There's a New Blogger in Biomass Town

April 17, 2009

BY Rona Johnson

Those of you who regularly read this blog will notice that Susanne Retka Schill is no longer the author. I am writing the blog now because it's another way for me, as the editor of Biomass Magazine, to be more accessible to people in the biomass industry.

As you know this newsletter was out of commission for a bit as we in flood fighting mode. Although our office in Grand Forks, N.D., is safely tucked behind a massive flood protection system that was built after the terrible flood in 1997, our office in Fargo, N.D., was being threatened by tributaries of the Red River.

The flood threat is over in both cities now (provided we don't have any monsoon-type weather) and we're back in action. Actually we've kicked it into high gear as we prepare for BBI International's International Biomass Conference & Expo, which, as you probably know, is being held April 28-30 in Portland, Ore.

I'm really exited about this year's conference because of all the attention that renewable energy is receiving from the federal government. Although the economy is still in a tailspin, I think it has caused more people to stop and think about the value of waste.
The reason that I mention the conference is so you will not forget to register, and because I will be there. So if you see me wandering around stop and say hi.

I would also like to take this opportunity to ask your opinion on something. I have received several alerts this week about a new report issued by the Environmental Agency. I thought about having one of our writers do a story on this but then I wondered if it was really worth it. Every story that I read about is said that the study showed that biomass energy has the potential to be a clean, sustainable source of energy-but only if it's done properly. Correct me if I'm wrong, but is this really news. I think we all know that there are emissions issues involved with burning biomass and we all know that there are consequences involved if we tear up every available tract of land and plant it to energy crops. The study also gave some journalists, who aren't as knowledgeable about biomass and didn't carefully read the study, an opportunity to cast biomass in a negative light. In fact, the headline of the first news article I read about the study was "Biomass energy ‘could be harmful.'" I believe the people who conducted the study had the industry's best interests at heart but I just didn't think it was newsworthy. If you think I'm wrong, please let me know.

Well in the interest of getting this blog on line so that you can read it, I'm going have to sign off. This is my first foray into the "blogosphere" and it's a little scary. Not because I have to write something but because it will be unedited. Although I am an editor, I have always had my copy read by one or two people before it's published. So if you see any glaring errors in this blog, please be kind.

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