A biennially renewable fuel resource: woodchips

Recent genetic improvements with some tree species have created hybrids capable of disease resistance, rapid growth, and regeneration of the stump after harvest. Grown intensively, these hybrids are capable also of producing and storing a usable 250 mBTU per acre per year on a biennial harvest of the entire tree. Employing the best of today's silvicultural techniques and boiler equipment, each tree can produce a little more than one boiler horsepower per year. Utilizing non-prime lands for the production of hybrid poplars, one acre can generate the wood fuel equivalent of 40 barrels of oil ($8 per bbl) or 2500 therms of natural gas (13 per therm) per year and can be harvested every two years. Beyond the economic and environmental benefits there are additional merits to growing wood fuel. Like money in the bank, fuel may be withdrawn from the forest bank as needed while the reserves accrue growth. The nutrient rich ash remains can be utilized to sustain the yield of an energy plantation. And, unlike other alternative sources of energy which are capital intensive, growing wood fuel is labor intensive. Forestry tax incentives are available and, above all, fuel cartels can be avoided.