Production and trading of biomass for energy: an overview of the global status

The markets for industrially used biomass for energy purposes are developing rapidly toward being international commodity markets. Determining international traded biomass volumes for energy purposes is difficult, for several reasons, such as challenges regarding the compilation of statistics on the topic. While for some markets (pellets and ethanol) separate overviews exist, no comprehensive statistics and summaries aggregating separate biomass streams are available. The aim of this paper is to summarise trade volumes for various biomasses used for energy and to review the challenges related to measurement of internationally traded volumes of biofuels. International trade of solid and liquid biofuels was estimated to be about 0.9 EJ for 2006. Indirect trade of biofuels thorough trading of industrial roundwood and material byproducts comprises the largest proportion of trading, having a share of about 0.6 EJ. The remaining amount consisted of products that are traded directly for energy purposes, with ethanol, wood pellets, and palm oil being the most important commodities. In 2004–2006, the direct trade of biofuels increased 60%, whereas indirect trade has been almost constant. When compared to current global energy use of biomass (about 50 EJ yr−1) and to the long-term theoretical trading potential between the major regions of the world (80–150 EJ yr−1), the development of international trade of biomass for energy purposes is in its initial stage, but it is expected to continue to grow rapidly

Renewable energy targets, forest resources, and second-generation biofuels in Finland

Introduction of second-generation biofuels is an essential factor for meeting the EU’s 2020 targets for renewable energy in the transport sector and enabling the more ambitious targets for 2030. Finland’s forest industry is strongly involved in the development and commercializing of second-generation biofuel production technologies. The goal of this paper is to provide a quantifi ed insight into Finnish prospects for reaching the 2020 national renewable energy targets and concurrently becoming a large-scale producer of forest-biomass-based second-generation biofuels feeding the increasing demand in European markets. The focus of the paper is on assessing the potential for utilizing forest biomass for liquid biofuels up to 2020. In addition, technological issues related to the production of second-generation biofuels were reviewed. Finland has good opportunities to realize a scenario to meet 2020 renewable energy targets and for large-scale production of wood-based biofuels. In 2020, biofuel production from domestic forest biomass in Finland may reach nearly a million ton (40 PJ). With the existing biofuel production capacity (20 PJ/yr) and the national biofuel consumption target (25 PJ) taken into account, the potential net export of biofuels from Finland in 2020 would be 35 PJ, corresponding to 2–3% of European demand. Commercialization of secondgeneration biofuel production technologies, high utilization of the sustainable harvesting potential of Finnish forest biomass, and allocation of a signifi cant proportion of the pulpwood harvesting potential for energy purposes are prerequisites for this scenario. Large-scale import of raw biomass would enable remarkably greater biofuel production than is described in this paper

Mobilization of wood chips from boreal forests after possible extra criteria for solid biomass

Forest biomass is one of the main contributors to the EU’s renewable energy target of 20% gross final energy consumption in 2020 (Renewable Energy Directive). Following the RED, new sustainability principles are launched by the European energy sector, such as Sustainable Biomass Partnership (former IWPB). We have a reference situation with existing national (forest) legislation and sustainable forest management (SFM) schemes (scenario 1) and a future situation based on additional SBP principles (scenario 2). Two country studies were selected for our survey: one in Finland with nearly 100% SFM certification and one in Leningrad province with a minor areal share of certification in scenario 1. The potential volumes reduce after new criteria from the SBP in scenario 2. The costs will also increase in scenario 2, both in Leningrad region and Finland.JRC.H.3-Forest Resources and Climat

Mobilization of biomass for energy from boreal forests in Finland & Russia under present sustainable forest management certification and new sustainability requirements for solid biofuels

Forest biomass is one of the main contributors to the EU's renewable energy target of 20% gross final energy consumption in 2020 (Renewable Energy Directive). Following the RED, new sustainability principles are launched by the European energy sector, such as the Initiative Wood Pellet Buyers (IWPB or SBP). The aim of our study is the investigation of the quantitative impacts from IWPB's principles for forest biomass for energy only. We deploy a bottom up method that quantifies the supplies and the costs from log harvest until forest chip delivery at a domestic consumer. We have a reference situation with existing national (forest) legislation and voluntary certification schemes (scenario 1) and a future situation with additional criteria based on the IWPB principles (scenario 2). Two country studies were selected for our (2008) survey: one in Finland with nearly 100% certification and one in Leningrad province with a minor areal share of certification in scenario 1. The sustainable potential of forest resources for energy is about 54 Mm3 (385 PJ) in Finland and about 13.5 Mm3 (95 PJ) in Leningrad in scenario 1 without extra criteria. The potential volumes reduce considerably by maximum 43% respectively 39% after new criteria from the IWPB, like a minimum use of sawlogs, stumps and slash for energy, and by an increased area of protected forests (scenario 2A Maximum extra restrictions). In case sawlogs can be used, but instead ash recycling is applied after a maximum stump and slash recovery (scenario 2B Minimum extra restrictions), the potential supply is less reduced: 5% in Finland and 22% in Leningrad region. The estimated reference costs for forest chips are between €18 and €45 solid m-3 in Finland and between €7 and €33 solid m-3 in the Leningrad region. In scenario 2A, the costs will mainly increase by €7 m-3 for delimbing full trees (Finland), and maximum €0.3 m-3 for suggested improved forest management (Leningrad region). In scenario 2B, when ash recycling is applied, costs increase by about €0.3 to €1.6 m-3, depending on the rate of soil contamination. This is an increase of 2%, on top of the costs in scenario 2A