Industry Leaders’ Perceptions of Residential Wood Pellet Technology Diffusion in the Northeastern U.S

Casey Olechnowicz, Jessica Leahy, Tian Guo, Emily Silver Huff, Cecilia Danks and Maura Adams
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Casey Olechnowicz: School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Jessica Leahy: School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Tian Guo: W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48808, USA
Emily Silver Huff: Department of Forestry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48808, USA
Cecilia Danks: Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 08016, USA
Maura Adams: Northern Forest Center, Concord, NH 03301, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: Within a shifting climate of renewable energy options, technology innovations in the energy sector are vital in combating fossil-fuel-driven climate change and economic growth. To enter this market dominated by fossil fuels, renewable energy innovations need to overcome significant barriers related to cost, relative advantages compared to fossil fuels, and policy incentive programs. A better understanding of the innovation diffusion of new technologies in establishing the renewable energy industry can aid policy makers in designing and implementing other renewable energy support programs and improving adoption rates within existing programs. This study assessed industry leaders’ perceptions through semi-structured interviews. We explored the innovation diffusion process of wood pellet residential heating technology, as well as policy needs and barriers within this industry that are hindering successful long-term diffusion and sustainability. We show that while there is high potential to the wood pellet industry in terms of local resources and overall advantages to fossil fuels, it can be difficult to achieve sustainable economic growth with current cost barriers and further policy programs and incentives are needed in addition to improved communication to reduce adoption barriers for wood pellet technology.

Keywords: wood pellets; diffusion of innovation; forest products business; energy policy; qualitative interviews; industry leaders; wood economy; residential heating technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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