Forests = renewable energy source

See the link to read the cost-benefit analysis of the use of woody biomass to make fuel and electricity. Hopefully, we won't start to import wood to do this and this will be a part of the energy independence process. Coupled with the implementation of sustainable forestry initiatives, such as certification and BMPs, we just might have a winner...

Study: Forest Industry Can Play Major Renewable Energy Role

"A Princeton biorefinery study confirms a major economic and environmental opportunity for the forest products industry by turning biomass into fuels and electricity.

"According to the study, a fully developed pulp-mill biorefinery industry could be double or more the size of the current corn-ethanol industry in the United States in terms of annual liquid fuel production. The study finds that forest biomass resources are sufficient in the United States to sustainably support such a scale of forest biorefining in addition to the projected growth in pulp and paper production.

"The study was cofunded by the American Forest and Paper Association and the Biomass Program of the US Department of Energy. The work assessed the energy, environment, and economic costs and benefits of biorefineries at kraft pulp and paper mills in the United States." (from SAF)