ENERGY IMPACTS ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND SOCIETY

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: MCINTIRE-STENNIS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0224527
• Project Start Date: Jan 1, 2011
• Project End Date: Dec 31, 2015
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
208 MUELLER LABORATORY
UNIVERSITY PARK,PA 16802

Performing Department
Ecosystem Science & Management

Non Technical Summary
The goal of the project is to examine impacts on natural resources as society transitions to more sustainable and renewable energy systems. Specifically, this project will examine economic and policy considerations for the sustainable management of natural forests, woody energy crop plantations, and natural gas as energy alternatives in Pennsylvania, the region and internationally. Woody biomass can be burned for direct energy production or it can be converted to liquid fuels, such as ethanol and methanol. Woody bioenergy has enormous potential in the United States, including the northeastern states such as Pennsylvania where natural forests cover two-thirds of the total land area. In addition to natural forests, thousands of acres of marginal and idle land, including abandoned mine lands, are potentially available for biomass production from perennial short rotation woody crops (SWRC) such as willow and poplar. Two of the most significant challenges to woody biomass development are predicting its availability and improving the supply chains for delivering large quantities of biomass. Natural gas, while nonrenewable, is recognized as a transition fuel. Rural Pennsylvania is in early stages of an unprecedented resource boom due to the Marcellus shale gas play that lies under two-thirds of the state. Gas drilling, production and associated activities will bring enormous social, economic and environmental impacts, some good and some bad. All sustainable energy production systems need to quantify, evaluate and communicate the social, economic and environmental impacts of these systems. These impacts often include rural income generation, demands on government agencies for monitoring, infrastructure, and enforcement of regulations, changes in wildlife habitat, climate mitigation, and water quality, to name only a few. Among the types of activities and outcomes the project will deliver include: a) assessments of financial incentives for bioenergy and natural gas production at the federal, state and local levels; b) evaluation of energy tax policy implications for communities, economies and the environment; c) analysis of costs and benefits of SWRC on marginal lands; d) assessments of economically available and environmentally sustainable supplies of woody biomass from the natural forests of the region and; d) development tools such as websites, eXtension, webinars, fact sheets workshops and demonstrations to deliver information, programs and activities.

Animal Health Component

45%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

45%

Applied

45%

Developmental

10%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
123	0620	3100	25%
131	0670	3100	25%
602	0650	3010	25%
605	0650	3010	25%

Knowledge Area
602 - Business Management, Finance, and Taxation; 605 - Natural Resource and Environmental Economics; 123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources; 131 - Alternative Uses of Land;

Subject Of Investigation
0670 - Short rotation woody crops, including holiday trees; 0650 - Wood and wood products; 0620 - Broadleaf forests of the North;

Field Of Science
3010 - Economics; 3100 - Management;

Keywords

bioenergy

woody biomass

natural forests

energy crops

natural gas

economics

policy

taxation

incentives

sustainability

Goals / Objectives
The goal of the project is to examine impacts on natural resources as society transitions to more sustainable and renewable energy systems. Specifically, this project will examine economic and policy considerations for the sustainable management of natural forests, woody energy crop plantations, and natural gas as energy alternatives in Pennsylvania, the region and internationally. Specific objectives are: 1. Evaluate fiscal, social, environmental, economic and policy issues resulting from energy development. 2. Examine energy supply chains by analyzing production, harvest and preprocessing costs of woody bioenergy systems. 3. Develop extension materials and facilitate outreach on energy impacts. Since diverse types of project objectives and research approaches are anticipated outcomes will be assessed to the degree that progress is made toward research and extension contributions. Annual progress reports will be submitted through the USDA-CRIS reporting system. Reports will be presented at professional meetings and extension workshops. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Project Methods
Multi-method and analysis approaches will be used to meet the objectives. Specific examples of projects for each of the three objectives include: 1. a) assess the impact of financial incentives for bioenergy and natural gas production at the federal, state and local levels; b) evaluate energy tax policy implications for communities, economies and the environment; c) conduct surveys of landowners, loggers and industry; d) international renewable energy development. 2. a) quantify costs and benefits of SWRC on marginal lands; b) assess economically available and environmentally sustainable supplies of woody biomass from the natural forests of the region; c) evaluate technical and economic performance characteristics of woody biomass pre-processing within the bioenergy supply chain; d) assess charcoal supply chains in developing countries. 3. Develop tools such as websites, eXtension, webinars, fact sheets workshops and demonstrations to deliver information, programs and activities from projects in Objectives 1 and 2. Programs will focus on educating stakeholders about potential opportunities and limitations of energy production and ensuring that energy development is economically, environmentally and socially sustainable.

Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The project reached a variety of stakeholders bothin agricultureand forestry including farmers, forest landowners, resource professionals, policy-makers, timber harvesters, and the public. Changes/Problems:Oriiginally designed to focus on wood energy, once we received theNortheast Woody/Warm-season Biomass Consortium (NEWBio)project focus was added to include short rotation woody crops and perennial crops. A major challengehas been to create marketsfor this nascent industry. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Numerous training and professional development activities were held for all stakeholders and target participants. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been dissimenated via various means including websites, webinars, extension publications and fact sheets. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Impacts from the overall projects included: Built awareness about using short rotation woody crops and perennial grasses Developed industry partners interested in bioenergy Developed supply chains for bioenergy prediction Surveyed growers on willingness to grow energy crops Provided monthly webinars on bioenergy hat reach over 1000 people Developed fact sheet series and website site materials on woody biomass Organized professional short courses on woody biomass and perennial grasses ; Organized field days to demonstrate short rotation woody crops, and perennial grasses Produced a report on economic impact of siting bioenergy processing facilities in Pennsylvania Carried out Pennsylvania logger survey that addressed bioenergy issues Carrying out Pennsylvania State Wood energy team project

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Jacobson, M. Analysis of Eucalyptus production as feedstock for pellet production in Kenya. Report submitted to Gatsby Foundation.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ciolkosz, D., M. Jacobson and N. Heil. An Assessment of Farm Scale Biomass Pelleting in the Northeast.
• Type: Other Status: Under Review Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ciolkosz, D. and M. Jacobson. State Wood Energy prospectus for Pennsylvania.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2016 Citation: Woodbury, P. M. Langholtz, M. Jacobson and A. Kemanain. Improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay using payments for ecosystem services for perennial bioenergy feedstock production.

Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Forest landowners, bioenergy producers, resource professionals, policy-makers, timber harvesters, and the public. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Short courses, field days and webinars How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Books, facts sheets, workshops, short courses, field days, webinars What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1. continue publishing and carrying out extension activities 2. survey evaluating farmers and landowners’ willingness to supply energy crops on marginal lands. The results from this research will answer two substantial questions for the bioenergy industry: “whether farmers and landowners are willing to use marginal lands” and “whether they are willing to plant energy crops on marginal lands”

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1) Economic analysis of growing energy crops on marginal lands – biophysical and socioeconomic survey analysis, 2) Hosting monthly webinar series on woody biomass related topics, 3) Developing fact sheet series and website site materials on woody biomass, 4) Organizing professional short course on woody biomass and perennial grasses ; 5) Developing field trials of short rotation shrub willow planting for biomass though Sun Grant Integrated Project; 6) Field days to demonstrate short rotation woody crops, and 7) Developing woody biomass supply modeling framework for the northeast. The main research activities include examining economics of energy crops on marginal lands, and finishing a recently completed a book on “Wood Biomass in the Northeast.” Two projects funding this work Northeast SunGrant project to develop extension materials on wood-based bioenergy, and USDA AFRI CAP for Northeast Woody/Warm-season Biomass Consortium (NEWBio),

Publications

• Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Jacobson M and D. Ciolkosz (eds). 2013 Wood-Based Energy in the Northern Forests. New York: Springer. 245 pp.
• Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Langholtz, M. and M. Jacobson. 2013 The economic availability of woody biomass feedstocks in the Northeast. In Jacobson M and D. Ciolkosz (eds). Wood-Based Energy in the Northern Forests. New York: Springer
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Jacobson, M. 2014. Shrub Willow Enterprise Budget, Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Jacobson, M. 2014. Miscanthus Enterprise Budget, Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Jacobson, M. 2014. Switchgrass Enterprise Budget, Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA.

Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Forest landowners, resource professionals, policy-makers, timber harvesters, and the public. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Numerous workshops, short courses and publications are being developed. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Society is shifting to more sustainable and renewable energy fuels, and woody biomass is one important source. Research and extension activities provide important information about the feasibility, economics and environmental concerns surrounding the use of wood based bioenergy to target audiences. Extension materials, including webinars, fact sheets and websites, are sources of reliable information for stakeholders. Over 200 people attended the webinar series and over 100 attended workshops and field days. Ongoing research addressing economics of growing energy crops on marginal lands. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Continue to develop opportunities for sustainable biomass productionin the region.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1) Co-lead investigator on a Northeast SunGrant project to develop extension materials on wood-based bioenergy, 2) Hosting monthly webinar series on woody biomass related topics, 3) Developing fact sheet series and website site materials on woody biomass, 4) Organizing a two-day professional short course on woody biomass and perennial grasses ; 5) Developing field trials of short rotation shrub willow planting for biomass though Sun Grant Integrated Project; 6) Received USDA AFRI CAP for Northeast Woody/Warm-season Biomass Consortium (NEWBio), a regional network of universities, businesses, and governmental organizations dedicated to building robust, scalable, and sustainable value chains for biomass energy in the northeast. 7) Field days to demonstrate short rotation woody crops, and 8) Developing woody biomass supply modeling framework for the northeast. The main research activities include examining economics of energy crops on marginal lands, and completing a book on “Wood Biomass in the Northeast.”

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Jacobson, M. 2012. NEWBio Energy Crop Profile: Shrub Willow Fact Sheet, Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA. Jacobson, M. 2012. NEWBio Energy Crop Profile: Miscanthus Fact Sheet, Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA. Jacobson, M. 2102. NEWBio Energy Crop Profile: Switchgrass Fact Sheet, Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA.

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Accomplishments include: 1) Co-lead investigator on a Northeast SunGrant project to develop extension materials on wood-based bioenergy; 2) Hosting monthly webinar series on woody biomass related topics; 3) Developing fact sheet series and website site materials on woody biomass; 4) Organizing a two-day professional short course on woody biomass and perennial grasses; 5) Developing field trials of short rotation shrub willow planting for biomass though Sun Grant Integrated Project; 6) Received USDA AFRI CAP for Northeast Woody/Warm-season Biomass Consortium (NEWBio), a regional network of universities, businesses, and governmental organizations dedicated to building robust, scalable, and sustainable value chains for biomass energy in the northeast; 7) Field days to demonstrate short rotation woody crops; and, 8) Developing woody biomass supply modeling framework for the northeast. PARTICIPANTS: Michael Jacobson and Marc McDill. Students: Shibu Kar, Norzanalia Saadun, Kyle Kovach External: NE SunGrant, PA Bureau of Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Cornell University, West Virginia University, Michigan State University. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest landowners, resource professionals, policy-makers, timber harvesters, and the public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Society is shifting to more sustainable and renewable energy fuels, and woody biomass is one important source. Research and extension activities provide important information about the feasibility, economics and environmental concerns surrounding the use of wood based bioenergy to target audiences. Extension materials, including webinars, fact sheets and websites, are sources of reliable information for stakeholders. Over 200 people attended the webinar series and over 100 attended workshops and field days. Ongoing research looking at biomass as a substitute for other fuels will be useful for policy-makers, industry and growers.

Publications

• Jacobson, M. and D. Ciolkosz. 2012. A Bioenergy Primer for the Forestry Community. Penn State Renewable and Alternative Energy Fact Sheet Series. The Pennsylvania State University. University Park, PA. 4 pages.
• Jacobson, M. and D. Ciolkosz. 2012. A Bioenergy Primer for Forest Landowners. Penn State Renewable and Alternative Energy Fact Sheet Series. The Pennsylvania State University. University Park, PA. 4 pages.
• Jacobson, M. and S. Kar. 2012. Extent of agroforestry extension programs in USA. Journal of Extension (In Press).

Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Accomplishments include: 1) Co-lead investigator on a Northeast SunGrant project to develop extension materials on wood-based bioenergy, 2) Hosting monthly webinar series on woody biomass related topics, 3) Developing fact sheet series and website site materials on woody biomass, 4) Organizing a two-day professional short course on woody biomass, 5) Led a team developing extension materials for a large regional project promoting short rotation forest crops for bioenergy, 6)Developing field trials of short rotation shrub willow planting for biomass, 7)Conducted Pennsylvania logger survey that addressed bioenergy issues, 8) Developing woody biomass harvest cost models for the northeast, and 9) Wrote a report on woody biomass potential for National Renewable Energy Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: PIs: Michael Jacobson and Marc McDill. Students: Shibu Kar, Norzanalia Saadun, Kyle Kovach External: NE SunGrant, PA Bureau of Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Cornell University, West Virginia University, Michigan State University. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest landowners, resource professionals, policy-makers, timber harvesters, and the public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Society is shifting to more sustainable and renewable energy fuels and woody biomass is one important source. Research and extension activities are useful to the target audiences by providing important information about the feasibility, economics and environmental concerns surrounding use of wood based bioenergy. The extension materials that include webinars, fact sheets and websites are sources of reliable information for stakeholders. We have had over 100 people attend the webinar series and expect 50 people at the short course. The willow research looks at it appropriateness as substitute for other fuels which will be useful for policy-makers, industry and growers.

Publications

• Jacobson, M., J. Finley, and C. Schmid. 2010. Factors and Trends in Pennsylvanias Logging Industry. PA Hardwoods Development Council. 35 pp.
• McDill, M., M. Jacobson, and L. Irland. 2011. Woodshed report for wood consumption in Northhampton County, PA. Land Resources, Inc. 32 pp.
• McDill, M. 2011. Woody Biomass as a Renewable Energy Feedstock in the USA Literature Review. Report produced for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Lakewood, CO. 44 p.