When developed at an appropriate-scale, biomass energy can address multiple objectives in restoring our forests and supporting our communities. The recent study conducted by researchers at Oregon State University is a welcome scientific analysis of carbon storage in our region’s forests and provides useful data for policy decisions relevant to a sustainable energy future. However, public policy issues surrounding forest biomass and energy stretch well beyond the sole lens of reducing carbon emissions.

Across eastern Oregon’s dry forests, the patterns, frequency and intensity of wildfires exceed historic variability. Current conditions pose risks to ecosystems and surrounding communities. In response, collaborative groups of diverse stakeholders are working to implement restoration projects that strengthen the relationship between forest conditions and resilient local economies.

The biomass energy dialogue has been dominated by pathways to produce electricity or transportation fuel. These uses require significant supply volumes, and fuel the ongoing, contentious debate. 

Across Oregon, many rural communities have no access to natural gas. Schools, hospitals, and manufacturers rely on expensive heating oil or propane for their heating needs. Thermal energy projects provide an opportunity for rural communities to utilize woody biomass available from existing forest management operations, lower municipal operating costs, and retain energy dollars.

In the 2011 heating season, the Enterprise School in Wallowa County realized over $75,000 in savings by replacing heating oil with local wood fuel. Their fuel resulted from wildfire fuel reduction and forest stand improvement projects within 50 miles of the School’s campus. With low biomass inputs (600 tons per year) this system has produced locally significant energy savings.

Also in Wallowa County, a public-private partnership is developing a combined heat and power facility that will provide heat to a local firewood business and generate power for the Wallowa Integrated Biomass Energy Campus. By purchasing small-diameter logs that have historically had little to no market value, the campus will contribute $3 million to the local economy and help fund forest stewardship activities on both public and private land.

In Grant County, a new wood pellet facility at Malheur Lumber Company has created 15 new jobs and will produce the energy equivalent of 3.5 million gallons of gasoline. Much of the raw material will be sourced from restoration work on the Malheur National Forest. A Portland-based company – Bear Mountain Forest Products – plans to distribute the wood pellets primarily to community facilities such as schools and hospitals to offset the use of imported heating fuels. At current heating oil prices, the use of the Malheur pellets could reduce energy costs by $7.2 million in the region.

By making use of the byproducts of forest restoration efforts, rural communities have the opportunity to develop appropriately-scaled biomass energy solutions that improve the health of our forests, sustain local jobs, increase energy independence, and retain dollars in the local economy. In the context of changing climatic conditions, our biomass energy policies must strive to balance an array of goals that include restoration of ecological function and community resiliency.

Chad Davis is the Forest Stewardship Director at Sustainable Northwest in Portland, OR and Nils Christoffersen is the Executive Director of Wallowa Resources, in Enterprise, OR.