Woody Biomass as a System Part I: The Woody Biomass to Ethanol System

What Is Systems Thinking? A strategy to help us think about –The whole picture (the system) –All of the parts of the system and how they interrelate –How changes to one part of the system can impact other parts of the system A good strategy for thinking about complex issues and scenarios

What Is a System? Systems have inputs and outputs –Input = something that enters the system; required for the processes of the system to occur –Output = something produced by the processes that occur within the system A group of individual parts interacting to form a whole

System Example Buses bringing students to school –What are the parts of the system? –What are the inputs? –What are the outputs? What happens when a bus is one hour late? –How does this impact different parts of the system?

Brainstorm Can you think of additional examples of systems? What are the inputs and outputs of these systems?

Woody Biomass to Ethanol System Using woody biomass to make ethanol (a liquid fuel) –Ethanol is mixed with gasoline to make E10 or E85 for vehicles This system has 3 main components: Each component has inputs and outputs TREE FARM ETHANOL PLANT GAS STATION

Activity Part I: The Woody Biomass to Ethanol System Working with a partner, use the system cards to make a diagram of the woody biomass to ethanol system

TREE FARM Forestry Equipment (skidder & chipper) Forester Fertilizers Herbicides Seedlings Fuel Sun Rain ETHANOL PLANT GAS STATION Trucks CO 2 Land Wood Chips SteamChemicals (sulfuric acid & gypsum) SteamElectricity Water Fuel Trucks Clean Water CO 2 Recreational Opportunities Money Ethanol E10/E85 Clean AirStation Attendants Engineers & Employees INPUTS OUTPUTS SYSTEM COMPONENTS Timber Landowner Wildlife Habitat Industrial Land Gasoline Busy Intersection Wastewater Air Emissions Vehicle Emissions

TREE FARM Forester Fertilizers Herbicides Seedlings Fuel Sun Rain ETHANOL PLANT GAS STATION Trucks CO 2 LandSteamChemicals (sulfuric acid & gypsum) SteamElectricity Water Fuel Trucks Electricity Clean Water CO 2 Recreational Opportunities Money E10/E85 Clean Air Station Attendants Engineers & Employees Timber Ethanol Wood Chips Landowner Busy Intersection Industrial Land Gasoline Wildlife Habitat Wastewater Vehicle Emissions Air Emissions Money Forestry Equipment (skidder & chipper)

TREE FARM Forestry Equipment (skidder & chipper) Forester Fertilizers Herbicides Seedlings Sun Rain ETHANOL PLANT GAS STATION CO 2 Land Wood Chips SteamChemicals (sulfuric acid & gypsum) SteamElectricity Water Electricity Clean Water CO 2 Recreational Opportunities Money Ethanol E10/E85 Clean Air Station Attendants Engineers & Employees Fuel INPUTS OUTPUTS Timber Busy Intersection Gasoline Landowner Industrial Land Vehicle Emissions Air Emissions Wildlife Habitat Wastewater Trucks Fuel Trucks

Woody Biomass as a System Part II: The Impact of a Policy

What Is a Policy? A deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes Developed in several stages –Issue identification –Policy formation –Policy implementation –Policy analysis and evaluation

Why Are Policies Important? To address an identified issue by either reducing negative impacts or producing positive impacts

Impacts of a Policy Impacts can be both intended and unintended Impacts are difficult to predict –Issues are complex with many related factors (a system) Unintended impacts may be caused by –Lack of knowledge –Imperfect implementation of the policy

Brainstorm Can you think of examples of recent local, state, national, or international policies? What are some impacts of these policies (intended and unintended)?

Recent Bioenergy Policies International –Kyoto Protocol National –Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 –United States Farm Bill of 2008 State –Florida Farm to Fuel Grants Program of 2007

Activity Part Two: The Impact of a Policy Working in groups, predict the impacts of a specific policy on the woody biomass to ethanol system

TREE FARM Forestry Equipment (skidder & chipper) Forester Fertilizers Herbicides Seedlings Sun Rain ETHANOL PLANT GAS STATION CO 2 Land Wood Chips SteamChemicals (sulfuric acid & gypsum) SteamElectricity Water Electricity Clean Water CO 2 Recreational Opportunities Money Ethanol E10/E85 Clean Air Station Attendants Engineers & Employees Fuel INPUTS OUTPUTS Timber Busy Intersection Gasoline Landowner Industrial Land Vehicle Emissions Air Emissions Wildlife Habitat Wastewater Trucks Fuel Trucks