Nation's Forests Can Meet Demands for Energy, Bioproducts and Traditional Uses
As demand grows for energy feedstocks to meet renewable fuel and electricity standards, concerns have been raised about the availability of biomass, particularly wood, in amounts sufficient to meet those standards. With loftier goals such as energy independence and achieving significant reductions in carbon emissions, the challenge of satisfying this demand becomes even greater.
The 25x’25 Alliance recognizes that it is incumbent upon the forestry sector and its partners to address these concerns and propose for critical review and discussion a roadmap to help guide the production and use of wood for renewable energy and traditional forest products while sustaining the health and productivity of America’s forest resources. To that end, 25x’25 has created a Wood-to-Energy Work Group that is bringing together major forestry, conservation and industry stakeholders in a series of roundtable discussions around current and future uses of wood. The goal of these discussions is the development of consensus recommendations on how best to increase and expand the role and contribution of the nation’s private and public forest lands to national energy needs while continuing to provide wood for traditional uses.
The team recently held a forum in Florida on demand, supply and growth issues related to woody biomass and among the key conclusions from that roundtable discussion was the consensus view that wood production from privately owned natural and planted forests can be increased because the necessary research and experience in the application of silvicultural tools, techniques and technology make it possible.
Forum participants, including representatives from landowner groups, professional forestry organizations, environmental groups, the traditional forest industry, emerging renewable energy industries and academia, agreed that increases in wood productivity could close the gap between what we have and what we need. The forum also revealed, however, that markets must grow and prices would have to rise for forest owners and managers to make the necessary investments to achieve those increases in productivity.
Another significant finding was that without major change in public land management policy, public lands will likely not contribute in any significant way as a source of supply for traditional wood product or biomass for energy. This shortfall in supply potential is particularly unfortunate given the potential gains in forest health, fire reduction and productivity on the public lands and the economic benefits to rural communities that could result from the wider use of their resources.
And finally, the participants agreed that if woody biomass is to contribute more to the nation’s energy future while also supplying all traditional uses, there must be more investment and expansion of short rotation woody crop production on marginal crop and pasture lands, including the use of genetically improved trees.
The team will host future forums, including one next month on the sector’s ability to sequester carbon and provide low carbon energy feedstocks. We invite 25x’25 partners to read and comment on the report on supply, demand and growth forum, which can be found at the 25x’25 Web site by clicking here. Direct your comments to info@25×25.org.
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