|
Leading Scientists Support Carbon Neutrality of Biomass |
||
|
from WOOD MARKETS MONTHLY August 30, 2010 |
||
|
July 27, 2010 (Biomass Magazine) – In a letter to U.S. House and Senate leaders last week, 114 of the nation’s leading environmental scientists express concern over the proposed U.S. EPA’s Tailoring Rule equating biogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with fossil fuel emissions. Its “incorrect and will impede the development of renewable biomass energy sources,” the letter says.
The carbon dioxide released from the combustion or decay of woody biomass is part of the global cycle of biogenic carbon and does not increase the amount of carbon in circulation, according to the scientists. Equating biogenic carbon emissions with that of fossil fuels is not consistent with good science and could stop the development of new emission-reducing biomass energy facilities, they add. “It could also encourage existing biomass energy facilities to convert to fossil fuel or cease producing renewable energy. This is counter to our country’s renewable energy and climate mitigation goals.”
In addition, the scientists argue that biomass power facilities generally contribute to a reduction of GHGs beyond just displacement of fossil fuels, as the use of forest fuels in modern boilers eliminates methane emissions from incomplete oxidation following open burning, land-filling, or decomposing, which occurs in the absence of a higher and better use for the material. |
||