Discover
/
Article

Scientists criticize legislation that defines wood-burning power plants as carbon neutral

MAR 07, 2016
Physics Today

Science : On 24 February, 65 scientists sent US Senate leaders a letter concerning a provision in an energy bill currently under consideration. The provision requires the federal government to treat the use of forest biomass for power production as carbon neutral, as long as the trees from the forests are replaced and the forests continue to grow trees. Philip Duffy, president of the Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts, and the other letter cosigners say the calculation does not take into account the effects that tree removal, processing, consumption, and replanting have on the carbon balance.

Related content
/
Article
The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.
/
Article
/
Article
After a foray into international health and social welfare, she returned to the physical sciences. She is currently at the Moore Foundation.
/
Article
Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.

Get PT in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.