Education

Bioenergy Report: Sustainability status

Feb. 28, 2012 - At the Bioenergy Conference & Expo, the first day comprised a variety of sessions punctuated by a series of keynote presentations in the morning and in the afternoon that focused on very different topics.

A closer look at wood vs. coal emissions

Feb. 24, 2012 - There has been a lot of debate recently regarding if burning wood releases more or less CO2 emissions when compared to coal, and if it is indeed a "carbon neutral" alternative. FutureMetrics research delved into this topic, and may have emerged with an answer.

Western Canadian boreal no longer a sink?

Feb 4, 2012 - According to an article on the science site Physorg.com, the boreal forests of Western Canada may no longer be acting as carbon sinks. Based on a report by researchers from Quebec and China, the article suggests long-term drought conditions may be the cause.

Forest data yields better analysis of forests

Feb. 1, 2012 - In a study in Nature Climate Change, different forests were analyzed for their ability to sequester carbon, and used to predict what would happen if they disappeared.

Tropical biofuels making matters worse?

Jan 22, 2012, Uxbridge, ON - Most biodiesel production is making climate change worse not better, according to an article in Ecology & Society. Biodiesel from palm oil plantations may be the world's dirtiest fuel - far worse than burning diesel made from oil when the entire production life cycle is considered.

US electricity trends for the next 20 years

Dec. 19, 2011 - With energy needs increasing, where will the United States obtain its electricity? According to Grist magazine, it's not where you think.

Burning biomass could damage furniture industry

Dec. 19, 2011 - British furniture makers are becoming increasingly worried that the burning of woody biomass will increase the cost of timber and have detrimental effects on their industry.

How to save forestry

Dec. 15, 2011 - New Democrat MP John Rafferty brought up three forestry related motions in the House of Commons, to help support the struggling sector.

Rock Removal from Woody Biomass

The upsurge of interest in biomass-fired power plants usually is accompanied by an increase in curiosity regarding new methods for removing non-combustible, non-organics such as rocks, stones, sand and grit from woody biomass.

Biomass Shotgun Solutions

Any decent PR hack knows that if you want to lead people to a specific conclusion, you must phrase your question accordingly.

One fifth of energy could come from biomass

Nov 28, 2011, London, UK - A new report suggests that up to one fifth of global energy could be provided by biomass without damaging food production. The report reviews more than 90 global studies.

Biochar can increase soil moisture, says USDA

Nov. 10, 2011 - Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been investigating the possible beneficial properties of using biochar (the resulting biomass created from plant material, wood and manure) in agriculture.

Does growing biofuel turn a profit?

Nov. 8, 2011, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN - Can biofuel reduce water and nutrient runoff from farm fields, cut down on soil erosion and turn a profit for the farmers who grow it?

World subsidies for fossil fuels 5x larger

Nov. 2, 2011 – Something is wrong in the world of energy subsidies. According to statistics gathered by the International Energy Agency (IEA) the worldwide subsidies to fossil fuel consumption in 2009 amounted to no less than 300 billion USD, while at the same time the global support for renewables was almost 60 billion USD.

Tense wood makes better biomass

Oct. 27, 2011 - Oak Ridge, TN - Taking a cue from Mother Nature, researchers at the Department of Energy’s BioEnergy Science Center have undertaken a first-of-its-kind study of a naturally occurring phenomenon in trees to spur the development of more efficient bioenergy crops.