The Forest Products Industry at a Crossroads: Preliminary NEMS Analysis of Renewable Standards and Cap and Trade Policies, 2009 TAPPI Engineering, Pulping, Environmental Conference

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Many energy and climate policies are being updated in the United States that would have significant impact upon the future of the forest products industry. As a result, the industry appears to be at a turning point. Using the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), this paper analyzes a variety of scenarios based on three possible policies: (1) a national renewable electricity standard, (2) a U.S. greenhouse gas cap and trade system, and (3) expansion of industrial energy efficiency policies. In addition, this paper examines how these policies might interface with the recently strengthened renewable fuels standards. The principal focus is on how forest products and biomass residues from the pulp and paper industry might be utilized for electricity generation under different combinations of possible future national policies.