April Biorenewables Café

by Valdeir Arantes ~ April 19th, 2012. Filed under: Upcoming Café.

Our next Biorenewables Café will happen on Friday April 27th, 2-3:30pm at Forest Science Centre (CAWP Building, 2424 Main  Mall, Room 2964/65 – UBC Point Grey Campus). The speaker for the evening will be Olga Petrov, PhD student at the UBC Chemical & Biological Engineering Department.

 

Abstract – Forest residues to energy: Local air quality, health risks and energy policies

Biomass-based district energy systems (DES), are rapidly growing in BC and Canada.  Utilization of bioenergy could be beneficial to the province’s economy, provide improvements in energy efficiency and reduction in greenhouse gases (GHG). However, the impacts of biomass-based technologies are still not completely understood.  The overall aim of my research is to estimate, over the entire life cycle, emissions from biomass-based DES compared to fossil fuel-based systems such as natural gas and diesel, commonly used in BC at present. The effects of such emissions will include global warming impacts, resulting ambient (outdoor) air quality, and associated health risks in exposed local populations. A unique combination of complementary modeling systems will be used in this multiple-case research study to address the study aims.  The results of this study will benefit  biomass technology developers and engineers in designing systems with higher efficiency and cleaner emissions; health scientific community and health professionals in improved understanding of health risks associated with biomass-based energy systems, and will assist policy-makers and city planners in future emission and air quality regulations and zoning practices.

 

Biography: Olga Petrov is a second year PhD student with Chemical & Biological Engineering at UBC and Bridge Strategic Training Fellow. She holds a BSc in Atmospheric Sciences (major in meteorology) and MSc in Environment and Management. Olga is a faculty member, Environmental Engineering program at BCIT and Associate with Envirochem Services Inc. She has more than 20 years of experience in the environmental field with a focus on air quality/management and pollution prevention. Olga is a student development director, board of directors, Air & Waste Management Association, BC & Yukon Chapter.

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