Wood feedstock qualities for energy conversion and the potential for their biological improvement

The accomplishments of the Wood Feedstock Quality activity of Task V of the International Energy Agency's Bioenergy Agreement are described. Areas investigated included energy products and co-products from woody biomass; effects of harvesting, processing and storage on feedstock quality; the effect of feedstock quality on the efficiency of biomass conversion; the potential for biological improvement; the need for standardization of feedstock qualities; and the need for clonal characterization.