A team of researchers is promoting the social, environmental and economic benefits of wood energy as an alternate clean and renewable energy source in the March 13 issue of the journal Science (subscription). Led by Duke University's Daniel Richter, professor of soils and forest ecology, the article's authors drew on their observations during a week-long multi-city tour of renewable energy and managed forest sites in Austria during June, 2008.

LEWISBURG, PA and DURHAM, NC - Modern wood energy may soon take its place alongside wind and solar as an environmental energy investment of choice. A newly published analysis in the March 13 issue of the journal Science (http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/323/5920/1432) explains social, environmental and economic benefits of sustainably implemented Advanced Wood Combustion (AWC) energy projects. Affordable clean energy is one contribution offered by AWC, others are improved markets for poor timber, climate change mitigation and protection for wildfire-prone communities across the nation. Mainstream acknowledgement, with publication by editors at Science that wood energy can be a clean energy source for conventional American buildings, is revolutionary energy and environmental news in the United States.

"Wood Energy in America," written by a multi-institutional team of ecologists, engineers, forest conservationists and energy specialists and appearing in the "Policy Forum" section of the journal is expected to increase public awareness and expand the industry's opportunities. Daniel D. Richter of Duke University, and collaborating authors based much of the article on observations made during a week-long multi-city tour of renewable energy and managed forest sites in Austria during June, 2008. Most were among 15 energy, forestry business and policy professionals representing three universities and three four states making the trip.

Resource Professionals Group, a consulting firm with offices in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and North Carolina that specializes in clean energy and resource management organized the experience in cooperation with Austrian leaders in business and public policy and The Pennsylvania State University School of Forest Resources. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Forest Service and the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service.

Advanced Wood Combustion, the report indicates,

• Cleanly supplies low cost heat and cooling for any sized communities
• Uses modern systems and process to eliminate noxious smoke,
• Can support forest restoration work by conservation organizations
• Creates a market for damaged urban and poor quality forest trees,
• Is more than twice as efficient as most conventional electricity plants,
• Stimulates sustainable economic growth with local green jobs,
• Compliments, for renewable heat and cooling, what wind and photovoltaics do for electricity.

"The Austrians showed us that with policy and collaborative outreach, Americans can quickly achieve sustainable growth and clean energy using local, renewable natural resources," said John Karakash, a co-author and forester with Resource Professionals Group, "saving time by applying lessons others already learned."

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Resource Professionals Group
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For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 18, 2009
CONTACT: John T. Karakash
(570) 523-7790
jtk@resourceprofessionalsgroup.com

About Resource Professionals Group
Resource Professionals Group is a consulting firm serving clients in business, industry, hospitality, education and health care and government at local, state and federal levels with offices on University Drive in Durham, NC and Lewisburg, PA. Resource Professionals Group activities merge clean affordable energy and forest improvement through market development.

Services include public and in-house corporate seminars on renewable energy opportunities, orientation to biomass and other renewable energy sources, application analysis, ownership modeling to advantage renewable energy credits, biomass fuel and energy sales market review, renewable energy project concept design, energy cost reduction, wildfire danger mitigation, carbon footprint and sustainability planning and urban wastewood marketing. To learn more, call 570.523.7790 or visit www.resourceprofessionalsgroup.com.