Production of Biomass for Energy from Sustainable Forestry Systems: Canada and Europe Jim Richardson Poplar Council of Canada and IEA Bioenergy Task 31 Short Rotation Crops International Conference August 20, 2008
Outline Biomass types and sources Forest biomass for energy Sustainability of production Canada and Sweden Global change issues IEA Bioenergy Task 31 Poplar Council of Canada
Biomass Types Energy plantations Forest residues Forest industry residues Agricultural crops & residues Animal wastes Municipal solid waste
Biomass Types Energy plantations Forest residues Forest industry residues Agricultural crops & residues Animal wastes Municipal solid waste
Bioenergy end-uses Heat Electricity Liquid or gaseous fuels
Global Status of Forests & Energy Forests are the main source of energy globally for domestic use & many industries Biofuels provide 14% world s s primary energy 60% of wood removals are for energy. BUT forest cover declining: -9.4 M ha/yr SO, need to ensure sustainable forestry practices
Global Wood Consumption Million m3 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Developed countries Developing countries Fuelwood & charcoal Industrial wood
The Bioenergy Production Cycle
Technical issues Harvesting - integration, timing, moisture loss, dry matter loss Transportation - comminution and compaction Equipment - mechanization Supply chain
Residue Bundler
Environmental issues Nutrient removal Soil compaction Water management Biodiversity Carbon dioxide
Biodiversity Impact similar to conventional harvesting Woody debris Land use change energy plantations
Social issues Employment Agroforestry Rural development Remote communities
Remote Communities Canada s s north Forest-based communities - with energy needs and high energy costs Benefits of bioenergy: community self-sufficiency sufficiency reduced costs employment sympathetic to forest-based culture
Economic issues Costs capital operating Policies and regulations incentives barriers
Policies & regulations Forest fuel harvesting Fertilizing (wood ash) Wood fuel use Land use Siting and permitting
Solutions for Sustainability Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Forest certification schemes (FSC, PEFC, )
Energy statistics (Source: IEA 2005) Sweden Germany Canada USA Population (M) 9 62 32 297 TPES (Mtoe( Mtoe) 52 345 272 2340 TPES per capita 5.8 4.2 8.4 7.9 Renewables (%) Bioenergy (Mtoe) 28.9 4.4 16.1 4.4 8.7 10.0 12.3 65.8 Bioenergy (%) 16.8 2.9 4.5 2.8
Canada: Biomass resources Industrial/mill residues Forest residues Fire/insect kill Agricultural residues Municipal waste construction/demolition wood Energy crops
Sweden Small country, small population, much forest (55%) Forest production 152 M m 3 /year Current use 90 M m 3 /year (primarily to conventional industry) Annual forest harvest 88% conventional industrial roundwood 12% firewood, harvest residues for energy 45% directly or indirectly to energy use
Global Climate Change Increasing risk to forestry But possibly more material for energy production Natural disturbances Insect pests Severe weather events
Canada: Mountain Pine Beetle British Columbia 60 M ha productive forest land 69 M m 3 /year AAC MPB» 1999 200 K ha MPB 2005 8.7 M ha 2013 all lodgepole pine killed (9 M m 3 ) Harvesting shift to salvage dead trees Bioenergy opportunity
Sweden: Hurricane Gudrun 2005 1 annual national felling in 1 night in a limited area in South Sweden Secondary problem massive bark beetle infestation Salvage logging
Salvage logging: 1 M m 3 (Source: Caren Dyment) Caren Dyment, CFS
IEA Bioenergy Task 31 Biomass Production for Energy from Sustainable Forestry 2007-09 09 Website: http://ieabioenergytask31.org
Objective To share, analyse,, synthesize, disseminate and promote scientific knowledge and technical information leading to the economically and environmentally sustainable production of biomass for energy from integrated forestry systems.
Issues addressed Availability of forest biomass for energy production Development and implementation of knowledge of forest biomass supply chain Reducing costs of biomass production and developing improved economic analyses Criteria and indicators for sustainable development of energy production from forestry
Activities International scientific workshops Case studies and policy-oriented oriented papers Information dissemination Collaboration
Participating Countries Canada Denmark Finland Germany Netherlands Norway Sweden United Kingdom United States
Poplar Council of Canada A national non-profit organization with membership from industry, land owners, universities, research institutions, and federal and provincial governments. PCC has been committed to the wise use, conservation, and sustainable management of Canada's private and public poplar resources since 1977. Website: www.poplar.ca
Information and Services Annual technical meetings Newsletters Reports and publications Research needs assessment Working Groups Genetics & Breeding Pesticide Registration International International Poplar Commission
Poplars and Willows in the World: meeting the needs of society and the environment Editors: J.G. Isebrands & J. Richardson Published by: FAO/IPC Available on-line from end 2008
Objective To produce a major update of the previous (1980) edition of the FAO publication on poplars and willows in an accessible format,, providing a practical worldwide overview and guide to their basic characteristics, cultivation and use as well as issues, problems and trends relating to poplars and willows.
Contents Preface 1. Introduction 2. Poplars & willows in the world 3. Natural ecosystems 4. Genetic resources 5. Industrial plantations 6. Environmental uses 7. Abiotic risks 8. Diseases 9. Animal pests 10. Properties and utilization 11. Markets, trends and outlook 12. Sustainable rural development 13. Conclusions Appendices A. Research agencies, institutions & organizations B. Bibliography C. Index D. Glossary
Thank you!