Hi all - This is a topic of great interest to me. I've been working, more vigorously of late, to put together a local demonstration project showcasing biomass for spaceheating - a practice which is highly developed (and well researched) across much of Europe. The forests involved are "working" forests and should be regarded as long rotation agricultural crops. If properly managed, the ecological health of working forests can be improved over what would exist if they were idle. Cultivated, higher yield, shorter rotation biomass crops, such a grass and willow, are also an option. The localized nature of production/consumption has obvious benefits. I'm working now, with help from some Cornell students, to put together a grant funding proposal to NYSERDA. There is more info at ithacawoodheat.org and biomass492.googlepages.com. I welcome your involvement in this project.
Tony Nekut -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jennifer Dotson Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 2:00 PM To: Sustainable Tompkins County listserv Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] DEC: woody biomass as an alternative energy Hi Tom, A question I have about this is whether the harvested biomass is that which is "rotting on the forest floor" or that which has already been transported to mills & other facilities. I know enough about forest dynamics to know that what's "rotting" is really an input for other processes that keep the forest healthy. I'm generally wary of becoming reliant on plant resources to replace fossil fuels. These might be renewable in some sense, but the energy we harvest from them was going somewhere, keeping some other system going. Without looking for a thorough analysis, I would lean toward preferentially using solar, wind, tidal energy first, because the amount we would take (relative to the amount available) is much smaller. Speaking as one who's watched so much of the Pacific forest ecosystem go in her lifetime, Jennifer P.S. In other news, I'm running for the vacant first ward Common Council seat (Shane Seger has resigned). More info at www.jenniferdotson.org. > Dear Friends--The following has been forwarded from the mailing list > maintained at Cornell by BZ Marranca. I thought it might be of interest > to > some of us as it deals with an alternative energy source that could be a > local product as well. Tom > >>Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:26:34 -0400 >>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>From: Peter Smallidge <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (by way of BZ Marranca >><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>) >>Subject: DEC: woody biomass as an alternative energy >> >>FYI, >>Peter >> >>=================== >>DEC Explores Woody Biomass as Alt Energy Source >>Feasibility study centers on Adirondack logging leftovers >> >>ALBANY, NY (08/31/2007; 1109)(readMedia)-- Every year, one million tons >> of >>green energy rots on the Adirondack forest floor. Now, the State >>Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is studying ways to >> convert >>that material to a woody biomass fuel. >> >>DEC has secured a grant from the U.S. Forest Service to explore the >>feasibility of converting leftover wood from logging operations on >> private >>lands into a fuel source. The $64,000 award will fund a one-year project >>to evaluate whether there would be enough potential users in and around >>the Adirondack Park to make woody biomass a go. >> >>"This is an idea we really want to explore,'' DEC Commissioner Pete >>Grannis said. "As we look for innovative ways to enhance the economic and >>environmental health of North Country communities, harnessing locally >>grown energy sources such as low-grade wood might be part of the answer. >>Also, the program could help private forest land owners in the >> Adirondacks >>find new markets for low-grade wood, contributing to a sustainable >> economy >>for the Adirondacks and reducing the region's reliance on fossil fuels." >> >>Typically, this material consists of the tops of hardwood and softwood >>trees, including maple, birch, beech, white pine, spruce and fir, that >>logging operations discard. The study would focus only on private lands. >> >>Currently, about two million tons of wood chips harvested from private >>Adirondack lands go into the low-grade wood market, as pulp or biofuel. >>Some of that goes to two cogeneration facilities in the North Country. >> DEC >>estimates at least another one million tons gets left behind. >> >>The potential customers would be community colleges, prisons, other state >>facilities and additional medium-scale energy users because they have the >>capacity to store the wood chips. Also their heating and cooling systems >>incorporate the appropriate emissions controls to protect air quality. >>Currently, these facilities predominately rely on oil for fuel. >> >>The study would evaluate interest, storage capabilities, heating systems >>and engineering concerns. It also would look at whether prospective >>customers could switch to wood and meet air emissions standards. Plans >>also include hosting at least two regional workshops. >> >>New York State has set a goal to have 25 percent of its electricity come >>from renewable energy sources by 2012. Woody biomass is one potential >>source. Further, State Forester Robert K. Davies said the project, if >>successful, could create a synergy between "benefits to the forest and >>biomass energy." Davies noted that DEC has been providing technical and >>other assistance to parties involved in the emerging woody biomass >> industry. >> >>"The Northern Forest region of New York contains vast forestry resources >>that can be responsibly tapped to help meet our energy requirements in an >>environmentally sound way,'' Davies said. >> >>The grants were awarded through the U.S. Forest Service's Wood to Energy >>``Jump Start'' program. >> >>"These grants are another step for the conservation of the hundreds of >>thousands of family forests in the Empire State. The future of private >>forests depends on markets that keep timberland valuable for use other >>than development,'' said Anne F. Archie, U.S. Forest Service Northeast >>Field Representative for State and Private Forestry. >> >>The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks, which recently >>helped form a new Adirondack Energy $mart Park Coalition, endorsed the >>woody biomass feasibility study. >> >>"One of our goals is to make the Adirondacks a model of energy >>conservation and efficiency with an emphasis on renewable resources. The >>coalition considers the production of energy from woody biomass to be a >>critically important component of our vision for the region,'' said David >>Gibson, executive director of the Association for the Protection of the >>Adirondacks. >> >>This article was found on: >><http://www.readmedia.com/news/show/DEC-Explores-Woody-Biomass-as-Alt- Energy-Source/8119>http://www.readmedia.com/news/show/DEC-Explores-Woody -Biomass-as-Alt-Energy-Source/8119 >> >> >>Peter J. Smallidge >>NYS Extension Forester and Director, Arnot Teaching and Research Forest >>Cornell University >>116 Fernow Hall >>Ithaca, NY 14853 >> >>607-592-3640 voice (cell) >>607-255-2815 fax >> >>www.ForestConnect.info >>www.CornellMaple.info >>www.ArnotForest.info > > Tom Shelley > 118 E. Court St. > Ithaca, NY 14850 > 607 342-0864 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.myspace.com/99319958 > _______________________________________________ > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > [email protected] > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > _______________________________________________ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org _______________________________________________ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
