Critical Factors in Developing National Pellet Market

Kvaliteta sirovinskog potencijala, kao i tradicija u preradi drva te izraženi trendovi povećanja uporabe drvnih ostataka kao ekološkog i ob­novljivog materijala, imaju veliku ulogu u proširenju domaće industrije i trži­šta peleta. Iako ovisni o potražnji na tržištu i gospodarskoj isplativosti u odnosu na neobnovljive izvore energije, obnovljivi se izvori mogu i moraju početi bolje iskorištavati. Primjeri iz Austrije, Irske i Hrvatske ističu neke od ključnih čimbenika koji su utjecali na razvoj i stanje na tržištu peleta u tim zemljama. Na osnovi pregleda početnog i trenutačnog stanja i analize spome­nutih tržišta, u radu su definirani kritični čimbenici koji utječu na razvoj do­maćeg tržišta peleta. Kritični društveno-gospodarski čimbenici za razvoj nacionalnog tržišta peleta koji proizlaze iz predstavljenih analiza su: financij­ski poticaji, postojanje snažne drvno-prerađivačke industrije, strogi zahtjevi kvalitete na kotlove na pelete, uspostava djelotvornih mehanizama kontrole kvalitete za pelete, namjenski programi edukacije i certificiranje instalatera, povezivanje subvencija sa zahtjevima kvalitete za kotlove i certificiranjem in­stalatera, promotivne kampanje, poticanje nabave sustava grijanja na pelete za javne zgrade i razvoj poticaja za tvrtke koje pružaju energetske usluge.The quality of raw material, as well as tradition in wood pro­cessing and pronounced trends of increased use of wood residues as a renewa­ble and organic material play an important role in expansion of national pellet industry and market. Although dependent on market demand and eco­nomic feasibility in relation to non-renewable energy sources, renewable ene­rgy sources can and must be exploited in a better and more effective way. The use of wood pellets as fuel for domestic stoves and boilers and for co­firing in thermal power plants has been an amazing success story over the past 20 years. Socio-economic impact studies are commonly used to evaluate the local, regional and/or national implications of implementing particular development decisions. Typically, these impacts are measured in terms of eco­nomic variables, such as employment, revenue and taxes, but a complete ana­lysis must also include social, cultural and environmental issues. In many ways the social implications arising from local pellets production or any bioe­nergy activity represents the less clear and concrete end of impact studies; ne­vertheless they can be broken down into two categories: those relating to an increased standard of living and those that contribute to increased social co­hesion and stability. The primary instruments for the development of renewable energy technolo­gies across the world are international carbon reduction policy drivers. But the development of one type of technology over another on national, regional or local level is often a function of the intricate balance of socio-economic factors in that particular geographical location. The development of wood pellet mar­kets has been very strong in some coutries and almost non-existent in others. Based on these considerations, this paper is primarily focused on investiga­ting the critical socio-economic factors in developing national pellet markets. Examples from Austria, Ireland and Croatia highlight some of the key fac­tors that influenced the development and pellet market situation in these coun­tries. Based on initial review, current situation and analysis of these markets, this paper defines critical factors that influence development of national pellet market. Critical socio-economic factors for the development of national pellet market resulting from presented analysis are the following: • Financial incentives for investing in wood pellet heating rapidly increase uptake even when pellets are competitive with alternative fuels; • The existence of a strong sawmilling industry to provide, at least initially, a low cost and readily available source of raw material; • Stringent quality and sustainability requirements for pellet boilers with re­gard to emissions, efficiency and security – poor products can permanently damage the market, trigger serious environmental concerns and cause major functional problems;• • Establishment of effective quality control mechanisms for wood pellets. Establishment of national or international tracking systems that allow identification of the origin of pellets; • Dedicated educational programs and certification of installers establis­hing pellet heating systems.; • Linking of subsidies with quality requirements for boilers and certification of installers; • Procurement of wood pellet heating in public buildings to provide user confidence and to stimulate the supply chain; • Development of incentives for energy service companies to enter into the biomass heating market. In conclusion, looking at the overall situation regarding pellets production and utilisation a strong growth can be expected with political support at the EU level, playing a major role for the extension of the pellet industry into new member states in particular. The ambitious EU target of achieving 20 % of energy supply from renewable energy by the end of 2020 is impossible without dedicated policies to develop renewable heating. In addition, the on-going oil price rally and carbon dioxide reduction targets also encourage the expansion of the markets for pellets

Critical Factors in Developing National Pellet Market

Kvaliteta sirovinskog potencijala, kao i tradicija u preradi drva te izraženi trendovi povećanja uporabe drvnih ostataka kao ekološkog i ob­novljivog materijala, imaju veliku ulogu u proširenju domaće industrije i trži­šta peleta. Iako ovisni o potražnji na tržištu i gospodarskoj isplativosti u odnosu na neobnovljive izvore energije, obnovljivi se izvori mogu i moraju početi bolje iskorištavati. Primjeri iz Austrije, Irske i Hrvatske ističu neke od ključnih čimbenika koji su utjecali na razvoj i stanje na tržištu peleta u tim zemljama. Na osnovi pregleda početnog i trenutačnog stanja i analize spome­nutih tržišta, u radu su definirani kritični čimbenici koji utječu na razvoj do­maćeg tržišta peleta. Kritični društveno-gospodarski čimbenici za razvoj nacionalnog tržišta peleta koji proizlaze iz predstavljenih analiza su: financij­ski poticaji, postojanje snažne drvno-prerađivačke industrije, strogi zahtjevi kvalitete na kotlove na pelete, uspostava djelotvornih mehanizama kontrole kvalitete za pelete, namjenski programi edukacije i certificiranje instalatera, povezivanje subvencija sa zahtjevima kvalitete za kotlove i certificiranjem in­stalatera, promotivne kampanje, poticanje nabave sustava grijanja na pelete za javne zgrade i razvoj poticaja za tvrtke koje pružaju energetske usluge.The quality of raw material, as well as tradition in wood pro­cessing and pronounced trends of increased use of wood residues as a renewa­ble and organic material play an important role in expansion of national pellet industry and market. Although dependent on market demand and eco­nomic feasibility in relation to non-renewable energy sources, renewable ene­rgy sources can and must be exploited in a better and more effective way. The use of wood pellets as fuel for domestic stoves and boilers and for co­firing in thermal power plants has been an amazing success story over the past 20 years. Socio-economic impact studies are commonly used to evaluate the local, regional and/or national implications of implementing particular development decisions. Typically, these impacts are measured in terms of eco­nomic variables, such as employment, revenue and taxes, but a complete ana­lysis must also include social, cultural and environmental issues. In many ways the social implications arising from local pellets production or any bioe­nergy activity represents the less clear and concrete end of impact studies; ne­vertheless they can be broken down into two categories: those relating to an increased standard of living and those that contribute to increased social co­hesion and stability. The primary instruments for the development of renewable energy technolo­gies across the world are international carbon reduction policy drivers. But the development of one type of technology over another on national, regional or local level is often a function of the intricate balance of socio-economic factors in that particular geographical location. The development of wood pellet mar­kets has been very strong in some coutries and almost non-existent in others. Based on these considerations, this paper is primarily focused on investiga­ting the critical socio-economic factors in developing national pellet markets. Examples from Austria, Ireland and Croatia highlight some of the key fac­tors that influenced the development and pellet market situation in these coun­tries. Based on initial review, current situation and analysis of these markets, this paper defines critical factors that influence development of national pellet market. Critical socio-economic factors for the development of national pellet market resulting from presented analysis are the following: • Financial incentives for investing in wood pellet heating rapidly increase uptake even when pellets are competitive with alternative fuels; • The existence of a strong sawmilling industry to provide, at least initially, a low cost and readily available source of raw material; • Stringent quality and sustainability requirements for pellet boilers with re­gard to emissions, efficiency and security – poor products can permanently damage the market, trigger serious environmental concerns and cause major functional problems;• • Establishment of effective quality control mechanisms for wood pellets. Establishment of national or international tracking systems that allow identification of the origin of pellets; • Dedicated educational programs and certification of installers establis­hing pellet heating systems.; • Linking of subsidies with quality requirements for boilers and certification of installers; • Procurement of wood pellet heating in public buildings to provide user confidence and to stimulate the supply chain; • Development of incentives for energy service companies to enter into the biomass heating market. In conclusion, looking at the overall situation regarding pellets production and utilisation a strong growth can be expected with political support at the EU level, playing a major role for the extension of the pellet industry into new member states in particular. The ambitious EU target of achieving 20 % of energy supply from renewable energy by the end of 2020 is impossible without dedicated policies to develop renewable heating. In addition, the on-going oil price rally and carbon dioxide reduction targets also encourage the expansion of the markets for pellets

Proizvodnost traktora Ecotrac 120V pri privlačenju drva u brdskom području središnje Hrvatske

U radu su prikazani rezultati istraživanja proizvodnosti rada skidera Ecotrac 120V na privlačenju drva poludeblovnom metodom iz proredne i dovršne sječine. Terensko je istraživanje provedeno studijem rada i vremena. Razlike u obujmu tovara, brzini vožnji, izvlačenju užeta i privitlavanju te razlike u utrošku vremena pojedinih radnih zahvata na sječini i rada na pomoćnom stovarištu istražene su t-testom. Za radne zahvate za koje je utvrđena značajna razlika između promatranih sječina u daljnjim su izračunima primijenjene individulne prosječne vrijednosti za pojedinu sječinu, dok su kod ostalih radnih zahvata izračunate nove, zajedničke prosječne vrijednosti. Utrošci vremena vožnji izračunati su na temelju prosječne brzine i udaljenosti privlačenja. Utvrđena je značajna razlika između obujma tovara iz proredne i dovršne sječine. Razlike su u utrošku vremena najočitije u skupini radnih zahvata na sječini, a nastaju kao posljedica različite udaljenosti izvlačenja užeta i privitlavanja tovara. Projektirani dnevni učinak u dovršnom je sijeku prosječno 21 % veći nego u prorednoj sječi uz prosječno 26 % niže jedinične troškove. Detaljnom analizom utrošaka vremena pojedinih radnih zahvata utvrđeno je da na razliku u proizvodnosti i troškovima bitan utjecaj imaju sječna gustoća sastojine i prosječan obujam posječenoga stabla. Različita sječna gustoća utječe na različit utrošak vremena rada na sječini i posljedično na ostvarivi dnevni učinak. Na proizvodnost rada skidera uz sječnu gustoću još veći utjecaj ima prosječni obujam posječenoga stabla jer omogućuje formiranje tovara zadovoljavajućega obujma na kratkoj udaljenosti privitlavanja vezivanjem manjega broja komada, često uz upotrebu samo jednoga bubnja vitla. Stoga se može zaključiti da mogućnost postizanja najvećih učinaka u zadanim sastojinskim i eksploatacijskim uvjetima leži u optimalnom odnosu između veličine tovara i vremena utrošenoga pri radu na sječini koje je nužno za njegovo formiranje

STRUCTURE OF THE COMMON BEECH ABOVEGROUND TREE BIOMASS IN DIFFERENT STAND CONDITIONS

Istraživanje o strukturi nadzemne biomase obične bukve provedeno je na tri različite lokacije unutar šumsko­gospodarskog područja Republike Hrvatske, a cilj je bio utvrditi pogodnost uporabe alometrijskih funkcija za izračun biomase obične bukve u različitim sastojinskim uvjetima. Alometrijske funkcije konstruirane su na temelju podataka prikupljenih neposredno in situ destruktivnom metodom. Prema uzgojnom obliku sastojine A i C su visokog uzgojnog oblika, dok je sastojina B panjača. Sastojine A i B su brdske bukove šume kojima se gospodari regularno, a sastojina C je preborna jelovo-bukova šuma. Na svakom lokalitetu posječen je i izmjeren određen broj stabala, pri čemu se posebna pozornost posvetila  na reprezentativnost uzorka (prsni promjer) s obzirom na distri­bu­ciju doznačenih stabala. Svakom posječenom stablu izmjereni su prsni promjer i visina (duljina). Obujam krupnoga drva promjera >7 cm utvrđen je metodom sekcioniranja. Grane promjera od 3 cm do 7 cm s korom izmjerene su, odnosno sekcionirane kao i krupno drvo, a ostalom dijelu sitne granjevine tanjem od 3 cm određena je masa u svježem stanju. Oblikovanje izračuna biomase triju sastavnica, kao i ukupne nadzemne biomase, izvršeno je prema tri različita modela. Za ocjenu modela korištena su dva parametra, koeficijent determinacije (R2) te drugi korijen prosječne kvadratne pogreške (RMSE). Na osnovi navedenih parametra, za ocjenu modela najbolji model za procjenu svih triju sastavnica te ukupne nadzemne biomase je model 2 – eksponencijalna jednadžba s dvije nezavisne varijable (d, h) i tri koeficijenta. Od preostala dva ispitivana modela, najbolji se pokazao model 1 i to u 9 slučajeva, što je bilo pomalo neočekivano, jer model 3, koji kao nezavisnu varijablu koristi obujam stabala iz lokalnih tarifa propisanih osnovom gospodarenja, već obuhvaća informacije o promjeru i visini stabala. Najveći pri­nos biomase očekivano je u sastojinama viših boniteta. Povećanjem prsnog promjera stabla povećava se postotni udio biomase krupnog drva promjera >7 cm u ukupnoj nadzemnoj biomasi stabla, a to povećanje najizraziti­je je u regularnoj sastojini II boniteta. Udio biomase granjevine promjera 3–7 cm gotovo je konstantan promjenom prs­nog promjera stabla, dok se biomasa treće sastavnice (granjevina <3 cm) u postotnom udjelu smanjuje po­većanjem prsnog promjera, što je uočljivije u regularnim sastojinama. Ovdje predloženi modeli mogu predstavljati podlogu za daljnja istraživanja u cilju poboljšanja planiranja procesa proizvodnje te naknadne analize izvršenih sječa. Poseban potencijal predstavlja sastavnica drvne biomase promjera manjeg od 7 cm, čiji udio u određenim sastojinskim uvjetima može doseći i preko 10 % ukupne nadzemne biomase kod stabala većih prsnih promjera (uključujući i lisnu biomasu), a preko 20 % kod stabala manjih prsnih promjera.The study was conducted at three different locations (three sub-compartments of different management units) within the forest management area of the Republic of Croatia (Figure 1) with the aim of determining the suitability of using allometric equations for calculation of the common beech biomass in different stand conditions, constructed on the basis of input data collected directly by in situ destructive method.Two locations were situated in high forests (stand A in regular managed beech forest and stand C in selective managed fir-beech forest) and one location, stand C was a coppice forest (Tables 1 and 2). Durring the investigation, a preparatory felling was conducted in the stand A, a tninning was conducted in the stand B, and a selection cut was conducted in the stand C. At each site a number of trees was cut down and measured; 15 at the felling site A, 14 at the felling site B and 17 model trees at the felling site C. In doing so, attention was given to the representativeness of the sample (dbh) given the distribution of marked trees. For each cut tree  dbh and height (length) were measured. Volume of wood >7 cm was determined by the sectioning method. Branches with a diameter of 3 cm to 7 cm with bark was measured (sectioned)  and for the rest of the brushwood, thinner than 3 cm, fresh mass was determined. In felling sites A and B research was conducted in the dormant season, and in the felling site C research was conducted during the growing season. Therefore, the amount of brushwood thinner diameter than 3 cm biomass included foliar biomass.Modeling of three components of biomass, and total aboveground biomass was carried out according to equations 1, 2 and 3, Equation 1 uses dbh as input with two coefficients (a i b), in Equation 2 an additional independent variable (tree height) was included in order to improve the model and it contains three coefficients (a, b and c). When planning harvesting operations, under the felling plan based on dbh of the marked trees (which are directly measured) with the help of prescribed tariffs planned gross volume of a tree in a specified dbh class is calculated. For this reason (availability of data) in equation 3 volume of tree from tariffs is included as the independent variable with two coefficients a and b. For the evaluation of the models two parameterswere used, the coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE).Based on these parameters the best model for the calculation of all three abovegaround biomass components and for the total aboveground biomass is model 2, the exponential equation with two independent variables (d, h), and three coefficients (Table 4). In 11 of the 12 cases this model gives the best results. After the model 2, from the other two models tested, the best model has proven to be the model 1 (in 9 cases). This is somewhat unexpected because the remaining  model 3, which uses the volume of tree calculated on the basis of local tariffs prescribed by the management plan as an independent parameter, already includes information on the diameter and height of trees. Therefore, it was expected that this model will be better than model 1, but that was not determined in this study. Mentioned model 3 proved to be better in just 3 cases.Determining the amount of two categories of aboveground biomass wita a diameter less than 7 cm is particularly important because in the traditional wood harvesting this part of the forest residue usually remains unused, and in the production of wood chips is a usable income potential of our forests.When comparing the features of marked and cut trees from three different felling areas, the highest yield of biomass is in the stands of higher site index, as expected. By increasing the dbh of trees the percentage of the biomass of wood >7 cm in total aboveground tree biomass increases, and this increase was most pronounced in the regular stand of the site index II. The share of brushwood 3–7 cm biomass is almost constant when dbh increases, while the share of the third component of biomass (branches <3 cm) reduces by increasing the dbh, which is more noticeable in regular stands.Models proposed in this paper can represent the basis for further research in order to improve the planning of the production process and the subsequent analysis of felling results. Biomass of a diameter less than 7 cm represents a special potential, which share in certain stand conditions can reach over 10% of the total aboveground biomass of trees with larger dbh (including foliar biomass), and over 20% of the total aboveground biomass of trees with the smaller dbh (Figure 5)

DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF USING FOREST BIOMASS AS AN ELEMENT OF NATIONAL FORESTRY POLICY

U kontekstu pripreme i donošenja nove nacionalne šumarske politike Republike Hrvatske važno je razborito odrediti poziciju te prioritetne ciljeve i mjere vezano za šumsku biomasu. Pritom pitanje šumske biomase treba formulirati tako da se optimalno harmoniziraju socijalni, gospodarski i ekološki aspekti uz uzimanje u obzir globalnih i europskih programa vezano za ulogu šuma i šumarstva u postizanju gospodarskih i okolišnih ciljeva te doprinosa očuvanju bioraznolikosti. Kako bi se utvrdio najprihvatljiviji koncept korištenja šuma i šumskog zemljišta u Republici Hrvatskoj, kao ključnog resursa u proizvodnji šumske biomase u energetske svrhe, provedena su istraživanja Delfi metodom. Kroz dva kruga ispitivanja prikupljeni su stavovi i mišljenja odabranih eksperata, uključenih u kreiranje politika, proizvodnju i korištenje šumske biomase. U prvom krugu istraživanja 58 ispitanika je iznijelo svoje mišljenja na 15 pitanja grupiranih u 4 cjeline: (i) opće promišljanje o budućem razvoju sektora šumarstva te povećanju korištenja šumske biomase u energetske svrhe i s tim povezanim utjecajem na šumarstvo; (ii) moguće plansko povećanje proizvodnje (etata) biomase utemeljeno na razvojnim smjernicama; (iii) povećanje proizvodnje šumske biomase primjenom vrhunskih i energetski i okolišno optimalnih tehnologija i metoda pridobivanja drva te promjenu načina gospodarenja panjačama i (iv) povećanje proizvodnje šumske biomase podizanjem kultura kratkih ophodnji. Slijedom na nalaze prvog kruga, u drugom je krugu definirano šest novih pitanja na koje je odgovorilo 40 ispitanika, a njihovi su odgovori ključan putokaz u formuliranju pitanja šumske biomase pri njezinu uvrštavanju u buduću nacionalnu šumarsku politiku. Nalazi ispitivanja pokazuju da šumska biomasa može osigurati mnogostruke pozitivne učinke na nacionalnoj razini, ali naglašeno i na regionalnoj i lokalnoj razini, gdje može biti snažna poluga razvoja ruralnih područja. Ukupni socijalni i gospodarski učinci potencijalnog i ostvarenog energetskog korištenja šumske biomase važan su kriterij za odabir načina gospodarenja šumama i vrste/oblika njezina korištenja. Na ekonomske aspekte korištenja šumske biomase u energetske svrhe važan utjecaj imaju obujam raspoložive biomase, njezina prostorna distribucija i tehnologija pridobivanja komercijalnih oblika šumske biomase, pri čemu su ekonomski učinci izravno ovisni o sustavu subvencija i modelu kreditiranja. Kako bi se u strukturi nacionalne šumarske politike ostvarila prava mjera pitanja šumske biomase, u procesu pripreme dokumenta treba primijeniti holistički pristup koji podrazumijeva sudjelovanje širokog spektra svih zainteresiranih strana, poštivanje načela participativnog procesa te profesionalno moderiran međusektorski dijalog sa striktnom provedbom monitoringa i evaluacije procesa.In the context of the preparation and adoption of the new national forestry policy of the Republic of Croatia, it is important to prudently determine the position and priority goals and measures related to forest biomass. At the same time, the issue of forest biomass should be formulated in such a way that social, economic and ecological aspects are optimally harmonized while taking into account global and European programs related to the role of forests and forestry in achieving economic and environmental goals and contributing to the preservation of biodiversity. In order to determine the most acceptable concept of using forests and forest land in Croatia, as a key resource in the production of forest biomass for energy purposes, research was conducted using the Delphi method. Through two rounds of testing, the views and opinions of selected experts, involved in creating policies, production and use of forest biomass, were collected. In the first round of research, 58 respondents expressed their opinions on 15 questions grouped into 4 units: (i) general reflection on the future development of the forestry sector and the increase in the use of forest biomass for energy purposes and the related impact on forestry; (ii) possible planned increase in production (full-time) of biomass based on development guidelines; (iii) increasing the production of forest biomass by applying top-quality, energetically and environmentally optimal technologies and methods of wood harvesting, and changing the way of management of stumps, and (iv) increasing the production of forest biomass by raising crops of short rotations. Following the findings of the first round, six new questions were defined in the second round, which were answered by 40 respondents, and their answers are a key guide in formulating the issue of forest biomass when including it in the future national forestry policy. The findings of the study show that forest biomass can provide multiple positive effects at the national level, but also at the regional and local level, where it can be a strong lever for the development of rural areas. The overall social and economic effects of the potential and realized energy use of forest biomass are an important criterion for choosing the method of forest management and the type/form of its use. The volume of available biomass, its spatial distribution and the technology of obtaining commercial forms of forest biomass have an important influence on the economic aspects of using forest biomass for energy purposes, where the economic effects are directly dependent on the subsidy system and crediting model. In order to achieve the right measure of the issue of forest biomass in the structure of the national forestry policy, a holistic approach should be applied in the document preparation process, which implies the participation of a wide range of interested parties, respect for the principles of the participatory process, and professionally moderated intersectoral dialogue with strict implementation of process monitoring and evaluation

DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF USING FOREST BIOMASS AS AN ELEMENT OF NATIONAL FORESTRY POLICY

U kontekstu pripreme i donošenja nove nacionalne šumarske politike Republike Hrvatske važno je razborito odrediti poziciju te prioritetne ciljeve i mjere vezano za šumsku biomasu. Pritom pitanje šumske biomase treba formulirati tako da se optimalno harmoniziraju socijalni, gospodarski i ekološki aspekti uz uzimanje u obzir globalnih i europskih programa vezano za ulogu šuma i šumarstva u postizanju gospodarskih i okolišnih ciljeva te doprinosa očuvanju bioraznolikosti. Kako bi se utvrdio najprihvatljiviji koncept korištenja šuma i šumskog zemljišta u Republici Hrvatskoj, kao ključnog resursa u proizvodnji šumske biomase u energetske svrhe, provedena su istraživanja Delfi metodom. Kroz dva kruga ispitivanja prikupljeni su stavovi i mišljenja odabranih eksperata, uključenih u kreiranje politika, proizvodnju i korištenje šumske biomase. U prvom krugu istraživanja 58 ispitanika je iznijelo svoje mišljenja na 15 pitanja grupiranih u 4 cjeline: (i) opće promišljanje o budućem razvoju sektora šumarstva te povećanju korištenja šumske biomase u energetske svrhe i s tim povezanim utjecajem na šumarstvo; (ii) moguće plansko povećanje proizvodnje (etata) biomase utemeljeno na razvojnim smjernicama; (iii) povećanje proizvodnje šumske biomase primjenom vrhunskih i energetski i okolišno optimalnih tehnologija i metoda pridobivanja drva te promjenu načina gospodarenja panjačama i (iv) povećanje proizvodnje šumske biomase podizanjem kultura kratkih ophodnji. Slijedom na nalaze prvog kruga, u drugom je krugu definirano šest novih pitanja na koje je odgovorilo 40 ispitanika, a njihovi su odgovori ključan putokaz u formuliranju pitanja šumske biomase pri njezinu uvrštavanju u buduću nacionalnu šumarsku politiku. Nalazi ispitivanja pokazuju da šumska biomasa može osigurati mnogostruke pozitivne učinke na nacionalnoj razini, ali naglašeno i na regionalnoj i lokalnoj razini, gdje može biti snažna poluga razvoja ruralnih područja. Ukupni socijalni i gospodarski učinci potencijalnog i ostvarenog energetskog korištenja šumske biomase važan su kriterij za odabir načina gospodarenja šumama i vrste/oblika njezina korištenja. Na ekonomske aspekte korištenja šumske biomase u energetske svrhe važan utjecaj imaju obujam raspoložive biomase, njezina prostorna distribucija i tehnologija pridobivanja komercijalnih oblika šumske biomase, pri čemu su ekonomski učinci izravno ovisni o sustavu subvencija i modelu kreditiranja. Kako bi se u strukturi nacionalne šumarske politike ostvarila prava mjera pitanja šumske biomase, u procesu pripreme dokumenta treba primijeniti holistički pristup koji podrazumijeva sudjelovanje širokog spektra svih zainteresiranih strana, poštivanje načela participativnog procesa te profesionalno moderiran međusektorski dijalog sa striktnom provedbom monitoringa i evaluacije procesa.In the context of the preparation and adoption of the new national forestry policy of the Republic of Croatia, it is important to prudently determine the position and priority goals and measures related to forest biomass. At the same time, the issue of forest biomass should be formulated in such a way that social, economic and ecological aspects are optimally harmonized while taking into account global and European programs related to the role of forests and forestry in achieving economic and environmental goals and contributing to the preservation of biodiversity. In order to determine the most acceptable concept of using forests and forest land in Croatia, as a key resource in the production of forest biomass for energy purposes, research was conducted using the Delphi method. Through two rounds of testing, the views and opinions of selected experts, involved in creating policies, production and use of forest biomass, were collected. In the first round of research, 58 respondents expressed their opinions on 15 questions grouped into 4 units: (i) general reflection on the future development of the forestry sector and the increase in the use of forest biomass for energy purposes and the related impact on forestry; (ii) possible planned increase in production (full-time) of biomass based on development guidelines; (iii) increasing the production of forest biomass by applying top-quality, energetically and environmentally optimal technologies and methods of wood harvesting, and changing the way of management of stumps, and (iv) increasing the production of forest biomass by raising crops of short rotations. Following the findings of the first round, six new questions were defined in the second round, which were answered by 40 respondents, and their answers are a key guide in formulating the issue of forest biomass when including it in the future national forestry policy. The findings of the study show that forest biomass can provide multiple positive effects at the national level, but also at the regional and local level, where it can be a strong lever for the development of rural areas. The overall social and economic effects of the potential and realized energy use of forest biomass are an important criterion for choosing the method of forest management and the type/form of its use. The volume of available biomass, its spatial distribution and the technology of obtaining commercial forms of forest biomass have an important influence on the economic aspects of using forest biomass for energy purposes, where the economic effects are directly dependent on the subsidy system and crediting model. In order to achieve the right measure of the issue of forest biomass in the structure of the national forestry policy, a holistic approach should be applied in the document preparation process, which implies the participation of a wide range of interested parties, respect for the principles of the participatory process, and professionally moderated intersectoral dialogue with strict implementation of process monitoring and evaluation

Development of a sustainable charcoal industry

Cilj projekta koji se provodio od 1. srpnja 2006. do 1. srpnja 2008. bio je pružiti tehničku pomoć za pripremu modernizacije i revitalizacije industrije drvenog ugljena u Hrvatskoj, te šire korištenje biomase kao obnovljivog izvora energije. To uključuje bolje poznavanje i razumijevanje postojeće proizvodnje drvenog ugljena, ali i pripremu programa modernizacije i re­vitalizacije te jačanje sposobnosti glavnih subjekata za njegovu provedbu. U Hrvatskoj postoji samo jedan industrijski proizvođač drvenog ugljena – Belišće d.d. te više srednjih i manjih proizvođača koji koriste zidane peći. Osim njih, postoji i više stotina pojedinačnih proizvođača u različitim dijelovima Hrvatske koji proizvode u jamama ili zidanim pećima, ali nisu registrirani za tu proizvodnju. U provedbi projekta sudjelovali su vodeći stručnjaci s ovog područja iz Hrvatske i Europske unije na projektu, ali i svi relevantni su­dio­nici proizvodnog lanca te tržišta za drveni ugljen u Hrvatskoj.The single industrial charcoal producer in Croatia is located in Belisće, eastern Croatia. There are also several small to medium charcoal producers in Croatia using traditonal charcol production techniques. Na­mely, all producers apart from Belišće have traditional facilities and equipments with low productivity and conversion efficiencies. Thus, this sector require renovation and modernization in order become competitive with other international vendors. Croatia also has around 400 small-scale charcoal producers scattered in forest areas. Those producers are responsible for around half of the national charcoal production (approximately 3.000 tonnes per year). Outdated technology of charcoal production and low conversion efficiency of wood into charcoal is forcing both small and large-scale charcoal producers out from the market. They are losing competitiveness in both input (wood) and output (charcoal) markets on national and international scale due to rapidly increasing demand for biomass. The consequences are reduced incomes for people involved in this industry and increased number of unemployment in rural areas. The demand for charcoal is fairly large and it is increasing rapidly. Worldwide consumption is estimated at 40.5 million tonnes annually, with 19.8 million tonnes just for Africa according to FAO statistics. Charcoal consumption in Croatia, used only as a barbecue fuel in households and restaurants, has been rising steadily over the last few years. Export possibilities for charcoal produced in Croatia are expanding but the price competition with producers from Asia, Latin America but also Bulgaria, Bosnia and Her­ze­go­vina and Serbia makes the export aspirations rather challenging. From the long term perspective, the key issue for a sustainable industrial charcoal production is the possibility of paying a higher price for feedstock (wood re­si­dues from wood processing industry and forestry waste). This can be achieved by increasing the price of charcoal sold on the market and by increasing the efficiency of charcoal production. Project activities were divided into six modules. The Module on Infor­ma­tion includes the preparation of CROWEIS and WISDOM. The Module on National and International Market analyzed, examined and evaluated the costs of raw materials, production costs and prices for charcoal. The Module on Technology and Technical Aspects assessed the technical, economic, and environmental competitiveness of existing charcoal production technologies and industries. The Module on Economics and Environmental Aspects prepared technical, economic, environmental and socio-economic studies to de­ter­mine the viability of the different charcoal production options being pro­moted. The Module on Legal Framework and Institutions carried out the analysis of the roles to be played by different national organizations in the implementation of integrated charcoal and wood energy policies and programmes. The Module on Training and Extension consisted in the preparation of specific training and extension material and the organization of international study tour and training courses in the country. The results and conclusions from the project and the identification of fu­ture action lead to the following recommendations: • The State Office for Standardisation should draft out the charcoal quality standard according to relevant European norms implementing their positive effects into our standards. • The State Office for Standardisation should form a Technical Committee for wooden biomass that would also be in charge for charcoal. • The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management should provide translation of relevant EU norms (especially EN 1860-2:2005) within the FAO project and submit that to the producers of charcoal who could then be able to implement them in their own production. • The Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management should create legal framework to form market of wooden products (wood bourse) in order to make that raw material more available on the market. The Wood Processing and Use Act has been in the parliamentary procedure which will create a legal basis for formation of the said bourse. • The Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management should promote and organise inspection of wooden products trade to ensure transparent trading in accordance with marketing terms. • The Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Con­struction should issue a legal obligation for deposing of biomass – wooden residual of wood processing industry and forestry in order to further incite energetic use. • The Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship should implement the system to encourage new charcoal production technologies which will increase the efficiency of the production. • The Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, in cooperation with the respective ministries, in accordance to the operational programme for 2008, 2009 and 2010 shall carry out a tender for moder­nisation and expansion of the existing and starting up of the new charcoal production facilities. • The Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Con­struction, should issue guidelines for selection of location of the new facilities in accordance with the existing legal regulations regarding building due to avoid misinterpretation of regulation by the local/regional self-governance units. • Forestry Extension Service should organise education on advantages, possibilities and limitation of the charcoal producers associations and the possibilities to secure financing for modernisation of this production which would include the preparation of the guidebook. • Charcoal producers should form regional cooperatives and establish the national association of charcoal producers at the Croatian Chamber of Economy or independently in order to gain easier and more quality market appearance. The Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts should definitely be included in this process. • The referral centre should be formed either at the Forestry Extension Service or regional energy agencies that would provide information re­gard­ing new technologies, financial options, and mediate in the appearance of domestic producers on foreign markets

STRUCTURE OF THE COMMON BEECH ABOVEGROUND TREE BIOMASS IN DIFFERENT STAND CONDITIONS

Istraživanje o strukturi nadzemne biomase obične bukve provedeno je na tri različite lokacije unutar šumsko­gospodarskog područja Republike Hrvatske, a cilj je bio utvrditi pogodnost uporabe alometrijskih funkcija za izračun biomase obične bukve u različitim sastojinskim uvjetima. Alometrijske funkcije konstruirane su na temelju podataka prikupljenih neposredno in situ destruktivnom metodom. Prema uzgojnom obliku sastojine A i C su visokog uzgojnog oblika, dok je sastojina B panjača. Sastojine A i B su brdske bukove šume kojima se gospodari regularno, a sastojina C je preborna jelovo-bukova šuma. Na svakom lokalitetu posječen je i izmjeren određen broj stabala, pri čemu se posebna pozornost posvetila  na reprezentativnost uzorka (prsni promjer) s obzirom na distri­bu­ciju doznačenih stabala. Svakom posječenom stablu izmjereni su prsni promjer i visina (duljina). Obujam krupnoga drva promjera >7 cm utvrđen je metodom sekcioniranja. Grane promjera od 3 cm do 7 cm s korom izmjerene su, odnosno sekcionirane kao i krupno drvo, a ostalom dijelu sitne granjevine tanjem od 3 cm određena je masa u svježem stanju. Oblikovanje izračuna biomase triju sastavnica, kao i ukupne nadzemne biomase, izvršeno je prema tri različita modela. Za ocjenu modela korištena su dva parametra, koeficijent determinacije (R2) te drugi korijen prosječne kvadratne pogreške (RMSE). Na osnovi navedenih parametra, za ocjenu modela najbolji model za procjenu svih triju sastavnica te ukupne nadzemne biomase je model 2 – eksponencijalna jednadžba s dvije nezavisne varijable (d, h) i tri koeficijenta. Od preostala dva ispitivana modela, najbolji se pokazao model 1 i to u 9 slučajeva, što je bilo pomalo neočekivano, jer model 3, koji kao nezavisnu varijablu koristi obujam stabala iz lokalnih tarifa propisanih osnovom gospodarenja, već obuhvaća informacije o promjeru i visini stabala. Najveći pri­nos biomase očekivano je u sastojinama viših boniteta. Povećanjem prsnog promjera stabla povećava se postotni udio biomase krupnog drva promjera >7 cm u ukupnoj nadzemnoj biomasi stabla, a to povećanje najizraziti­je je u regularnoj sastojini II boniteta. Udio biomase granjevine promjera 3–7 cm gotovo je konstantan promjenom prs­nog promjera stabla, dok se biomasa treće sastavnice (granjevina <3 cm) u postotnom udjelu smanjuje po­većanjem prsnog promjera, što je uočljivije u regularnim sastojinama. Ovdje predloženi modeli mogu predstavljati podlogu za daljnja istraživanja u cilju poboljšanja planiranja procesa proizvodnje te naknadne analize izvršenih sječa. Poseban potencijal predstavlja sastavnica drvne biomase promjera manjeg od 7 cm, čiji udio u određenim sastojinskim uvjetima može doseći i preko 10 % ukupne nadzemne biomase kod stabala većih prsnih promjera (uključujući i lisnu biomasu), a preko 20 % kod stabala manjih prsnih promjera.The study was conducted at three different locations (three sub-compartments of different management units) within the forest management area of the Republic of Croatia (Figure 1) with the aim of determining the suitability of using allometric equations for calculation of the common beech biomass in different stand conditions, constructed on the basis of input data collected directly by in situ destructive method.Two locations were situated in high forests (stand A in regular managed beech forest and stand C in selective managed fir-beech forest) and one location, stand C was a coppice forest (Tables 1 and 2). Durring the investigation, a preparatory felling was conducted in the stand A, a tninning was conducted in the stand B, and a selection cut was conducted in the stand C. At each site a number of trees was cut down and measured; 15 at the felling site A, 14 at the felling site B and 17 model trees at the felling site C. In doing so, attention was given to the representativeness of the sample (dbh) given the distribution of marked trees. For each cut tree  dbh and height (length) were measured. Volume of wood >7 cm was determined by the sectioning method. Branches with a diameter of 3 cm to 7 cm with bark was measured (sectioned)  and for the rest of the brushwood, thinner than 3 cm, fresh mass was determined. In felling sites A and B research was conducted in the dormant season, and in the felling site C research was conducted during the growing season. Therefore, the amount of brushwood thinner diameter than 3 cm biomass included foliar biomass.Modeling of three components of biomass, and total aboveground biomass was carried out according to equations 1, 2 and 3, Equation 1 uses dbh as input with two coefficients (a i b), in Equation 2 an additional independent variable (tree height) was included in order to improve the model and it contains three coefficients (a, b and c). When planning harvesting operations, under the felling plan based on dbh of the marked trees (which are directly measured) with the help of prescribed tariffs planned gross volume of a tree in a specified dbh class is calculated. For this reason (availability of data) in equation 3 volume of tree from tariffs is included as the independent variable with two coefficients a and b. For the evaluation of the models two parameterswere used, the coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE).Based on these parameters the best model for the calculation of all three abovegaround biomass components and for the total aboveground biomass is model 2, the exponential equation with two independent variables (d, h), and three coefficients (Table 4). In 11 of the 12 cases this model gives the best results. After the model 2, from the other two models tested, the best model has proven to be the model 1 (in 9 cases). This is somewhat unexpected because the remaining  model 3, which uses the volume of tree calculated on the basis of local tariffs prescribed by the management plan as an independent parameter, already includes information on the diameter and height of trees. Therefore, it was expected that this model will be better than model 1, but that was not determined in this study. Mentioned model 3 proved to be better in just 3 cases.Determining the amount of two categories of aboveground biomass wita a diameter less than 7 cm is particularly important because in the traditional wood harvesting this part of the forest residue usually remains unused, and in the production of wood chips is a usable income potential of our forests.When comparing the features of marked and cut trees from three different felling areas, the highest yield of biomass is in the stands of higher site index, as expected. By increasing the dbh of trees the percentage of the biomass of wood >7 cm in total aboveground tree biomass increases, and this increase was most pronounced in the regular stand of the site index II. The share of brushwood 3–7 cm biomass is almost constant when dbh increases, while the share of the third component of biomass (branches <3 cm) reduces by increasing the dbh, which is more noticeable in regular stands.Models proposed in this paper can represent the basis for further research in order to improve the planning of the production process and the subsequent analysis of felling results. Biomass of a diameter less than 7 cm represents a special potential, which share in certain stand conditions can reach over 10% of the total aboveground biomass of trees with larger dbh (including foliar biomass), and over 20% of the total aboveground biomass of trees with the smaller dbh (Figure 5)

Sawmilling in Croatia Part 2 – Croatian Sawmilling in New Millennium

U radu je dan prikaz trenutačnog stanja i predviđanje budućeg stanja u hrvatskom pilanarstvu. Prikaz se temelji na dostupnim podacima o sadašnjem stanju te na fragmentima i citatima iz raznih studija i radova u kojima su izneseni scenariji doga|anja u neposrednoj budućnosti. Hrvatska ima vrlo dugu tradiciju u obradi drva, koja se temelji na prvim industrijskim kapacitetima što su pripadali pilanama i proizvodnji piljene građe. Na tehnologiju i promjene u hrvatskom pilanarstvu u novom tisućljeću utjecalo je više činilaca, od kojih su najvažniji promjena u kvaliteti trupaca, razvoj domaće i svjetske finalne obrade drva te opći razvoj strojeva i opreme. Općenito, sektor drvne industrije Republike Hrvatske obilježava velik broj malih poduzeća i razmjerno mali broj velikih proizvođača. Osobito je zamjetan problem prevelikog kapaciteta pilanske industrije, koji je još uvijek tri puta veći od dopuštenog etata sječe u našim šumama. Najveći se dio piljene građe koji se proizvede na našim pilanama izvozi, pretežito u zapadnoeuropske zemlje. Izvoz je, naime, uvjet opstanka industrijske obrade drva u situaciji relativno vrlo niske potražnje na domaćem tržištu. Strateško je pak opredjeljenje države i drvne branše da se struktura izvoza drvnih proizvoda izmijeni u korist proizvoda višeg stupnja finalne obrade.This paper presents an overview of the current status of the Croatian sawmilling industry and a future forecast. This overview is based on data available regarding the current status, including fragments (facts) and citations from various studies and papers that describe the scene of events in the near future. Croatia has a long tradition in wood processing. The tradition of wood processing in Croatia was founded on the first industry capacities - sawmills and sawmilling products. In the new millennium, many factors affected technology and changes in the Croatian sawmilling industry. The most significant changes were in the quality of logs, development of domestic and global (foreign) final wood processing, as well as the general development of machinery and equipment. Generally, wood industry sector in the Republic of Croatia is marked by a large number of small enterprises and a relatively small number of large manufacturers. The most evident problem is the large capacity of sawmill industry, which is still three times greater than the allowed annual cut in our forests. The bulk of sawmilling products, manufactured in our sawmills, are exported primarily to the countries of West Europe. Export is, therefore, a condition for survival of sawmill industry in a situation where there is a relatively low demand in the domestic market. However, the strategic policy of the State and wood sector is to change the export structure of wood products in favour of products of higher quality of final wood processing

Sawmilling in Croatia Part 2 – Croatian Sawmilling in New Millennium

This paper presents an overview of the current status of the Croatian sawmilling industry and a future forecast. This overview is based on data available regarding the current status, including fragments (facts) and citations from various studies and papers that describe the scene of events in the near future. Croatia has a long traditionin wood processing. The tradition of wood processing in Croatia was founded on the first industry capacities - sawmills and sawmilling products. In the new millennium, many factors affected technology and changes in the Croatian sawmilling industry. The most significant changes were in the quality of logs, development of domestic and global (foreign) final wood processing, as well as the general development of machinery and equipment. Generally, wood industry sector in the Republic of Croatia is marked by a large number of small enterprises and a relatively small number of large manufacturers. The most evident problem is the large capacity of sawmill industry, which is still three times greater than the allowed annual cut in our forests. The bulk of sawmilling products, manufactured in our sawmills, are exported primarily to the countries of West Europe. Export is, therefore, a condition for survival of sawmill industry in a situation where there is a relatively low demand in the domestic market. However, the strategic policy of the State and wood sector is to change the export structure of wood products in favour of products of higher quality of final wood processing