Forest landowners’ perception of and participation in a woody bioenergy market

Forestland is primarily privately owned in Virginia; however, woody biomass is an underutilized resource for bolstering the state's renewable energy transition. This study examines forested landowners' perceptions and willingness to participate in a woody biomass bioenergy market in Virginia using an online survey. Results show that participants with knowledge of bioenergy and those who had participated in financial assistance programs were more likely to acknowledge the concerns of a bioenergy market, including the negative impacts on wildlife and sustainable practices and need for increased resources. However, these groups were more likely to acknowledge that state resources for best management practices exist and could be used to successfully mitigate these unwanted effects. An economic analysis shows high willingness to participate in biomass markets, and explores different market payment schemes for redirecting biomass for flat-rate $/ton and $/acre, showing that $/ton is more desirable though inherently could incentivize excessive harvesting. The most accepted scheme was for redirecting cropland/pastureland for a $/acre flat-rate, indicating repurposing land use could be more useful for developing a bioenergy economy. Results indicate that when managed properly, biomass could be a leading renewable energy resource during the transition toward the state's goal of zero-carbon energy by 2050.