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Forest Biomass Sustainability: Policy Themes & Research Needs

Forest Biomass Sustainability: Policy Themes & Research Needs . Alan A. Lucier, Ph.D. Senior Vice President, NCASI FIA User Group Meeting & Biomass / Bioenergy Workshop February 23-25 Houston, Texas. Premise.

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Forest Biomass Sustainability: Policy Themes & Research Needs

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  1. Forest Biomass Sustainability:Policy Themes & Research Needs Alan A. Lucier, Ph.D. Senior Vice President, NCASI FIA User Group Meeting & Biomass / Bioenergy Workshop February 23-25 Houston, Texas

  2. Premise • Government policies and market forces portend rapid growth in use of “cellulosic biomass” for renewable energy and materials. • Today, timber is the dominant feedstock for renewable materials and biomass energy in the U.S. • Corn is the dominant feedstock for liquid biofuels in U.S. • In the future, major feedstock categories may include: • timber • annual crop residues • logging residues and other lower-value forest biomass • perennial biomass crops (e.g., switchgrass, poplars)

  3. Annual U.S. Production of Renewable Materials and Biomass Energy Feedstock Circa 2005

  4. Options for Increasing Forest Biomass Production • Increase the extent and productivity of working forests and agro-forestry. • Increase utilization of lower-value biomass such as logging residuals (e.g., tree branches) and small trees harvested during forest thinning operations.

  5. Current Themes in US Biomass Policy • Discourage timber harvesting in naturally-regenerated forests. • Discourage establishment of new forest plantations. • Encourage new uses of biomass but not traditional uses in the forest sector.

  6. Example – Renewable Fuels Program • Feedstock for renewable transportation fuel must NOT include: • Timber from naturally-regenerated forests • All biomass (timber & lower-value) from: • federal forestlands (WUI exception?) • rangeland • forestland defined as ecologically sensitive • tree covered areas in intensive agricultural crop production settings • plantations established after December 19, 2007 • Mill residuals from excluded sources of biomass

  7. Implications of Policy Themes • Higher costs in supply chains for segregating and tracking biomass in several categories defined by feedstock source and end use. • Fewer opportunities to develop “forest biorefineries” that make biofuels from wood residuals at pulp and building products mills.

  8. Implications of Policy Themes • Fewer opportunities for forest thinning and invasive pest control to improve ecosystem health and reduce wildfire hazards on private and public lands. • Higher rates of private land conversion from forest to non-forest uses.

  9. In Summary: Current themes in biomass policy for forest conservation are self defeating. • Impose high opportunity costs for producers and users of forest biomass • Discourage investment in forest stewardship and forest-based value chains • Will have generally negative impacts on ecosystem services

  10. An Alternative Approach? • Instead of imposing ad hoc costs and restrictions on forest-based value chains, biomass policies could treat the forest sector as a valuable platform for innovation in bioenergy, biomaterials, and natural resource conservation. • Ideally, biomass policies would supplement established laws and conservation programs that encourage sustainable forest management and sustainable growth in forest-based manufacturing of new and traditional products.

  11. Changing Direction • The social license to expand production and use of forest biomass hinges on: • demonstration that the forest biomass resource and forest ecosystem services will be sustainable when new uses are added to traditional uses. • resolution of environmental concerns associated with combustion and other processing of wood in many different applications.  

  12. What is NCASI Doing ? • Continuing research and technical support on relevant topics through its regular program. • Organizing a Forest Biomass Cooperative to engage “new users” of forest biomass in a coordinated research program with traditional users and forest owners.

  13. Mission of FBC • Sponsor and direct the execution of scientific investigations that will support sustainable production and use of biomass grown in forestry and agro-forestry settings.

  14. Potential Scope of the FBC • Sustainability of Working Forests • Resource monitoring & assessment • Water quantity & quality • Biodiversity • Forest technology • Sustainability of Biomass Processing • Carbon footprints of products / value chains • Emissions of particulate matter, ozone precursors, CO, hazardous air pollutants

  15. Discussion? Questions?

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