Forestry in the United States can provide an additional 63 million dry tons of woody biomass per year according to the recently released US Department of Energy 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23). The report findings have been welcomed by the US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) as it underscores that "woody biomass is a sustainable, abundant resource, especially in our southern timberlands, which hold 46 percent of our nation’s total forests."
The US Department of Energy (DOE) “2023 Billion-Ton Report: An Assessment of U.S. Renewable Carbon Resources” (BT23) identifies sustainable forestry as a key pillar in the effort to increase the nation’s biomass production.
Woody biomass accounts for more than 40 percent of total US bioenergy consumption, helping lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across industrial, residential, and commercial applications.
The report estimates this contribution can grow significantly and within strict sustainability limits that ensure new capacity promotes net carbon sequestration, water regulation, protection of biodiversity, healthy communities, and many additional ecosystem services.
These findings underscore that woody biomass is a sustainable, abundant resource, especially in our southern timberlands, which hold 46 percent of our nation’s total forests. There is tremendous potential for our industry to expand both in production capacity and through new applications where solutions to de-fossilize operations are needed most, said Elizabeth Woodworth, Interim Executive Director of the US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA).
The United States is the world’s leading exporter of wood pellets used primarily to displace fossil fuels and generate reliable, low-carbon power and heat.
It shipped 9.5 million tonnes valued at US$1.75 billion to more than a dozen countries in 2023.
The report—the fourth in a series of assessments of potential biomass resources in the US—again demonstrates there is ample biomass available across the forested land base to help meet growing demand while at the same time providing significant ecological and economic benefits.
It estimates that sustainable forestry can provide 63 million dry tons of woody biomass per year above current production levels.
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, said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in a release announcing the report.
