The Adams County Biomass Working Group formed after the 2006 Bear Tornado created hundreds of acres of woody biomass on federal and private land. In August, 2007, Pete Johnston, Adams County Biomass facilitator presented an overview to an interim Legislative committee of efforts to install and utilize a woody biomass burner for Council School. He compared the energy produced from wood chips versus diesel at a savings of almost 90%. In a typical heating year for the school, this would represent a savings of almost $45,000, a savings which would pay for the capital investment in the system within seven years.

Of the 16.7 million acres of forest in Idaho, the National Forest Service controls about 12 million acres. Within those forests there has been an inventory change over the last 20 years where what had been a relatively constant forest mortality rate has increased rapidly. Mortality factors in the forests include insects, disease and fire. Today in the National Forests timber harvests have decreased by 90% over the last 10 years; warmer, dryer weather and shorter winter seasons are other factors that will lead to a continued increase in the forest mortality rate.

According to the Billion Ton Annual Supply, a USDA and US Department of Energy report on the availability of biomass material, there is more than 6.2 million dry tons of woody biomass created each year throughout the western US. In Idaho, there is enough to produce 90 megawatts per year for 22 years.

The difficulty in utilizing the material, says University of Idaho’s Dr. Jay O’Laughlin, lies in forest policy as well as the difficulty in transporting the material. He contends that this woody biomass could be put to use heating schools and other public buildings, as in Council, and recommends the following: