The Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) aims to facilitate development of an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable wood-based biofuels and co-products industry in the Pacific Northwest. During 2013/2014, NARA will examine the biofuels supply chain potential in western Washington and Oregon.

NARA has named this supply chain study area the Mid Cascade to Pacific (MC2P) region. During 2012/2013, NARA examined the supply chain potential in western Montana, Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington and named this region the Western Montana Corridor (WMC). A draft report summarizing the findings, analyses and recommendations for the WMC region is available here.

Much of the biofuels supply chain analysis conducted for the WMC study and for the upcoming MC2P study is done through the Integrated Design Experience (IDX) course, a collaborative studio course between Washington State University and the University of Idaho.

Throughout this fall semester, IDX students will identify supply chain assets in the MC2P region and begin narrowing down specific sites where facilities may be located. This year the NARA project is identifying locations for siting solid depots (produce wood chips or pellets), liquid depots (produce sugar-rich syrups), and integrated biorefineries (produce isobutanol from wood chips or sugar-rich syrups).

For more information on the NARA project and specifically about the Mid-Cascade to Pacific study region, you can read the MC2P Profile Document available online: http://woodsymposium.wsu.edu/documents/MC2P-ProfileBook9-6Final.pdf.

Stakeholder Input

The IDX students will present their findings throughout the fall semester, 2013. In order to verify and improve their analyses, stakeholders are welcome to view the presentations and participate. Participation also allows stakeholders in the region to get an advanced preview of the findings. Below is a list of the presentation dates and topics.

October 14, 2013, 2-4 PM – Site Location Selection

Students will present their list of potential sites for solid and liquid depots and integrated biorefineries based on GIS analysis and weighted asset criteria. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide students with constructive feedback on their work and help them refine their list of potential sites based on regional knowledge.

November 4, 2013, 2-4 PM – Site Resource Flows

Students will present resource flows, defined as incoming materials or outgoing products, for the sites listed in the October 14th presentation. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide students with feedback on their identified resource flows and help them refined their identified materials/products and potential markets for products.

December 4, 2013, 2-5 PM – Site Analysis

Students will present site opportunities, constraints and development suitability for specific sites in the MC2P region as solid or liquid depots or integrated biorefineries.

Stakeholders are encouraged to review students’ site analyses and provide constructive comments and feedback/insights.

Remote Connection Instructions

To join one or all of the presentations via live stream video or via a Google Hangout, click on the below links.  No reservation or login is required.

October 14, 2013, 2-4 PM – Site Location Selection

https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/c2bon3fhkj1rpic3u294o2i01mk

November 4, 2013, 2-4 PM – Site Resource Flows

https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cfqdmmbgr2l8l2vg4k6t4knstbs

December 4, 2013, 2-5 PM – Site Analysis

https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cbg9u7ovl5209cqr43sproq9rb4