Trees: An Overlooked Source of Renewable Power

One of the more controversial renewable energy resources is woody biomass, such as trees. It shouldn’t be, because biomass can be a highly sustainable resource if it is properly managed. I lived in Hawaii for five years, where I worked for a company that managed forests (among other things). I was sometimes asked to give talks at the local high school about energy and sustainability. During one talk, a student said “I heard you were going to cut down all the trees.” At that moment, I realized that her view of forestry was much…