In 2010 and 2011, the 25×25 Alliance and the Federal Interagency Woody Biomass Working Group convened a Wood-to-Energy Workgroup, consisting of representatives from landowner groups, professional forestry organizations, environmental organizations, traditional forest industries, emerging renewable energy industries, and academia. Through a series of forums, they explored four topics vital to the future of biomass energy in America: wood demand and supply, sustainability of forest resources, carbon and climate change, and related policies. The National Wood-to-Energy Roadmap, published June 1, 2011, summarizes the key findings and recommendations for each forum topic. A listing of the four forums, including speakers and topics, appear below.
National Wood-to-Energy Roadmap
National Wood-to-Energy Consensus Recommendations
FORUM SESSIONS
1. Wood Demand and Supply Forum Topics and Speakers
Energy Demand Outlook for the United States. Dr. Marie LaRiviere, Analyst
U.S. Department Of Energy, Energy Information Agency, Knoxville, TN.
2010 RPA Supply/Demand Analysis. Dr. David Wear, Project Leader
USDA Forest Service,Washington, D.C.
“Billion-Ton” Study Update. Bob Perlack, Lead Analyst
Oak Ridge National Laboratory,Oak Ridge, TN
Wood Energy & Forest Sustainability. Al Sample, Executive Director
Pinchot Institute,Washington, D.C.
A Developing Bioenergy Market & its Implications on Forests & Forest Products Markets in the U.S. Dr. Mike Clutter, Dean
Warnell School of Forestry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
Viability of Pending of Wood-to-Energy Projects in the Southeastern U.S. Brooks Mendell, President
Forisk, Inc., Athens, GA.
Increasing Wood Growth & Biomass Yields from Non-Intensively Managed Forests. Neil Sampson, President
The Sampson Group, Alexandria, VA.
Increasing Wood Growth & Biomass Yields on Current and Future Forests through Intensive Forest Management. Eric Vance, Project Manager, National Council on Air and Stream Improvement, Raleigh-Durham, NC.
Increasing Wood Yields via Short-Rotation Forestry. Jake Eaton, Director Research and Resource Planning
GreenWood Resources, Inc., Portland, OR
Increasing Wood Yields via Genetics & Breeding. Maude Hinchee, Chief Technology Officer
ArborGen, LLC, Summerville, SC.
2. Sustainability Forum Topics and Speakers
Stage Setting: Sustainability – The Issues and the Opportunities, Dr. Virginia Dale, Director for BioEnergy Sustainability, ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN
Panel 1: Biomass for energy – Managing for long-term soil productivity and sustainability.
Managing for long-term soil productivity in natural forests. Dr. Andy Scott, Research Soil Scientist
Ecology and Management of Southern Pines, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Pineville, LA.
Managing for long-term soil productivity in intensively managed forests. Dr. Howard Duzan, Forestry Research Team Leader, Weyerhaeuser Timberlands, Columbus, MS.
Panel 2: Biomass for energy – Managing for water quantity and water quality.
Managing water quantity and quality on forestlands. Dr. George Ice, Principal Scientist
National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc., Corvallis, OR.
Managing water quantity and water quality on intensively managed forests.
Dr. Jami Nettles, Forest Hydrologist, Weyerhaeuser Timberlands, Columbus, MS
Panel 3: Biomass for energy – Managing for biodiversity in natural forests and forest plantations.
Rob Olszewski, Vice President, Environmental Affairs, Plum Creek Corporation, Atlanta, GA
Paul Trianosky, Director of Forest Conservation, Eastern Division, The Nature Conservancy, Mountain City, TN
Dr. Tim Volk, Professor, SUNY, Syracuse, NY
Panel 4: Biomass for energy – Managing for social and economic sustainability.
Robert Fledderman, Manager, Emerging Issues, Corporate Safety, Health and
Environment Department, Mead Westvaco Corp., Richmond, VA
Tom Deponty, Director, Public Affairs, ADAGE, Bethesda, MD.
Dr. Dennis Becker, Asst. Professor, College of Forestry & Natural Resources, U. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Panel 5: Biomass for energy – Strategies for insuring forest sustainability.
John Heissenbuttel, President, Phoenix Strategic Solutions, Inc.
Bob Perschel, Northeast Region Director, Forest Guild, Holden, MA
Nathan McClure, Chief Forester, Forest Utilization Department, Georgia Forestry Commission, Dahlonega, GA
Allison Welde, Director, Conservation Partnerships & Communications, SFI, Inc., Washington, D.C.
3. Carbon and Climate Change Forum Topics and Speakers
Stage Setting and Overview – The role of U.S. forests, forest production, and forest products in the global carbon cycle. Dr. Richard Birdsey, USDA Forest Service.
Panel 1: Projections on changes in land-use and carbon
stocks/flows resulting from the increasing use of biomass for energy and
properly accounting for land use change emissions in climate protection
regimes. Dr. Daniel G. De La Torre Ugarte, University of Tennessee and Steve Hamburg, Environmental Defense Fund.
Life cycle assessment and accounting for carbon in forests, forest
production, and forest products under proposed climate change and
bioenergy policies. Dr. Reid Miner, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc., Raleigh-Durham, NC.
Panel 2: Energy pathways and technologies and their impacts on net carbon emissions. Neal Rossmiessl, DOE; Greg Morris, Green Power Institute; and Michael Wang, DOE-Argonne Laboratory.
Panel 3: Forest management systems for the production of renewable energy and global carbon management. Dr. Marilyn Buford, U.S. Forest Service; David Ganz, TNC; and Dr. Tim Volk, SUNY. Targeting marginal cropland.
Panel 4: Carbon neutral strategies for agriculture and forestry in an uncertain policy environment. Dr. Jeffrey Frost, Agrifresh, Inc.; and Bill Carlson, Carlson Small Power Associates.
4. Policy Forum Topics and Speakers
Current issues in federal biomass energy policy. Bill Imbergamo, Majority Staff, Senate Agriculture Committee.
A vision for federal energy policy as it relates to biomass. Chris Recchia, Executive Director, Biomass Energy Resource Center
Panel: Leaders of major biomass energy trade organizations and NGO interests respond to vision presented by previous speaker.
Robert Cleaves, Biomass Power Association
John Ackerly, Alliance for Green Heat and Biomass Thermal Energy Council
Ben Larson, Union of Concerned Scientists
Eric Myers, Duke Energy