2005 2010 2015
Biomass electricity generation in the United States
26. 7 25. 6 31. 1
12. 2 12. 8
9. 4 9. 9
11. 4 6.0 7. 8
biological or thermochemical conversion processes like
Between 2010 and 2015,
U.S. electric production from
biomass trended upwards
from 56 terawatt (TWh) hours
to 64 TWh, according to the
Energy Information Administration (EIA). The availability of proximate feedstocks,
e.g. southern pine, meant that
biomass electric was most
prevalent in southern U.S.
states. However, all regions
beneftted from biomass
power. (see Fig. 1) Interestingly, more than half the electricity generated from biomass
occurred inside the industrial
fence — never making it into
The benefts attributed to biomass in its many
forms are considerable.
They include: conversion
of waste into a commercial
commodity; job creation; rural economic development; forest
management; and, carbon capture and sequestration result from
the growth/harvest/growth cycle.
Despite its many benefts, proven conversion techniques,
variety of uses and continued leadership among other renew-
able energy sources, biomass faces a very uncertain future. The
sources of this uncertainty are price, politics and questionable
Currently low natural gas and
petroleum prices are negatively
impacting the pace of transition
to a sustainable energy economy.
Prices for natural gas and petro-
leum are expected to remain rel-
atively stable and, as refected in
Fig. 2, will continue as the dom-
inant energy sources of energy.
Projections also show a rising
trend line for renewables other
than large hydro and biomass.
The cost of natural gas, in particular, is acting as an anchor to
renewables. However, the precipitous plunge in the price of solar
and wind has led to predictions that these two energy sources will
continue to claim a larger share of the power pie. According to
Bloomberg New Energy Finance: “By 2040, zero-emission energy
sources will make up 60 percent of installed capacity. Wind and
solar will account for 64 percent of the 8. 6 TW of new power
generating capacity added worldwide over the next 25 years.”
For a number of reasons, the price of biomass energy is
unlikely to follow the same downward path. Solar and wind are
beneftting from massive economies of scale, serving to lower
system costs, even in the shade of low gas prices. Other renewables have not been as fortunate.
One reason solar and wind are faring better in the commercial
marketplace is their performance in the political arena. Federal tax credits and state renewable portfolio standards (RPS) have
played a signifcant role in their rise to prominence.
Dylan Kruse, the policy director at Sustainable Northwest and
Figure 1: Biomass electricity in the U.S. 2005-20015. Credit: U.S. Energy