...and something that too often goes unnoticed in discussions such as the one Ian cites is that wood left to decay *if it doesn't burn* has a significant [if not more significant] impact on global warming through the methane it releases during decomposition.

there is much to recommend the production of ethanol from wood waste including the fact that its growth, harvesting and conversion requires the expenditure of much less energy and contributes far less to atmospheric and other pollution than does grain-based ethanol. The marketing opportunities attached to the product are immense

Ian Taylor said:

=========

Of even greater value of such an enterprise is the mitigation of the risk of having so much standing deadwood in our forests. How much particulate matter and CO2 will be released from fires consuming just some these trees? What impact would such fires have on industry, tourism, and population centers throughout the world?