Climate benefits from biomass use for energy and material

Transcription

1 Climate benefits from biomass use for energy and material Kjell Andersson EUBCE Copenhagen 17 May 2018

2 My presentation Use of bioenergy from forestry in Sweden Carbon neutrality Substitution effects for energy and materials Use the forest for products and energy, or use it for carbon storage? Conclusions from the Swedish experience Global outlook

3 Bioenergy accounts for more than one third of end use of energy in Sweden Coal 18,2 TWh, 4,8% Fossil gas 9,1 TWh, 2,4% Heat pumps 2,7 TWh, 0,7% Nuclear power 50,3 TWh, 13,4% Bioenergy 138,7 TWh, 36,9% Oil 92 TWh, 24,5% Source: Svebio based on statistics from Swedish Energy Authory. Wind power 13,7 TWh, 3,6% Hydro power 51 TWh, 13,6%

4 Bioheat in Sweden 520 heat plants using biomass (red) or municipal waste (orange). Primarily locally sourced biomass from forestry and forest industries. Some of the biomass is transported longdistance by train or boat. The map is published yearly by Svebio s magazine Bioenergi:

5 Biomass and waste dominate as fuels for district heating

6 Sweden s electricity produc2on 2017 Fossil power 2,8 TWh, 1,7% Biopower 11,7 TWh, 7,3% Nuclear 63 TWh, 39,7% Hydropower 63,4 TWh, 40,3% Solar power 0,2 TWh, 0,1% Windpower 17,3 TWh, 10,9% Source: Svebio, based on statistics.from the Swedish Energy Agency

7 Biopower in Sweden Every year Svebio and the magazine Bioenergi produce a map of all bio-power production units in Sweden. The map from 2017 shows biopower production at 214 locations, and another 15 planned units. This includes: 94 CHP plants in district heating 41 units in industries 79 small plants using biogas for electricity. Total installed capacity MW Production today 12 TWh, 16 TWh at a normal price level. Could produce 30 TWh if used all year around. The map is available for download on or It is also possible to order printed copies.

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9 Summary: Materials (wood, pulp and paper) have an energy content of 98 TWh. Biomass for energy (primary and secondary) is 99.5 TWh. More than half is used in forest industry. The rest in district heating, incl. biopower, and residential heating. Post-consumer bioenergy not included (in Sweden and abroad). Big potential to increase the use of residues from forestry (slash and stumps). Potential to increase fellings compared to total growth. Energy use is an integrated and major part of the managed forestry system.

10 Forest residues from final fellings Slash consisting of tops, branches and small trees, drying over summer at roadside. Photo: Svebio

11 The biomass from forestry is mainly residues Chips, bark, sawdust, low-quality and rotten wood, etc Photo: Svebio

12 Managed forestry is carbon neutral 1% harvested every year in a 100 year long rotation Illustration: Sveaskog

13 Swedish forests during 100 years:. increased growth (red). increased harvests (green). increased standing stock (blue) Source: Swedish Forest Inventory

14 Land use is almost constant Productive forest area 23 million ha Source: Swedish Forest Inventory

15 Carbon uptake in forestry almost compensate for emissions in Sweden Utsläpp = total GHG emissions in all sectors LULUCF = land use, primarily managed forestry Differens = net (emissions minus land use change) Illustration: Svebio, based on Sweden s National Inventory Reports

16 Carbon in a modelled forest system 3 rotations, 300 years Source: Eliasson et al 2011, Swedish Agricultural University

17 Biomass in harvested products, in trees and in soil: 3 rotations with different levels of usage. Source: Eliasson et al 2011, Swedish Agricultural University

18 A total landscape with 100 equal stands and average carbon level Source: Eliasson et al 2011, Swedish Agricultural University

19 Young forests grow fast, old forests have very low net growth. Source: Bo Hektor et al, Carbon balance for wood production from sustainably managed forests, 2016.

20 The Gudrun winter storm caused massive destruction of old forest stands On 9 January 2005 the storm Gudrun, with hurricane winds, felled 75 million cubic meters of forest in Southern Sweden. All boreal forests are affected by natural disturbances like storms, insect infestations and large-scale forest fires. Photo: Vida Energi

21 Conclusion on carbon neutrality In a landscape scale, the harvest is balanced by growth, therefore all products and the biomass for energy are carbon neutral. Over time, the system increases sequestration, as new forest has higher growth rate. Climate change with longer vegetation periods is adding to this effect. To leave old forests standing can lead to loss of carbon by natural disturbances. Managed forests with young stands have less problems with fires and insects.

22 Producing wood, paper pulp, other products, and bioenergy in a combined system. Illustration: Sveaskog

23 Building in wood to substitute concrete, steel and aluminum Using wood as building material has high positive substitution effect, when wood is used instead of materials with high carbon footprint. After use in the buildings, the wood can be used for energy as demolition wood. Numbers for the substitution effects vary considerable between studies. Photo: Skog22,National strategy for forestry, Norway

24 The substitution effect can be much higher than the storage effect Substitution of coal, harvest of slash and stumps Substitution of natural gas, No harvest of slash and stumps Source: Roger Sathre 2007

25 Substitution has had bigger climate impact than increased stock in Sweden Source: Nordic Forest Research

26 Norway:. lower harvest rate. growth rate levelling out in recent years Source: Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy

27 Norway: small substitution effect but larger benefit from increased stock Source: Nordic Forest Research

28 Sustainability issues Few specific issues related to bioenergy apart from forestry practice in general Biodiversity major issue: - leaving coarse dead wood - leaving some slash at sites - protective zones along lakes and streams - avoiding soil damage - biodiversity hot spots On-going debate about stump harvest

29 Regrowth after harvest New forest is established within a few years either by planting (like the spruce plant in the forground), or by natural seeding from trees that are left at the site. The requirement to establish new forest after harvest was made mandatory in the Swedish forest legislation in Planting can be done quicker if the slash in the clear-cut area is removed. Photo: Svebio

30 Slash from thinnings Slash from thinning operations is usually not recovered today, mainly for economic reasons. Instead, the slash is left to decompose at the site. Slash harvest from thinning common in Finland. Photo: Svebio

31 Increased biomass production through fertilization From a test site in northern Sweden (Flakaliden). Nitrogen fertilizer was applied in Illustration: Swedish Agriccultural University.

32 Prices paid to forest owners at roadside in central Sweden 1 SEK = 0.1 Comment to the cascading debate: Let the market actors decide!

33 Conclusions Biomass from managed forestry is a climate neutral and sustainable energy source. From a climate standpoint it is better to use the forest for material and energy than to leave it to only store carbon. A managed forest with a high share of young trees has high growth and high carbon sequestration. Old stands take up less carbon. High harvesting level is good for the climate for two reasons: 1. Substitution of fossils. 2. High sequestration of CO 2. The model can be applied in all countries with boreal and temperate forests.

34 The land sink according to Global Carbon Project

35 The global net growth in forests 11 minus 4.8 GtCO 2

36 We have more and more biomass in our landscapes in most countries. A postcard from 1902 shows Släp church in western Sweden in a barren landscape. The same view today. It was almost impossible to take the picture because of the thick vegetation trees and bushes.

37 Sustainable supply of bioenergy Best practice from sustainable forestry in the Nordic countries work in progress