Indiana investigates poplar as source of ethanol feedstock
Posted on Friday, November 4, 2011A five-year study by the Indiana Department of Forestry and Purdue University will provide data on the growth rates of certain varieties of poplar trees and help to determine if they are viable as an ethanol feedstock.
Webinar: regional focus on biomass energy in the Northeast
Posted on Friday, October 14, 2011The Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC) will offer a three-part webinar series that looks at biomass heating in different regions of the United States. The first webinar, "Regional Focus on Biomass Energy: the Northeast," on October 19 at 1PM ET, 10AM PT. Registration for this event is free and required; for more information, click here.
DOE releases new ‘Billion-Ton’ study highlighting opportunities for bioenergy growth
Posted on Thursday, September 1, 2011The nation can vastly increase the amount of energy it gets from biomass-derived sources without jeopardizing – and possibly even helping – the environment, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE’s optimistic assessment came with the release of a “2011 U.S. Billion-Ton Update: Biomass Supply for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry,” a follow-up to a 2005 biomass assessment.
Webinar on U.S. biomass and bioenergy policy
Posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2011A webinar next Thursday, August 25 (1-3 PM MDT), will provide an overview of the policy landscape affecting biomass use and forest restoration projects. Chris Farley, National Climate Change Specialist with the USFS R&D Washington Office staff, will look at the current policy landscape, interactions between existing policies and incentives for land management, energy, and air quality, as well as outline the process currently being undertaken by the EPA to regulate Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act and potential implications for biomass management on public and private lands in the U.S. Click here to register.
Wood-to-Energy Roadmap emphasizes sustainable forest management
Posted on Monday, July 25, 2011Recommendations that could unlock the nation’s potential to sustainably produce woody biomass for energy and traditional uses, while providing balanced multiple benefits from public and private forests for the American public, have been compiled in a National Wood to Energy Roadmap (PDF) developed by a work group composed of dozens of forestry, conservation, scientific and academic experts brought together by the 25x’25 Alliance. South Carolina State Forester Gene Kodama served on the group's Wood to Energy Work Group, which developed the roadmap document.
25x'25 webinar on national wood-to-energy roadmap
Posted on Friday, July 15, 2011The 25x'25 alliance will be hosting a webinar, "National Wood-To-Energy Roadmap - A Guide for Developing Sustainable Woody Biomass Solutions," on July 19. This webinar will coincide with the 25x'25 Alliance's release of a new report, National Wood-To-Energy Roadmap - A Guide for Developing Sustainable Woody Biomass Solutions, developed by the 25x'25 Wood-to-Energy Work Group. The report, and this webinar, explores four topics vital to the future of biomass energy in America: wood demand and supply, sustainability of forest resources, carbon and climate change, and related policies. The report will be available on the 25x'25 website (www.25x25.org) on Monday, July 18, in advance of the webinar.
European demand for biomass expected to increase 44 percent by 2020
Posted on Tuesday, July 12, 2011Demand for biomass in Europe is expected to increase by 44 percent in the next 10 years, according to a report released by RISI, a research firm for the forest products sector. The increased use of biomass will be driven principally from the energy sector, but also from the industrial and residential sectors.
TNC and SFI explore responsible sourcing for bioenergy feedstocks
Posted on Friday, June 24, 2011The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) have launched a pilot project to help bioenergy companies support responsible forest management through their procurement of woody biomass. The joint effort reflects the recognition by both organizations that the bioenergy industry provides new market opportunities for forest landowners and managers, but that appropriate steps should be in place for the procurement of forest fiber in order to maintain the health of the forest resource. The project will assist facilities that produce renewable energy or transportation fuels from woody biomass to establish a responsible procurement system.
Webinar: taking lessons from Europe on biomass policies
Posted on Tuesday, June 7, 2011On Wednesday, June 15 at 12 PM EDT, the Biomass Thermal Energy Council is hosting "Brits, Brussels, and Biomass: The European Path Towards Renewable Heating," a webinar on successful renewable heating policies that have created jobs, secured domestic energy supply and benefited the environment in European countries. These examples can guide the policy deliberations on the state and federal level in the U.S. For more information, visit www.biomassthermal.org/resource/webinars.asp#EU.
Study highlights flaws in Manomet woody biomass study
Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2011A new study contradicting the findings of the well-known 2010 Massachusetts biomass study by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences points out inherent flaws and incorrect assumptions in the Manomet authors' methodology. In short, the inaccuracies lead to flawed findings, which have prompted sweeping policy changes in Massachusetts that threaten to wipe the use of woody biomass off the map in the state.
