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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.
Prism sweep and line intercept methods were compared for accuracy and efficiency to measure woody biomass residues on a recently harvested site in Eastern North Carolina. A 100% tally control on 0.1 acre plots was used to compare volume estimates of tested methods. Estimates of residual volume were accurate and not significantly different. Prism sweeps required an average of three minutes per plot, whereas line intersect samples averaged seventeen minutes per plot. Prism sweeps were accurate and five times more efficient than line intersect samples.
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.
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.
