The proposed solution must include an economic development opportunity by implementing a technology or process or combinations of technologies to use the thinned material to generate biobased products or energy. Biobased products include, but are not limited to, standard dimensional lumber, non-dimensional lumber, wood chips, wood pellets, pulp, resins, enzymes, or materials that could be used as raw materials or substitutes for common products. Bioenergy applications include applications such as co-generation, ethanol production, gasification, liquification, and direct heating or steam generation. The developed products could be used in residential, community, or industrial applications and be either finished products or processed raw materials for products manufactured at other locations. The processing system configuration is not important and single or multiple processing facilities can be used as well as mobile or multiple mobile systems.
Several factors influence the applicability of a technology to a given geographic location.
Many of these factors influence the cost-effectiveness of a technology in a given area. To help assess the various biomass and bio-energy utilization technology options the following information could help in considering the benefits of different biomass utilization options. Relative to Apache Creek, the nearest major industries are a cement kiln, which is 150 miles away by roadway or 50 miles by roadway and 150 miles by rail, and a copper smelter that is 75 miles away by roadway. The nearest major electric transmission line is 10 miles away. The nearest fiber and chip plant is 100 miles by roadway.