Nebraska Forest Service
Date of this Version
2009
Citation
Published by Nebraska Forest Service
Abstract
Energy security is a vital issue in the United States. Heavy dependence on fossil fuels obtained from politically volatile areas, an emerging consensus that carbon emissions must be substantially reduced, and dramatically increasing costs of fuel oil and natural gas are driving the urgent need for alternative energy sources, both in Nebraska and nationally. Further, rising energy costs are negatively impacting Nebraska’s rural communities, many of which were already facing serious economic declines. Woody biomass is a carbon-neutral, clean-burning, renewable energy resource that can help solve these problems. Nebraska-grown wood is an underutilized, plentiful, economic energy resource that can stimulate and revitalize our rural economies. Woody biomass is a proven, reliable energy source for both heating and cooling, as well as industrial applications, electricity generation and ethanol production.