Feedstock Supply

• Integrate field plot data, remote sensing and geospatial layers to estimate feedstock supplies and produce digital feedstock atlas.

Feedstock Logistics & Processing

• Develop cost and production models for forest operations that will guide sustainable, economic harvest of forest biomass for bioenergy
• Establish guidelines for preparation and quality of beetle-killed wood feedstock

System Performance & Sustainability

• Quantify ecological impacts of harvesting beetle-killed trees
• Assess impacts of biochar amendments in managed ecosystems
• Analyze environmental impacts in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• Evaluate financial feasibility of beetle-kill and waste wood conversion
• Assess economic, social and policy constraints; develop solutions for overcoming barriers
• Develop web-based decision support tools to assess feedstock availability, GHG emissions, and environmental footprints for beetle-kill feedstocks

Education

• Promote bioenergy literacy for middle school and high school students and teachers, undergraduate and graduate students

Extension, Outreach, Health and Safety

• Provide information to communities and stakeholder groups on all aspects of a potential beetle-kill industry in the Rockies
• Understand and address concerns of communities regarding the health and safety aspects of biofuel and biochar production and transportation