Wood making comeback as power source - USATODAY.com

One of the world's oldest energy sources is making a comeback.

Across the USA, power plants are turning to wood to make electricity. The move is spurred by state mandates to encourage renewable power and by bills moving through Congress that require more renewable electricity nationwide.

Wood power's rise is "meteoric," says William Perritt, editor of Wood Biomass Market Report. ...
Stewart says it is generally more expensive to build a wood-burning plant than one powered by coal or natural gas.

Some environmentalists fear that the rise of wood power could devastate forests.

Flashback: Al Gore calls on world to burn less wood and fuel to curb 'black carbon' | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Soot from engines, forest fires and partly burned fuel is collecting in Arctic and causing north pole to warm at alarming rate