Pinchot focus areas:     2007 National Dialogue Scooping Workshop Summary
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2007 Pocantico Workshop: National Dialogue Scoping Workshop
Two major national priorities-mitigating climate change through the reduction of fossil fuel emissions, and greater energy security through increased use of domestic renewable energy, have expanded the demands on US forests for wood-based bioenergy. This approach to producing energy may decrease forest degradation from loggers taking only the largest trees of the forest to cutting, previously, less desirable timber. However, this approach may have negative consequences as well.
The Pinchot Institute, in collaboration with a myriad of other interested groups, convened a national dialogue on how best to take advantage of opportunities provided by wood bioenergy technologies. The dialogue introduced those in the conservation community along with organizations from the energy, agricultural, rural economic development and sustainable forestry interests to identify potential risks to important conservation values which may arise from the development of these new and emerging technologies. It was the first of several sessions occurring throughout 2007 and 2008 which will help guide the development of wood-based bioenergy as a major energy source. Session Summary: Ensuring Forest Sustainability in the Development of Wood-Based Bioenergy: A National Dialogue. V. Alaric Sample, President, Pinchot Institute for Conservation. Download .pdf Panels and Presentations: Introduction. Emerging markets for wood bioenergy: challenges and opportunities. Al Sample, Pinchot Institute. [Powerpoint][.pdf] Objective: Outline recent trends in the development of wood-based bioenergy, and opportunities to guide further development in order to achieve desired social goals for renewable energy production without engendering unintended negative consequences for environmental values and sustainable development. The goal of the workshop is to facilitate well-informed decision making regarding the choice of renewable energy facilities of the appropriate type and scale for local circumstances. Panel 1. The spectrum of wood-based bioenergy technologies: new, not-so-new, and emergent Objective: Describe and characterize the range of wood bioenergy technologies (thermal, combined heat and power, wood pelletizing, co-generation, wood-fired powerplants, biorefineries): factors that influence location and scale; typical patterns of wood consumption; local economic development considerations
Speaker Bios: Download .pdf List of Participants: Download .pdf |
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