Regional evaluation of woody biomass production for fuels in the southeast

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5428722

Ranney, J. W.; Cushman, J. H.

The southeastern United states was examined for potential woody biomass production and siting of (1) very-short-rotation intensively managed tree plantations and (2) firewood harvesting of existing forests generally receiving no timber management because of extreme site limitations. Wood production from these sources is not expected to exceed 68.3 million megagrams per year unless considerable effort is placed on reducing environmental impacts of production, particularly erosion, or unless breakthroughs are made in improving site productivity. Production potential and related energy production and conversion impacts are restricted to specific parts of the southeast and affect the likely mix of biomass feedstock. Fuels from biomass in the southeast are likely to meet increases in energy demand rather than replace existing fossil fuel uses. The sources of woody biomass examined could best be used for energy feedstocks in combination with other larger sources of biomass such as forest residues, if market projections show that other uses of wood will not return more energy and economic benefit.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Technology Impacts
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5428722
• Report Number(s): CONF-791072--2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
BIOMASS PLANTATIONS
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES
FORESTS
HARVESTING
LAND USE
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
SHORT ROTATION CULTIVATION
SITE SELECTION
SOLID WASTES
SOUTHEAST REGION
TREES
USA
WASTES
WOOD
WOOD WASTES