Poster Presentation 1A-10

Harnessing Remote Sensing to Master Biomass Production and Improve Bioenergy Efficiency: an Overview

Soizik Laguette

Earth Systems Science Institute

Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium

UNDAerospace

University Avenue & Tulane Drive

Grand Forks, ND   58202-9007

Phone:  (701)777-2532

 Fax:  (701)777-2940

e-mail:  laguette@umac.org

Biomass is one of the most promising ways to supply sustainable and renewable sources of energy, in that domain agriculture plays a double function as energy user, as well as energy provider in the form of bioenergy.  Thereby, a precise and extended knowledge of agricultural biomass (availability, production, quality, location) is necessary to improve and refine the processes developed by the three components of bioenergy: biopower, biofuels, and biobased products.  Significant amelioration to biomass accounting can be made with the efficient use of remote sensing.  Remote sensing can provide parameters for such variables as, above ground biomass, land cover characterization, disturbance patterns, air and surface temperature, disturbed forest areas, required to drive models that can help improve the different processes involved in bioenergy.  In addition, remote sensing addresses the issues of getting transparent and verifiable biomass estimation, or other information, at the local, regional, and/or national scales, and also obtaining reliable non-destructive field-base measurements without intensive and costly labor.  Remote-sensing-based knowledge and tools developed for decades by the agricultural and forestry community can make a strong contribution to existing and/or future bioenergy initiatives.