existing forest ‘capital’? Could any states replace their winter heating requirements sustainably from forests? (note: the Drupal spell check is telling me 'sustainably' is not a word. Living in Vermont and buying firewood for my woodstove has made me ponder the following questions: What if everyone wanted/needed to heat with trees at the same time? Would there be enough trees to go around? What is the annual biomass ‘interest’ vs. Trees are ubiquitous, and it takes but some money or effort to create a nice neat stack of warmth producing wood next to ones home, especially for the more rural dwellings in our nation. What if some of the TOD and private forecasts for dramatically higher oil and gas prices occur in the coming years? People quickly respond to these price signals, and may increasingly look to heat their homes using more traditional means that they can individually control. Consumer switching ability for home heating exists, as it did in the 1970’s, but in today’s world we have little choice but to go southwards on the energy pyramid (oil/NG to wood or coal) as opposed to the lateral movement 25 years ago (oil to NG and propane) (Natural gas has more hydrogen atoms than does oil, and both have more than wood). Already given increases in heating oil and natural gas prices, there is renewed interest in using alternatives to fossil fuels.

Coincident with the decline in high quality oil production, a portfolio of alternative energy sources will be sought out to fill the gaps, both on the macro scale and by individuals. This got me to thinking, which resulted in the below analysis of how much heat from fossil sources we currently use and how much could be generated from our forests.Īt some point in the next decade, perhaps later, probably sooner, we will likely be faced with liquid fuels shortages.

It was the same day that the EIA heating oil inventories had dropped sharply. In a recent discussion of the depletion of high quality fossil fuels with a neighbor - she quipped 'Well - I guess its time to buy a woodstove then'. Peak oil and Peak Natural Gas have so many implications that I could think of a new one (and write about it) pretty much daily.

The Last Hours Of Ancient Sunlight Pdf