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The resources provided on this website are a cooperative effort of:
Last update: June 26, 2008 |
At its simplest, biomass conversion is taking energy from the sun captured by plants and turning it into energy directly useful for human purposes. Many pathways are available for this conversion, using different sources of biomass (feedstocks), different processes for conversion (for example, fermentation or direct combustion), and resulting in different forms of energy (for example, potential energy in liquid fuel, kinetic energy of steam spinning an electric turbine, or latent energy of the steam to heat buildings). The conversion takes place at many scales as well, ranging from home woodstoves to large industrial facilities.
The production of biofuels and bioenergy influence people and land around the production facility. Particularly at large scales of operation, sources of feedstock, transportation systems, environmental and aesthetic considerations, and community interactions must be considered in the siting, design, and operation of a bioenergy facility. These web pages provide some general explanations about the spatial dimensions of these considerations – descriptions of how stakeholders might use spatial data in their choices along with supporting maps at statewide scales. These maps are not intended to provide site-specific details about where it may or may not be appropriate to site and operate a bioenergy facility; rather they provide ideas and general information about some of spatial criteria relevant to the decisions.
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Agricultural Resources
Wisconsin's agricultural resources provide potential sources of biomass for both biofuel and bioenergy production. |
Forest Resources
Resources from logging residues, manufacturing residuals, and other sources could provide feedstocks for a variety of bioenergy technologies. |
Land Use
Land use and population distributions affect siting decisions for bioenergy facilities and provide potential biomass sources from waste streams. |
Infrastructure
Accessibility to roads, rails and energy transmission infrastructure is necessary to move feedstocks and distribute bioenergy. |
Environmental
Potential constraints include air and water quality, carbon capture, noise, dust, odor and aesthetic issues |
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