This document provides an overview of a research project commissioned by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources to study the sustainability and carbon impacts of biomass energy in the state. The project will address 5 key questions through analyses led by experts across 5 tasks. It will consider a range of biomass technology scenarios and their lifecycle carbon impacts compared to baseline scenarios. It will also evaluate forest carbon dynamics, biomass supply potential from various landowners, and how to ensure sustainable forestry practices. Public input is being gathered to inform additional questions for the research team to address.

1. State of Massachusetts
Biomass Sustainability
and
Carbon Policy Study

2. Commissioned by
Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
By Directive of Ian Bowles
Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs

3. Goals
• Meet the research team
• Share information about the study and the
questions it will address
• Hear your ideas about additional questions
the research team should consider

4. AGENDA
Welcome & Introduction
Agenda
Setting the Context
Why
What
Who

5. AGENDA
Research Project Overview
Public Input
Review & Next Steps
End of Meeting
Post Script

6. The Research Team

7. Manomet Center
for Conservation Sciences
• John S. Gunn, Ph.D., Senior Program Leader

8. Forest Guild
• Bob Perschel, Director Northeast Region
• Zander Evans, PhD, Research Director

9. Pinchot Institute for Conservation
• Brian Kittler, Project Director

10. Biomass Energy Resource Center
• Chris Recchia, Executive Director
• Andrea Colnes, Policy and Development
Director

11. Independent Consultants
• Thomas Walker, Natural Resource Economist
• Peter Cardellichio, PhD, Forest Economist
• David Saah, PhD, Principal, Spatial Informatics
Group
• Anne Perschel, Psy.D., President, Germane
Consulting

12. The Advisory Panel

13. Advisory Panel Members
• David Foster, Director, Harvard Forest
• Alaric Sample, President, Pinchot Institute
• Clark Binkley, Managing Director, International
Forestry Investment Advisors
• Paul L. Lemar, Jr., President, Resource Dynamics
Corporation

14. Research Project Overview

15. The Big Research Question
Can the state use forest biomass to meet its
climate change mitigation goal in a way that is
CARBON FRIENDLY
&
PROTECTS THE FULL RANGE OF FOREST VALUES?

16. 5 Questions, 5 Tasks, 5 Task Leaders
• Which technology scenarios are needed to
help the state evaluate biomass utilization?
Chris Recchia
• How much biomass can be sustainably
supplied? Peter Cardellichio

17. 5 Questions, 5 Tasks, 5 Task Leaders
• Can we ensure sustainable forestry while
harvesting biomass for energy? Bob Perschel
• What contribution do managed and
unmanaged forests make to the net carbon
balance? John Gunn
• What are the contributions of biomass energy
to carbon levels relative to other energy
sources? Tom Walker

18. Which technology scenarios are needed to help
the state evaluate biomass utilization? (1)
• Baseline: limited biomass energy, business as usual
for forestry
• Range and scale of alternative scenarios:
– Biomass electric
– CHP
• Electric led
• Heat led
– Thermal
– Cellulosic biofuels

19. Which technology scenarios are needed to help
the state evaluate biomass utilization? (2)
• Scenarios provide base for further team
analysis
– Timber supply
– Carbon cycle and carbon friendliness
– Forestry practices by public and private
landowners

20. How Much Biomass Can Be Sustainably Supplied? (1)
• How Will Economic and Ecological Factors Affect the
Availability of Biomass?
– Past Studies Focus on Biophysical Availability (Inventory Driven)
– Analyze by “Ownership”: Private, Public, and Land Clearing
– Public Harvests Based on New Forest Management Plans
• How Much Wood Can Be Supplied from Private Lands?
– Historical Harvesting Patterns
– Forest Landowner Willingness to Harvest
– Ecological Issues and Wood Procurement Standards
– Stumpage, Harvesting, Collection, and Delivery Costs
– How Much Can Biomass Facilities Afford to Pay?

21. How Much Biomass Can Be Sustainably Supplied? (2)
• How Much Biomass Will Be Available from Nearby States?
• What Alternative Biomass Supply Scenarios Should We
Consider?
– Wood Availability Subject to a Range of Estimates
– Different Macroeconomic Energy Scenarios
– Production Credits such as BCAP
– New Harvesting Standards?
– Payments to Landowners for Carbon Storage?

22. Can We Ensure Sustainable Forestry
While Harvesting Biomass for Energy? (1)
Assumptions
– Forest health is primary
– Forestry, including biomass removals, MUST be
sustainable.
– There are risks. State regulations/BMPs lower them.
– Forest management is important to climate change
Questions
– What threats does biomass removal pose to forest health?
– What have others done to ensure forest sustainability?
– Are current state regulations, BMPs adequate?
– Are proposed regulations, BMPs adequate?

23. Can We Ensure Sustainable Forestry While
Harvesting Biomass? (2)
TASKS
– Assess other programs
• States
• Countries
• Voluntary accreditation
– Research ecological needs of Mass. Forest types
– Assess current state harvesting regulations, BMPs, proposed
regulations
Recommendations
– Suggest regulations and BMPs to foster sustainable production of
biomass

24. Managed and Unmanaged Forests Contribution
to Net Carbon Balance
Core Question
What are the net carbon storage implications of forest
management for common cover types at the stand level, and
statewide on public and private forests?
Tasks
• Model carbon dynamics of typical harvest scenarios (including harvests
specifically for biomass energy) for 5 common cover types.
• Model unmanaged trajectory of 5 common cover types.
• Evaluate carbon implications of changes in statewide age class
distribution.
• Evaluate the off-site carbon storage and fossil fuel substitution
implications of material removed during harvests.

25. Contributions of Biomass Energy to
CO2 Levels (1)
Questions -- under each of the policy scenarios:
1. Carbon emitted from use of biomass fuels?
2. Amount and timing of carbon re-sequestered by forest?
3. Carbon emissions from baseline ‘no new biomass’ future scenario?
4. Biomass vs. Baseline – cumulative net carbon emissions over time?

26. Contributions of Biomass Energy to
CO2 Levels (2)
Tasks:
1. Biomass Scenarios:
a. Define biomass harvest scenarios.
b. Estimate lifecycle carbon releases of biomass energy.
c. Run Forest Vegetation Simulator model to estimate re-sequestration and
timing.
2. Baseline Scenarios: calculate lifecycle carbon emissions from baseline ‘no
new biomass’ scenario.
3. Net Impact Scenarios: apply models to estimate cumulative net carbon
released over time by biomass energy compared to ‘no new biomass’
baseline.

27. Small Group Conversations
• What additional questions or concerns would
you like the research team to consider?
Instructions
Coffee Shop
Conversation that explores and builds on each others’ ideas
Jazz ensemble, quilting
Host - Scribe and spokesperson
Research team member
End by 8:00
Hosts represent table
Post Script

28. Next Steps
http://tr.im/mabio

29. Small Group Conversations
• What additional questions or concerns would
you like the research team to consider?
Instructions
Coffee shop
Conversation that explores and builds on each others’ ideas
Jazz ensemble, quilting
Scribe and spokesperson
Research team member
End by 8:00
Present to large group