Renewable Energy
Background
With growing interest in climate change, the environment, and energy security, there is more attention to wood biomass as a renewable energy source, and renewable energy incentives and mandates are likely to be expanded by policymakers.
The forest products industry is the largest producer of renewable biomass energy in the country, generating 77 percent of the nation’s industrial biomass energy. Additionally, the renewable energy generated by the forest products industry exceeds all of the nation’s solar, wind and geothermal energy generation combined. We do this while still adhering to disciplined market-based standards of accountability that ensure that our wood fiber is grown in a sustainable manner.
Policies to increase the amount of renewable energy produced must recognize the forest products industry’s existing generation, address the inevitable increase in wood-using industries’ raw material costs, promote sustainable forest management, provide incentives for reliable and affordable regional fiber supplies, and maintain access to markets.
Policy
AF&PA member companies are leading the effort to increase our nation’s energy supply by combining advanced technology and innovative manufacturing practices with responsible stewardship of our natural resources. Our historic commitment to renewable energy and sustainable forest management demonstrates that a balance between the two is both possible and necessary.
AF&PA believes market forces, not government mandates and incentives, should determine the use of wood and wood residuals for renewable energy. Where state or federal governments institute incentives or mandates for renewable energy, those policies must treat existing industry energy generation from biomass equally with newly created renewable energy generation, promote sustainable forest management, and provide incentives for reliable and affordable regional fiber supplies rather than a particular use, while maintaining open market access.
The industry supports federal research, development, and demonstration efforts for breakthrough technologies in biomass production, manufacturing and conversion processes, and production of value-added products, including biomass energy and biofuels.
AF&PA also supports government actions to promote energy production from forest biomass that is removed from public lands to reduce the threat of wildfire and insect infestation. Furthermore, with regard to biomass debris resulting from natural disasters, we encourage government support for its timely clean up, removal, and use as a biomass energy source.
Where the government has allowed tax credits for renewable energy, we support the development of transparent systems and mechanisms to ensure the credits are accurately employed.