Community-based model for bioenergy production coupled to forest land management for wildfire control using combined heat and power

We propose a community-based model of land management for pre-emptive action to reduce the risk of wildfires in small communities situated in forested areas. This proposed approach transfers the responsibility of wildland–urban interface administration to the local community, giving them control in reducing their risks of property damage. A combination of community forest management using local labour and bioenergy power generation mitigates the cost of forest treatment, reduces the local cost of energy and revitalizes the community. The proposed solution achieves sustainable land management practices, sustainable ecology, sustainable energy production, and provides enhanced cost-benefits to the community. More important, it provides simultaneously renewable heat, transportation and power to the community using local labour and without reliance on external aspects beyond community control. This study proposes a viable method based on the installation of an appropriately sized combined heat and power bioenergy system. A remote off-grid community is modeled and simulated using three different small-scale bioenergy systems and two operating scenarios by way of example.

► Pre-emptive action can reduce the risk of wildfires in small communities situated in forested areas.
► A combination of forest management using local labour and community bioenergy power generation mitigates the cost of forest treatment, reduces the local cost of energy, and revitalizes the community.
► Sustainable land management practices, combined with sustainable energy production, can add enhanced cost-benefits to the communities.