Proceedings - Biomass South 2008
Dr. Janaki R.R. Alavapati and Dr. Alan W. Hodges, University of Florida
Janaki Alavalapati is a Professor of Forest Resource Economics and Policy and Head of the Department of Forestry at Virginia Tech. As a Jefferson Science Fellow 2007-2008, he served as a Senior Advisor for International Energy Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC. Dr. Alavalapati serves as a member of the editorial board of Forest Policy and Economics journal, Deputy Coordinator, Social and Economic Aspects of Forestry Unit, International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), and the chair of Economics, Policy, and Law Working Group of the Society of American Foresters (SAF). His research focuses on exploring market solutions for natural resources, energy, and environmental problems/issues at local, regional, and international level. He is a lead investigator on four bioenergy projects funded by the DOE/USDA, National Council for Science and the Environment, the Southern Growth Policies Board, and EPA.
Southern Bioenergy Roadmap Inventory (SBRI)
This presentation will report preliminary findings of a project to inventory the bioenergy assets and activities in 14 states in the southern United States, including bioenergy feedstocks, alternative fuel production, energy distribution infrastructure, capital investment, economic impacts, research and education centers, publishing, patents, and government policies/programs.
Notes:
- Objective of SBRI
- Study area: 14 states
- All states are experiencing population growth
- All states are experiencing land-use change -- a move from ag/forestry to developed
- Not experiencing a huge demand increase in gasoline consumption
- Comprehensive energy plan in eastern states
- blending requirements & renewable fuel standards
- tax incentives: Kentucky
- loan based policies: NC
- subsidy & grant policies
- Key results: 5 weakness
- insufficient policy incentives,
- lack of pubic understanding and risky preception,
- lack of cost-efficient conversion technologies,
- lack of capital for investment
- Industry view: avoid duplication of effort and resisitance of distribution industry and consumers are unable to buy bio fuels because of it.
- Need bioenergy champion in each state to make a change/difference.
- Net energy ratios (Slash pine and Switchgrass are high)
- Reduction of GHGs (Sladh pine and Switchgrass are high)
- Unit Cost of Production (Slash pine and Switchgrass are hight compared to corn: ethanol 2.12 ($/gallons))
- Commercial Bioenergy Activity
- 139 ethanol biorefineries in U.S.
- 267 mm gallons a year -- this will double with current refineries under construction
- 2 cellulosic ethanol produers are building
- 100 biomass fuel plants in south
- 24 can co-fire
- 3 mm tons of methan committed from landfills in the south (2006/2007)
- 222 mm acres of forest in south
- Pellet fuel manufacturers: 13 wood manufacturing plants, because of decreased demand on pulp paper sector
Thanks to Sarah Ashton, Rachel Cook, Lindsey Hannum, James Jeuck, Liwei Lin, James McCarter, Susan McIntyre, and Mark Megalos for providing notes and summaries for presentations.
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