United States

Department of

Agriculture

f-n

W

E ‘3 Forest Service

 Southern Forest

Research Note

Experiment Station

so -354

October 1989

Fuelwood Consumption of Midsouth Pulpmills, 1987

Dennis M. May and John S. Vissage

SUMMARY more than half of the pulp and paper sector’s needs

(Goetzl 1985).

Results of the first fuelwood canvass of wood-using

pulpmills in the Midsouth revealed that 46 pulpmills

burned 12.5 million green tons of fuelwood in 1987. Mill

residues were the primary form of fuelwood consumed.

Bark comprised over half of the total consumption. In

addition’to mill residues, over 1 million green tons of

roundwood were also burned as fuel. Fuelwood was consumed by pulpmills in all seven States of the region.

Alabama alone accounted for one-third of the total consumption. Fuelwood consumption was concentrated in

the larger pulpmills. Eleven states supplied fuelwood to

the region’s pulpmills.

The significance of these national trends led to a

regional assessment of fuelwood use in the pulp and

paper sector of the wood products industry in the Midsouth. In a complete canvass of all wood-using pulpmills

in the Midsouth, individual mills were surveyed as to the

quantity, type, and source of fuelwood they consumed in

1987. This canvass was part of the annual survey of

pulpwood production conducted by the USDA Forest

Service and is the first in a continuing assessment of

fuelwood use in the Midsouth’s pulping industry. The

results presented here are all from that survey.

Keywords: Bark, mill residues, roundwood. CONSUMPTION BY FUELWOOD TYPE

INTRODUCTION

Interest in wood as a source of energy has been growing in the United States since the oil crisis of the early

1970’s. Not only did the oil crisis make fuelwood costs

competitive with those of fossil fuels, it also increased

awareness of the finiteness of fossil fuels, resulting in

legislation supporting energy self-sufficiency. These factors bolstered the demand for fuelwood, a renewable

resource that was readily available. As a result, fuelwood

consumption in the United States increased 53 percent

between 1972 and 1983 and was the primary end use of

this country’s wood and bark resources in 1983 (Koning

and Skog 1987).

The wood products industry burns a major portion of

the fuelwood in this country. Both the solid-wood and

pulp and paper sectors of the industry have increased

their fuelwood use and made gains in energy self-sufficiency. In 1983, fuelwood provided more than threequarters of the solid-wood sector’s energy needs and

In 1987, 46 of the 56 wood-using pulpmills in the

seven States of the Midsouth (fig.1) consumed 12.5 million green tons of fuelwood (table 1) with an energy

equivalent of 107.3 trillion BTU’s’ Mill residues were

the primary form of fuelwood consumed-a reflection of

the extensive use of both internally generated and purchased bark. Bark comprised over half of the total fuelwood consumption in 1987. Bark internally generated

from roundwood pulping furnish was widely used (85

percent of those mills using fuelwood burned their own

bark) (table 2), and accounted for three-quarters of the

total bark burned. As would be expected, the species

composition of the internally generated bark mirrored

that of the roundwood pulping furnish in the Midsouth,

roughly 60 percent softwood and 40 percent hardwood.

Sawdust, another mill residue and common form of industrial fuel, supplied 15 percent of the 1987 fuelwood

consumption. Not surprisingly, three-quarters of the

‘Based on U.S. Department of Energy conversion factor of 17.2

million BTU’s per ovendry ton of fuehvood.

Southern Forest Experiment StationIT-102lO U.S. Postal Services Bldg., 701 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, La. 70113

Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Serving Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, E. Oklahoma, Tennessee, E. Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands

1
sawdust burned was softwood, a reflection of the pinedominated sawmill industry in the region. Chips comprised the smallest proportion of the total fuelwood

consumption because only those chips unsuited for pulping were burned.

In addition to mill residues, over 1 million green tons

of roundwood were also burned in 1987. This roundwood

included whole trees and portions of trees harvested

from forests for the sole purpose of being burned as fuel.

As expected, over 90 percent of the roundwood consumed was hardwood. This species group generally has

higher residual volumes following harvests of traditional

timber products and is an available and under-utilized

resource in many portions of the region. Although eight

pulpmills in the region used this source of fuelwood

(table 2), there should be little concern over its impact

on supplies of traditional timber products. In 1987,

roundwood fuelwood consumption was only about 2 percent of the region’s roundwood pulpwood receipts.

A full 20 percent of the fuelwood consumed by the

region’s pulpmills was categorized as mixed. This included fuelwood, that could not be broken down by type

or types of fuelwood with volumes too insignificant to be

mentioned separately. This category probably contains

the types previously discussed as well as minor types such

as particle board waste and wood shavings.

-_

-t.

OKLAHOMA ’

(3)

I

Figure 1,The seven Midrouth States and the number of pulpmills in

each. Each dot represents the location of one wood-using

pulpmill.

Table I.--Fuelwood consumption of Midrouth pu$mills by lype

Softwood Hardwood Total

---_______------__ -_------ (&emt---__---------_---------

Bark-internal 3,281,054 2,057,140 5,258,194

purchased 752,318 713,571 1,465,889

Chips 198,790 144,050 342,840

Other mix 185,173 2268,102 2,453,275

Roundwood %M WO,~ 1,091,210

Sawdust 1,409,900 458,389 1868,289

All types 5,838,039 6,641,658 12,479,697

CONSUMPTION BY STATE

Pulpmills in Alabama alone burned over one-third of

the regional consumption (table 3). Alabama and

Louisiana together accounted for over half of the total

regional consumption. This is not surprising considering

Alabama had the highest number of mills burning fuelwood and Louisiana the second highest. Both States also

had a large proportion of high-capacity mills where fuelwood consumption was concentrated (table 4).

Of the 10 pulpmills that did not burn fuelwood in

1987, seven were in the lowest pulping capacity class

(500 tons per day or less). Only three of the 10 mills in

the lowest pulping-capacity class burned any fuelwood in

1987. Not only did fewer small mills burn fuelwood, but

they also burned proportionately less fuelwood. The

average consumption of the surveyed wood-burning

pulpmills was more than a quarter million green tons in

1987. Pulpmills in the lowest pulping-capacity class

burned less than half the average, whereas mills with

pulping capacities in excess of 1,000 tons per day exceeded the average. This concentration of fuelwood consumption in larger pulpmills results from their higher

energy requirements and their ability to bear the high

costs associated with the startup or conversion to fuelwood energy systems. Interestingly, the trend of increased fuelwood consumption with increased mill size

is reversed when calculated on the basis of units of pulping capacity (table 4).

The total fuelwood demand of the Midsouth

pulpmills was supplied by 11 States-the seven within

the region and four from outside (table 5). Each State in

the Midsouth supplied at least 60 percent of its own

fuelwood. The remainder for most States came from

other Midsouth States; Alabama and ‘lbnnessee used

fuelwood from the four outside States as well (table 6).

The leading consumer of fuelwood, Alabama, was also

the leading supplier, and Georgia was by far the leading

supplier from outside the region.

Dennis M. May is research forester and John S. Vissage is forester, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment

Station, Starkville, MS 39759.

2
Table 2.-Number of Midsouth pulpmilk consuming fuelwood by Stole ond type

Fuelwood type

Number of mills Bark

State Consuming Total Internal Purchased Chips Sawdust Other Roundwood

fuelwood canvassed mixed

________________________________________--------------------- Num& ofmillsf_______________-_-__--------------------------------------------

Alabama 14 1 5 12 5 3 2 3 3

Arkansas and Oklahoma’ 7 1 1 5 3 0 2 3 2

Louisiana 10 1 1 9 2 1 3 6 2

Mississippi 7 7 6 1 0 1 5 0

lbnnessee 3 5 2 0 0 3 0 0

lkXaS 5 7 5 3 1 1 2 1

All States 46 56 39 14 5 12 1 9 8

‘Oldahoma combined with Arkansas to avoid disclosing individual mill data.

2 Rows are not additive.

lhble 3.-Fuelwood consumption of Miakouth pulpmills by State and type

State Fuelwood Softwood Hardwood Total

__________________ - ____ Green t- _---__________________

Alabama

Arkansas and

Oklahoma’

Louisiana

Mississippi

Tennessee

Texas

Bark-internal

purchased

Chips

Other mix

Roundwood

Sawdust

State total

Bark -interal

purchased

Other mix

Roundwood

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Chips

Other mix

Roundwood

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Other mix

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Chips

Other mix

Roundwood

1,056,175 990,179 2,046,354

157,u)l 163,949 321,150

198,691 94,645 293,336

3,871 180,385 184,256

0 507,283 507,283

1,184,506 19,371 1,203,877

2,600,444 1,955,812 4,556,256

318,561 235,925 554,486

403,380 226,587 629,967

0 450,159 450,159

0 159,425 159,425

25,345 47,897 73,242

747,286 1,119,993 1,867,279

621,021 320,385 941,406

42,571 213,355 255,926

99 20,702 20,801

162,302 790,523 952,825

0 197,493 197,493

68,132 44,136 112,268

894,125 1,586,594 2,480,719

276,658 353,181 629,839

72,000 =,~ 158,000

19,000 681,543 700,543

46,186 0 46,186

413,844 1,120,724 1,534,568

482,294 16,942 499,236

85,731 332,634 418,365

568,025 349,576 917,601

446,345 140,528 586,873

77,166 23,680 100,846

0 28,703 28,703

0 165,492 165,492

90,804 136,205 227,009

Sawdust 0 14,351 14,351

State total 614,315 508,959 1,123,274

All States 5,838,039 6,641,658 12,479,697
Table 4.-Fuelwood consumption of Midrouth pulpmills by mill size

Consumption

Number of Softwood Hardwood Total Average Average per

Pulping capacity mills per mill ton pulping

Tonsfday ___________________ - __________________________ G,.cm tom________________________________________------

l-500 3 20,387 352,824 373,211 124,403 1.2

500-1000 1 1 1,859,279 617,587 2,476,866 225,169 0.8

1000-1500 18 2,153,626 3301,005 5,454,631 303,035 0.7

1500-2000 8 879,897 1,706,764 2,586,661 323,332 0.5

>2000 6 924,850 663,478 1,588,328 264,721 0.3

Total 46 5,838,039 6,641,658 12,479,697

Average 271,298 0.6

‘lhble 5.-Sources of MidsouthpuQmiUfd by State and type

State Fuelwood Softwood Hardwood Total

______________________Greentom__________________

Alabama

Arkansas

Florida

Georgia

Kentucky

Louisiana

Mississippi

Bark-internal

purchased

Chips

Other mix

Roundwood

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Other mix

Roundwood

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

Other mix

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Roundwood

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Chips

Other mix

Roundwocd

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Other mix

Roundwood

Sawdust

State total

937,834 781,167 1,719,OOl

140,051 103,202 243,253

198,691 94,645 293,336

6,871 169,203 176,074

0 365,617 365,617

1,175,195 22,050 1,197,245

2,458,642 1,535,884 3,994,526

299,431 241,942 541,373

383,380 189,809 573,189

0 284,576 284,576

0 66,386 66,386

30,209 47,897 78,106

713,028 830,610 1,543,630

330 160 490

0 192 192

330 352 682

148,378 28,669 177,047

9,310 9,569 18,879

0 39,350 39,350

11,757 7,994 19,751

169,445 85,582 255,027

8,051 0 8,051

0 7,799 7,799

8,051 7,799 15,850

605,627 272,036 877,663

57,581 230,817 288,398

99 20,702 20,801

52,244 644,794 697,038

0 157,297 157,297

58,279 43,334 101,613

773,830 1368,980 2,142,810

541,035 500,522 1,041,557

79,840 153,446 233,286

126,058 696,691 822,749

0 102,316 102,316

46,186 26,820 73,006

793,119 1,479,795 2,272,914
‘Ihble S.-Sources of Midsouth pulpmill fuelwood by State and type<ondnued

State Fuelwood Softwood Hardwood Tbtal

_______________________ Green u)me___________--------

North

Carolina

Oklahoma

Tennessee

Texas

Bark-internal

State total

Bark-internal

Other mix

Roundwood

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Sawdust

State total

Bark-internal

purchased

Chips

Other mix

Roundwood

Sawdust

State total

All States

4,471 0 4,477

15,356 12,698 28,054

0 210,115 210,115

0 131,635 131,635

15,356 354,448 369,804

195,831 18,223 274,054

0 3,048 3,048

83,285 287,342 370,627

279,116 368,613 647,729

444,104 141,723 586,427

82,156 23,680 105,836

0 28,703 28,703

0 262,531 262,531

90,804 137,805 228,609

4,989 15,153 20,142

622,653 609,595 1,232,248

5,838,039 -6,641,658 12479,697

‘fable 6.-Destinations and origins of Midsouthpulpmillfuelwood

Destination Origin Softwood Hardwood Total

Alabama

Arkansas and

Oklahoma’

Louisiana

Mississippi

Tennessee

Alabama 2,375,509 1,464,795 3,840,304

Florida 330 352 682

Georgia 96,364 85,582 181,946

Louisiana 50 1,253 1,303

Mississippi 110,489 331,276 441,765 ,

Tennessee 17,702 72,554 90,256

State receipts 2,600,444 1,955,812 4,556,256

Arkansas 654,207 649,489 1303,696

Louisiana 30,794 93f4 81,632

Mississippi 0 183 183

Oklahoma 15,317 354,268 369,585

Texas 46,968 65,215 112,183

State receipts 747,286 1,119,993 1,867,279

Alabama 0 106 106

Arkansas 4!,307 106,359 147,666

Louisiana 674,135 1,243,252 1,917,387

Mississippi 140,790 106,909 247,699

Texas 37,893 129,968 167,861

State receipts 894,125 1,586,594 2,480,719

Alabama 10,491 57,434 67,925

Louisiana 9,873 54,032 63,905

Mississippi 393,480 1,009,258 1402,738

State receipts 413,844 1,120,724 1,534,568

Alabama 72,642 13,549 86,191

Georgia 73,081 0 73,081

5
‘Ihble t&-Destinations and origins of Midsouth pulpmill fwlwood4ondnued

Destination Origin Hardwood Total

Kentucky 8,051 7,799 15,850

Mississippi 148,360 32,169 180,529

North Carolina 4,477 0 4,477

Tennessee 261,414 296,059 557,473

State receipts 568,025 349,576 917,601

Arkansas 17,506 74,762 92,268

Louisiana 58,978 19,605 78,583

Oklahoma 39 180 219

Texas 537,792 414,412 952,204

State receipts 614,315 508,959 1,123,274

Total receipts 5,838,039 6,641,658 12,479,697

‘Oklahoma combined with Arkansas to avoid disclosing individual mill data.

LITERATURE CITED

Koning, Jr., J. W.; Skog, K. E. 1987. Use of wood energy

in the United States-an opportunity. Biomass. 12:27-

36.

Goetzl, A 1985. The forest industry and wood energy in

the context of U.S. energy policy. In: Saucier, J. P., ed.

Proceedings of the 1984 southern forest biomass

workshop. Sixth annual meeting of the Southern Forest

Biomass Working Group; 1984 June 5-7; Athens, GA.

Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station: 37-

49.

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