Environmental risks of utilizing crop and forest residues for biomass energy

Conference · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Proc., Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5332970

Pimentel, D; Fast, S; Gallahan, D; Moran, M A

Crop and forest residues are a valuable biomass resource for natural, agricultural, and forest ecosystems. These residues are essential to protect the soil from erosion and rapid water runoff and to maintain soil organic matter and nutrients. Thus, only an estimated 20% of the total residues remaining after harvest can be utilized for conversion because of environmental limitations and the impracticality of harvesting residues on some lands. Although the potential contribution of biomass energy to U.S. energy needs is relatively small, it is renewable energy (assuming no environmental degradation) and therefore has some long term value to the nation's energy program.

• Research Organization: Department of Entomology and Section of Ecology and Systematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• OSTI ID: 5332970
• Report Number(s): CONF-830812-
• Journal Information: Proc., Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf.; (United States), Vol. 2; Conference: 18. intersociety energy conversion engineering conference, Orlando, FL, USA, 21 Aug 1983
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
HARVESTING
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
FOREST LITTER
CONVERSION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EROSION
NUTRIENTS
ORGANIC MATTER
RESIDUES
RUNOFF
SOIL CHEMISTRY
USA
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
CHEMISTRY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC WASTES
WASTES
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)
299003 - Energy Planning & Policy- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation- Other- (-1989)