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- Pelkmans, L., et al.
(author)
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Monitoring the Impact of Sustainability Certification in Relation to Biomass Use for Energy
- 2012
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In: EUBCE 2012 proceedings. - 9788889407547 ; , s. 2013-2018
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Since the public has expressed concern about unintended consequences associated with potentially unsustainable biomass production and use for energy (or biofuels), producers of biomass feedstocks in the private sector as well as governmental and non-governmental organisations have initiated many generally unlinked efforts to define 'sustainable' bioenergy production and supply chains. These 'sustainability' standards may be implemented through certification systems involving 3rd party audit, and influence production systems and trade of bioenergy products from producers to consumers of ‘green' energy. At present numerous biomass and biofuel sustainability certification systems are being developed or implemented by a variety of private and public organisations. Systems are applicable to different feedstock production sectors (forests, agricultural crops), different bioenergy products (relatively unprocessed forest residues, ethanol, biodiesel, electricity), and whole or segments of supply chains (production system, chain of custody from growers to energy consumers). It is expected that such a wide range of systems, developed largely without coordination among the organisations involved, could be problematic for all stakeholders along the supply chain in individual sectors and for those involved in deployment of bioenergy systems globally. These are individual feedstock producers, companies and commodity sectors that must comply with these systems either to maintain market access and share or to comply with legislative mandates, and also consumers who prefer to purchase certified green energy, and regulatory agencies and local to national governments that may be involved in enforcing sustainability standards. The potential for confusion among the actors, depression of markets, and unnecessary restrictions on sustainable trade seems high. Within IEA Bioenergy a strategic study was initiated between Task 40, Task 43 and Task 38 to monitor the actual implementation process of sustainability certification of bioenergy, evaluate how stakeholders are affected by certification initiatives, quantify the anticipated impact on worldwide bioenergy trade, assess the level of coordination among schemes, and make recommendations to remove barriers which may depress markets and reduce sustainable trade. Interaction with different stakeholder groups is one of the main objectives of this study, so we anticipate the recommendations being representative of the whole bioenergy certification sector and therefore having high potential to improve an otherwise uncoordinated interest in ensuring bioenergy trade is sustainable.
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- Chum, H., et al.
(author)
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Sustainability indicators - A review of the literature
- 2011
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In: 2011 AIChE Spring Meeting and 7th Global Congress on Process Safety, Conference Proceedings. 11AIChE, Chicago, IL, 13 - 17 March 2011. - 9780816910670 ; , s. 3 (p)-
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biomass for energy is an issue that crosses many sectors including climate, energy, land-use, and development policies. A discussion on sustainability indicators covers variables that define the extent to which land- and biomass-based energy can contribute to climate change mitigation; complexities associated with biomass resources; impact indicators of bioenergy performance; policy approaches seeking to facilitate choices of technologies, products, and locations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; environmental impacts of bioenergy systems; the displacement factor; roundtable groups seeking to establish accreditation systems based on indicator systems; Fischer-Tropsch diesel production; and contextual issues and conditions that characterize large-scale biomass energy as an essential part of informed decision making. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 2011 AIChE Spring Meeting & 7th Global Congress on Process Safety (Chicago, IL 3/13-17/2011).
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- Dale, Virginia H., et al.
(author)
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Status and prospects for renewable energy using wood pellets from the southeastern United States
- 2017
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In: Global Change Biology Bioenergy. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1757-1693 .- 1757-1707. ; 9:8, s. 1296-1305
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The ongoing debate about costs and benefits of wood-pellet based bioenergy production in the southeastern United States (SE USA) requires an understanding of the science and context influencing market decisions associated with its sustainability. Production of pellets has garnered much attention as US exports have grown from negligible amounts in the early 2000s to 4.6 million metric tonnes in 2015. Currently, 98% of these pellet exports are shipped to Europe to displace coal in power plants. We ask, 'How is the production of wood pellets in the SE USA affecting forest systems and the ecosystem services they provide?' To address this question, we review current forest conditions and the status of the wood products industry, how pellet production affects ecosystem services and biodiversity, and what methods are in place to monitor changes and protect vulnerable systems. Scientific studies provide evidence that wood pellets in the SE USA are a fraction of total forestry operations and can be produced while maintaining or improving forest ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are protected by the requirement to utilize loggers trained to apply scientifically based best management practices in planning and implementing harvest for the export market. Bioenergy markets supplement incomes to private rural landholders and provide an incentive for forest management practices that simultaneously benefit water quality and wildlife and reduce risk of fire and insect outbreaks. Bioenergy also increases the value of forest land to landowners, thereby decreasing likelihood of conversion to nonforest uses. Monitoring and evaluation are essential to verify that regulations and good practices are achieving goals and to enable timely responses if problems arise. Conducting rigorous research to understand how conditions change in response to management choices requires baseline data, monitoring, and appropriate reference scenarios. Long-term monitoring data on forest conditions should be publicly accessible and utilized to inform adaptive management.
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