Wood Energy and Rural Planning: An Analysis of Land Use Policies in the Siting and Regulation of Forest-Based Bioenergy Technologies

Sarah Mittlefehldt (), Erin Bunting, Joseph Welsh, Emily Silver, Mya Curth, Mari McClure and Bradley Neumann
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Sarah Mittlefehldt: Department of Earth, Environmental & Geographical Sciences, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 49855, USA
Erin Bunting: Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Joseph Welsh: Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Emily Silver: Department of Forestry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Mya Curth: School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Mari McClure: Department of Earth, Environmental & Geographical Sciences, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI 49855, USA
Bradley Neumann: Michigan State University Extension, Marquette County Extension Office, Negaunee, MI 49866, USA

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Land use regulations have played a critical role in the siting and operation of renewable energy technologies. While there is a growing literature on the siting of wind and solar technologies, less is known about the relationship between local codes and planning decisions and the development of wood-based bioenergy technologies, particularly in rural places. This research examines the relationship between local land use policies and the siting and operation of different types of wood-based bioenergy technologies in northern Michigan, USA. Land use codes including zoning laws and ordinances related to wood-burning devices from 506 cities, townships, and villages within 36 counties in northern Michigan were combined with US Census data in a GIS database. ArcGIS was used to examine geographical differences between communities and socioeconomic factors related to different regulatory approaches. We found that areas with greater population densities and higher income and education levels tended to have more nuanced land use codes related to all scales of wood-burning, including residential wood heating, commercial-scale heating, and power generation. This paper emphasizes the importance of local decision-making and land use policies in shaping the development of wood-based energy technologies, and suggests the need for greater attention to rural community dynamics in planning the shift to a lower-carbon economy.

Keywords: wood bioenergy; rural development; siting; land use planning; zoning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:10:p:1569-:d:1487055

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