Consumption of wood biomass in Italy: a strategic role based on a weak knowledge

Given the growing role of wood biomass as a strategic resource in the European and national renewable energy policies, the paper provides two new estimations of the internal consumption and supply levels, aiming at discussing the real role of this resource in the national energy mix and the implications of this market in terms of forest policies. The first estimation focuses on household consumption and expenditure based on the ISTAT \u201cSurvey on consumption by families\u201d, and the second analyzes how the wood biomass supply is structured and organized; this second estimation has been carried out with an expert panel consultation based on a Delphi-based approach. These two estimations are then compared and discussed with reference to the data and information provided by official sources and other publically-available studies and surveys conducted in recent years. The results provide evidence that wood biomass is the first source of renewable energy in Italy and that official data only partially quantify the consumption levels in the residential sector and domestic supply rates. The paper highlights the need for a new approach in data collection on this fast-growing market; these data are essential for a more effective implementation of the renewable energy policy and other relevant forest-related policies such as those on climate and wood mobilization

Stima dell\u2019andamento della redditivit\ue0 delle piantagioni di pioppo alla luce delle politiche di settore

Estimating the profitability trends of poplar plantations under current sectorial public policies. Investments in poplar plantations in the Po valley (Northern Italy), the most important segment of timber production for the Italian forest-based sector, are undergoing a decline since more than two decades. The investment level is influenced by both economic variables directly related to the production, such as timber prices, management costs, and land costs, as well as external variables indirectly related to it, such as the opportunity cost of competitive agricultural productions, environmental restrictions, and the presence of subsidies. This paper presents the results of an analysis of trends in timber investment returns from poplar plantations in the Po Valley. In specific, we estimated how these returns have changed in the last 15 years (2001-2015) as a result of the evolution of the key variables of cost and timber price, and assuming a representative plantation management regime. The results show that, in the considered period, poplar timber investments have had a significant decline, with estimated Internal Rate of Returns dropped of 22.1%-44.2% from 2001 to 2015. In specific, the Internal Rates of Returns, when defined and in the base case scenario, ranged from values between 7.1% and 14.0% (2001) to 4.4%-11.0% (2015). Poplar plantations are offering interesting income opportunities only when average timber prices are high, while in all the other cases the investments are at the threshold of economic viability or even negative. The decreased profitability, together with the high variability of potential financial returns, are negatively influencing the attitude towards the investments in poplar plantations. These results are discussed in the light of the recent sectorial public policies. In particular, we focused on the Measures to support plantations of the regional Rural Development Plans, which often proved to be decisive for establishing new plantations and crucial in (de)stabilizing the sector. The lack of a strategic coordination among the northern Italian Regions and the discontinuity of subsidies schemes have contributed to the destabilization of the market

Aplicación del modelado 1D de chorros para el uso de combustibles renovables en condiciones de motores Diesel

[ES] Uno de los retos actuales de los motores de combustión es el uso de combustibles con propiedades muy diferentes de las convencionales. Un caso de gran interés es el uso de combustibles de origen renovable, que puedan ser una alternativa para la descarbonización del sector del transporte. El presente proyecto aplica un modelo 1D de chorros para predecir el proceso de oxidación de estos combustibles de origen renovable en condiciones de operación de motor. Los cálculos permitirán comparar cómo se modifica el proceso de combustión y de estabilización de la llama al utilizar dichos combustibles.[CA] L’objectiu d’aquest document es verificar els resultats que genera DICOM. Per a aix ´ o se simularan ` tres combustibles, cadascun a dos valors de pressio d’injecci ´ o diferents, en total sis simulacions. ´ Aquestes simulacions seran comparades amb les dades reals obtingudes en el laboratori mitjanc¸ant un estudi parametric el qual compr ` en penetraci ´ o S, dist ´ ancia de lift off, temps d’inici de combusti ` o,´ temperatura i especies generades.[EN] The objective of this document is to verify the results that DICOM generates. In order to do so, three different fuels will be simulated, each at two different values of injection pressure, giving a total of six simulations. Then these results will be compared with real case data obtained from the laboratory in a parametric study which involves penetration S, lift off distance, time of start of combustion, temperature and species generated.Pra Alfonso, AD. (2021). Aplicación del modelado 1D de chorros para el uso de combustibles renovables en condiciones de motores Diesel. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/171254TFG

Survey among private forest owners on the Europea Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) implementation

Following the introduction of the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) in March 2013, the Confederation of European Forest Owners (CEPF) carried out a survey, aimed at gathering the experiences, expectations and views of its members on the implementation process from a private forest owners\u2019 perspective. The aim of this study is to stimulate the discussions within CEPF and to provide input to the forthcoming European Commission evaluation on the EUTR to be carried out in the course of 2015. This synthesis report entails the outcome of an online-based questionnaire, which includes the responses of fourteen CEPF members and was conducted between October and November 2014. Even though private forest owners are not the main concern of the EUTR and the impacts on their activities are expected to be limited, the results of the survey show that there are some critical issues that need further attention and consideration. In some CEPF Member States implementing the EUTR is a reason for concern from a private forest owners\u2019 perspective. Overall, the respondents expect that the Regulation will bring an increase in bureaucracy and administrative costs for forest owners when selling timber, while not leading to desirable positive effects on the sales and value of domestic timber. In addition, the role and awareness of forest owners and their preparedness to comply with their new obligations has also emerged as a key concern, highlighted together with the need for further support, information and simplification of the processes. The results show further that the competent authorities enforce the EUTR to a varying extent and intensity, causing a great level of incoherency and inconsistency. Only in few cases the checks on operators to investigate possible non-compliance have started. This demonstrates that in many EU Member States the EUTR is still at an early stage of implementation

Forest plantations investments in southern Europe: a comparative trend analysis on returns, markets and policies

At global level there is a growing interest towards forest plantations as investment opportunities for profit generation, for building strategic assets, but also to address sustainable development challenges with the production of essential goods and services. These are the reasons why plantation investments are attracting new investors and expanding outside the traditional regions and markets. In southern Europe, forest plantations represent a consolidated segment of investment for landowners. In future years, the increasing demand for timber and fibres driven by bioeconomy and bioenergy policies, might boost the interest towards forest plantations investments in this region, with an increasingly important role played by financial investors as well as by strategic partnerships between landowners, industrial companies and external investors. In the light of this evolution, there is an urgent need for more information and valuation studies on forest plantations to support better investment and policy-making decisions. Recent research by Sedjo (1983; 2001) and Cubbage et al. (2007; 2010; 2014) estimated investment returns for the main species and contexts at global level. In this study, we used a similar approach to estimate and analyse, on a comparative perspective, investment returns for productive forest plantation species in the southern European context, focusing in some regions of Italy, Spain and Portugal. Our main interest involved forest plantations of private nature with the primary purpose of wood and fibers production. We carried out a financial analysis before-tax, using capital budgeting indicators to estimate returns at aggregate level, based on representative stand management regimes. Indicators were calculated according to a baseline scenario as well as in alternative scenarios, analyzing how the main policy and market factors are influencing returns. We also carried out a trend analysis – which represents the most original methodological contribution of this research – estimating how returns have changed in recent years as a result of the evolution of the key economic variables. Overall, our results indicate that in southern Europe there are some opportunities for reasonably interesting returns for sectorial investors, i.e. landowners and forest-based industry, and in some cases also for financial investors. Nevertheless, the dynamicity of the regional timber market and the small-scale fragmented forest holdings are structural factors that new investors would have to take into consideration. More in specific, hybrid poplar plantations in northern Italy and Castile and León (Spain) are estimated to provide on average the potentially highest returns, but the large range of variability and the high land and opportunity costs are unlikely to make them an attractive investment for non-landowners. Eucalyptus plantations in Portugal are estimated to be the only investment where non-landowners could expect to get relatively interesting and stable returns, although a recent law reform in the country could limit new investments. Maritime pine and radiata pine plantations in Portugal and Spain present lower returns, suffering the situation of depressed stumpage prices after the 2008 economic crisis, which strongly affected the sawmilling sector. We also extended our analysis to mixed and multipurpose plantations, i.e. polycyclic plantations, in the context of the Po valley (northern Italy); these showed potentially competitive profitability performances and advantages, in spite of the experimental character and technology transfer limitations. From a more general perspective, our research provided valuable results to improve the knowledge on the potential investment returns from forest plantation in the region, offering means to compare the status and trends of investments, markets and policies. For example, it has emerged from our research that the current subsidy policies are not effective in providing a clear, balanced and stable framework for investments in forest plantations, and that a more strategic coordination at regional level is urgently needed in order to support the competitive position of the sector in front of the challenges posed by the bioeconomy strategy. Moreover, the methodological design and approach of this research could provide the basis for establishing a permanent observatory on forestry investments in southern Europe, allowing a better market monitoring, business analysis and policy-making in the future.A livello globale, vi è una crescita d’interesse verso le piantagioni forestali come opportunità d’investimento per generare profitto, per costruire assets strategici, ma anche per affrontare le sfide di sviluppo sostenibile attraverso la produzione di beni e servizi essenziali. Queste sono le principali ragioni per le quali gli investimenti in piantagioni stanno attraendo nuovi investitori e si stanno espandendo al di fuori delle regioni e dei mercati tradizionali. Nell'Europa meridionale, le piantagioni forestali rappresentano un segmento d’investimento consolidato, soprattutto per i proprietari terrieri. Nei prossimi anni, la crescente domanda di legname spinta dalle attuali politiche per la bio-economia potrebbe stimolare ulteriormente l'interesse verso gli investimenti in piantagioni in questa regione, con un ruolo sempre più importante svolto da investitori finanziari e da partnership strategiche tra proprietari terrieri, imprese industriali ed investitori esterni. Alla luce di quest’evoluzione, vi è un'urgente necessità di maggiori informazioni e studi di valutazione degli investimenti in piantagioni per sostenere migliori decisioni d’investimento e di politiche. I recenti lavori di Sedjo (1983; 2001) e Cubbage et al. (2007; 2010; 2014) hanno stimato i rendimenti degli investimenti per le principali specie e contesti a livello mondiale. In questo studio, abbiamo utilizzato un approccio simile per stimare e analizzare, in una prospettiva comparativa, i rendimenti degli investimenti in piantagioni produttive nel contesto dell'Europa meridionale, concentrandoci in alcune regioni di Italia, Spagna e Portogallo. Il nostro interesse principale si è indirizzato sulle piantagioni forestali di natura privata e aventi come obbiettivo primario la produzione di legname. Abbiamo effettuato un'analisi di tipo finanziario al lordo delle imposte, utilizzando indicatori di convenienza per stimare i rendimenti a livello aggregato sulla base di modelli gestionali rappresentativi. Tali indicatori sono stati calcolati prima sulla base di uno scenario base, e poi di scenari alternativi, analizzando l’effetto delle principali variabili esterne derivanti dal mercato e dalle politiche settoriali. Inoltre, abbiamo effettuato un'analisi degli andamenti, la quale rappresenta il contributo metodologico più originale di questo lavoro, dove abbiamo analizzato come sono cambiati, nel corso degli ultimi anni, i margini d’investimento a fronte dell’evoluzione delle principali variabili economiche. In generale, i risultati della ricerca indicano che, nell'Europa meridionale esistono alcune opportunità di rendimenti finanziari interessanti per gli investitori settoriali (cioè i proprietari terrieri e le industrie forestali) e in alcuni casi potenzialmente d’interesse anche per gli investitori finanziari. Ciononostante, è emerso che il contesto regionale è caratterizzato da fattori strutturali, legati alla dinamica del mercato del legname e dalla struttura fondiaria forestale, che devono essere presi in esame accuratamente dai nuovi investitori. Nello specifico, le piantagioni di pioppo nell'Italia settentrionale e Castiglia e León (Spagna) sono state stimate essere potenzialmente le più redditizie, ma è improbabile che gli ampi margini di variabilità e gli elevati costi di uso dei terreni li rendano un investimento interessante per non proprietari terrieri. Le piantagioni di eucalipto in Portogallo sono state stimate essere l'unico investimento in cui anche i non-proprietari possono aspettarsi livelli di redditività relativamente interessanti e stabili, anche se una recente riforma legislativa nel Paese potrebbe limitare nuovi investimenti. Le piantagioni di pino marittimo e pino radiata in Portogallo e Spagna presentano rendimenti sensibilmente inferiori, risentendo della situazione di prezzi bassi causata della crisi economica del 2008 che ha colpito pesantemente il settore delle segherie. Abbiamo anche esteso la nostra analisi a piantagioni miste e multifunzionali, ovvero le piantagioni policicliche nel contesto della pianura padana (Italia settentrionale); queste hanno dimostrato di poter offrire rendimenti finanziari e vantaggi potenzialmente competitivi, anche se è da tenere presente il loro carattere sperimentale e i limiti legati al trasferimento tecnologico. Da un punto di vista più generale, la nostra ricerca ha fornito risultati preziosi per migliorare la conoscenza dei potenziali rendimenti degli investimenti delle piantagioni forestali nell’Europa meridionale, fornendo strumenti per analizzare e confrontare lo stato e l’andamento degli investimenti, dei mercati e delle politiche. Ad esempio, è emerso che le attuali politiche di sussidio non si rivelano efficaci nel fornire un quadro chiaro, equilibrato e stabile per stimolare gli investimenti in piantagioni forestali, e che è urgente un maggiore coordinamento strategico a livello europeo per sostenere la posizione competitiva del settore di fronte alle sfide che la strategia per la bio-economia pone. Inoltre, l’approccio e la metodologia di questa ricerca potrebbero fornire le basi per la creazione di un osservatorio permanente sugli investimenti forestali in Europa, consentendo in prospettiva un migliore monitoraggio del mercato, analisi settoriali e sviluppo di politiche

Potentials, limits and challenges for the Fair Trade in Nepal: an overview of the perception by the members of the Fair Trade Group Nepal

This paper studies fair trade in Nepal, focusing on the views of Nepalese producers. The first chapter is an introduction on fair trade and the main global actors, the second chapter explains the context of this research and the methodology which has been used to collect information, the third chapter presents all data which has been collected and the final chapter draws the conclusions of this work