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Title: Woody energy crops in the southeastern United States: Two centuries of practitioner experience$$\star$$

Abstract

Forest industry experts were consulted on the potential for hardwood tree species to serve as feedstock for bioenergy in the southeastern United States. Hardwoods are of interest for bioenergy because of desirable physical qualities, genetic research advances, and growth potential. Yet little data is available regarding potential productivity and costs. This paper describes required operations and provides a realistic estimate of the costs of producing bioenergy feedstock based on commercial experiences. Forestry practitioners reported that high productivity rates in southeastern hardwood plantations are confined to narrow site conditions or require costly inputs. Eastern cottonwood and American sycamore grow quickly on rich bottomlands, but are also prone to pests and disease. Sweetgum is frost hardy, has few pest or disease problems, and grows across a broad range of sites, yet growth rates are relatively low. Eucalypts require fewer inputs than do other species and offer high potential productivity but are limited by frost to the lower Coastal Plain and Florida. Further research is required to study naturally regenerated hardwood biomass resources. Loblolly pine has robust site requirements, growth rates rivaling hardwoods, and lower costs of production. More time and investment in silviculture, selection, and breeding will be needed to develop hardwoodsmore » as competitive biofuel feedstock species. Because of existing stands and fully developed operations, the forestry community considers loblolly pine to be a prime candidate for plantation bioenergy in the Southeast.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Div.
  2. USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Aiken, SC (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
USDA Forest Service, Savannah River, New Ellenton, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Environment, Safety and Health (EH)
OSTI Identifier:
989494
Grant/Contract Number:  
AI09-00SR22188
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Biomass and Bioenergy
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 34; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 0961-9534
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; BIOFUELS; BIOMASS; BREEDING; COTTONWOODS; CROPS; DISEASES; FORESTRY; FORESTS; FROST; GENETICS; PINES; PRODUCTION; PRODUCTIVITY; SILVICULTURE; SYCAMORES; TREES; Short-rotation woody crops; Hardwood plantations; Productivity; Southern pine plantations; Commercial production costs; Bioenergy feedstocks

Citation Formats

Kline, Keith L., and Coleman, Mark D. Woody energy crops in the southeastern United States: Two centuries of practitioner experience$\star$. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.05.005.
Kline, Keith L., & Coleman, Mark D. Woody energy crops in the southeastern United States: Two centuries of practitioner experience$\star$. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.05.005
Kline, Keith L., and Coleman, Mark D. Wed . "Woody energy crops in the southeastern United States: Two centuries of practitioner experience$\star$". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.05.005. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/989494.
@article{osti_989494,
title = {Woody energy crops in the southeastern United States: Two centuries of practitioner experience$\star$},
author = {Kline, Keith L. and Coleman, Mark D.},
abstractNote = {Forest industry experts were consulted on the potential for hardwood tree species to serve as feedstock for bioenergy in the southeastern United States. Hardwoods are of interest for bioenergy because of desirable physical qualities, genetic research advances, and growth potential. Yet little data is available regarding potential productivity and costs. This paper describes required operations and provides a realistic estimate of the costs of producing bioenergy feedstock based on commercial experiences. Forestry practitioners reported that high productivity rates in southeastern hardwood plantations are confined to narrow site conditions or require costly inputs. Eastern cottonwood and American sycamore grow quickly on rich bottomlands, but are also prone to pests and disease. Sweetgum is frost hardy, has few pest or disease problems, and grows across a broad range of sites, yet growth rates are relatively low. Eucalypts require fewer inputs than do other species and offer high potential productivity but are limited by frost to the lower Coastal Plain and Florida. Further research is required to study naturally regenerated hardwood biomass resources. Loblolly pine has robust site requirements, growth rates rivaling hardwoods, and lower costs of production. More time and investment in silviculture, selection, and breeding will be needed to develop hardwoods as competitive biofuel feedstock species. Because of existing stands and fully developed operations, the forestry community considers loblolly pine to be a prime candidate for plantation bioenergy in the Southeast.},
doi = {10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.05.005},
journal = {Biomass and Bioenergy},
number = 12,
volume = 34,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2010},
month = {Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2010}
}

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