Markets matter for biomass carbon debt
March 17, 2012
By
Scott Jamieson
March 17, 2012, Washington, DC - According to a new study, market forces and behavior make a difference when it comes to predicting the carbon debt of biomass combustion.
When counting the carbon pros and cons of burning biomass for energy, some methods are leaving out important details, the study claims.
The future market for biomass energy from wood affects how many trees and what kinds of trees forest managers will plant. If scientists plug these factors into equations to estimate the sustainability of biomass, it could lower the final outcome compared to what some studies have found, say researchers Christopher Galik and Robert Abt.
"Markets do matter," said Galik. Anytime there is a new demand, it affects planting and harvest decisions, he added. Read the complete Climate Wire article here.
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