Forest Biomass Policy in Minnesota: Supply Chain Perspectives on Barriers to Bioenergy Development

Laura Carleton,Dennis Becker

doi:10.3390/f9050254

Abstract

Forest biomass used for heating, electricity, and biofuel production is a source of energy that could reduce the dependence on energy imports while reinvesting domestically. Using the appropriate scale and technology, the US state of Minnesota is poised for increased forest bioenergy production due to the large existing forest products industry. Forest bioenergy investments have been slow to materialize despite state and federal incentives, and this research aims to determine what barriers there are to bioenergy development from the perspective of supply-chain actors by applying theories of natural resource governance. Findings from interviews include the need to create an equitable playing field in terms of energy subsidies and integrate forest bioenergy production with bio-based markets, including traditional forest product markets. Additionally, interviews indicate poor coordination and shared responsibility among state agencies, industry associations, and nonprofit organizations, resulting in a fragmented policy system. Principles to guide enabling forest bioenergy development are identified and discussed in the context of the study findings.

Highlights

The US state of Minnesota, like many forested regions, has the potential to utilize forest biomass for bioenergy production
Was the policy structured such that institutional forces created the appropriate incentive? This study aims to identify those institutional forces and subsequent policies that comprised the forest bioenergy supply chain in Minnesota, and to identify how they affected outcomes
In particular, were dismayed at the lack of progress given the enormous potential for forest restoration, carbon mitigation, and economic development that existed at the federal level, which posed a significant risk to the emerging forest bioenergy sector: “It doesn’t make any sense to have one [forest] stand being managed for old growth by the U.S Forest

Summary

Introduction

The US state of Minnesota, like many forested regions, has the potential to utilize forest biomass for bioenergy production. Btu of biomass energy was consumed across Minnesota in 2015, or 8.7% of total consumption, which includes forest biomass [1]. A recent study by Kukrety et al (2015) suggests that significantly more energy from forest biomass could be sustainably harvested on an annual basis, but growth has been cyclical, like in the rest of the US [2]. The need to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires through forest biomass removal and the desire to reinvest in local economies has led to a resurgence in the interest in biomass for energy that has resulted in a proliferation of state and federal policies [3].

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Conclusion