Energy from biomass: a technology assessment of terrestrial biomass systems

In this technology assessment, the consequences of the commercial development of four biomass systems were examined. The impacts of such development on selected aspects of government, private industry, and the population in general were analyzed from a public policy perspective. The study also identified policy issues likely to result from the development of biomass energy. Four biomass systems were studied: (1) gasohol production from corn; (2) residential heating with wood; (3) industrial use of wood energy; and (4) methanol production from silvicultural farms. The development scenarios selected for study were based on three levels of sustained annual biomass production by the year 2000. These were (1) 4.1 quadrillion BTUs (quads), a baseline business-as-usual scenario; (2) 10.5 quads, a crisis of supply scenario; and (3) 2.2 quads, a cheap energy scenario. An external evaluation of this report was conducted by the Division of Policy Research and Analysis of the National Science Foundation, and is included, together with a response to the evaluation by the principal investigator of the report.