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Abstract
Production costs for short rotation, intensive culture (SRIC)
Populus biomass were developed from commercial-sized plantations under investigation throughout the eastern U.S.
Populus hybrid planted on good quality plantation sites at a density of 850 cuttings/acre was projected to yield an average of 7 ovendry (OD) tons/acre/year. Discounted cash/flow analysis of multiple rotations showed pre-harvest production costs of $15/ton (OD). Harvesting and transportation expenses would increase the delivered cost to $36/ton (OD). Although this total cost compared favorably with the regional market price for aspen (
Populus tremuloides), future investments in SRIC systems will require the development of markets specific to this biomass output.
Parent Publication
Citation
Strauss, C.H. 1991. Shipping coal to Newcastle: are SRIC
populus plantations a viable fiber production option for the central hardwoods region?. In: McCormick, Larry H.; Gottschalk, Kurt W., eds. Proceedings, 8th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; 1991 March 4-6; University Park, PA. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-148. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station: 55-66.
