EPA Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel to Begin Work

Do bioenergy systems (biofuel, biopower, bioheat) contribute to or mitigate climate change? The prevailing assumption in federal policies, up until this point, has been that bioenergy systems are, more or less, as climate-friendly and renewable as other renewable energy sources, and, thus, bioenergy is a suitable substitute for climate-damaging fossil fuels. However, this assumption has been questioned in recent years, and the EPA has proposed an “accounting framework for biogenic CO2 emissions from stationary sources.” Now the EPA is seeking scientific peer review of its framework.

The EPA announced October 3 the formation of the Science Advisory Board Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel which will conduct the peer review. The first public meeting will be held October 25-27 in Washington, DC. The EPA has published a background paper “Accounting Framework for Biogenic CO2 Emissions from Stationary Sources” in preparation, and it has also published a synthesis of public comments that it has received so far.