US expert talks biomass

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/13/3189809.htm

Posted Wed Apr 13, 2011 5:44am AEST

(News Online)

A forestry expert from the United States has travelled to south east New South Wales to advocate the production of wood pellets for energy use.

Dave Atkins works in the biomass department with the US Forest Service, and is touring Bombala and Eden for the next two days advocating the Fuels for Schools program.

The approach involves taking timber removed from forests for fire management purposes, and using it to provide energy for schools in the form of pellets.

Mr Atkins says it is an approach that has worked overseas.

"We started out providing heating systems in school systems," he said.

"We've expanded that beyond schools now, but we started out with the schools.

"It was a great opportunity to help kids understand the importance of thinning forest to reduce fire hazards."

He says it is a proven method.

"I'm sharing experiences that we've developed over the last ten years on using woody biomass for energy," he said.

"A lot of the time we're thinning out forest to reduce wildfire hazard, or to protect the forest from insects and diseases."

For more, go to the South East News blog.