Biomass Energy Program Design

The Biomass Energy Resource Center (BERC) has the tools to help state and federal agencies, and other public and private organizations, develop programs that can greatly accelerate the utilization of biomass energy in many types of applications. The activities include development of information packages, outreach activities, assessment of sites and selection of demonstration projects, training for stakeholders, decision makers, local architects and engineers, and project and program implementation.

State Fuels For Schools (Green Schools)

BERC helps public agencies create comprehensive statewide School Wood Heating Program or Fuels for Schools initiatives. BERC also works directly with green-building and green-school program managers, to identify environmentally responsible ways to include biomass energy in their programs. Full story

Clean Energy Funds

BERC works with clean-energy and renewable-energy fund managers who are interested in implementing environmentally responsible biomass technologies that can produce electricity and/or heat in a wide variety of settings.  Full story

State Energy Planning for Biomass

BERC helps state energy offices identify gaps and implement elements of biomass energy programs, to complement other renewable-energy program initiatives. Full story

Forest Fire Hazard Reduction

BERC works with federal, state, and local forestry and economic development agencies to identify ways to reduce forest fire hazards by using low-grade biomass for energy in community, institutional, and public-sector applications.  Full story

Northern Forest Biomass Energy Initiative

The Biomass Energy Resource Center, the Northern Forest Center, and the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire convened the Northern Forest Biomass Energy Initiative in 2006.

The purpose of the initiative is to explore the potential for woody biomass from the Northern Forest to provide an increased source of renewable, sustainable energy for the region, and to determine what needs to happen in the region for that potential to be realized.

A multi-stakeholder Steering Committee was formed and a Working Session Conference and two Steering Committee meetings were held to engage the expertise and insights of a diverse cross-section of experts from throughout the region in the areas of:

• Forest resources
• Wood products
• Conservation and recreation
• Economic development
• Biomass energy
• Financing
• Environmental impacts

Results of these efforts are reflected in the Action Plan developed from this work.