined effects of CO2 level in the feed gas on CO2 loading and conversion; the higher the CO2 level, the faster and more CO2 loading and conversion; converted CO2 into multiple solid nanomaterials, including nanofibers, nanoparticles, etc.; developed a method to obtain high purity products; and future research on product formation mechanisms will be conducted to understand the CO2 conversion process and to optimize the outcomes.(4) Analyses related to soil respiration, active carbon, and the fractionation of functionally distinct fractions of soil organic matter (that is, particulate organic matter [fast cycling] and mineral-associated organic matter [slow cycling, stable]) as well as the measurement of the mass and carbon to the nitrogen content of the SOM fractions, and the activity of microbial enzymes associated with carbon cycling have been completed for samples from the first three growing seasons. Began analyses on data collected from 52 sites from LA to GA that were harvested for wood pellet feedstock and traditional pulpwood products. Our sample also included sites that were thinned as well as received final harvests. Preparing surveys to assess the operating characteristics of loggers who harvest pellet feedstock and the sourcing practices of pellet mills. (5)Process model estimation ofeconomic feasibility and lower environmental impact of a bioadhesive developed by WVU-MASBio co-PI's. Simulation analysiscomparing economic and environmental impacts ofbioadhesive and formaldehyde-based adhesives. Engineering process simulation modeling for sustainable aviation fuel from forest residue and pennycress and 3D printing resin from Kraft lignin. Developed model to assess removal rates for sustainable crop residue management. Generated dataset for C, N flux biogeochemical model, DayCent. Developedmodel evaluatingeconomic costs of harvesting hybrid willow for energy and other bio-based products. Submitted manuscript on environmental and techno-economic assessments of biobased products. Timeseries analysis of biomass data, utilizing the PROPHET model and novel 1D-to-2D transformation approach. TEA/LCA analysis for 3D printing with lignin-based resins (Penn State-MASBio). (6) Five undergraduate scholarstrained in bioproducts at the summer scholars' program in Morgantown WV. The students presented posters at annual meeting. 9 students from three universities participated in the design team program, two design concepts were developed for biochar production, and oral presentations were given by the students. Course (Land acquisition and development) developed and taught. 11 educators participated in the teacher training workshop. Coordinated enrichment activities for students at MASBio Annual Meeting: networking mentoring activity, poster session with judging, and student panel discussion. (7)Demonstration Initiatives: 12 ongoing and new projects testing effects of biochar amendments on feedstock yields, pollinator gardens, water quality of restored streams and stormwater retention pond; and testing of biochar mixtures including manure and asphalt. Collaborating on these projects with wood product businesses, oil & gas company, and USFS.Market study and business plans: Completed MASBio Stakeholder Focus Group Study and Report; developed biochar production financial calculator; initiated development of biochar carbon credit production calculator with industry partners;collecting actual production data from collaborators to assess carbon market opportunities. Strengthen market opportunities: Three ongoing projects developing biochar additive product for poultry litter. Meetingto discuss a potential Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) project in the MASBio region.Investigating build of a 25,000 tons per year biomass processing facility in WV using RFS standard. Bi-weekly meetings with industry experts strategize broader biochar adoption. Collaborations with small farmer groups & Small Farms Center - potential biochar contacts for future partnerships. Developing well-plugging projects to drive commercialization efforts. Developing opportunities in global supply chain managementto integrate biochar into various industries. Discussed carbon avoidance curves for willow on abandoned mines with DOE. Discussing local wood supply chain dynamics with local biomass supplier. Industry partnersocial media outreach with Metzler toenhancemarket visibility and engagement. Identifying potential Mid-Atlantic mine land sites based on feedstock availabilityand carbon storage sites optimal for sustainable aviationand bioenergy carbon capture storage facilities. Modeling work with IMPLAN and Oak Ridge's Biofuel Infrastructure, Logistics and Transportation (BILD) model. Business support for Ecostrat doing PAbiomass project. Business support forDuquesne Light Company feedstockplanting on SW PA reclaimed mine landsExtension programs: Planning, co-sponsorship and presentation of MASBio results at WVU Forest carbon management conference for landowners, gov't managers, industry, and academics. Demo biochar/pollinator garden at state wildlife management area; grant obtained from First Energy.WVU ExtensionPoultry Science and Biochar seminar. Eastern West Virginia Technical Community College: 2 upcoming Land Ownership and Biochar Seminars and YR3 had 2 biochar-related trainings for public,18 attendees, planning a Biochar Workforce Education Course.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Anderson, N. and D. Page-Dumroese. 2022. Biomass, Biochar, and Byproducts Markets. "Lunch & Learn" RMRS U.S. Congressional Staff Briefing on Forest Science, virtual, October 19, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Anderson, N., et al. 2023. Its All Climate Shit Now: Valuable and Potentially Profitable Links between Forest Restoration, Lumber, Carbon and Climate. Sun Mountain Partnership Meeting, Deer Lodge, Montana, May 18, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Anderson, N., M.A. Helal, Y. Wei, M. Thompson, J. Wang, C. Bolding, T. Volk, M. Eisenbies,, J. Liu and D. Hartley. 2022. Integrated, Multi-scale Supply Chain Modeling to Grow the Mid-Atlantic Bioeconomy. The 54th Annual International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (FORMEC), 44th Annual Council on Forest Engineering Meeting (COFE), and International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Division 3 Forest Operations; Oregon State University; Corvallis, OR. October 4-7, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bolding, M.C. 2023. Supply of log truck drivers. Invited presentation and panel member at the Southeastern Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting: Challenges and opportunities in the forest industry. Panama City Beach, FL. February 15-17, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Chadband A., R. Cantrell, and A. Hass. 2023. The Use of Biochar as a Soil Amendment to Mitigate Climate Change. Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol (URDC), February 10, 2023. Charleston WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Freedman, Z.B. 2022. Its the little things that count: Illuminating the microbial black box of soil ecology. Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Biological Sciences Colloquium, Milwaukee, WI, November 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Freedman, Z.B., J. Kane and E. Morrissey. 2022. Harnessing the Power of the Microbiome to Improve Bioenergy Agroecosystem Services on Severely Degraded Agricultural Lands across Appalachia, USA. World Congress of Soil Science, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Freedman, Z.B., J.L. Kane, and E.M. Morrissey. 2022. Miscanthus x giganteus acts as an ecosystem engineer to increase soil C in Appalachian bioenergy agroecosystems. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. Baltimore, Maryland. November, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Grover, S., J. Fleck, and Z.B. Freedman. 2022. Exploring Carbon Dynamic Responses to Bioproduct Feedstock Production on Reclaimed Mined and Marginal Land in Appalachia, USA. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. Baltimore, Maryland. November, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Grushecky, S.T. 2023. Carbon Markets and NetZero 101. 2023 Appalachian Land Institute. Mar 21-22, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Helal, M.A., et al. 2022. An Optimal Ordering Policy for Biomass Supply Chain Optimization Using Integrated Inventory Control and Life Cycle Analysis. The 54th Annual International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (FORMEC), 44th Annual Council on Forest Engineering Meeting (COFE), and International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Division 3 Forest Operations; Oregon State University; Corvallis, OR. October 4-7, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Helal, M.A., et al. 2022. Biomass Inventory Ordering Policies for Continuous Industrial Supply. INFORMS Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, October 16-19, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hu, W., J. Wang. 2023. Effects of pretreatment methods on combustion and energy characteristics of forest logging residues. 2023 Forest Products Society International Convention, Morgantown, June 6-8, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hu, W., and Wang, J., 2023. Thermodegradation of naturally decomposed forest logging residues: Characteristics, kinetics, and thermodynamics. The 66TH SWTS INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION. Ashville, NC, June 25-30, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Knight, C., Bolding, M., Conrad, J., & Barrett, S. (2023). Log Truck Transportation Challenges and Innovative Solutions: Evaluating the Perspectives of Truck Drivers, Logging Business Owners, and Foresters. In International Conference on Forest Engineering-Forest Engineering Technologies. Flagstaff, Arizona.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Knight, C.R.D., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, and S.M. Barrett. 2022. Improving supply chain efficiency by evaluating forest transportation obstacles and innovative solutions in the Southeastern US. Poster presented at the 54th Annual International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (FORMEC), 44th Annual Council on Forest Engineering Meeting (COFE), and International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Division 3 Forest Operations; Oregon State University; Corvallis, OR. October 4-7, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Schwarz, U., A. Pothen, H. Kaper, M.A. Helal, and S.A. Gamboa. 2022. The End of Fossil Fuels. Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Workshop on Climate Science, Sustainability, and Clean Energy, Virginia, October 10-12, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Wei, Yu, et al. 2023. Developing inventory management models to study biomass supply chain resilience. Council on Forest Engineering (COFE) and Symposium of Forest Engineering and Technologies (FETEC) Annual Meeting, May 24, 2023, Flagstaff, AZ.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Zhao, J., Mandal, D., and Wang, J. 2023. Integrating GIS and optimization method for multi-feedstock biomass supply chain management. The Forest Products Society Annual International Conference, Morgantown, WV. June 6-8, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Zhao, J., Wang, J., and Anderson, N., 2023. An integrated modeling and analytical framework of machine learning, optimization, and spatial analysis in forest biomass supply chain management. International Conference of COFE-FETEC, Flagstaff, AZ. May 23-25, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Abesh, B.F., and J.A. Hubbart. 2023. Assessing Soil Water Nitrate Concentrations Under Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) and Salix (willow) Crop Treatments in Marginally Productive Lands. Annual College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Student Research and Creative Scholarship Day, March 22, 2023, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Grushecky, S.T. 2023. MASBIO: Energizing the Mid-Atlantic Bioeconomy. Forest Resource Association Annual Meeting. May 24, 2023, Morgantown, WV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bays, H., Bolding, M., Conrad, J., Schilling, E., Peduzzi, A., & Barrett, S. (2023). Sustainability of biomass harvesting in the U.S. South: A literature review. In International Conference on Forest Engineering-Forest Engineering Technologies. Flagstaff, AZ.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jiang, C., Hu, J., Zhang, C., Hota, G., Wang, J. and Akhmedov, N.G., 2023. Lignin oligomers from mild base-catalyzed depolymerization for potential application in aqueous soy adhesive as phenolic blends. Reaction Chemistry & Engineering, 8(10), pp.2455-2465. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3RE00224A
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hawks, E.M., Chad Bolding, M., Michael Aust, W. and Barrett, S.M., 2023. Best management practices, erosion, residual woody biomass, and soil disturbances within biomass and conventional clearcut harvests in Virginias Coastal Plain. Forest Science, 69(2), pp.200-212. https://doi.org/10.1093/forsci/fxac050
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Helal, M.A., Anderson, N., Wei, Y. and Thompson, M., 2023. A Review of Biomass-to-Bioenergy Supply Chain Research Using Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization. Energies, 16(3), p.1187. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16031187
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Mousavi-Avval, S.H., Sahoo, K., Nepal, P., Runge, T. and Bergman, R., 2023. Environmental impacts and techno-economic assessments of biobased products: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 180, p.113302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2023.113302
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Sleight, N.J., Volk, T.A. and Eisenbies, M., 2023. Belowground Biomass and Root: Shoot Ratios of Three Willow Cultivars at Two Sites. Forests, 14(3), p.525. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030525
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Tripathi, J., Ciolkosz, D. and Sykes, D.G., 2023. Torrefied paper as a packaging material and subsequently as a bioethanol substrate: Synergy of torrefaction and alkaline treatment for increased utility. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 191, p.106882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.106882
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hu, W., Wang, J., Hu, J., Schuler, J., Grushecky, S., Nan, N., Smith, W. and Jiang, C., 2023. Thermodegradation of naturally decomposed forest logging residues: Characteristics, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Bioresource Technology, 376, p.128821.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jianli Hu. Cross Task Collaboration: Bio-adhesive Production. MASBio Annual Meeting, State College, PA. Sept 2023.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: De Souza, D.P., Eisenbies, M.H. and Volk, T.A., 2022. Growing Season Harvests of Shrub Willow (Salix spp.) Have Higher Nutrient Removals and Lower Yields Compared to Dormant-Season Harvests. Forests, 13(11), p.1936. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111936
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Ferdous, S.N., Li, X., Sahoo, K. and Bergman, R., 2023. Toward sustainable crop residue management: A deep ensemble learning approach. Bioresource Technology Reports, 22, p.101421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101421
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: A, Jiang C, Tewari K, Robinson B, Hu J. Phenolic Monomers from Catalytic Solvothermal Depolymerization of Pinewood Sawdust with Alkaline Solvents for Adhesive Applications. Polaka MASBio Annual Meeting, State College, PA. Sept 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Wager R, Li B. Poster presentation. Biomimetic structural self-assembly. 20th Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol, Charleston, WV, Feb. 10, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Wager R, Miller B, Bao Z, Li B. Poster presentation. Biomimetic structural self-assembly. MS&T conference, Pittsburgh, October 9-12, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bao Z, Li Q, Akhmedov NG, Li BA, Wang J, Morsi BI, Li B. Oral presentation. Investigation of potential cycling reaction mechanisms in CO2 solvents. 39th Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, Pittsburgh, Sept. 19-22, 2022 (virtual).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Tripathi, J., Ciolkosz, D., and Sykes, D. (2023). Torrefied paper as a packaging material and subsequently as a bioethanol substrate: Synergy of torrefaction and alkaline treatment for increased utility. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 191(2023) 105882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.106882
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Bays, H.C.M., M.C. Bolding, J.L. Conrad, IV, A. Peduzzi, H.L. Munro, and S.M. Barrett. 2023. Assessing the sustainability of wood pellet feedstock harvesting from pine plantations in the U.S. South. Poster presented at the 2023 MidAtlantic Sustainable Biomass Consortium (MASBio) Annual Meeting; Penn State University, State College, PA. September 11-12, 2023.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: De Souza, D.P.; Eisenbies, M.H.; Volk, T.A. 2022. Growing Season Harvests of Shrub Willow (Salix spp.) Have Higher Nutrient Removals and Lower Yields Compared to Dormant-Season Harvests. Forests 13, 1936. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111936
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kohrs, K., S.T. Grushecky, and J. Schuler. 2023. Second year impacts of biochar and compost additions on tree growth in a stream restoration project. 2023 Forest Products Society International Conference, June 6-8 2023, Morgantown, WV
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: McGill attended the 2023 WVU Small Farms Conference and spoke to about a dozen farmers and educators about biochar, its source, value, and applications.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Chadband A., R. Cantrell, and A. Hass. 2023. The Use of Biochar as a Soil Amendment to Mitigate Climate Change. Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol (URDC), February 10, 2023. Charleston WV. Poster presentation to policy makers at state capital.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Alex Smith, Jamie Schuler, R. Chandran, Shawn Greshecky. Screening Herbicides to Control Weeds in Newly Established Willow Bio-Feedstock Plantations. 2023 MASBIO Annual Meeting., State College, PA
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Grushecky, S.T. 2023. Carbon Markets and NetZero 101. 2023 Appalachian Land Institute. Mar 21-22, Pittsburgh, PA.


Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes industry partners developing and investing in biomass bio-based products, landowners (e.g. focusing on reclaimed mine land and marginal agricultural land), university and research faculty and students internal and external to the universities funded by this project, educators and students of primary, secondary, community college, and university institutions, people entering and transitioning into the workforce, entrepreneurs, local and state-level policymakers, and governance groups and NGOs developing and supporting sustainable economic development and bioeconomy opportunities in the Central Appalachian region. Changes/Problems:No major changes or problems in approach. A few challenges have been difficulty hiring graduate students and post-docs; however, most of these issues have been resolved. Similarly there have been a few changes in co-PI institutions and retirements; these have also been handled with funding transfers and additions of new members. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?MASBio students received training in their task group activities and research. Specific training in research includes carbon sequestration and machine learning in biomass supply chains (2 Master students); resin development (1 PhD student); study and manuscript completion on best management practices for biomass (1 Masters student successfully defended thesis); field sampling and laboratory analyses in soil, water, and air quality (3 graduate students, 3 undergraduate students, 1 First 2 program - first generation undergrad, and 1 research associate). Training opportunities for delivered via MASBio activities includes 2 educator training programs providing unit lessons for ~20 primary and secondary educators on soil ecology, biochar, and other value-added bioproducts; a graduate seminar series on MASBio research with over 187 participants including 14 students directly participating; a multi-institution regional design course with 17 students participating (+4 PSU +4 SUNY ESF); and a summer research program at SUNY ESF with 5 student scholars. Students worked with faculty from three different departments at SUNY ESF (Chemical Engineering, Landscape Architecture, and Sustainable Resources Management). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?55 presentations andwebinars, 20 publications, 2 MASBio conferences/annual meetings with our MASBio members and stakeholders, and numerous outreach activities from field tours, demonstration projects, and workshops. For a detailed list of these activities by MASBio Task Group, please review our MASBio YR2 Annual Report. Link for pdf of the MASBio YR2 Annual Report. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Year/Quarter YEAR 3: 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023 Objective Tasks Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 1 Land reclamation and feedstock production Improve soil conditions 1.2 Develop feedstock production strategies Work Planned: improve soil condition; manage trials; develop and apply feedstock production strategies Deliverable: 1 manuscript Work Planned: improve soil condition; manage trials; develop and apply feedstock production strategies Deliverable: 1 presentation Work Planned: improve soil condition; manage trials; develop and apply feedstock production strategies Deliverable: 1 workshop/webinar Work Planned: improve soil condition; manage trials; develop and apply feedstock production strategies Milestones: M1. Management strategies M2. Yield of biomass crops is improved to 4.5 dry tons/ac. 2 Harvest, logistics and supply chain 2.1 Willow 2.2 Switchgrass 2.3 Forest Residues 2.4 Configure and Optimize supply chains 2.5 Feedstock quality Work Planned: monitor feedstock quality; collect data and develop models and strategies for reducing cost and GHG, developing cost-effective harvesting approaches and supply chains Milestone: M5. Optimized/de-risked supply chain models Work Planned: monitor feedstock quality; collect data and develop models and strategies for reducing cost and GHG, developing cost-effective harvesting approaches and supply chains Deliverables: 2 presentations Work Planned: monitor feedstock quality; collect data and develop models and strategies for reducing cost and GHG, developing cost-effective harvesting approaches and supply chains Deliverable: 1 workshop/webinar Work Planned: monitor feedstock quality; collect data and develop models and strategies for reducing cost and GHG, developing cost-effective harvesting approaches and supply chains Milestone: M3. 10% harvesting and logistic cost reduction Deliverable: 1 manuscript 3 Value-added bioproducts 3.1 Biochemical and bioadhesive pathways 3.2 Resins for 3D printing 3.3 Bicarbonate nanomaterials 3.4 Carbon products Work Planned: develop and validate conversion pathways and products Work Planned: develop and validate conversion pathways and products Deliverables: 2 presentations Work Planned: develop and validate conversion pathways and products Milestone: M6. Chemicals and adhesives (depolymerized lignin 60%) Deliverable: 1 workshop/webinar Work Planned: develop and validate conversion pathways and products Milestone: M9. CO2 conversion process and nanomaterials (purity %) Deliverables: 4 manuscripts 4 Sustainability and human dimensions 4.1 Carbon and nutrient cycles 4.2 Water quality and GHG emissions 4.3 Best Management Practices (BMP's) 4.4 Human dimensions 4.5 Policy and law implications Work Planned: collect data and conduct assessments; develop, conduct, and assess BMPs Work Planned: collect data and conduct assessments; develop, conduct, and assess BMPs Work Planned: collect data and conduct assessments; develop, conduct, and assess BMPs Deliverables: 2 presentations Work Planned: collect data and conduct assessments; develop, conduct, and assess BMPs Milestone: M12. Impact indicators for policies and human dimensions Deliverables: 4 manuscripts 5 System scale-up analysis 5.1 Data mining and warehousing techniques 5.2 Environmental impacts using AI 5.3 Plant-wide models and engineering scalability 5.4 Techno-economic optimization 5.5 Life Cycle Analysis Work Planned: collect data and develop approaches for system and scale-up analyses using robust AI-based data analytics Work Planned: collect data and develop approaches for system and scale-up analyses using robust AI-based data analytics Milestone: M14. Scale-up and TEA model development and application Deliverables: 2 presentations Work Planned: collect data and develop approaches for system and scale-up analyses using robust AI-based data analytics Milestones: M13. AI tools for data collection and model development M15. LCA model development and application Deliverable: 1 workshop/webinar Work Planned: collect data and develop approaches for system and scale-up analyses using robust AI-based data analytics Deliverables: 3 manuscripts 6 Education program 6.1 Undergraduate scholars program 6.2 Bioeconomy and biorenewables courses 6.3 Certificate programs in land reclamation and green energy products 6.4 Educators training program Work Planned: develop, implement, and improve courses and programs Work Planned: develop, implement, and improve courses and programs Work Planned: develop, implement, and improve courses and programs Deliverable: 1 presentation Work Planned: develop, implement, and improve courses and programs Milestones: M16. 40 completed scholars and student certificates M17. Implement new bioeconomy and biorenewables courses M18. 10 trained primary and secondary educators Deliverables: 3 manuscripts 7 Extension and business development 7.1 Demonstrations with Industry Partners 7.2 Socio-economic impacts 7.3 Market study and business plans development 7.4 Strengthen market opportunities 7.5 Implement extension programs 7.6 Workforce development Work Planned: conduct demo and commercialization activities; collect data, and conduct socio-economic impacts assessment, market study and business plans; develop and implement extension programs Milestone: M20. Impact indicators of socio-economic assessment Work Planned: conduct demo and commercialization activities; collect data, and conduct socio-economic impacts assessment, market study and business plans; develop and implement extension programs Work Planned: conduct demo and commercialization activities; collect data, and conduct socio-economic impacts assessment, market study and business plans; develop and implement extension programs Deliverable: 1 workshop/webinar Work Planned: conduct demo and commercialization activities; collect data, and conduct socio-economic impacts assessment, market study and business plans; develop and implement extension programs Milestones: M19. 4 demonstration and commercialization cases M21. Developed bioproduct business and market strategies M22. Workforce development (20 trained personnel) Deliverables: 2 manuscripts, 4 demo cases

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? PDF of our Full Annual Report LINK. Objective1.Completed a biochar incubation study evaluating soil CO2 emission from biochar-amended soils and a biochar modification and sorption assay study. Six study sites with ~ 25,000 willow cuttings and 3.5 ac of switchgrass were established with roughly 72 CY of biochar from Pacific Biochar applied as a soil amendment. Willow trials with 4 clones were fully replicated at 4 sites. Each site was fully prepared by plowing/disking and treated for weed growth using pre-emergent herbicides. Objective2.Collected time motion and biomass quality samples from a round baling harvest system. Began statistical analysis of turn times and harvester fuel consumption. Surveying industry collaborators about improvements needed for transportation efficiency. Developed ML model to asses suitability for biomass processing facilities. Developed a protocol and sample data collection for INL biomass characterization study. Collected data on non-recovered biomass for leaf-off harvests. Data gathering visits to Lignetics and Cetnat Energy for feedstock modeling study. Conducted transpirational drying pilot study in hardwoods. Developed protocol to evaluate biomass supply chain deficiencies and obstacles. Conducted bibliometric analysis of the biomass supply chain management.3.Investigated biomass pathways for bioadhesives with a viscosity study of the bio-adhesive prepared from partially degraded lignin (D-lignin) and soy protein isolate (SPI). Studied pre-crosslinking reactions and water resistance. Developed separation methods to make liquid lignin fractions better for synthesis reactions of adhesive and 3D printing materials. Formulated lignin-containing resins made with carbon from renewable sources. Developed lignin modification schemes to create blendable Kraft lignin for new resins. Lignin and holocellulose proportions of various-year-harvested logging residues were analyzed and reported. Developed CO2-derived bicarbonate nanomaterials. Examined effects of the ratio of base to amino acid (AA) on CO2 loading, CO2 concentrations during CO2 absorption in G1K1 solvent, and the conversion of CO2 from direct air. Studies on development of biomass derived carbon product including biomass fractionation of different biomass species, optimization reaction conditions for lignin and sugar products, nalysis of chemical proportions of various-year-harvested logging residues, generation of hydrochar from red maple, and use of torrefaction thermochemical pretreatment technology to improve fuel quality of the logging residues. Objective4.Baseline soil data studies for studying impacts of biomass crops on coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles included analyses of soil respiration, active carbon, fractionation of functionally distinct fractions of soil organic matter. Assessment of water quality and GHG emissions from biomass production. YR2 work on developing BMPs for feedstock production on reclaimed and marginal ag lands included an assessment of the effectiveness of water quality BMPs applied to sites where biomass is removed. Development of indicators for human dimensions of bioproducts using survey instrument focused on forest economics analysis and the completion of a household survey of WV residents - 2730 responses and results suggest need more education about benefits of biomass feedstocks and bioproducts. Objective5. AI tool investigations included 1) review of the data-warehousing options of Amazon Web Services (AWS), 2) analysis of different machine learning techniques to accurately quantify different sustainability indicators related to biomass, 3) exploration of spatial temporal krigging with graph neural networks and data augmentation tools to interpolate biomass data at finer scales, 4) development of ML algorithm to estimate the sustainable crop residues in Ohio state, and 5) discussions with UIUC's AIFARMS project about their ML research on switchgrass. Scale-up &TEA model development and application work included developing plant-wide models to conduct engineering scalability analysis and TEA-LCA analyses with Task Group 3 to update their bioproduct production pathways for various feedstocks. Additionally, techno-economic optimization with the DayCent model was investigated to simulate the greenhouse gases emissions, changes in soil carbon, and crop yield, especially for energy crops and forests. Objective6.2 new courses, one graduate seminar, and one undergraduate research internship program on bioeconomy and biorenewables were developed and delivered in YR2. These included a regional design course with project teams from Penn State, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University and a WVU undergrad course, "Stream Habitat and Bio-Restoration" at WVU. The graduate seminar series included weekly presentations from the MASBio co-PI's. Presentation videos are posted on theMASBio Youtube Channel. The summer undergraduate scholars program provided 5 scholars with research experience in biorenewables at SUNY-ESF.The Educator Training Program provided training in soil ecology and value-added bioproducts for 15 teachers. A WVU bioproducts-related certificate for undergraduates is under development. It's first course will be offered during the fall semester of 2022 with16 students enrolled. Objective7.8 biochar demo/commercialization cases developed in YR2: 1) tour of the MASBio biomass plantings for 64 people at our annual meeting, 2) planting of biomass crops with Dominion Energy and Philadelphia Gas Works, 3) tour and pollinator garden at Kingsford Charcoal Plant in Parsons, WV, 3) biochar-amended poultry litter project with Torresak, 4) bioenergy crop development demonstration and 2 stream restoration projects with Consol Energy, 4) biochar amended pollinator/wildlife vegetation demonstration with First Energy Corporation and Snowshoe Resort. Two projects were developed to demonstrate sustainable development opportunities with biomass: 1) experimental demo testing biochar for reduction of GHG in sewage digester reactor tank and experiment testing use of biochar reduction of NH4 in poultry litter. 5 successful bioproduct business & market strategies developed: 1) tour and discussion with 12 WVU faculty/staff about challenges and solutions for restoring mineland with 12 WVU, 2) Biomass Stakeholder workshop/focus group sessions with 43 participants about how to increase biochar demand; 3) white paper on biomass credits and regulations 4) reviewed financial model for biochar production, 5) database on biomass/bioenergy feedstock, and 6) stakeholder framework & glossary related to biomass development. Nine activities developing indicators of socio-economic assessment 1) moderating a panel discussion on biomass development in the MidAtlantic at NEES and NSS, State College, PA 2) the stakeholder focus group and workshop at our MASBio annual meeting, 3) work plan with CONSOL for woodshed analysis for barge analysis,4) biochar market analysis, 5) adaptation of the biochar financial production model for MASBio, 6) demonstration and financial model of proposed Zero Carbon power plant, 7) woodshed analysis for supply analysis and BECCS, 8) economic Input/Output analysis and budget for forest residues to be used in bioenergy production, 9) lit review on formerly industrial land sources, and 10) a work plan to conduct Carbon Avoidance Cost Curves and Economic Multiplier Effects of Bio-Based Decarbonization Strategies in the Mid-Atlantic US. Workforce development created training on repurposing and managing poultry litter for small and industrial farms with Eastern WV Community & Technical College.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sahoo, K., Alanya-Rosenbaum, S., Bergman, R., Abbas, D., & Bilek, E. M. (2021). Environmental and economic assessment of portable systems: Production of wood-briquettes and torrefied-briquettes to generate heat and electricity. Fuels, 2(3), 345366, https://doi.org/10.3390/fuels2030020
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Zhang, X., Wang, J. and Strager, M.P., 2022. Industrial Development and Economic Impacts of Forest Biomass for Bioenergy: A Data-Driven Holistic Analysis Framework. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 182, p.106296.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bergman, R., Sahoo, K., Englund, K., & Mousavi-Avval, S. H. (2022). Lifecycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis of Biochar Pellet Production from Forest Residues and Field Application. Energies, 15(4), 1559. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15041559
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson, N., Gu, H., & Bergman, R. (2021). Comparison of novel biochars and steam activated carbon from mixed conifer mill residues. Energies, 14(24), 8472. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248472
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Wickramasinghe S, Wang J, Morsi B, Li B. (2021). Carbon dioxide conversion to nanomaterials: Methods, applications, and challenges. Energy & Fuels 35(15):11820-34.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Knox, T. , S.T. Grushecky, C. Kelly, P. Kinder. 2021. Offsetting Emissions of a Gas Processing Facility in West Virginia with Tree Planting and Biochar Additions. MS Project Report for Energy Environments, West Virginia University, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bao Z, Li Q, Akhmedov NG, Li BA, Xing M, Wang J, Morsie BI, Li B*. (2022) Innovative cycling reaction mechanisms of CO2 absorption in amino acid salt solvents. Chem Eng J Adv 10:100250.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Bergman R, Sahoo K, Englund K, Mousavi-Avval SH. 2022. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of biochar pellet production from forest residues and field application. Energies: Special Issue: Analysis of Bio-Based Products for the Circular Economy. 15(4), 1559. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15041559.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Anderson N, Gu H, Bergman R. 2021. Comparison of novel biochars and steam activated carbon from mixed conifer mill residues. Energies. Special Issue: Analysis of Bio-Based Products for the Circular Economy. 14(24), 8472; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248472.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Sahoo K, Khatri P, Kanwar A, Singh HP, Mani S, Bergman R, Runge T, Kumar D. 2022. Integrated life-cycle analysis and economic assessment of producing energy crops with cover crops for simultaneous use as biofuel feedstocks and animal fodder. Industrial Crops & Products. 179(2022), 114681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.114681.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2022 Citation: DeSouza D, MH Eisenbies, TA Volk (in review) Growing Season Harvests of Shrub Willow (Salix spp.) Have Higher Nutrient Removals and Lower Yields Compared to Dormant Season Harvests (Editing and Resubmitting)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2022 Citation: Vance, J., Wang, J., Grushecky, S., Zhang, X., Spinelli, R. (in review) Chipping Operations and Chip Quality from Mixed Hardwood Forests for Bioenergy Applications. Biomass & Bioenergy
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Nan Nan, Wanhe Hu, Jingxin Wang. 2022. Lignin-Based Porous Biomaterials for Pharmaceutical and Medical Application. Biomedicines. 10(4):747. doi:10.3390/biomedicines10040747.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Li Q, Bao Z, Akhmedov N, Li BA, Duan Y, Xing M, Wang J, Morsi BI, Li B*. (2022). Unravelling the role of glycine in K2CO3 solvent for CO2 removal. Ind Eng Chem Res (IF=3.2) (In revision).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hawks, E.M., M.C. Bolding, W.M. Aust, and S.M. Barrett. (in review). Best management practices, erosion, residual woody biomass, and soil disturbances within biomass and conventional clearcut harvests in Virginias Coastal Plain. Submitted to: Forest Science.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Ferdous SN, Sahoo K, Bergman R, Xin L. 2022. Analysis of biomass sustainability indicators from machine learning perspective. Submitted to Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, section AI in Food, Agriculture and Water on April 1, 2022.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Wang, Y.;Wang, J.; Zhang, X.; Bhattacharyya, D.; Sabolsky, E.M. Quantifying Environmental and Economic Impacts of Highly Porous Activated Carbon from Lignocellulosic Biomass for High-Performance Supercapacitors. Energies 2022, 15, 351. https://doi.org/10.3390/ en15010351


Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes industry partners developing and investing in biomass bio-based products, landowners (e.g. focusing on reclaimed mine land and marginal agricultural land), university and research faculty and students internal and external to the universities funded by this project, educators and students of primary, secondary, community college, and university institutions, people entering and transitioning into the workforce, entrepreneurs, local and state-level policymakers, and governance groups and NGOs developing and supporting sustainable economic development and bioeconomy opportunities in the Central Appalachian region. Changes/Problems:Task 1: Herbicide and deer damage at field sites; to address issues will alter herbicide treatments and have installed deer fencing. Biochar production for characterization and sorption projects is stalled because USDA partners are still operating remotely. Based on available information, best case scenario is December for biochar production. Regardless, the feedstock was collected, and is ready for processing. The contingency plan is to use biochar that we already have (southern yellow pine), not from the intended feedstock of switchgrass, miscanthus and/or willow.Task 2: Continues to be affected by delays in supply chain for load monitoring equipment. Scheduled delivery is now 9/13/21.Task 3: Limited lab access and student availability for research work due to covid restrictions.Task 4: Hiring of post-doc put on hold while US visa rules are transitioned.Task 5: Concerns about tracking methane flux data at sites.Task 6: The education task group has been negatively affected by the limitations to travel and in-person interaction that have been imposed as a response to the coronavirus. All face-to-face events and activities are having to be planned for possible remote delivery, which impacts effectiveness of those activities. The regional design project has been negatively impacted by this restriction, as project teams have not been able to meet in person or carry out face-to-face activities that were planned. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Objective 1: Webinar presentation, Discussed research during Teacher Training workshop; in-person field trip.Objective 3: MASBio PhD student studying 3D printing with lignin in the Chmely lab at PSU. Other MASBio students in Dr. Chmely's lab include a masters and undergraduate student working on lignin modification. MASBio postdoc hired in Dr. Hu's lab. Dr. Li has recruited a postdoc to work on the project part-time. Objective4: In addition to the three funded graduate students that have been recruited and have begun training for their respective tasks, additional training has been provided. This includes additional students, laboratory and field technicians (Hubbart), one undergraduate student and one research associate (Freedman), and one undergraduate student (Kelly), thereby providing important training and development exercises for those participants. Both graduate students and postdocs helped create survey instrument questions, literature derivations, and digital survey draft components for sub-team 4.4 (Burns).Objective5: Training for Dr. Mousavi-Avval - Forest Products Society Introduction to Wood Science; May 25-27, 2021. Dr. Mousavi-Avval presented his PhD work to USFS scientists and MASBio personnel on Thursday, April 15th, 2021.Objective 7:Developed collaborative monthly meeting between Eastern Biochar Initiative, US Biochar Initiative and MASBio. Group has been meeting with numerous industry stakeholders and private landowners working through demonstration projects and ideas. Networking allows for development of relevant training programs for MASBio. Also, supports monthly eastern biochar meetings. Planning quantification of stakeholders including the number of stakeholders and their names. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Objective1: Presentationon land reclamation and feedstock production to Eastern Biochar Meeting, April 21, 2021.Objective 2: Multiple presentations about the MASBio project, useof bioproduct in sustainable forest management, and bioeconomy opportunities at the National Biochar Week (December 7 - 11, 2020);International Society of Forest Resource Economics (2021); National Forest-Climate Working Group and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (January 12, 2021);the Owasco Watershed Lake Association (September 2021), Western Forest Governor's Association (October 2021);43rd Meeting of the Council on Forest Engineering and the 53rd International Symposium on Forest Mechanization (2021);Northern Arizona University's Ecological Restoration Institute Seminar Series (November 2021); Innovations in Forest Operations and Biomass Utilization in the Southwest, Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes Workshop, U.S. Forest Service R&D/SCIENCEx Webinar Series (December 2021).Objective 4: Presentations about the MASBioproject,"Bringing marginal lands to the center of biofuel crop production by harnessing the power of the microbiome",attwo departmental seminars at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Soil Science and Plant Pathology seminars). Objective 5: Presentations on environmental impacts and technoeconomic analysis of bioproducts at the ASABE Annual International Meeting (July 12-16, 2021) and the ACLCA Conference (September 21-24, 2021). Objective 7: Multiple presentations on the MASBio project and the uses of biochar at the Penn State, Smeal College of Business Center for the Business of Sustainability (2020), Penn State Agricultural Progress Days (August 2021), WV Woodland Stewards seminar (February 2021), and WVU Energy Land Management Student Association meeting (March 2021). Developed educational activities and curricula at the university, high school, elementary level including a writing contest on sustainable biomass and courses on biochar and soil ecology. Developed ateacher training workshop for elementary teachers. Developed biochar demo and established a pollinator/biochar coordinator Americorp position at the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center, Monongahela National Forest, WV. Developed a pollinator project to demonstrate vegetation management techniques working with the First Energy and WVU Department of Natural Resources. Developed a "Sustainable biomass at the WVU farm" event. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Continue weed management, spray and plow sites for next year's plantings, characterize soils, assessment of YR1 growth and survival. Objective 2: Installation of monitoring equipment, finalize and analyze preliminary turn time dataset, refine methods and expand harvester with tractors pulling wagons. Complete and submit time of harvest manuscript. Onboard new postdoc who will further develop the TG2.4 study plan, visit field sites and partners in WV and VA in Oct 2022, and collect field data at industrial sites. Refine the machine learning model and identify candidate sites for biomass processing facilities and continue time-motion study and fuel consumption and machine rate survey along with the forest residue logistics.Objective 3:Continue working on the catalytic fractionation of lignin and characterizing the resulted lignin subunits and the properties of resulting protein-lignin adhesive. Continue investigating the modification of Kraft lignin to create new printer resins with modified strategies that employ biomass-derived itaconic anhydride, a DOE "Top-10" chemical, and a high-powered UV arc lamp to cure and test resin specimens. Conduct a lifecycle inventory and overall analysis of the lignin modification process to monitor the sustainability overall. Continue to carry out the baseline studies of the amino acids of interest. Objective 4: Continue collaborating with TG1, 2, 5, and 7 to ensure that data collection is useful for our activities and outreach goals. Continue to process soil samples and work towards producing expected data.Objective 5: Continue to talk with other TGs about our data needs, to work on manuscripts, to explore options for experimental runs of datasets to train and test (OSU dataset on crop residues), and to conduct supply chain modeling with TG 2. Conduct experiments with krigging and co-krigging to interpolate missing physical measurements at unsampled locations using an Ohio crop residue dataset, the NREL solar energy dataset, and the USHCN weather condition dataset. Submit 5 manuscripts including 1) technical paper about crop residue regression., 2) review of ML tools and approaches for sustainability analysis of bio-based materials, 3) production of biofuels, bioenergy, and bioproducts using portable systems: A review, 4) techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of biochar pellet production from forest residues, and 5) environmental and techno-economic assessments of biobased products: A review. Apply ML tools and techniques to estimate biomass yield, soil erosion, and nutrient leaching from marginal lands by growing energy crops in the Appalachian region. Identify suitable ML tools and techniques to estimate GHG emissions and SOC change at high spatial and temporal scales. Continue developing the process models corresponding to the unit operations involved in Task 3.1.1. In-house data will be supplemented with the literature data for developing the reaction kinetic model and optimal estimation of kinetic parameters.Objective 6:Continue planning the undergraduate scholars summer program for delivery in 2022 at SUNY ESF and begin marketing the program to students. Begin the regional design course at Penn State with the marketing of the course at Virginia Tech, WVU, and SUNY ESF for participation in the Spring Semester. Continue working on the graduate seminar marketing the course for MASBio graduate students. The educator training effort will touch base with educators to see what they have incorporated. Respond to educator inquiries about materials and info for the educator training workshop. Circulate survey questionnaire results to the MASBio team for assessment. Objective 7: New MBA student will add new market areas for biochar, investigate collaboration with WVU Launch Lab center, prioritize existing biochar applications for further business development, finalize value chain white paper, and collect tree growth and mortality data on restoration plantings and nursery studies.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: All treatments and crops were established for the soil amendment study. drilled switchgrass; applied follow-up chemical and mechanical (hoeing) weed control treatments on willow plots; conducted modifications of biochar and sorption assays; and conducted biochar incubation study with evaluation of soil CO2 emission. conducted meetings with landowners to identify planting sites for next year; coordinated willow cuttings for next year's plantings.Objective 2: Analyzedheadland activities, specifically turn times and fuel consumption by the harvester. The supplier gave a preliminary delivery date for the load monitoring equipment that will be used in the fall 2021 harvests. Work is underway to identify industry collaborators and appropriate design methodology to answer the questions of interest regarding improving transportation efficiency. A machine learning model was developed to assess the county-level area suitability for biomass processing facilities in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Recruited postdoc. Continued MASBio stakeholder outreach with various presentations and meetings including biomass and biochar consultations with U.S. Forest Service and Sun Mountain Lumber, August 12 and September 9 and contributions to the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Report to Congress, Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Sequestration (BECCS) Area, Policy Mechanisms, 2021. Developing protocol and sample data collection protocol for biomass samples, including INL's sample characterization. Member attended 2021 Conference of American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and presented preliminary results. Conducted time-motion study on one field site of Eastern WV and started fuel consumption and machine rate survey. Regular meetings to coordinate efforts between TG2 and TG5.Objective 3:Prepared fractioned lignin using acid catalytic hydrolysis (acidolysis). the baseline adhesive has been characterized with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to understand the thermal stability during the curing process, primarily through a hot-pressing process. members investigated modifications of Kraft lignin to create new printer resins and strategies that employ biomass-derived itaconic anhydride. completed baseline studies of amino acids of interest for developing CO2-derived bicarbonate nanomaterials. Hired two graduate students who developed an experimental plan for investigating denitrifying bioreactor performance for shrub-willow-based biochar and characterized sorption capacity of thermally treated miscanthus. Developed a two-stage process using denitrifying bioreactors with biochar and raw biomass including characterization of the created biochar samples. Created a block flow diagram illustrating the mass balance of the biochar process (developed from biomass feedstock) for the MASBio TG5 modeling task group. Objective 4: Performed YR1 sampling included pre-treatment and pre-planting soils as well as post-treatment and post-planting soils. Completed data generation and analysis including a literature database (ongoing). Discussions with TG 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 that have addressed data-model integration and data analysis; as well strategizing outreach to support our continued work integration. Recruited graduate students and staff for all current positions. Objective 5: Ran modeling experiment on crop residue data from Ohio State University as a proxy for when we receive project data. Investigated four models finding that the Random Forest (RF) regressor outperformed other regressors. Explored the possibility of graph neural network (GNN) to solve the classic kriging problem in GIS big data analytics. Discussed the application of Inductive Graph Neural Network Kriging (IGNNK) model and co-kriging. A natural extension of GNN-based co-kriging will be a valuable tool to both GIS and biomass/bioenergy researchers. Preparing two biomass datasets for additional experiments. Initiated a data warehousing study for MASBio beginning with the Amazon Web Services (AWS). Performed literature review on use of models to estimate GHG emissions from soils due to land management including DayCent and EPIC models. Identified the data requirement for calibration and validation with actual measurement data (TG 1 and 4). Prepared list of input data for TG 1 and 4 to collect for calibrating DayCent model to estimate GHG emissions and changes in the soil organic carbon due to growing energy crops in marginal lands. Preparing two manuscripts about use of AI tools for biomass applications. Hired a new WVU PhD graduate student, Poulomi Das, to work on developing process models and PhD student, Alexandra Dill, to work on Task 5.4. Reviewed data from TG3 to be used for TEA and LCA of different bio-products. Prepared 2 manuscripts and 4 presentations for ASABE AIM and ACLCA 2021 conferences. Objective6: The regional design course finished its first year at participating institutions, with project teams from Penn State, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University completing their designs and submitting reports along with their group presentations. Developed curriculum for the educator training workshops and delivered at West Virginia State University in Charleston WV. Drafted and reviewed plan for the MASBio graduate seminar (spring semester of 2022). Planning of MASBio graduate certificate courses. Planning undergraduate scholars' program (Summer 2022). Planning certificate program in land reclamation and green energy products (2022) with two courses. Objective7: Implementing demonstrations of biochar as a soil amendment (Backwoods Energy and Greater Washington County Food Bank), sediment control device (WVU Research Farm), and amendment to sewage (Milton Regional Sewage Authority and Bedford Municipal Authority biodigester). Developed biomass demonstrations: 1) proposed power plant in PA, 2) potential uses for biochar in poultry operations (Torresak), 3) biomass resource on reclaimed mineland treated with biochar (switchgrass). Developed partnership with 2 biochar producers, FCE and Restoration Bioproducts. Developing research project with OH industry, OH university, and WVU poultry specialists on biochar infused bedding. Created energy crop baseline using billion-ton report data that will build into environmental economic models, estimated regional demand for short-rotation woody crops using the policy analysis system economic model, and quantified biomass supply curves of potential bioenergy with carbon capture and storage locations and associated carbon avoidance cost curves using the Biofuels Infrastructure and Logistics model.Worked with biochar producers and buyers to create contact documents and to conduct questionnaires. One MBA student was recruited (Penn State). Integrated MASBio MS students at WVU into the WVU LaunchLab Network for work in year 2. Developing a web-based database mapping system with MASBio field sites and industry partners. Collecting data on feedstock plantings and bioproduct use locations from MASBio stakeholders. Developing project with consortium to develop carbon-negative, pressurized fluidized bed combustion technology using waste coal and biomass. Developing collaboration with WV Biochar Initiative. Developed bimonthly series of MASBio biochar stakeholder meetings. Developed several projects using biochar treatments for pollinator plantings including private landowners, a 10th-grade science class, a natural heritage area, and a state wildlife management area also owned and managed by a utility company. Developed a lesson plan about biochar use in vegetable growing mediums for high school science course. Planning a biochar demonstration to be established in spring of 2022 at the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center, WV. Developing workforce training programs with WV Eastern Community and Technical College.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Wang, Y., Wang, J., Schuler, J., Strager, M., Volk, T., Eisenbies, M. Hartley, D. A multi-stage spatial analysis decision approach to facility siting for biomass energy production in the northeastern united states, Submitted.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Wang, Y., Wang, J., Zhang, X. and Grushecky, S., 2020. Environmental and Economic Assessments and Uncertainties of Multiple Lignocellulosic Biomass Utilization for Bioenergy Products: Case Studies. Energies, 13(23), p.6277.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Other Year Published: 2021 Citation: Wang, Y., Wang, J., Zhang, X., Bhattarcharyy, D., Sabolsky, E. Quantifying Environmental and Economic Impacts of Highly Porous Activated Carbon from Lignocellulosic Biomass for High-Performance Supercapacitors.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Eisenbies, M.H., Volk, T.A., DeSouza, D., Hallen, K., Stanton, B., Espinoza, J., Himes, A., Shuren, R., Stonex, R., Summers, B., Zerpa, J., 2021. An assessment of the harvesting and fuel performance of a single-pass cut-and-chip harvester in commercial-scale short-rotation poplar crops as influenced by crop and weather conditions. Biomass and Bioenergy 149:106075.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2021.106075
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Sahoo K, Upadhyay A. Runge T, Bergman R, Puettmann M, Bilek E.M. (Ted). 2020. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of biochar produced from forest residues using portable systems. Int J Life Cycle Assess (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01830-9
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Sahoo K, Khatri P, Kanwar A, Singh HP, Mani S, Bergman R, Runge T. Integrated life-cycle analysis and economic assessment of producing energy crops with cover crops for simultaneous use as biofuel feedstocks and animal fodder, (Submitted to Industrial Crops and Products on June 22, 2021).