I am fascinated by information and how it’s presented. I have an affinity for maps, charts and graphs. Recently, I came across a collection of information that benefits communities and regions seeking to increase economic activity—the laborshed analysis. A laborshed analysis is developed to identify the makeup of the labor force in a certain jurisdiction, including the size of the local workforce, the distribution of that workforce across various industries, typical benefits offered in the area, education levels, wages, underemployment levels and much more. This information is gathered, organized and available to economic development professionals, who are tasked with attracting new industries and employers to their area. The idea is that the more potential employers know about the area’s labor force, the easier it is to attract them. The most impressive aspect of the laborshed analyses is that it contains everything a prospective employer would want to know without the fluff.

Cities and counties would be wise, indeed some have already begun, to make sure all of the various resources under their umbrellas are as completely understood and succinctly expressed as their labor resources, especially biomass. As we derive more energy and products from biomass, those cities, counties and regions that understand their biomass resources will be more likely to attract economic development activity.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory produced a biomass density map of the United States in September 2005 and my home state of Iowa was identified as rich in biomass resources, as were several other areas of the country. How then do cities, counties and regions elevate themselves to attract development activity or better yet, encourage development from within?

A document similar to a laborshed analysis outlining the biomass resources in a given area could help economic developers across the country to reach their goals. A document detailing crop residues, manure streams, industrial wastes, municipal solid wastes, wastewater treatment loads, existing landfills and woody biomass could equip economic development professionals with the information they need to attract development, regardless of the technologies that emerge to best harness the energy bound up in these biomass resources. Once these biomass resources are thoroughly understood and expressed, the entrepreneurial spirit of local producers and entrepreneurs can be unleashed and the wheels of commerce can begin to turn.

Tim Portz is a business developer with BBI International’s Community initiative to Improve Energy Sustainability. Reach him at tportz@bbiinternational.com or (651) 398-9154.