The rich forest growth characteristic of North Carolina and other East Coast states is feeding a worldwide need for biomass energy facilities, but a study released this week asks, “At what cost?”
The pellets are used primarily for power generation, although some are used for heating homes.
F.G. Beauregard, southeast sustainable bioenergy manager at the National Wildlife Federation, says the worldwide need for biomass is creating a demand for a precious resource that needs to be managed. “We grow things really well down here,” she says. “We’ve got good sun and we’ve got good rain. Now, we’ve got a new game in town, with a new use for this wood.”
The study by the National Wildlife Federation and Southern Environmental Law Center says the harvesting necessary for biomass threatens land cover, wetlands and wildlife habitats.
Last year’s 70 percent growth in biomass exports from the South has made the region the largest supplier of wood pellets in the world.
From Public News Service: https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2013-12-06/environment/biomass-in-nc-an-embarrassment-of-riches/a36037-1