Renewable Energy – Biomass in the Northern Forest

Biomass is a hot topic across the four states of the Northern Forest. The idea of generating energy from biomass—biological material, particularly the byproducts of tree harvesting and thinning—is attractive in a region with long cold winters and an over-reliance on imported oil. Communities are discussing biomass as it relates to job creation, sustainable harvesting, heat and energy opportunities, carbon use and storage, community health and economic development. It is a complex issue with a large number of stakeholders and defining traits.

The Center’s goal is to help implement community-scale biomass renewable energy projects that demonstrate the appropriate balance of economic benefits and community and ecological sustainability. The Center is particularly interested in the use of biomass to generate heat, or combined heat and power, rather than power alone. The Center has created the following projects to support communities as they assess the potential of biomass.