Wood Energy in Developed Economies

There has been a recent resurgence of interest in wood energy as part of a sustainable range of renewable energy options. This book addresses the current gap in the energy and public policy literature for a reference book that compiles the most-recent wood energy assessments, and evaluates current and potential future wood energy uses and the role for public policy to foster efficient use of the most-widely consumed renewable energy in the world. It brings together a group of expert authors covering topics from forest management, operations and engineering, to socio-economics and energy policy perspectives. It thus covers practical issues such as silviculture, harvesting, processing, comparative cost estimates, public policy tools and market effects. As such the book provides a comprehensive review of the complex dimensions of wood energy as well as practical guidance for professionals, researchers and advanced students. It will also provide invaluable guidance for economic development agencies, practitioners and policy-makers, when evaluating the impacts of wider wood energy adoption as part of a strategy for sustainable energy generation. The main focus is on industrialised production and developed economies, particularly the USA and Europe.

Francisco X. Aguilar is Associate Professor of Forest Resource Economics and Policy, Department of Forestry, the School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, USA.

1. Wood: A Renewable Source of Energy Francisco X. Aguilar and Warren Mabee 2. Public Opinion and Wood Energy Sarah Hitchner, John Schelhas, Teppo Hujala and J. Peter Brosius 3. Forest Owners and Wood Supply for Energy Brett J. Butler and Satu M. Lantiainen 4. Forest Management for Sustainable Wood Energy Feedstock Supply Michael Goerndt, Anthony W. D'Amato and John M. Kabrick 5. Procurement of Wood Energy Feedstocks Shane Botard and Tom Gallagher 6. Wood Energy and Competing Wood Product Markets Kenneth E. Skog, Robert C. Abt and Karen L. Abt 7. Public Policy Promoting Wood Energy in the EU and US Satu M. Lantiainen, Nianfu Song and Francisco X. Aguilar 8. Estimating Net Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Wood Energy Use Prakash Nepal and Kenneth E. Skog 9. Use of By-Product Wood Chips and Other Biomass in a Combined Heat-And-Power System at the University of Missouri Power Plant Gregg Coffin 10. Successful Wood Energy Development and Implementation: Sustainable Heating in Upper Austria Christiane Egger, Christine Öhlinger and Gerhard Dell 11. Wood Energy: Assessment and Outlook to 2030 Francisco X. Aguilar