Description

ANNOTATION: FRCS is a spreadsheet application useful for estimating the cost of forest operations undertaken to reduce forest fuel loads by cutting and removing trees for solid wood products or chips. It can also be used to estimate the cost of collecting and chipping forest residues. Cost assumptions can be modified by the user. There are four ground-based systems, four cable systems, and two helicopter systems. Cost estimates are in U.S. dollars per 100 cubic feet, per green ton, and per acre. ABSTRACT: FRCS, the Fuel Reduction Cost Simulator, uses simulation to estimate the cost of forest operations that are undertaken to reduce forest fuel loads by cutting and removing trees for solid wood products or chips. It can also be used to estimate the cost of collecting and chipping forest residues. The resulting 'dirty chips' might be used as feedstock for electrical power generation or for the production of biofuels or other bio-based products. DATA REQUIREMENTS: System and cut type, yard/skid/forward distance, percent slope, elevation, one-way move-in costs, green wood density, residue fraction, trees per acre cut, average volume per tree.