Virginia Biomass Energy Atlas

Public Policy Virginia is currently seeking project funding to produce the Virginia Biomass Energy Atlas, a natural resource planning and economic development tool for biomass energy production in the Commonwealth.  The goal of the Atlas is to identify, locate and quantify all prospective sources of biomass energy in Virginia, including biofuel feedstocks, and to provide technological and carbon life cycle assessments comparing the economic and technical viability and environmental impact of utilizing various biomass feedstocks.  We anticipate that a full assessment and utilization of the Commonwealth’s inventory will result in at least 9% and as much as 15% of the total projected energy demand for 2010.

A Virginia biomass atlas is a highly anticipated, government sanctioned publication.  Governor Tim Kaine has officially supported development of the proposed Atlas in his Virginia Energy Plan, published in September 2007, and both the Virginia DMME and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership have pledged their support of and cooperation with the project. The Chesapeake Bay Commission (CBC), a tri-state legislative commission which advises the General Assemblies of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia on Chesapeake Bay issues, has chosen to promote a cellulosic biofuels industry in the Bay states, indicating that our region is well-poised to become a leader in the biomass industry due to the type and variety of feedstocks available.  Public Policy Virginia has participated in CBC’s information gathering, and anticipates that the findings from the Atlas, once completed, will help the Commission and the Virginia General Assembly further refine their environmental and economic goals once their preliminary investigations and recommendations have been made.

The Atlas will be produced with the guidance and assistance of the Virginia Biomass Energy Group (VBEG), and under the direction of Mitch King, President of the Old Mill Power Company.

Other Subsections in Biomass Energy

• Issue Summary
• Biofuels
• Biomass Power
• Our Bioenergy Future
• Virginia Biomass Energy Group
• Resources Online