BIOENERGY:

Opportunities and
Challenges
SACE Members Webinar
October 21, 2009
 What is Bioenergy?
BIO- BIOMASS:
PRO-
DUCTS
•! bioproducts
•! biofuels
BIOPOWER BIOFUELS
•! biopower
bioenergy

BIOMASS
Biomass is
stored solar
energy!
What is Biomass?
 Where is the Biomass?

Map courtesy of James Jeuck, NCSU Forestry

Extension. DATA: 1995-2007 USFS TPO;
2001 National Land Characteristic Database
Credit:
Susan LeVan-Green, NCSU
Bioenergy can be carbon negative!
Charcoal = Biochar = Terra Preta
•! Pyrolysis or
Gasification
•! Incomplete
Combustion
•! Starved of O2,
400 to 1000°F
•! >4,000 years old
& very stable
•! Beneficial to
soil, plants &
climate
 25% x ‘25
•! Baseload = Reliable
•! Cost-competitive
•! Rapidly Deployed
•! Early Workhorse
•! 205,000 GWh Proj.
Feasible Generation
•! 2/3rds near-term
potential in RE.
Sustainability Concerns
•! Carbon Lifecycle
•! Concentration of
Demand
•! Pollution Emissions
•! Soil Productivity
•! Water Quality &
Quantity
•! Biodiversity &
Wildlife
•! Indirect Effects
•! Land Use Impacts
 Concentration of Demand
•! Too many plants in
proximity, or plants
too large for supply
•! Sophisticated
resource supply
analyses
•! Hauling distance is
limiting factor
•! Price of feedstock
•! Energy crops are a
different story
•! Location, location,
location
Map courtesy of James Jeuck,
NCSU Forestry Extension.
 Pollution Emissions
Pollutants of concern:
Emissions: Wood vs. Coal
•! NOX
•! Particulates (PM)
•! SO2
•! No mercury!

•! Clearly superior to
average coal plants
•! Nevertheless, we do
not support anything
less than BACT

Graph courtesy of NCSU Solar Center.

Data: NC Division of Air Quality.
Sustainability Concerns (cont’d)

•! Soil Productivity
•! Water Quality &
Quantity
•! Biodiversity &
Wildlife
•! Indirect Effects
•! Land Use Impacts
 Land Use Changes

LAND USE CHANGES

•! Rainforests: International / Domestic, SE is net exporter of wood.
•! Forests: Increased management of private woodlands.
•! Food: Only 4% conversion of croplands to energy.

Land-use will change; we need to ensure it is done climate-friendly.

 Is Biopower Worth the Effort?

SOURCE: http://powerscorecard.org/scorecard.cfm
Sustainability Policies

•! Soil & Water BMPs

•! State Biomass
Harvest Guidelines
•! Enhanced Forest
Management Plans
•! Improved Forest
Certif. Programs
•! Look-Back
Provisions?
•! Craven County Wood Energy,
New Bern, NC.
•! Running since 1990,
48 MW (52 MW nominal)
•! Wood chips, sawdust, logging
residue, urban wood debris, etc.
Biopower Potential: Economics

•! 7- or 8-fold expansion to meet 25x25

•! Projected jobs: 4.5 to 9 per MW
•! Tens of thousands new jobs (direct)
•! Hundreds of thousands new jobs in SE
•! Tens of billions new revenue & income
 Biopower is Cost-Competitive

BIOPOWER

NUCLEAR

COAL
Source: Lazard’s Levelized Costs of Energy, 2009
 Coal is a Wealth Transfer
Annual Coal Import Expenditures, 2006 (million $)

Colombia

$2,086
$1,096 Indonesia
$413 $1,105

$380 Poland
!! $10.7 billion
!! 10% from overseas Venezuela
Source: Map created by UCS using EIA and FERC data.
 Policies
•! Strong National Renewable
Electricity Standard (RES)
25% x 2025
•! Cap & Trade (w/ 100% auction)
•! Helpful State Level Policies
(Net Metering, Intercon. Standards, Fair Payment)
 Questions?

SACE BIOENERGY TEAM

Anne BLAIR John BONITZ John WILSON

Bioenergy Program Manager Farm Outreach & Policy Advocacy Director of Research
Atlanta, GA 404-373-5832 Pittsboro, NC 919-360-2492 Washington, DC 202-495-0776
Email: anne@cleanenergy.org Email: bonitz@cleanenergy.org Email: wilson@cleanenergy.org