The PA Biomass Energy Association on Monday told the state’s Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee that sustainable biomass has an important role to play in an “all of the above” energy policy for Pennsylvania’s future.

The Pennsylvania biomass industry is vast and diverse. It creates jobs, stimulates local economies, provides significant environmental benefits, and saves homeowners and businesses millions of dollars in energy costs annually.

While biomass has historically been viewed as a wood-based industry, PBEA leadership gave a much broader overview of the different materials that qualify as “biomass”, along with benefits, challenges, and opportunities for the industry as a whole.

“Pennsylvania has one of the best forest products industries in the world, leaving a wealth of opportunities for the biomass industry and end-users of all scales” said Jay Clark, PBEA President. “However, it is also important to keep in mind that biomass is more than just wood. For example, Pennsylvania ranks second in the country in anaerobic digesters, and is also a leader in biogas from methane collection at landfills.  Biomass includes food waste, animal wastes, low use wood, crop residues and more.”

PBEA leadership detailed the segments of the industry which range from farms and forests to engineers and architects, manufacturing facilities and combined heat and power operations.  Applications for biomass energy include residential heating, schools, hospitals, cogeneration facilities and commercial scale electric generation.

Pennsylvania has a solid foundation with hundreds of successful projects already in place or about to go online, in addition to the extensive residential market which has seen a huge spike in growth over the past ten years as a result of locally sourced fuel and higher oil and gas prices.

While opportunities are great, PBEA leadership also detailed challenges the industry is facing, including economic uncertainties in financing, government policies, feedstock logistics, and a need to educate end-users, developers and suppliers about the economics and environmental benefits of biomass energy.

“In speaking before the JLCC, PBEA took a step forward in fulfilling one of the core goals of the Association – educating policymakers and end-users,” said Karen Smeltz, PBEA Vice President. “In August we will take another step when we unveil a report currently being developed by the Association to detail the opportunities and challenges for biomass energy in Pennsylvania and recommend policies for the future.”

Rep. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango) serves as Chair of the Joint Conservation Committee.

6/25/2012