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Woody biomass harvesting for renewable energy generation and bio-based products is likely to increase in North Carolina - sparked by higher energy prices and government policies to promote renewable energy. The expansion of a wood-based energy industry has prompted concerns about intensified forest biomass removal and its potential impact on water, wildlife, biodiversity and site nutrients. This publication reviews common, cost effective strategies that minimize, prevent, or mitigate harvest impacts.
High fossil fuel costs and concerns about climate change have thrust low-cost, home-grown renewable fuels, like wood, into the energy spotlight. The enactment of North Carolina’s Renewable Energy Portfolio has increased the interest and opportunities to burn wood fuel to make electricity, heat, and steam. This factsheet reviews the air quality impacts of supplementing fossil fuels with woody biomass and current regulation on emissions from wood-fired plants.
This publication describes the types of forests and conditions that can be improved by biomass harvesting, and where such harvest may be less than ideal, to help you determine the right management choice for your land and situation.