Biomass energy, or bioenergy, is a rapidly developing renewable resource that especially benefits the rural economy and provides an opportunity to bring a host of new products to market.

Bioenergy feedstocks are renewable, organic materials including: forest and agricultural crops and residues; wood and food processing wastes; and gases from municipal landfills and sewage treatment facilities.

There are three types of bioenergy:

• Biopower refers to the production of electricity;
• Biofuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol, power motor vehicles, and;
• Bioproducts, such as plastics and slow release fertilizers, offset fossil fuel feedstock use. The bioproducts category in particular is part of a nationwide effort to develop the biorefinery.

These three types of bioenergy work best in combination, yielding a variety of revenue streams from a single project. This combination is crucial to the economic success of bioenergy projects.

The Pacific Regional Biomass Energy Partnership is a regional effort that encourages the development of bioenergy in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. It is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and state energy offices.