Response to Chatham House Report

October 14, 2021

Chatham House again finds itself in contradiction with the UN IPCC on the role of sustainable biomass as an essential tool for mitigating climate change. The conclusions of its latest report are deeply flawed, and are based on a total rejection of carbon accounting and reporting guidelines as determined by the world’s leading authority on climate science.  

These methodologies were reaffirmed by the UN IPCC in 2019 following a review of the latest scientific literature, and with input from thousands of climate scientists. A peer-reviewed paper published this year by 28 leading academics also found that the UN IPCC reporting approach is “accurate, has no gaps and does not assume that bioenergy is carbon neutral although it has sometimes been described as such.” 

That Chatham House continues to cling to a thoroughly debunked position while vigorously promoting it to the public as a consensus view, deeply undermines its standing as a trusted forum for debate and dialogue.
 

Only two months ago, the UN IPCC released its Sixth Assessment report, representing our latest and best understanding of both the causes of climate change and the action needed to prevent it. The report shows indisputably that sustainable biomass is essential to limiting global temperature rise and avoiding the worst impacts of a warming planet. In particular, the IPCC pathways that give humanity the best chance at achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement rely significantly on bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). The models show BECCS is needed to extract almost 5bn tons of CO2 a year – or twice the EU’s annual emissions – by mid-century, increasing to 17bn by 2100.  

Chatham House must ask itself why the IPCC would champion sustainable biomass, indeed citing the need for its rapid expansion, if it is not a climate solution.   

July 9, 2021

We are deeply disappointed by CNN’s portrayal of the biomass industry, which plays a crucial role in the fight against climate change by keeping millions of tons of fossil fuels in the ground while contributing to the broader sustainable forest economy. 

All mainstream analyses show that sustainable bioenergy is one of many technologies that are essential to meet net-zero goals and keep global temperature rise below 1.5C. 

However, solving the climate crisis will require more than rapid and far-reaching transitions to decarbonize the global economy. Above all, it requires unprecedented levels of cooperation that can only be achieved through honest debate that is guided by science and respects the communities and people climate policy is meant to help.  
 
The space for open minds and honest dialogue is made smaller and more difficult by one-sided climate reporting that lacks any pretense of objectivity, omits key facts, presents half-truths and stacks sources with a single point of view. 

We are proud of our contributions to mitigating climate change, welcome constructive engagement with all stakeholders and will continue to correct false narratives around our industry. On this point, the CNN report particularly misinforms its audience in three key areas that are worth addressing in more detail. 

Scientific Support

CNN portrays the scientific community as being in uniform opposition to biomass, citing a number of critical academics. However, it purposefully excludes assessments by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the world’s leading authority on climate science. The IPCC is unequivocal that sustainable biomass is an essential solution for mitigating climate change and a key technology in its modeled pathways that limit global temperature rise below 1.5C. 

Moreover, CNN spoke with a lead author for the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report for Agriculture and Forestry. Though that interview lasted more than an hour, CNN chose not to include comments from this expert. 

The IPCC’s assessment was recently affirmed in a landmark report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which designates bioenergy as one of “seven pillars of decarbonization” alongside hydrogen, electrification and energy efficiency. The IEA projects that by 2050, bioenergy will account for 5% of total electricity generation.  

Forest Impact 

CNN presents biomass as a dominant, game-changing industry wiping out forests and forest ecosystems across North Carolina, and the entire US Southeast. The data, however, shows the complete opposite. 

The US Department of Agriculture monitors changes in America’s forests through its highly-sophisticated Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program that includes more than 300,000 ground plot stations. Assessed each year, the USDA data shows that forest area in Eastern North Carolina increased by more than 87,000 acres between 2010 and 2018. Overall, forested area across the US Southeast has remained stable over the past 70 years while forest carbon stocks have more than doubled. 

These beneficial trends are due in large part to strong markets for forest products, like biomass, that incentivize millions of private landowners across the region to manage and maintain their forests versus converting them to other uses. 

Further, strict sustainability criteria ensures the EU only sources biomass that makes a positive contribution to the climate and healthy forest ecosystems. These criteria were designed to guarantee compliance with sustainable forest management laws and principles (e.g. legality, regeneration, protection of sensitive areas, minimization of biodiversity impacts; and maintenance of the long-term forest productivity) and that the carbon impacts of bioenergy are properly accounted for under the Land Use, Land Use-change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector. 

CNN also repeatedly shows photos of clear-cut forest tracts with the heavy implication that they were harvested for the sole purpose of producing biomass. In reality, only a minor portion of a timber harvest is typically used for biomass. Across the US Southeast, biomass accounts for just 3% of all wood fiber harvested each year. 

Community Impact 

The biomass industry is committed to ensuring our operations have a positive economic and environmental impact in local communities. Our production facilities comply, and in many cases exceed, all state and federal regulations. The industry has also invested more than $2 billion across the Southeast over the past decade, and provides more than 5,000 direct jobs. We are proud to support rural communities that are in critical need of economic investment and meaningful employment opportunities.  

 

April 21, 2021

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org
 

The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today welcomed the EU Taxonomy which classifies sustainable bioenergy as an environmentally sustainable activity, underscoring its indispensable role in the EU’s low-carbon energy transition. 

Released by the European Commission, the EU taxonomy is seen as an important enabler to scale up sustainable investment and to implement the European Green Deal. By establishing clear definitions on which economic activities can be considered environmentally sustainable, the taxonomy is expected to create security for investors and help shift investments where they are most needed.

“We welcome the EU’s new rules on taxonomy, in particular that sustainable bioenergy use for power and heat production is recognised as making a ‘substantial contribution’ to climate mitigation,” said Seth Ginther, USIPA Executive Director. 

Requirements for sustainable bioenergy included in the taxonomy are also consistent with the strict, harmonised EU-wide sustainability criteria that was introduced in REDII just two years ago. This decision ensures the EU only sources biomass that makes a positive contribution to the climate and healthy forest ecosystems. 

“The upcoming revision of REDII should follow a similar approach to ensure a sufficient and secure supply of sustainable biomass that multiple analysis show will be needed to achieve the EU’s climate ambitions for 2030 and beyond,” said Ginther. “We stand ready to support EU Member States and the European Parliament, and share our expertise during their work on the new rules.” 

Sustainable bioenergy already represents almost 60% of renewable energy consumption in the EU and its role in displacing coal, decarbonising industry and providing negative emissions is vital to meeting EU climate targets. 

January 27, 2021

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org
 

The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today welcomed a report from the EU Joint Research Center (JRC) adding to the growing body of research confirming the climate benefits of sustainable biomass.  

Authored by the research arm of the European Commission, the report notes that bioenergy sits at the nexus of two of the main environmental crises of the 21st century: the biodiversity and climate emergencies. It further states that wood-based bioenergy, when produced sustainably and used efficiently, can provide part of the solution to both crises. 

“We welcome the JRC report which underscores the importance of sustainable biomass in helping the EU achieve ambitious climate goals while promoting forest health and safeguarding biodiversity,” said Seth Ginther, USIPA Executive Director.  

The report also validates sustainability criteria for woody biomass included in REDII, and further supports swift and robust implementation of these criteria to effectively minimize negative impacts. REDII introduced strict, harmonized, union-wide sustainability criteria which, together with risk-based forestry certification schemes, underpin the sustainability of all biomass used in the EU.
 

The report does not represent current sourcing practices in the US Southeast, but rather analyzes the potential risks of increased biomass demand. Indeed those risks are currently mitigated through various independent globally recognized certifications, including SBP and will be further mitigated through the implementation of the RED II sustainability criteria later this year. This includes assurance of replanting or regeneration after harvest, protection of sensitive areas and habitats, maintenance of forest carbon stock across the region, and a multitude of other environmental protections.
 

“We support EU efforts to consider risks and ensure they are managed to avoid unsustainable biomass sourcing,” said Ginther. “The JRC makes clear that implementation of REDII sustainability criteria will successfully mitigate these risks, and allow the EU to continue relying on sustainable biomass to help decarbonize its economy and reach net zero.” 

October 8, 2020

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org
 

The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today welcomed the European Parliament’s resolution on the ‘European Forest Strategy - the Way Forward’. 

The resolution recognizes that forests and the entire forest-based value chain are fundamental to the further development of the circular bioeconomy, helping deliver climate change mitigation and adaptation services, and protecting biodiversity.

In this resolution, the European Parliament takes a holistic approach on sustainable forest management (SFM), which builds on economic, social and environmental sustainability in a balanced way, and ensures the continuity of the multifunctional role of forests.

Maintaining a forest economy is vital for the health of forests. The biomass industry works closely with other members of the forest value chain by taking low-value fiber, for example residues and thinnings, which do not meet the specifications of other high-value forest industries, thus ensuring the best possible carbon-outcome.

We welcome, therefore, that the Parliament supports the substitution of fossil-based raw materials and energy, and promoting the most efficient use of wood following the ‘cascading principle’. To that end, we strongly oppose the Commission’s suggestion in the Biodiversity Strategy to ‘minimize whole trees’ – a term that has no proper definition in forestry – which would distort the established market-driven cascading principle with no carbon or environmental benefits. 

As its largest single source of renewable energy, sustainable woody biomass is a cornerstone of the EU’s low-carbon energy transition. We welcome the European Parliament’s call for the Commission and the Member States to continue the implementation of sustainability criteria for biomass under the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive, and to optimize the climate benefits of substituting carbon-intensive, fossil-based materials and energy.

 

COPENHAGEN – October 5, 2020 – The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today welcomed a political agreement that sets into law new sustainability requirements for wood biomass used in Denmark. The new law, which is supported by the Danish government and a majority coalition of eight political parties, replaces a voluntary industry agreement that has regulated sustainable biomass use since 2014.

“Sustainability is paramount to ensuring biomass delivers tangible climate benefits while supporting healthy forests and protecting biodiversity,” said Seth Ginther, USIPA Executive Director. “We applaud Danish leadership for designing strict, yet workable, criteria that provides important sustainability guarantees, while securing the critical role of biomass in helping Denmark reduce emissions and reach its climate goals.” 

Denmark is among the EU’s leading Member States in its transition to a carbon neutral economy. In 2020, more than 37% of its energy production came from renewable sources. Sustainable biomass is the largest contributor to Denmark’s renewable energy mix, and is largely responsible for replacing the use of coal in the electricity and heating sector. 

“Biomass is absolutely crucial to ensure that our electricity and heat are not made from coal imported from countries we do not want to depend on,” said Morten Messerschmidt of the Danish People's Party. “With the agreement we are able to ensure it is sustainable, and that Danes continue to have a stable supply of heat.” 

The new law sets firm sustainability criteria for preserving carbon stocks and carbon sinks in source forests, and for protecting natural areas and biodiversity, among other measures. US producers are able to meet these requirements and have been supplying Member States with sustainable biomass for more than a decade. 

Last year the US exported nearly 6 million metric tons of biomass to the EU, primarily from its Southeastern states. This region has been the center of America’s forest products industry since the early 20th century, and is one of the largest and most sustainably-managed wood baskets in the world. 

According to the US Department of Agriculture, wood volume in this region has increased by 21% since 2000, and southeastern landowners are currently growing 43% more wood than they remove every year. Independent analysis shows this trend is also consistent within the local sourcing areas surrounding multiple biomass production plants. 

As noted by forest economists, forest stocks have been increasing in the US Southeast because markets for wood products, like biomass, provide financial incentives for private landowners to keep investing in the continual cycle of thinning, harvesting and replanting trees.  

Contact: Taylor Fitts, tfitts@theusipa.org
 

September 17, 2020

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org

The US Industrial Pellet Association welcomed today’s proposal from the European Commission to accelerate the EU’s transition to a climate neutral economy. Over the past decade, sustainable biomass has displaced millions of tons of coal in Europe and will play a critical role in helping achieve the EU’s 2030 Climate Targets. 

The Commission’s plan calls for a series of ambitious new climate targets to be met by the end of the decade on the path to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Sustainable biomass is poised to make significant contributions to several of these, including reducing the bloc’s greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels; increasing its share of renewable energy to 38-40%; and decreasing coal and gas consumption by 70% and 25% respectively, compared to 2015 levels. 

As its largest single source of renewable energy, sustainable biomass is a cornerstone of the EU’s low-carbon energy transition. We welcome the Commission’s recognition that, in order to meet its ambitious targets for 2030 and 2050, the EU will need more sustainable biomass to balance the grid and support a massive expansion of intermittent renewables like wind and solar. 

Sustainability is paramount to ensuring biomass delivers tangible benefits for the climate. US producers are leading in this area, thanks to our ability to provide substantial quantities of renewable fuel to EU Member States while supporting healthy forests and protecting biodiversity. 

The fact that forest inventory and carbon stocks are higher in our source forests today than when the industry began a decade ago underscores our ability to operate sustainably. It further shows that current practices and regulations with respect to using only low-value feedstocks results in more forests, not less. 

When it comes to guaranteeing biomass sustainability, the Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) introduced strict, harmonized, Union-wide sustainability criteria which, together with risk-based forestry certification schemes, underpin the sustainability of biomass produced by our members. Therefore, we do not believe additional measures are needed in order to minimize the use of so-called ‘whole trees’, indeed these could be counter-productive. The sustainability requirements currently in place, as well as the market forces at the forest level, ensure that our biomass is sustainable. 

We look forward to continued dialogue and working with our partners and EU leaders to ensure a stable supply of low-carbon energy that displaces fossil fuels, preserves our forests in the US Southeast and helps the EU achieve newly proposed 2030 climate targets.  

June 30, 2020

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org

The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today welcomed a report from the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis recognizing the role of sustainable biomass in its call for the US to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The report sets out a serious vision for the nation to tackle climate change, and provides an action plan for creating a clean energy economy in the US.

“In the midst of a truly global climate crisis, we welcome today’s report and its driving ambition to decarbonize the US economy,” said Seth Ginther, USIPA Executive Director. “Given our vast and increasing forest resources, there is tremendous potential for sustainable biomass to become an integral part of America’s low-carbon, renewable energy mix.”  

US biomass already plays an indispensable role in helping countries around the world reduce their reliance of fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions. Indeed, today’s proposal echoes the findings of recent, high-profile reports from the European Union, United Kingdom and the Netherlands which all reiterate the need for sustainable biomass to achieve their respective carbon emissions goals.
 

The use of sustainable forestry and biomass have received consistent Congressional and scientific support as essential tools to preserve forests and limit global temperature rise. Most recently, the non-partisan Congressional Research Service issued a report in April 2020 highlighting the positive role that bioenergy and other forest products play in mitigating the effects of climate change.
 

The Climate Committee’s report also emphasizes the use of next-generation energy technologies, including Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). Citing the UN IPCC’s projection that BECCS will be deployed globally to remove several hundred gigatons of atmospheric carbon, the report calls on Congress to establish a BECCS research program in coordination with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The program’s aim would be to help develop standards and best practices to improve carbon removal while minimizing land and environmental impacts.

“BECCS represents the prospect of generating carbon negative electricity, which will be a game-changing technology when deployed at scale,” said Ginther. “We look forward to working with Members of Congress to develop policies that help our country realize the full benefits and potential of sustainable biomass in moving us closer to a carbon-neutral economy.” 

June 15, 2020

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org

Today’s report from Ember ignores the leading peer reviewed science on sustainable biomass. As the International Energy Agency has recently stated, “the most important climate change mitigation measure is to transform energy and transport systems so that we can leave fossil carbon in the ground. Biomass is a critical technology to achieve this, as it provides the necessary grid stability to support the widespread use of intermittent renewables like offshore wind.” 

Seth Ginther, Executive Director of the US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) stated, “The leading science on this is well-established; biomass, when sustainably-produced, significantly lowers carbon emissions for power generation compared to coal. That’s why the use of sustainable biomass is championed by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other leading scientific bodies including the International Renewable Energy Agency, the European Forest Institute, and the U.S. National Association of University Forest Resource Programs.” 

“While our industry welcomes robust scrutiny and debate on the issues, it’s important for us to recognize and acknowledge that we have reached a tipping point where the overwhelming data, evidence and peer reviewed research points to the fact that sustainable biomass is part of the climate change solution,” said Ginther.
 

According to the International Energy Agency, “Forest biomass is by definition renewable if it is harvested from forests that are managed such that there is no loss of productive capacity – i.e., so that growth/harvest cycles can continue indefinitely and capacity to sequester carbon is not diminished.” This is a primary reason why the US Southeast, one of the world’s largest and most sustainably-managed forest regions, is a leading provider of sustainable biomass that has enabled the UK to displace millions of tons of coal and dramatically reduce carbon emissions.  

Forest inventory analysis from the US Department of Agriculture shows forest stocks in this region have increased by 20% over the past 20 years, and are double what they were in the 1950s. During a time of considerable growth, urbanization, and demand for forest products, the data continues to confirm that US forests are stable, productive and healthy, even as they provide a steady supply of renewable wood products. 

The data shows that sustainable biomass is actually helping to maintain the region’s expanding forest stock. Research conducted by the University of Georgia, University of Illinois and North Carolina State University concludes that as the demand for sustainable biomass increases, the area under forestlands also increases. The research found that forestland in the US could increase by 1.4 million hectares from 2007 to 2032 under a high-demand scenario for biomass.
 

Sustainable biomass is a vital element of a lower-carbon energy mix, on which the future of our planet relies. By adhering to already existing stringent sustainability criteria for solid biomass under UK law, US biomass will continue to serve as a critical technology to increase carbon stores in our forests, keep fossil fuels in the ground and support the global effort to mitigate climate change.

May 20, 2020

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org

The US Industrial Pellet Association welcomed today’s EU Biodiversity Strategy which acknowledges that sustainable biomass will be integral to achieving Europe’s carbon reduction and biodiversity goals. This communication from the European Commission outlines its vision to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, and is part of a multi-step legislative process that will unfold over the coming years. 

Over the past decade, sustainable biomass has made significant contributions towards current 2020 emissions targets and biodiversity goals by displacing millions of tons of coal and preserving forest habitat. 

Forests in the US Southeast are a great success story in this regard with forest cover increasing 21% since 2000. This growth has occurred at the same time as our members have produced substantial quantities of renewable fuel for EU Member States, precisely because creating markets for wood products leads to sustainable forests that allow biodiversity to thrive. 

The Biodiversity Strategy also calls to minimize the use of certain feedstock categories for biomass, including whole trees. The biomass industry only sources what other forest product users do not want or use, including lower-value whole trees. This is a sustainable practice and in keeping with the principle of using wood fiber for its greatest climate benefit. 

Markets ensure that the biomass industry does not buy high-quality wood fiber used to make end products with permanent carbon storage, such as mass timber, telephone poles or furniture. Furthermore, regulations and legislation, such as the REDII, guarantee that biomass is sourced sustainably and does not result in negative impacts to forest ecosystems. 

We look forward to continued dialogue and working with our partners and EU leaders on these topics to ensure a stable supply of low-carbon energy that displaces fossil fuels and preserves our forests in the US Southeast. 

May 11, 2020

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org

The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today welcomed an order from the European Court of Justice dismissing a case against wood biomass. The court ruled the applicants, a group of 6 individuals and NGOs, lacked standing to challenge the EU’s inclusion of wood biomass in the bloc’s Renewable Energy Directive.  

“We welcome the court’s ruling, which removes unnecessary uncertainty over the future of renewable energy in Europe,” said Seth Ginther, USIPA Executive Director. “Although this was a procedural ruling this was the right overall result, as the arguments put forward in the case had no value. The European institutions carried out an open consultation to gather scientific and environmental advice and considered these during the legislative process. The result was a revised Renewable Energy Directive that set out rigorous standards for the inclusion of sustainable biomass in the European energy mix.”

Including the UN IPCC’s latest Special Report on Climate Change and Land, the body of academic research, studies and papersdocumenting the climate and forest benefits of wood biomass continues to grow. 

Wood biomass, derived from the forest products industry, is the EU’s largest single source of renewable energy, and is a key technology for achieving the bloc’s climate goals set out in the Green Deal.It enables European power generators to repurpose existing coal-based infrastructure with a renewable alternative that reduces the carbon intensity of electricity generation by up to 85% on a life-cycle basis.

Last year the US exported nearly 6 million metric tons of biomass to the EU, primarily from its Southeastern states. This region has been the center of America’s forest products industry since the early 20th century, and is one of the largest and most sustainably-managed wood baskets in the world. 

According to the US Department of Agriculture, wood volume in this region has increased by 21% since 2000, and southeastern landowners are currently growing 43% more wood than they remove every year.  Independent analysisshows this trend is also consistent within the local sourcing areas surrounding multiple biomass production plants. 

As noted by forest economists, forest stocks have been increasing in the US Southeast because markets for wood products, like biomass, provide financial incentives for private landowners to keep investing in the continual cycle of thinning, harvesting and replanting trees.   

May 8, 2020

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org

The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today welcomed a report from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency PBL underscoring the essential role of biomass to achieve a climate neutral circular economy. 

“We agree with today’s report, which reiterates that biomass plays a crucial role in helping the Netherlands transition from fossil fuels and meet its carbon emissions goals,” said Seth Ginther, USIPA Executive Director. “Our producers are committed to protecting forests and preserving biodiversity, which we have been able to achieve through internationally-recognized certification programs.”  

The report further outlines that forestry, and the production of woody biomass, can result in the net storage of carbon in forests. The US Southeast, a large supplier of biomass to the Netherlands and other EU countries, is specifically cited as a region where wood volume has more than doubled since the 1950s. 

This positive trend is driven by thriving markets for forest products, which provide strong financial incentives for private landowners to grow trees. Today, 1.8 trees are planted for every tree harvested in the region. As confirmed in the report, biomass is a small part of the overall forestry economy. It accounts for less than 3% of all fiber harvested each year in the US Southeast. Still, it is imperative for biomass to be produced from sustainably-managed forests to preserve habitat and ecosystem services.  

“All US biomass producers not only adhere to stringent US laws and regulations to preserve our production forests, they also comply with sustainability criteria in all EU markets,” said Ginther. “We encourage the Social Economic Council (SER) to ensure the Netherland’s sustainability criteria is workable, enforceable and in line with the EU’s established approach, which is demonstrated to be working.”  

The report, entitled “Availability and Sustainability of Biomass” will help inform the Dutch Sustainability Framework, which will be published later this month by the Netherland’s Social and Economic Council (SER). 

Along with wind and solar, sustainable biomass supplied by the U.S. has become a vital part of the Netherland’s renewable energy mix, displacing coal to provide low-carbon baseload electricity.  

April 27, 2020

Contact: Taylor Fitts, TFitts@theusipa.org

In response to the coronavirus crisis, USIPA has joined 180 pan-European stakeholders to form the European Alliance for a Green Recovery, an initiative to support a post-pandemic recovery that puts the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss at the center of Europe’s economic policy.  

Led by Pascal Canfin, Chair of the Environment Committee at the European Parliament, the alliance brings together international and European decision-makers, businesses leaders, and trade associations to create, support and implement solutions to prepare our economies for the world of tomorrow. 

“The global coronavirus pandemic, like the response to climate change, underscores the need for strong multinational cooperation and action,” said Seth Ginther, USIPA Executive Director. 

“Our members are committed to providing Europe with reliable sustainable fuel to power critical relief efforts, and a green energy solution to support an economic recovery aligned with Europe’s long-term climate commitments.” 

January 29th, 2020 

Contact: Taylor Fitts, tfitts@theusipa.org 

A report issued today by Chatham House questions the effectiveness of Biomass with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technology. We welcome this report, as continuing research on forest biomass is important to quantify the risks and benefits associated with its use, encourage dialogue and debate, drive innovation and investment in new technologies, and inform policy. These are especially important subjects in light of the ambitious goals set by the U.K. to reach carbon net zero by 2050, and the benefits that sustainable biomass may bring to reaching this goal. 

However, this report fails to recognize that the U.K.’s regulations for bioenergy are among the most stringent in the world, and ensure that only biomass that meets the highest of sustainability standards is used to achieve climate goals. The concerns expressed in the report over sustainability and land-use change are ‘worse-case scenario’ situations, and mitigation measures are in place through-out the forest supply chain to prevent them from occurring. In particular, biomass sourced from the U.S. Southeast addresses the report’s core concerns, meeting sustainability requirements and delivering real carbon benefits, especially when paired with carbon capture technology. 

Here are two main points of concern with corresponding information on how our sustainable sourcing practices address them.  

Statement #1 from Chatham House Report: “It is not valid to assume that biomass for energy is inherently carbon-neutral” (and thus that BECCS, by capturing and storing the emissions from combustion, is carbon-negative). 

It is important to recognize that not all biomass is sustainable. However, it is equally important to recognize the real carbon benefits of biomass that is, such as the wood fiber sourced from the U.S. Southeast. Indeed, the carbon benefits of sustainable forest biomass energy are well-established. 

This is a conclusion supported by the world’s foremost climate and forestry experts. It is considered the number one fundamental of biomass carbon accounting according to a recent letter signed by more than 100 international forest scientists. These same scientists also emphasize the science fundamentals of how to measure carbon benefits of biomass and how to compare them to the fossil fuels emissions to account for the biomass benefits accurately.

As recently explained with the example of North Carolina forests by Bob Apt and Fred Cubbage – both forestry professors at North Carolina State University who have published research on forest carbon - measuring carbon benefits of biomass has to be done with the right metric. “… One stand is not the right metric for carbon neutrality and sustainability. The overall forest volume in the region or the state is correct. Forest stands always mature, die, regenerate — naturally by old age and mortality (like people) or by planned timber harvests and planting or natural regrowth. …So, since the state has increasing overall timber volumes per acre and in total, we are sustainable, and we are carbon neutral or better.” 

This conclusion is shared by Puneet Dwivedi, a professor of forest sustainability sciences at the  University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry who recently explained, “When assessing carbon emissions from biomass, what matters is not the fate of individual trees, but whether the forest as a whole is regenerating at a rate sufficient to maintain or increase its overall volume of the wood fiber. If forests are growing at this rate – as they have been for the past 50 years in the Southeast, where the majority of America's wood biomass is sourced – they recapture the carbon emitted by burning wood pellets or any other wood-based energy feedstocks within a year.” 

Statement #2 from Chatham House Report: “BECCS could lead to widespread land-use change, and prove problematic for developing countries.” 

Our members source biomass from the U.S. Southeast, which is among the world’s most sustainably-managed wood baskets. This region encompasses about 1.2 million sq. km of forests, which is larger than France, Germany and the U.K. combined. What’s more impressive than the scale of this natural resource, is how well it’s been managed over the past 100 years. The land-use change experienced here is defined by healthy, expanding forests.  

According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, forest inventory and forested area has steadily increased since the mid-1950’s, while carbon stocks have more than doubled, despite the pressures of record population growth and urban development. This is due in large part to strong markets for forest products, which incentivize the private landowners – which collectively own 87% of the forestland here – to continue planting trees. 

Wood biomass accounts for just 3% of all wood fiber harvested in the U.S. Southeast each year. While this is a small fraction relative to the overall forest products sector, wood biomass still provides a critical market for lower-value wood to private landowners, which incentivizes them to keep growing trees for all uses. 

Regarding concerns of land use change, a recent report from the University of Georgia and the U.S. Forest Service projects that the absence of a market for wood biomass would actually result in the loss of up to 15,000 square kilometers of U.S. forestland, roughly the size of the Netherlands, over a 10 year period. So not only is demand for biomass good for U.S. forests, but loss of this demand could result in less forestland overall. 

In terms of biomass availability, a recent report from a European consortium projects that the U.S. is actually well-below its sustainable capacity. The research shows the sustainable export potential for biomass from the Southeast U.S. is more than double its current production levels. 

October 25th, 2019 

Contact: Taylor Fitts, tfitts@theusipa.org 

RICHMOND, VA –  The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today lauded a recent letter signed by more than 100 scientists from more than 50 colleges and universities citing the benefits of wood energy. The letter, published by the National Association of University Forest Resource Programs (NAUFRP), calls on policymakers to consider key fundamentals related to forest biomass. 

Emphasizing that research on the use of forest biomass dates back to the 1980s, the scientists noted that the “carbon benefits of sustainable forest biomass are well established.” The letter also cites a report from United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which notes:

“In the long term, a sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, fibre or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefit.” 

The scientists also emphasized research showing that “demand for wood helps keep land in forest and incentivizes investments in new and more productive forests, all of which have significant carbon benefits.”

Reacting to the report, Seth Ginther, USIPA Executive Director, commented:

“This is a resounding statement of academic consensus on the benefits of renewable wood energy. The value of biomass energy production in lowering carbon emissions and supporting healthy forests is well-documented through decades of peer-reviewed research. This letter underscores exactly what we are hearing from the UN IPCC: that sustainably-sourced wood biomass is an essential technology to fight climate change and limit global temperature rise to 1.5C.” 

Reviewing more than 30 years of scientific research on forest biomass utilization, scientists from a diverse range of universities across the country – from Yale, Harvard, and Georgia to Washington, Idaho, and Berkeley -- identified four fundamentals for science-based decision-making on biomass energy production:

- The carbon benefits of sustainable forest biomass energy are well established.

- Measuring the carbon benefits of forest biomass energy must consider cumulative carbon     emissions over the long term.

- An accurate comparison of forest biomass energy carbon impacts with those of other energy sources requires the use of consistent timeframes in the comparison.

- Economic factors influence the carbon impacts of forest biomass energy.

“We would encourage all policy-makers to heed the recommendations of these university scientists when considering the role of wood energy in reducing carbon and lowering emissions,” said Ginther. “The scientific consensus is clear and continues to strengthen: forest biomass is a critical part of an all-in renewables solution for climate change.”

 About NAUFRP

The NAUFRP was formed in 1981 to provide university-based natural resource education, research, science, extension and international programs promoting American forest health. Today, NAUFRP represents 80 universities and their respective scientists, educators and extension specialists.

About USIPA

USIPA is a not-for-profit trade association promoting sustainability and safety practices within the US wood energy industry.  We advocate for the wood energy sector as a smart solution to climate change, and we support renewable energy policy development around the globe.  Our members represent all aspects of the wood pellet export industry, including pellet producers, traders, equipment manufacturers, bulk shippers, and service providers. 

October 1, 2019

Contact: Taylor Fitts, tfitts@theusipa.org

The reaction of anti-forestry groups to North Carolina’s Clean Energy Plan is predictable.  Activists -- rightly -- cite the UN IPCC report as THE authoritative source for both WHY and HOW we need to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5C.  But the UN IPCC has been crystal clear.  Every pathway outlined by the IPCC to limit temperature increases calls for the use of bioenergy.  And, the IPCC supports the use of forest products like lumber, paper packaging, and renewable wood energy as a way of continuing to promote forest growth.  Anti-forestry activists can’t have it both ways. They can’t point to the UN report as the source for the urgent need to act, but then dismiss its recommendations because those recommendations don’t fit with their anti-forestry agenda.

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September 9, 2019

Contact: Taylor Fitts, tfitts@theusipa.org

Woody biomass sourced from the U.S. southeast is helping Denmark transition from coal and decarbonize its economy. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), widely considered the world’s top authority on climate science, continues to recognize the role of sustainably-managed working forests and wood biomass to limit global warming below 1.5°C. 

Indeed the IPCC in August 2019 acknowledged there are no pathways to meet the critical 1.5°C threshold without the use of bioenergy, it is among the tools that will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefits. 

The U.S. Southeast is among the world’s most sustainably-managed wood baskets. According to data from the USDA, today 1.8 trees are planted for every tree that is harvested in the region. That is why forest inventory and forested area has increased since 1953 despite record population growth and urban development during this same time period, and carbon storage in U.S. Southeast forests has doubled over the last 60 years. 

USIPA’s members are contributing to expanding healthy forests and helping to ensure they remain viable and sustainable for generations to come. We look forward to supporting our customers and partners in Denmark as they work to further reduce CO2 emissions and transition to a renewable economy.  

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June 12, 2019

Contact: Taylor Fitts, tfitts@theusipa.org

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - Today’s pledge underscores the UK’s longstanding commitment to addressing climate change and reducing GHG emissions. Over the last decade, biomass has displaced millions of tons of coal in the UK, and will continue to be an essential source of renewable energy to help scale carbon capture technology, and enable the deployment of more wind and solar. We look forward to working with our UK members and partners to support the journey to #NetZero.    

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