Concern over energy security and the greenhouse gases emissions associated with burning fossil fuels has led to increased national interest in bioenergy production. In the United States, adoption of a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requires domestic production of renewable fuels to increase from 14 billion gallons per year (according to the Renewable Fuels Association) to 36 billion gallons per year by 2022. Woody biomass could be a significant component of an RFS portfolio. Woody biomass is collected from logging residue, forest thinning, and small diameter timber. These forest products can be sustainably harvested, and are predictable and reliable in terms of production. Woody biomass has potential to become a primary bioenergy feedstock for heat and co-fire power plants as well as cellulosic-derived biofuels. The QUESTION remains how much and what kind of woody biomass can be sustainability supplied, where is this likely to occur, and at what price will woody biomass products be available?

对能源安全和与燃烧化石燃料有关的温室气体排放的担忧，已导致国家对生物能源生产的兴趣增加。在美国，采用可再生燃料标准(RFS)要求国内可再生燃料的产量从每年140亿加仑(根据可再生燃料协会的数据)增加到2022年的每年360亿加仑。木质生物质可以成为可再生燃料标准组合的重要组成部分。木材生物量是从伐木残渣、森林间伐和小直径木材中收集的。这些森林产品可以持续收获，在生产方面是可预测和可靠的。木质生物质有可能成为供热和联合火力发电厂以及纤维素衍生生物燃料的主要生物能源原料。问题仍然是可持续供应多少和何种种类的木质生物质，这种供应可能在哪里发生，木质生物质产品的价格如何?