Supply of Forest Biomas

Residues

Among various forest biomass supply sources, logging residues are probably one of the most economical sources that have not been used to a nationally or regionally significant extent in the U.S. Some 40 million dry tons of logging residues can be recovered annually and sustainably in the U. S. Approximately 50% of these recoverable residues are located in the South. Their long-term supply would be relatively stable for the South and the nation as a whole, whereas slight variations would exist across regions.

Though forest biomass resources in the South are promising, production costs, competing uses of forest resources, and environmental concerns may influence biomass supply. In addition, large buyers of forest biomass, by and large, have not emerged region-wide. Yet, this situation could change as bioenergy markets emerge. For information on local buyers, please refer to Southern Region Extension Forestry.

Information of feedstock supply such as sources, quantity, and spatial distribution/concentration is essential to bioenergy development. This section describes:

• Factors Affecting Supply: Economic, engineering, and environmental considerations
• Sources and Quantity of Supply: Sources and supply curves of forest biomass
• Location: Spatial distribution or concentration of forest biomass
• Uncertainty and Long-Term Supply: Factors influencing long-term supply and projection of long-term supply