BD Zones and BDO Zones: Weaponizing Biomass to support a Bio-Fueled Economic Recovery
3 Recommendations to Government
- Form a Bio-Economy Recovery Task Force comprised of USDA Rural Development and Agriculture Research Service (ARS), State Economic Development, Los Alamos and Idaho National Labs, Ecostrat, capital market investors and industry organizations to recommend initiatives that decrease barriers to investment in the bio-economy and to accelerate bio-based job creation, especially in rural areas.
- Allocate recovery funds to programs that directly and indirectly support bioeconomy job creation. Part of these funds should be used to set up guidelines with state economic development agencies to designate BD Zones, and help stand up a new US Biomass Ratings Agency to use the Standards for Biomass Supply Chain Risk to certify ‘investment-ready’ BD Zones and BDO Zones across the country.
- Cut through the red-tape and approach US Treasury to clarify OZone Guidance to make clear that bioeconomy investment qualifies for OZone tax treatment.
Jordan Solomon is President and CEO of Ecostrat Inc. He leads the USDOE/BETO funded project to develop the US Standards and Ratings for Biomass Supply Chain Risk. He has overseen development and operation of biomass supply chains for over 5,000,000 tons of feedstock over two decades for bioenergy, biofuel, and biochemical projects. www.ecostrat.com
He can be reached at jordan.solomon@ecostrat.com
[i] https://siteselection.com/issues/2012/may/sas-shovel-ready-sites.cfm;
https://www.miplace.org/redevelopment-ready-sites/
https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/business/certifiedsites
[ii] Likely, a minimum of 100,000 BDMT surplus per yr within a 2-hour drive-time distance of any point of the BD zone.
[iii] www.ecostrat.com/standards/participants
[iv] www.ecostrat.com/standards
[v] Certain locally underused categories or species could be designated such as hardwood or poplar.
[vi] https://www.greenbiz.com/article/opportunity-zones-could-provide-major-boost-clean-energy-sustainable-development
[vii] https://on360.ca/policy-papers/opportunity-zones-an-opportunity-for-ontario/#_ftn11
[viii] https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/investments-in-renewable-and-22066/
Other References
Bioeconomy Research Associates, US Economic Impact of Advanced Biofuels Production: Perspectives to 2030. [Online]. Bioeconomy Research Associates (2009). Available at:
https://www.bio.org/sites/default/files/legacy/bioorg/docs/EconomicImpactAdvancedBiofuels.pdf
https://www.cdfifund.gov/Pages/Opportunity-Zones.aspx
Research Report No. ERR‐159, 53 pp USDA (2013). Available at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err‐economic‐research‐report/err159.aspx#.UugtsRAo5pg
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