On-Site energy consumption and selected emissions at softwood sawmills in the southwestern United States

Presently there is a lack of information describing US southwestern energy consumption and emissions generated from th sawmilling industry. This article uses a mail survey of softwood sawmills in the states of Arizona, Colorado, and Ne Mexico to develop a profile of on-site energy consumption and selected emissions for the industry. Energy consumption i categorized by fuel type on a production basis for both renewable and nonrenewable sources for production year 2012 Selected emissions from on-site energy consumption were also estimated for respondent sawmills. Survey respondent represented 35 percent of total softwood lumber production of 169.2 million board feet. Total annual on-site sawmill energ required was 64.8 billion British thermal units. Sixty-one percent was derived from diesel fuel, primarily for on-site rollin stock; 35 percent was from electricity; 3 percent was from gasoline used for on-site rolling stock; and the remainder was fro propane and wood. Energy produced from nonrenewable sources accounted for 94 percent of total on-site energ consumption. Off-site electricity generation for consumption at sawmills comprise the majority of all emissions in thi analysis: 62 percent of CO₂, 99 percent of CH₄, 94 percent of NO_x, 99 percent of SO_x, and 99 percent of particulate matter 10 lm (PM₁₀). Diesel fuel, which supplies the majority of on-site energy, comprises 36 percent CO₂, 0 percent CH₄, percent NOX, 0.4 percent SO_X, and 1.1