by wally
the MEPFA study isn't specific to maine. rather, it's aimed at the entire new york/new england region.
perhaps the biggest obstacle to meeting the objective of the study isn't the wood (or silviculture), but instead is the loss of access to timberlands, as large parcels get chopped into smaller parcels, often with little thought to future timber harvesting on those smaller lots.
higher use of wood/biomass for thermal energy is certainly possible, and sustainable. many of the new wood/pellet boilers, and wood stoves for that matter, are capable of very high efficiency in operation, and there is an abundant supply of raw material growing throughout the northeast.
i don't know if 25% of the energy supply can be provided through biomass by 2025, though. that will neccessitate an investment in several new wood-fired powerplants in the region.
the best way for the northeast to deal with that isn't to use more efficient appliances/lights/etc. it's to reduce consumption/demand. we don't really need 70% of the households in the northeast to have a/c units. that's a discussion for another forum, though.
perhaps the biggest obstacle to meeting the objective of the study isn't the wood (or silviculture), but instead is the loss of access to timberlands, as large parcels get chopped into smaller parcels, often with little thought to future timber harvesting on those smaller lots.
higher use of wood/biomass for thermal energy is certainly possible, and sustainable. many of the new wood/pellet boilers, and wood stoves for that matter, are capable of very high efficiency in operation, and there is an abundant supply of raw material growing throughout the northeast.
i don't know if 25% of the energy supply can be provided through biomass by 2025, though. that will neccessitate an investment in several new wood-fired powerplants in the region.
the best way for the northeast to deal with that isn't to use more efficient appliances/lights/etc. it's to reduce consumption/demand. we don't really need 70% of the households in the northeast to have a/c units. that's a discussion for another forum, though.
member, new hampshire timberland owners association