In this episode, I speak with Dr. Virginia Dale, Research Professor at the University of Tennessee, about forest bioenergy, biomass energy, and sustainable forest management. We explore how post-harvest waste, sawdust, and rejected logs can be transformed into biomass pellets that generate renewable energy while lowering wildfire and insect risks.

Virginia explains why the carbon footprint of bioenergy depends on the carbon cycle, landscape scale, and timeframe. We also discuss bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), certification standards, and transparent monitoring to strengthen trust. The conversation highlights economic opportunities for rural communities, the challenges of inland transport, and the limits of bioenergy when it fails to meet sustainability goals.

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Dr. Virginia Dale's University of Tennessee profile

[00:00] Introduction and welcome

[00:36] Virginia Dale’s favourite tree and climate change insights

[01:21] Academic background and path to mathematical ecology

[02:26] Why bioenergy is central to her work

[03:01] Bioenergy basics and the value chain from forest to grid

[05:24] Forest residues, sawdust, and rejected logs explained

[06:03] The controversy around bioenergy and carbon accounting

[09:21] Species protection, biodiversity, and sustainable forestry practices

[11:14] Perceptions, policy gaps, and the reputation of bioenergy

[12:30] Where critics have valid concerns and the role of monitoring

[14:00] Rural jobs, pellet mills, and environmental justice issues

[15:47] Climate benefits, carbon cycle, and wildfire risk reduction

[19:51] Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)

[20:53] Social and economic impacts for local communities

[23:37] Forest owners, smallholders, and certification challenges

[27:00] The issue of unloved wood and the role of sustainable aviation fuel

[30:15] Opportunities for bioenergy in sustainable forest management

[31:56] Indirect land use change and food security concerns

[34:39] The role of ecological models in decision-making

[35:15] Investor perspective: bioenergy as part of forest investment

[37:56] Constraints facing the bioenergy industry

[40:44] Final advice for new forest investors

[41:40] Where to find Virginia Dale’s research

[42:35] Closing remarks and outro

Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink

Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives

Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud

Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud

Ambient Documentary by Sound Guru (Pixabay)

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