Current use of bioenergy from forests in Finland and future prospects NSFP- seminar: Forest regeneration and bioenergy 15.12.2006, Vantaa M.Sc. Juha Laitila Joensuu Research Unit Metsäntutkimuslaitos Skogsforskningsinstitutet Finnish Forest Research Institute www.metla.fi
Six K of forest energy from the forest technology point of view Korjuuketjut (supply chains) Kone- ja laitekehitys (machine & device development) Kertymät (Availability & accumulation of forest chips) Kustannukset (Costs) Klapi (Chopped firewood) Kansainvälisyys (Internationality, technology & know-how transfer) Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 2
Use of wood fuels in Finland - Wood fuels are 20 % of primary energy production - Black liquor from pulp mills is the major source of wood fuels, 50 % - Major resources of solid wood fuels are debarking residues, forest chips and sawdust (process residues) - Forest chips are quite modest source of fuel, but is has growth potential. Current level 3,0 Mm³-2,6 Mm³ in large scale use and 0,4 Mm³ in small scale use + 8 Consumption of solid wood fuels 2005, Mm 3 6 Mm 3 per year 4 2 Bark 7.6 Goal 5 Mm³ by 2010 Forest chips 3.0 Sawdust 1.7 Industrial chips 1.0 Pellets etc. 0.7 Chopped firewood 5.7 in households 0 NOTE: Level of annual roundwood cuttings in Finland is 54 Mm³ & 15 Mm³ impoterted wood (2004) Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 3
Border of the large scale and small scale use 2,6 Mm³ per year 0,4 Mm³ + about 5,7 Mm³ per year Large scale 50-500 MW Municipality scale 1-50 MW Small scale 20-1000 kw Fireplace scale 5-20 kw LOW 70% 10% 5% Quality requirements for the forest fuels 15% HIGH Dry and homogenous raw material = stem wood chips, pellets Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 4
Three main sources of forest fuels in the large scale use Logging residues from final fellings Stumps from final fellings -A side productof finalcuttings - Accumulation easy to estimate and locate - Integration with roundwood harvesting and regeneration - Harvesting costs are quite low - Selected stands are spruce dominanted 78 % = 1,66 + 0,38 Mm³ Small diameter trees from early thinnings - Harvesting costs are high - Cost difference to logging residue chips is about 10-15 /m³ - Resources difficult to locate, measure and get to market - State subsidies enables harvesting activities (10-11 /m³) 22 % = 0,57 Mm³ Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 5
Border of industrial roundwood and energywood in Finland Stumpage price of pulpwood 13-23 /m³(birch,aspen,pine & spruce). Minimum top diameter 6-8 cm. Lenght of bolts between 3-5 meters Small trees from pre commercial thinnings Stumpage price 0-(4) /m³ (Pulpwood compensation) 30-60 m³/ha Logging residues 30-125 /ha 45-85 m³/ha Stumpage price of logs 44-53 /m³ (birch, spruce & pine). Minimum top diameter 15 cm. Lenght of bolts 3,1-5,5 meters Stump & root wood 30-125 /ha + savings in the site preparation 75-150 /ha 50-75 m³/ha Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 6
Harvesting of logging residues and stumps from spruce dominated clear cut areas Annual harvested area 25 000 ha an estimation - Spruce stands, since the yield of logging residues is more than twice compared to pine and birch stands -The recovery rate is about 70 % when the biomass is harvested as fresh with needles (green chips) and 60 % after summer seasoning at stand (brown chips) - Logging residues consist of crown mass and stem wood loss - Short storage life. One year is maximum - Spruce stumps have a high wood content and stump is loosely in the ground - Stump harvesting is often combined with mounding (excavator & uprooting rake with mounding blade) - Dry and homogenous raw material. Storing improves the quality. Excellent control fuel in wintertime. -Stones & sand cause problems in comminution and in combustion - High investment costs to heavy crushers limits the use of stump wood = large scale fuel Annual harvested area 6000 ha an estimation Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 7
Harvesting of small diameter trees from early thinnings -Due to the small stem volume (15-45 dm³) felling bunching costs are high -Energy wood accumulation per hectare is small -Number of remaining trees limits the productivity of the work The typical logging sites are overstocked hardwood or pine stands + Annual availability of small-sized energy wood is independent of harvesting of industrial roundwood + Young forests is the largest unutilized source of forest energy. Annual potential depending on stand selection criterias 8.4 1.4 Mm³per year + Thinning of young stands has silvicultural benefits. + Chips quality is high. Excelent fuel for small plants. Long storage life? Harvesting is based on state subsidies Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 8
Costs of slash piling, stumps uprooting & felling-bunching of thinning wood? Logging residue procurement - Slash piling to heaps is integrated into roundwood cutting - Piling cost to the heaps is 0,3 /m³ Stump & root wood procurement - Splitting & uprooting + site preparation time per stump is 1 minute (on average 6-9 + 2-3 h/ha) - Stump volume in final fellings is 150-200 dm³(spruce) - Cost of stump pulling is 4 6 /m³ Small trees from pre-commercial thinnings - Due to the small stem volume felling bunching costs are 12-15 /m³ - Delimbing decreases productivity by 10 40 % compared to the harvesting with branches (mechanized cutting) In the other phases of the procurement chain cost differences are rather small Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 9
Cost of chips at plant Example calculation 35 Cost at the power plant, /m³ 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Trees from early thinnings Stumps Logging residues Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 10
Future prospects -The use of forest fuels has been growing fast during the last years. - To promote the trend and use of forest energy we need more large, medium and small scale customers. - Forest energy is a local energy and plants should be located near resoursces. - The significance of stumps in energy production will increase in the future. Use of forest chips in large scale, m³ 3000000 2500000 2000000 1500000 1000000 500000 0 Trees from early thinnings Logging residues Stumps Total Year 2000 Year 2001 Year 2002 Year 2003 Year 2004 Year 2005 Source: Metla/Ylitalo 2001-2006 Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 11
Future prospects -In Finland the forest biomass is number one fuel in renewable energy production - Normal forest industries is not threatened by forest energy, on the contrary, it can give remarkable possibilities in the future - Integration of energy wood harvesting with roundwood harvesting in thinnings is a great challenge > Line between fibre and energy use will soften - Large scale biomass refineries, liquid fuels and wood gas are probable future technologies in forest fuel business Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 12
Thank you for your attention Contact: juha.laitila@metla.fi Juha Laitila 15.12.2006 13