	Introduction

Renewable energy currently accounts for about 10% of U.S. total energy production according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Approximately 53% of all domestic renewable energy comes from biomass sources represented by biofuels, landfill gas, biogenic municipal solid waste, wood and wood-derived fuels, and other biomass such as switchgrass. A major argument that has been advanced for a national renewable energy (or electricity) standard is that it would encourage increased use of renewable energy. 890 , would establish a renewable electricity standard (RES). Background

Much of the debate over an RES revolves around whether there is a need for a federal requirement for renewable energy use by electric providers and whether the momentum in the states is truly moving the use of renewable energy forward. Generating electricity from renewable resources emits far less of such pollutants. Many consider carbon dioxide emissions from biomass sources as practically neutral, because biomass sources take in carbon dioxide during their growing cycle and release it when burned. Renewable energy is seen as a way to reduce fossil fuel use, and with growing awareness of the potential impacts of climate change, the role of renewable energy in reducing carbon emissions has garnered increasing public support. Given the identified concerns over biomass supplies in the southeastern states and the pivotal role the region will likely have in a federal RES debate, issues in this region will be used as the focus of this report. These definitions have varied over time with changes in the law and regulations, reflecting policy goals and technological change. The definition of biomass would be critical to determining which technologies and processes would be available to meet possible RES requirements. Availability of Biomass

Proponents of an RES assert that the Southeast has ample biomass resources to meet renewable energy requirements of an RES. Forest products companies are the primary users of biomass for manufacturing purposes. Biomass Potential

Increasing electricity generated from biomass sources may be a viable route for compliance with RES requirements nationally, especially as biomass is already the largest source of renewable energy in the United States today. Existing woody biomass stocks could be augmented by biocrops or other types of biomass to help fuel new power generation facilities. The needs of other, possibly competing, uses for biomass are considerations if biomass resources are to be sustained while meeting projected uses. Having a financially viable forest products sector producing wood wastes is important to the biomass power industry. New resources (such as dedicated biocrops) or other biomass sources (such as municipal solid waste) may need to be used if biomass from forest residues and forest product industry wastes do not prove sufficient to meet RES goals. Targets for biofuels production from a Renewable Fuels Standard may mean that increased amounts of biomass would be dedicated to meet the needs of that program, if the trend away from corn-based ethanol persists and gasoline demand increases. Sustainable management of forest resources is a basic consideration.
Congress has been debating establishment of a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) to encourage increased use of all forms of renewable energy including generating electricity from biomass sources (H.R. 890, S. 433). Concerns over the potential impacts of a federal RES seem to revolve largely around the issue of whether, nationwide, sufficient renewable energy resources exist and are economically viable. States and electricity suppliers in the southeastern United States have been most vocal in their concern that they may be unfairly burdened by an RES. They contend there is a lack of wind or solar resources that can be delivered economically.
Today, biomass is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States. Approximately 53% of all renewable energy comes from biomass sources, represented by biofuels, landfill gas, municipal solid waste, wood and wood-derived fuels, and other biomass feedstocks. All renewable energy sources combined account for about 10% of the U.S. total energy production. The definition of what constitutes biomass has varied over time with changes in law and regulations, reflecting policy goals and evolution of potential uses.
A principal argument made by supporters of an RES is that it would provide benefits to the environmental goals. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from biomass sources are considered practically neutral, as biomass sources take in CO2 during their growing cycle and release it when burned. Renewable energy is seen as a way to reduce fossil fuel use and, with growing awareness of the potential impacts of climate change, the role of renewable energy in reducing CO2 emissions from energy production has garnered increasing public support.
Biomass has been characterized by advocates for an RES in the Southeast (i.e., Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) as the region's main renewable resource which could be used to meet a standard. However, the region's major user of woody biomass and producer of wood wastes is the forest products industry. It is concerned that competition for biomass resources from new power generation facilities and from transportation fuel uses could drive up prices to the economic detriment of forest product companies.
If biomass from forest residues and forest product industry wastes do not prove sufficient to meet RES goals, new resources such as dedicated bioenergy crops or other biomass resources, such as municipal solid waste, may need to be used. The definition of which types of biomass are eligible under an RES would determine which resources, technologies and processes will be available to meet a possible federal RES mandate. Goals for biofuels production to meet a Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) may also mean that increased amounts of biomass would be dedicated to that use. Diversity of biomass resources seems likely to be key to the economic production of biomass-fired power generation. Sustainable management of forest resources is likely to be both a basic consideration and a possible constraint. The issue of whether there is enough biomass to meet both an RES and RFS is beyond the scope of this report.
The terms RES and RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard) are often used interchangeably as no material difference exists in program goals.