New Report Says There’s Biomass Aplenty to Support Future Aviation Fuel Demand
WASHINGTON — A new analysis from the Department of Energy has found that the United States could sustainably triple its production of biomass to more than 1 billion tons a year — more than enough to satisfy future demand for clean aviation biofuel.
The department has been producing assessments of potential biomass resources in the United States since 2005, and the latest report is the fourth in the series.
The findings suggest that the nation could fully decarbonize the entire domestic aviation industry with sustainable aviation fuel by 2050.
“President Biden is dedicated to building a thriving bioeconomy that benefits all Americans and ensures everyone from farmers and scientists to health care professionals and engineers can play a leading role in our clean energy future,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in a written statement.
“The Billion-Ton Report shows that America is poised to lead the world in the emerging renewable biomass industry — unlocking exciting economic opportunities for agricultural and rural communities and helping advance the sustainable fuels we need to cut harmful emissions and deliver healthier communities across the nation,” she said.
The decarbonization of America’s transportation and industrial sectors will depend on a significant increase in the production of renewable biomass for use in liquid fuel, bio-based chemicals and other products.
Highlights from the report include:
- The United States currently uses about 342 million tons of biomass, including corn grain for ethanol and wood/wood waste for heat and power, to meet roughly 5% of America’s annual energy demand.
- The United States can triple the production of biomass, producing an estimated 60 billion gallons of low greenhouse gas liquid fuels, while still meeting the projected demand for food, feed, fiber, conventional forest products and exports.
- Currently available but unused biomass resources can add around 350 million tons of additional biomass per year above current uses and double the U.S. bioeconomy.
- Biomass resources, like energy crops, in a future mature market can provide more than 400 million tons of biomass per year above current uses.
- Further technological innovations could lead to evolving and emerging resources that represent additional biomass potential.
According to the department, the analysis ensures sustainable outcomes by accounting for potential risks to soil, air and water quality, water availability, and the imperative to protect America’s forests and biodiversity.
The report analyzed the biomass production capacity of approximately 60 resources, several of which have never before been the subject of a DOE Billion-Ton assessment.
These include winter oilseed crops, trees and brush harvested from forests to prevent wildfires, macroalgae such as seaweed cultivated in ocean farms, and carbon dioxide from industrial plants.
The authors of the report, researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, working on behalf of DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, said the wide dispersion and variety of these resources will ensure that the benefits of expanded biomass production extend to both rural and urban areas.
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue
