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This paper explores social acceptance of different wood-based energy applications in the Great Lakes region in the Upper Midwest, USA. Specifically, the paper examines attitudes and perceptions towards residential wood burning, commercial-scale wood boilers for heat, combined heat and power (CHP) facilities, and industrial power generation in Michigan. In 2021, we conducted a state-wide survey (n = 207) and 30 semi-structured interviews with individuals representing different stakeholder perspectives, including regulatory agencies, biomass industry leaders, non-governmental organizations and scientists who have shaped biomass debates, forest products workers, and Michigan residents. Results suggest that the depth of an individual's knowledge about different types of wood energy applications generally led to more positive attitudes, particularly for smaller-scale uses of wood for heat. Despite perceived environmental, economic, and human health risks of using wood for different energy applications, across all stakeholder groups, 70% of respondents perceived environmental benefits, 61% perceived economic benefits, and 57% perceived health benefits. Changing economic and environmental conditions in different parts of the state contributed to people's attitudes toward different forms of wood energy and their perceptions of associated risks and benefits. A key recommendation of this study is that policy-makers and energy developers seek to understand the complex factors that influence social acceptance when planning for the adoption of new types of wood-based bioenergy technologies.
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Mapping and Measuring Environmental Justice: A Case Study of Bioenergy Development in Michigan, USA
The Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative states that 40% of federal investment in clean energy needs to benefit historically disadvantaged communities. This unprecedented policy has contributed to greater interest in how to measure environmental justice (EJ) and account for the disparate impacts that renewable energy development may have on different communities. This research uses spatial data to map and mea- sure EJ in the context of bioenergy development. A geographic information system (GIS) database was developed to compare data from Michigan’s MiEJScreen tool to the location of different types of wood energy technologies, including residential wood heating, commercial boilers, pellet manufacturing facili- ties, and biomass power stations. The results of statistical analyses using ArcGIS Pro found that as MiEJScreen values increased, the use of residential wood heat decreased. A hotspot analysis found that, in general, commercial boilers, pellet plants, and power stations were not clustered in areas with high MiEJScreen scores, although there were important exceptions. For all scales of wood energy technologies, rurality seemed to drive associations. Tools such as MiEJScreen can help to illuminate broader environ- mental and socioeconomic landscapes in which bioenergy technologies have been developed, but they may miss important nuances, particularly in rural communities. Implementing federal policies that aim at EJ requires accurate ways of mapping and measuring community dynamics and regional differences. This study uses the context of bioenergy development in Michigan to show how different analyses can be used, and some of the strengths and limitations of the existing tools and approaches.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1922030
- PAR ID:
- 10549043
- Publisher / Repository:
- Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Environmental Justice
- ISSN:
- 1939-4071
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- environmental justice, bioenergy, spatial analysis, renewable energy metrics
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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This paper explores social acceptance of different wood-based energy applications in the Great Lakes region in the Upper Midwest, USA. Specifically, the paper examines attitudes and perceptions towards residential wood burning, commercial-scale wood boilers for heat, combined heat and power (CHP) facilities, and industrial power generation in Michigan. In 2021, we conducted a state-wide survey (n = 207) and 30 semi-structured interviews with individuals representing different stakeholder perspectives, including regulatory agencies, biomass industry leaders, non-governmental organizations and scientists who have shaped biomass debates, forest products workers, and Michigan residents. Results suggest that the depth of an individual's knowledge about different types of wood energy applications generally led to more positive attitudes, particularly for smaller-scale uses of wood for heat. Despite perceived environmental, economic, and human health risks of using wood for different energy applications, across all stakeholder groups, 70% of respondents perceived environmental benefits, 61% perceived economic benefits, and 57% perceived health benefits. Changing economic and environmental conditions in different parts of the state contributed to people's attitudes toward different forms of wood energy and their perceptions of associated risks and benefits. A key recommendation of this study is that policy-makers and energy developers seek to understand the complex factors that influence social acceptance when planning for the adoption of new types of wood-based bioenergy technologies.more » « less
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1089/env.2023.0069
