Status and prospects for renewable energy using wood pellets from the southeastern United States
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Status and prospects for renewable energy using wood pellets from the southeastern United States. / Dale, Virginia H.; Kline, Keith L.; Parish, Esther S.; Cowie, Annette L. ; Emory, Robert; Malmsheimer, Robert W.; Slade, Raphael; Smith, Charles Tattersall Tat; Wigley, Thomas Bently Ben; Bentsen, Niclas Scott; Berndes, Göran; Bernier, Pierre; Brandão, Miguel; Chum, Helena L.; Diaz-Chavez, Rocio; Egnell, Gustaf; Gustavsson, Leif; Schweinle, Jörg; Stupak, Inge; Trianosky, Paul; Walter, Arnaldo; Whittaker, Carly; Brown, Mark; Chescheir, George; Dimitriou, Ioannis; Donnison, Caspar; Goss Eng, Alison; Hoyt, Kevin P.; Jenkins, Jennifer C.; Johnson, Kristen; Levesque, Charles A.; Lockhart, Victoria; Negri, Maria Cristina; Nettles, Jami E.; Wellisch, Maria.
In: GCB Bioenergy, Vol. 9, No. 8, 2017, p. 1296-1305.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Status and prospects for renewable energy using wood pellets from the southeastern United States
AU - Dale, Virginia H.
AU - Kline, Keith L.
AU - Parish, Esther S.
AU - Cowie, Annette L.
AU - Emory, Robert
AU - Malmsheimer, Robert W.
AU - Slade, Raphael
AU - Smith, Charles Tattersall Tat
AU - Wigley, Thomas Bently Ben
AU - Bentsen, Niclas Scott
AU - Berndes, Göran
AU - Bernier, Pierre
AU - Brandão, Miguel
AU - Chum, Helena L.
AU - Diaz-Chavez, Rocio
AU - Egnell, Gustaf
AU - Gustavsson, Leif
AU - Schweinle, Jörg
AU - Stupak, Inge
AU - Trianosky, Paul
AU - Walter, Arnaldo
AU - Whittaker, Carly
AU - Brown, Mark
AU - Chescheir, George
AU - Dimitriou, Ioannis
AU - Donnison, Caspar
AU - Goss Eng, Alison
AU - Hoyt, Kevin P.
AU - Jenkins, Jennifer C.
AU - Johnson, Kristen
AU - Levesque, Charles A.
AU - Lockhart, Victoria
AU - Negri, Maria Cristina
AU - Nettles, Jami E.
AU - Wellisch, Maria
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - The ongoing debate about costs and benefits of wood-pellet based bioenergy production in the southeastern United States (SE USA) requires an understanding of the science and context influencing market decisions associated with its sustainability. Production of pellets has garnered much attention as US exports have grown from negligible amounts in the early 2000s to 4.6 million metric tonnes in 2015. Currently, 98% of these pellet exports are shipped to Europe to displace coal in power plants. We ask, 'How is the production of wood pellets in the SE USA affecting forest systems and the ecosystem services they provide?' To address this question, we review current forest conditions and the status of the wood products industry, how pellet production affects ecosystem services and biodiversity, and what methods are in place to monitor changes and protect vulnerable systems. Scientific studies provide evidence that wood pellets in the SE USA are a fraction of total forestry operations and can be produced while maintaining or improving forest ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are protected by the requirement to utilize loggers trained to apply scientifically based best management practices in planning and implementing harvest for the export market. Bioenergy markets supplement incomes to private rural landholders and provide an incentive for forest management practices that simultaneously benefit water quality and wildlife and reduce risk of fire and insect outbreaks. Bioenergy also increases the value of forest land to landowners, thereby decreasing likelihood of conversion to nonforest uses. Monitoring and evaluation are essential to verify that regulations and good practices are achieving goals and to enable timely responses if problems arise. Conducting rigorous research to understand how conditions change in response to management choices requires baseline data, monitoring, and appropriate reference scenarios. Long-term monitoring data on forest conditions should be publicly accessible and utilized to inform adaptive management.
AB - The ongoing debate about costs and benefits of wood-pellet based bioenergy production in the southeastern United States (SE USA) requires an understanding of the science and context influencing market decisions associated with its sustainability. Production of pellets has garnered much attention as US exports have grown from negligible amounts in the early 2000s to 4.6 million metric tonnes in 2015. Currently, 98% of these pellet exports are shipped to Europe to displace coal in power plants. We ask, 'How is the production of wood pellets in the SE USA affecting forest systems and the ecosystem services they provide?' To address this question, we review current forest conditions and the status of the wood products industry, how pellet production affects ecosystem services and biodiversity, and what methods are in place to monitor changes and protect vulnerable systems. Scientific studies provide evidence that wood pellets in the SE USA are a fraction of total forestry operations and can be produced while maintaining or improving forest ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are protected by the requirement to utilize loggers trained to apply scientifically based best management practices in planning and implementing harvest for the export market. Bioenergy markets supplement incomes to private rural landholders and provide an incentive for forest management practices that simultaneously benefit water quality and wildlife and reduce risk of fire and insect outbreaks. Bioenergy also increases the value of forest land to landowners, thereby decreasing likelihood of conversion to nonforest uses. Monitoring and evaluation are essential to verify that regulations and good practices are achieving goals and to enable timely responses if problems arise. Conducting rigorous research to understand how conditions change in response to management choices requires baseline data, monitoring, and appropriate reference scenarios. Long-term monitoring data on forest conditions should be publicly accessible and utilized to inform adaptive management.
KW - Best management practices
KW - Biodiversity
KW - Bioenergy
KW - Carbon
KW - Ecosystem services
KW - Forests
KW - Pellets
KW - Southeastern United States
KW - Sustainability
U2 - 10.1111/gcbb.12445
DO - 10.1111/gcbb.12445
M3 - Journal article
VL - 9
SP - 1296
EP - 1305
JO - GCB Bioenergy
JF - GCB Bioenergy
SN - 1757-1693
IS - 8
ER -
ID: 177409421