Cost-Eʀective and Sustainable Harvest Methods
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Cost-EƦective and Sustainable Harvest Methods ĂůƟĐ&ŽƌŝŽ ĐĐĞůĞƌĂƟŶŐƚŚĞWƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶŽĨ &ŽƌĞƐƚŝŽĞŶĞƌŐLJŝŶƚŚĞĂůƟĐ^ĞĂZĞŐŝŽŶ Baltic ForBio Accelerating the Production of Forest Bioenergy in the Baltic Sea Region Cost-Effective and Sustainable Harvest Methods Edited by Pasi Poikonen Editor in Chief: Pasi Poikonen Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Working Maria Iwarsson Wide Swedish Forest Research Institute (Skogforsk) Group: Juha Laitila Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Valda Gudynaitė- Kaunas Forestry and Environmental Engineering Franckevičienė University of Applied Sciences (KMAIK) Indrek Jakobson Estonian Private Forest Centre (Erametsakeskus) Allar Luik Estonian Private Forest Centre (Erametsakeskus) Livia Pošlin Estonian Private Forest Centre (Erametsakeskus) Peichen Gong Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Andis Lazdiņš Latvian State Forest Research Institute (Silava) Raimonds Bermanis Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre Maija Birkena- Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre Dzelzkaleja Elvira Grasmane Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre Mareike Schultze Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau Thomas Rimmler Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Mika Mustonen Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Reviewer: Urpo Hassinen Bioenergy and Bioeconomy Expert, Finnish Forest Centre, Eastern Service Area, Finland Pictures: Arlickienė, Eliasson, Grönlund, Gudynaitė-Franckevičienė, Gudynas, Hartmann, Hassinen, Iwarsson Wide, Laitila, Lazdāns, Lazdiņš, Luke MetInfo, Niemistö, Oksanen, Poikonen, Saule, Schultze, Skogforsk, Soininen, Tykkyläinen, Viklund and von Hofsten Proofreading and grammar corrections: Acolad Layout and printing: Edita Prima Oy, 2020 Publisher: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Permanent link to this publication is: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-380-027-4 ISBN 978-952-380-026-7 paperback ISBN 978-952-380-027-4 PDF Published by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), 2020 The Handbook is an output of the project “Baltic ForBio – Accelerating the Production of Forest Bioenergy in the Baltic Sea Region”. Work Package 2 – Cost-effective and sustainable harvest methods (G.A.2.2: Handbooks and guidelines – Handbooks and Guidelines for Harvest of Logging Residues and Small Trees). USED ABBREVIATIONS AND TERMINOLOGY Chipping = Comminuting wood using sharp blades Comminuting = General verb for chip production not depending on the technique used Crushing = Comminuting wood with blunt tools at high speed Dbh = Tree diameter at breast height - 1.3 metres from the level of the root neck DH = District heating Grinding = Comminuting wood with blunt tools HFO = Heavy fuel oil m3 sub = Wood volume in solid cubic metres measured under bark Pre- = Harvesting under 8 cm dbh trees is called pre-commercial thinning commercial and over 8 cm dbh is called thinning. thinning Shredding = Comminuting wood with blunt tools at low speed Small trees = In the Finnish statistics, small trees include delimbed trees, whole trees, and pulp wood for energy generation purposes. In the Estonian context, this refers to harvesting the underlayer or second layer and is used for smaller trees and bushes. In Germany, the term “small round wood” is used for delimbed trees, whole trees, pulp wood, and round wood for energy purposes. Strip road = Wood transportation corridor inside the forest during harvesting (logging trail) operations. Cost-Effective and Sustainable Harvest Methods 3 Table of Contents Used Abbreviations and Terminology ................................................................................................. 3 Preface ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Background ...........................................................................................................................................6 1.1. State-of-the-art of the Bioenergy Sector in the Baltic Sea Region Countries ..............6 1.2. Estimated Theoretical Volume for the Business and Restrictions to be Noted ........... 14 1.2.1. National-Level Targets ............................................................................................... 14 1.2.2. Current Forest Bioenergy Plants ............................................................................... 18 1.2.3. Potential for New Energy Generation Plants .........................................................25 1.2.4. Available Forest Biomass Resources ........................................................................27 1.2.5. Current District Heating Systems and Investment Needs in the Baltic Sea Region Countries .......................................................................................................... 33 1.3. Policy Instruments with the Key Elements Promoting the Forest Bioenergy Business ................................................................................................ 35 2. Forest Energy Harvesting as Part of Young Stand Treatment, First and Advanced Thinnings .......................................................................................................40 2.1. Technology-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting ........................................40 2.1.1. Energy Wood Production as Part of Treatment Implementation in Young Stands .................................................................................................................40 2.1.2. Multi-Stem Cutting ..................................................................................................... 41 2.1.3. Forwarding .....................................................................................................................50 2.2. Economy-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting ............................................56 2.3. Environment-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting .....................................63 3. Integrated Forest Energy Harvesting During and After First and Advanced Thinnings .........................................................................................................................67 3.1. Technology-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting Fuel Quality and Sustainability ...............................................................................................67 3.2. Economy-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting .............................................71 3.3. Environment-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting Some Novel Aspects ...................................................................................................................75 4. Forest Energy Harvesting During and After Final Fellings .....................................................78 4.1. Technology-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting ........................................78 4.2. Economy-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting ............................................89 4.3. Environment-Related Aspects of Forest Bioenergy Harvesting ..................................... 91 5. Conclusions on the Best Practices in Country-specific Conditions .................................... 96 5.1. Best Practices by Country ........................................................................................................ 96 5.2. Challenges Facing the Stakeholders .................................................................................... 102 5.3. Further Steps in the Near Future ..........................................................................................106 4 WP2 Handbook PREFACE Forest biomass is a highly important source of renewable energy in the Baltic Sea Region. Forest harvests produce a huge amount of residues, of which a large share could be used for energy purposes but are currently often left in forests due to economic and ecologi- cal reasons. There is a large potential in tackling the increasing demand for renewable energy by increasing the harvest of logging residues and small trees in pre-commercial thinning. This handbook aims to increase production of renewable energy in the Baltic Sea Region by improving the capacity of public authorities, forest and energy agencies, organisations of forest owners and entrepreneurs and forest advisory organisations to promote the harvest and use of logging residues and small trees cut in early thinning. This handbook consists of five chapters to provide an overview of the role of forest bio- energy in the Baltic Sea region countries – Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden. The specific conditions related to each forest growing phase are described from technological, economic, and environmental viewpoints. The handbook provides knowledge on the current harvesting methods in the partner countries and finally rec- ommends best practices for the stakeholders. The aim is to learn about new approaches to the forest bioenergy individually and organisationally. Authors The Number of the Issues in the Different Forest Sites Raised and Discussed in the Hand- book: Forest Sites in the Operations Technological Economic Environmental Total Young Stands 16 7 5 28 Thinnings 3 2 3 8 Final Fellings 11 2 11 24 Total Number by Aspect 30 11 19 60 Cost-Effective and Sustainable Harvest Methods 5 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 State-of-the-Art of the Bioenergy Sector in the Baltic Sea Region Countries Estonia The use of biomass in Estonia has grown year by year. In 2017 the share of biomass in the primary energy supply was 15.4%