Bioenergy Day is a national event organized by organizations heavily active in promoting bioenergy including the U.S. Forest Service, trade organizations, and various industry participants. Bioenergy Day, part of the larger Wood Products Week seeks to promote the use of woody biomass, particularly from waste sources for the generation of renewable heat and electricity. In 2015, Bioenergy Day organizers released an informational video detailing the positive effects which bioenergy has for rural New England communities. Bioenergy Day is held on October 18th.
Biochar Search for Solutions Project - CPSP 218G
Biochar is the carbon rich product of pyrolysis. It is capable of improving soil nutrient levels and water retention capabilities, making it an environmentally friendly fertilizer. Since it can sequester carbon in a stable form, biochar is a viable solution to anthropogenic climate change. RER is developing renewable energy facilities which will produce clean, semi-activated carbon to enhance agricultural production and sequester carbon to combat global climate change.
Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass - U.S. Dept. of Energy
The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) is actively working to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of bioenergy gasification systems through public research and collaboration with the academic community and private enterprise. DOE's Biomass KDF Channel features the Department's innovative work, public information, and important topics related to bioenergy production.
Sustainable Forestry: How does it work? What are its benefits? - The Conservation Fund
Sustainable forestry is a set of concepts which guides the management of our forests. Managing our forests responsibly promotes the protection of forest lands while also stimulating the local forest products industry. By stewarding our dynamic forest ecosystems, we are preserving natural forest conditions, improving forest health, and creating rural jobs. In rural New England, the forest products industry is the most important manufacturing industry and nationwide the industry employs more individuals than the U.S. auto industry. Just as the Conservation Foundation promotes these ideals through its non-profit work, RER is pursuing these ideals through its work in the rural Northeast.
Renewable Energy: The Return of Biomass - Gerard Goma & Mathias Fyferling
For thousands of years biomass (organic matter) was the primary source of energy. Since the industrial revolution, the combustion of fossil fuels, accounting for 87% of today’s global energy package, has replaced biomass as the primary source. Yet issues surrounding energy and food production and sustainable development engender new perspectives on the production of bio-fuels, especially from by-products of agro-industry and forestry. Biomass, now supporting 10% of world energy consumption, could increase to provide 25% of global energy needs. This film combines figures, schematics, and interviews with professionals in the field (e.g. economist, farmer, mechanic, researcher, aircraft manufacturer...). The potential for biomass is evident, but its usage must be rational, optimized and adapted to local environments. *English Close Captioning Necessary For Subtitles*
Biomass Gasification Technology - NECER
With an increase in international energy use and an increased need to decrease carbon emissions has resulted in a renaissance of new renewable energy generation sources. Bioenergy gasification is one such renewable resource. NECER is a European-based group, like RER committed to the development of meaningful bioenergy facilities utilizing agricultural and forest wastes to produce clean heat and power.
Biomass Gasification Plant - Middlebury College
In 2007, Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont adopted a campus-wide sustainability plan to reach 100% carbon neutrality by 2016. An important element of Middlebury's carbon elimination plan was to procure 100% of its energy from renewable energy. In 2017 Middlebury oficially opened a state of the art biomass gasification plant to heat its campus. All woody biomass sourced for the plant's feedstock operations are from sustainable forestry operations and the project is also incorporating the use of short-rotation biomass crops (willow grass). Middlebury's switch to bioenergy has resulted in: - 40% reduction in net campus carbon emissions - Elimination of 6 million gallons of Number 6 fuel oil - Transfer to a local, renewable energy source - Research in new methods of sustainable forestry and short-rotation energy crop use In 2017, RER Vice President Evan Dell'Olio participated in the first ever international debate concerning the carbon neutrality of bioenergy through the Biomass Monitor podcast series. The topic of the debate revolved around Middlebury's use of bioenergy technology.
Sustainable Forestry, the Appalachian Mountain Club Way
Between land purchases in 2003 and 2017, the Trust for Public Land together with the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) acquired a tract of land known as the Katahdin Iron Works, bringing the AMC's total land holdings in the region to over 70,000 acres. The Katahdin purchases were part of the organization's MaineWoods Initiative, bringing together the goals of habitat protection, recreation, forest education, and economic development based on sustainable forestry and recreation-based tourism. By bringing together diverse goals for rural development, the AMC is demonstrating that environmental sustainability and economic vitality can go hand in hand just as RER is also promoting.
