New Report Assesses Appoaches to Expand Community-Scale Clusters of Wood-to-Energy Facilities to Enhance Renewable energy and Forest Health

The production of energy using a renewable material such as wood can have positive impacts on all three legs of the sustainability stool – society, the economy, and the environment.  So finds a report released today by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment).   The report, “Financing Woody Biomass Clusters:  Barriers, Opportunities, and Potential Models for the Western U.S.” looks specifically at how community-scale wood-fueled facilities could aid in addressing burgeoning forest health issues and expanding losses due to wildfires.

“Biomass energy development has the potential to foster economic development, address wildfires and associated risks and costs, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels,” says Jeff Howe, President of Dovetail Partners and a report contributing author.  “There are critical strategic, organizational, and financial issues that need to be addressed in order to realize the considerable potential of biomass energy.  First and foremost, biomass energy needs to become an attractive and financially viable investment alternative.  This can be aided by strategically applying a wide array of market-based, as well as incentive- and grant-based financial tools.”

The report is part of a series of works produced by the Endowment in a collaborative effort with the USDA Forest Service to assess the potential of markets for low-value wood to enhance forest health while advancing energy security.