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 -