As policymakers and environmentalists search for new sources of renewable energy, researchers at the University of Minnesota are working on turning leaves and branches into energy.
University researchers are currently exploring the viability of using forest-based biomass as an alternative energy source. Last month they received a $2.7 million federal grant to expand the footprint of their research to cover 50 million acres of forestland in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Forest resources professor Anthony D’Amato will lead the study in collaboration with scientists and researchers from the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Wisconsin.
Researchers will gather branches, leaves and shrubs to analyze the economic and ecological costs and benefits of harvesting the woody biomass over the next four years.
D’Amato said forest-based biomass gives another option in the search for a more environmentally friendly source of energy.
“Our project is looking at understanding environmental impacts,” he said. “We’re all optimistic that this could be another renewable resource, but we don’t want to build all this infrastructure around a fuel source that we find out in the long run is not necessarily sustainable.”
Using forest-based biomass can revitalize rural forest areas that aren’t being used for the pulp or paper industries anymore, D’Amato said.
Using biomass as fuel could also help create jobs, because new biomass facilities will have to be built and transportation infrastructure will have to be improved in order to transport the raw forest materials, forest resources professor Alan Ek said.
While economic and ecological benefits are touted, issues of sustainability and effects on the environment are also being taken into consideration.
“There might be some negative impacts on the lands,” D’Amato admitted.
Matt Norton, forest advocate and staff attorney for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, said machines needed to harvest the forest material would harm the natural habitats of forest animals.
“What’s lacking is evidence on how we’re going to do this without damaging the environment,” he said.
Norton also expressed concerns that the amount of energy derived from forest-based biomass wouldn’t be enough to justify damaging the forests.
“We could really do a lot of damage … and it still would only get us 3, 4 percent. I doubt 5 percent,” he said.
Even after gathering all the forest resources in the state of Minnesota, woody biomass would account for less than 5 percent of our energy, said Dave Zuemta, executive director of the Minnesota Forest Resources Council.
Norton said grassland is a far more sustainable source of renewable energy and that industries are looking to use public forest lands for biomass because “they want a cheap resource.”
While the percentage doesn’t seem significant, Zumeta and D’Amato said there are certain parts of the Midwest region where there aren’t a lot of opportunities for other renewable resources.
“I don’t want to minimize the importance of [biomass], but when you get into northeastern Minnesota … it’s pretty important, because there’s a lot of forest up there,” he said.