The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources this week released guidelines for harvesting forest biomass as an alternative energy source.

Forest biomass, which is woody material that includes trees, tree branches and other vegetation, can be used to burn for heat and steam, or it can be turned into a gas that fuels a boiler to generate electricity, among other uses.

Technology is also being developed that would allow wood to be converted into ethanol and be used as a replacement for gasoline in motor vehicles.

"With 17 million acres of forests, Pennsylvania has generated significant interest from policymakers, energy analysts, industry representatives and others who are looking for new sources of energy," DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said. "Our document balances the need for alternative energy sources with the need to protect our forests for all citizens and future generations."

The guidelines were prepared with comments from various stakeholder groups after DCNR's two-year study of forest biomass energy and related issues.

DCNR is partnering with the state departments of Environmental Protection and Community and Economic Development to make the guidelines available to renewable energy companies and investors;

Among the conclusions in the report:

· Current estimates of available low-grade wood that is most likely to be sought for energy use are overly optimistic;

· Use of forest biomass for energy must first consider the many ecological, social, and practical concerns associated with its harvest;

· Harvesting forest biomass for energy production will compete with the commonwealth's forest products industry;

· The costs of harvesting forest biomass for energy production are not well understood by emerging industries; and

· Use of forest biomass may be most appropriate for use in single-facility or community scale heating or combined heat and power applications, such as promoted by the "Pennsylvania Fuels for Schools and Beyond" program, rather than to supply large-scale electricity generation or ethanol production operations that require huge volumes of feedstock.

Private forest landowners who allow biomass harvesting should carefully follow existing best management practices and get professional assistance to maintain the health of their land. For example, the guidelines include recommendations on how much biomass should be left in the forest during harvesting to protect soil quality, wildlife habitat and future forest productivity.

Responsible harvesting techniques may be best implemented to take advantage of wind damage, ice damage, pest invasions, invasive plants and fire that create large volumes of dead or damaged wood.

Forest health and energy goals can be met simultaneously by removing and using biomass in those circumstances.

Carefully implemented biomass harvesting, like the removal of competing vegetation, thinning and reforestation of abandoned mined lands, can help forest regeneration while providing renewable energy feedstocks.

More study is needed at the state level to develop a reliable estimate of available biomass and to assess the impacts this type of harvesting will have on specific flora and fauna, nutrient availability, tree growth rates, soil and other ecological processes.

A copy of Harvesting Biomass for Energy is available online.

7/25/2008