Mary Booth, Director of Partnership for Policy Integrity, will discuss her extensive research about Biomass.

Biomass energy is booming because in theory, biomass energy is renewable and “carbon neutral” and can reduce carbon emissions that accelerate global warming. Because it is considered renewable it is eligible for multiple tax credits, subsidies, and incentives. In practice, however, wood-burning biomass is the biggest carbon polluter of all, per unit of energy generated. It is worse than coal, worse than oil, and worse than natural gas, both because of the low energy to carbon ratio inherent in wood, and also because biomass facilities generally operate at considerably lower efficiencies than fossil fueled facilities.

Biomass plants that burn “waste” wood that would decompose and emit carbon dioxide even if not used as fuel, are often considered as carbon neutral. Proponents argue that since this material will end up as CO₂ in the atmosphere anyway, why not use it to generate some power in the meantime? However, it is important to remember that burning emits carbon instantaneously, while decomposition takes years and even decades, and in the case of the waste wood left over from logging operations, actually builds soil carbon in the meantime.

While people can argue about whether burning waste is really carbon neutral in a meaningful time frame, there really shouldn’t be any argument about whether it’s a good idea to cut trees to burn in power plants.

Mary currently directs the Partnership for Policy Integrity’s science and advocacy work on greenhouse gas, air pollutant, and forest impacts of biomass energy.

with Mary Booth, Director of Partnership for Policy Integrity
Thursday, February 28, 7 – 8:30pm
Registration and donations appreciated.