Economic Supply of Timber Residues as Bioenergy Feedstocks: A Market Analysis of Oregon’s Forest Biomass Sector

Graduate Student Name: 
Chukwuemeka Valentine Okolo
Faculty mentor/Supervisor: 
Andres Susaeta
Email Address (Faculty mentor/Supervisor): 
Department Affiliation: 
Forest Engineering Resources & Management
Job Location: 
Peavey Forest Science Center (PFSC 224), Forest Engineering Resources and Management
Description of project or research opportunity: 
This project explores an important objective: “Economic Supply of Timber Residues as Bioenergy Feedstocks: A Market Analysis of Oregon’s Forest Biomass Sector.” As the state and the world move toward cleaner energy solutions, forest biomass has the potential to support both sustainability goals and rural economies. The project will focus specifically on timber residues, which are often underused yet could serve as valuable feedstock for bioenergy. The project will examine the availability of this material and the economic factors, such as market prices, production costs, policy incentives, etc, that influence its supply. To achieve this, advanced modeling techniques will be employed, which may include Simultaneous Equation Modeling (SEM) and Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR), among others, to examine the relationships between timber residues and other forest products, such as sawtimber and pulpwood. Furthermore, an analysis will be conducted to examine the responses of various landowners, including public, private, and industrial entities, to market signals across diverse regions of Oregon. A critical component of this study involves the analysis of empirical data, including harvest volumes, timber prices, transportation costs, and renewable energy requirements. The objective is to provide insights that can guide the formulation of more effective forest and energy policies in the future. This represents an exceptional opportunity for an undergraduate student to engage in significant, applied research. The student will be responsible for tasks such as reviewing pertinent literature, organizing and analyzing data, and communicating findings through visual aids or presentations. Throughout this process, the student will develop valuable skills in forest economics, market analysis, and sustainable resource management, while contributing to a project that addresses genuine sustainability challenges in Oregon. This project provides incredible mentorship, exciting skills development, and meaningful opportunities to address crucial sustainability challenges vital for Oregon’s future. It is an ideal fit for students passionate about forestry, energy, climate policy, or natural resource economics, offering valuable tools and experiences that can pave the way for success in graduate school, research careers, or jobs in the environmental field.
Tasks student will perform: 
The undergraduate student will assist with various tasks related to data collection, organization, literature reviews and preliminary analysis. The focus will be on gathering and processing publicly available datasets relevant to Oregon’s forest biomass market. Primary Tasks 1. Literature Review • Conduct a review of academic and policy literature on: o Timber residue supply and utilization o Forest biomass as a renewable energy source o Relevant economic models (SEM and SUR) o Oregon forest sector and renewable energy policies 2. Data Collection and Organization • Identify and gather datasets related to: o Timber residue supply volumes (by region and landowner type) o Sawtimber and pulpwood market prices o Transportation and production costs etc • Organize data into spreadsheets or statistical software (e.g., Excel, R, or Stata) 3. Data Cleaning and Preprocessing • Assist in cleaning raw data, handling missing values, and preparing datasets for analysis • Create visual summaries (charts, tables) to explore trends in the data 4. Preliminary Data Analysis • Run basic statistical tests (e.g., correlations) to explore relationships • Visualize supply trends, price patterns, and regional differences • Summarize findings in research memos or progress notes 5. Presentation and Communication • Create slides or a research essay summarizing key findings • Prepare a short presentation for a research symposium or class • Collaborate on writing research summaries or sections of a report 6. Professional Development • Attend regular mentoring meetings • Reflect on research experience in a journal or brief essay • Explore connections between research and career interests in environmental economics, forestry, or energy policy
Special skills required: 
Microsoft Office and R or Stata
Proposed dates of employment (must be between June 19 and September 4): 
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 to Sunday, August 31, 2025
Anticipated hours worked per week: 
8 - 10