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United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

Economic Commission for Europe of the United Nations

GENEVA TIMBER AND FOREST DISCUSSION PAPERS 53

NATIONAL WOOD RESOURCE BALANCES

PROCEEDINGS OF A WORKSHOP HELD IN GENEVA SWITZERLAND 31 MARCH – 1 APRIL 2008

UNITED NATIONS

UNECE

ECE/TIM/DP/53

Timber Section, Geneva, Switzerland

GENEVA TIMBER AND FOREST DISCUSSION PAPERS 53

NATIONAL WOOD RESOURCE BALANCES

PROCEEDINGS OF A WORKSHOP HELD IN GENEVA SWITZERLAND 31 MARCH – 1 APRIL 2008

UNITED NATIONS Geneva 2008

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

UNECE

Note

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, c0ity or area, or of its au00thorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Abstract

Wood is currently a source for renewable energy in Europe. Increasing global prices for fossil fuels, concerns over energy security, and commitments to reduce CO2 emissions has increased the demand for wood in the energy sector. This has created a situation where there is competition for raw materials between the energy sector and the wood product sector and has led to an acute need for up-to-date, reliable statistical information on wood sources and uses, which have heretofore either been unavailable or weak in many countries. The proceedings are divided into two parts: part one presents the workshop’s conclusions and recommendations, part two is a summary of the presentations given at the workshop. The annex contains two background papers.

Keywords

wood supply, conversion factors, wood energy; bioenergy; biofuel; fossil fuels; wood products, sustainable harvest, outlook studies, Europe

UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATIONS

ISSN 1020 7228

ECE/TIM/DP/53

National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008 ____________________________________________iii

iv ___________________________________________ National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008

Acknowledgements

The workshop was jointly organized by the UNECE/FAO Timber Section and the University of Hamburg, Germany. The organizers express their sincere appreciation in particular to Florian Steierer and Udo Mantau (University of Hamburg) and Sebastian Hetsch (UNECE/FAO) for the main organization of the workshop. Catherine Chatelain assisted substantially in making the practical arrangements for the workshop.

The organizers like to thank the Jeremy Wall (European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry) for excellent chairing of the workshop. The contribution of the following speakers is appreciated for helping to stimulate lively discussions (in order of presentations): Udo Mantau, Florian Steierer, Sebastian Hetsch, Holger Weimar, Alain Thivolle-Cazat, Marina Vitullo, Stefano Caserini, Cristina Viejo Téllez, Juan Picos Martín, Gero Becker, Nico Leek, Martti Aarne, Ewa Ratajczak, Nike Krajnc, Mitja Piškur, Dietmar Hagauer, Miguel Trossero and Nikolaos Roubanis.

The organizers wish to place on record its appreciation of the financial contributions from the CEPI and EPF.

National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008 ____________________________________________ v

Table of Contents

Preface ....................................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ iv

Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... v

1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 1

2. Workshop’s Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................... 2

2.1 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 2

2.2 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 3

3. Summary of presentations ................................................................................................................... 5

3.1 Concept of the national wood resource balance - methodological introduction............................ 5

3.2 Presentation of the study on "wood resource availability and supply", new data, lessons learned and identification of data gaps and weaknesses .................................................................................. 7

3.3 Empirical research to fill data gaps ............................................................................................... 9

3.4 Empirical research on wood use for energy: experience in Italy................................................. 11

3.5 Improving Data on Wood Used by the Industry in Spain ........................................................... 12

3.6 Improving data on wood used by the industry in Spain: the example of Galicia ........................ 13

3.7 EFORWOOD: a European project on Sustainability Impact Assessment of the forestry-wood chain .................................................................................................................................................. 14

3.8 Data collection for post-consumer wood in the Netherlands....................................................... 15

3.9 Monitoring the wood supply in Finland - wood removals from forests ...................................... 16

3.10 Empirical research on wood flows in Poland - summary .......................................................... 17

3.11 Roundwood flow analysis and roundwood balances for Slovenia ............................................ 19

3.12 Drawing the bigger picture - Wood flow model in Austria....................................................... 20

3.13 Woodfuel Balances.................................................................................................................... 21

3.14 Efforts on European level to improve information on wood energy and renewable energy statistics ............................................................................................................................................. 22

Annex I: Programme of the workshop .................................................................................................. 23

Annex II: Conversion factors - A necessity for an accurate estimation of wood consumption by industries ......................................................................................................................................... 25

II-1 Background .................................................................................................................................... 25

Conversion factors: some values ....................................................................................................... 25

Industrial process description ............................................................................................................ 26

vi ___________________________________________ National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008

II-2 Measurement of round wood.......................................................................................................... 27

Volume and variation factors ............................................................................................................ 27

Bark ................................................................................................................................................... 29

II-3. Sawmills ........................................................................................................................................ 30

II-4. Panels Industry .............................................................................................................................. 31

Plywood Industry .............................................................................................................................. 31

Particle and fibre board Industry ....................................................................................................... 32

II-5 Pulp mills........................................................................................................................................ 33

II-6 Processed wood fuel ....................................................................................................................... 34

II-7 Proposals for improvements of conversion factors ........................................................................ 34

Round wood ...................................................................................................................................... 34

Sawmills ............................................................................................................................................ 35

Panel industry .................................................................................................................................... 35

Pulp industry...................................................................................................................................... 35

Data knowledge ................................................................................................................................. 35

Annex III: The Potential of Albanian Forest Sector in the Production of Renewable Energy.......... 36

National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008 ____________________________________________ 1

1. Introduction

Wood is currently the major source for renewable energy in Europe. With increasing global prices for fossil fuels, concerns over security of energy supply and new commitments to reduce CO2 emissions, wood energy continues to increase in importance. Facing these challenges, and also the wood-processing industries’ increasing need for woody raw material, has led to an acute need for up-to-date, reliable statistical information on wood sources and uses, which is either not available, or weak in many countries.

The recently conducted Joint UNECE/FAO/IEA/EC Wood Energy Enquiry has started a process to collect improved information on sources and uses for wood energy on a comparable Europe-wide basis. This has permitted the creation of national and European-level wood balances (study on “wood resources availability and demands”). However, the analytical work following on from the study on wood availability and demands has also identified significant and persistent data gaps and inconsistencies which still need to be resolved.

Empirical research, such as household and industry surveys, is the main tool to gather basic data on wood sources, needed to close these gaps and improve data and statistics. Knowing the current sources (from forests and other sources) and uses of wood is the main basis for assessing the future potential for wood, which is crucial for planning and decision-making related not only to the forest-based sector as a whole but also for the renewable energy sector.

The proceedings of the workshop are divided into two parts: Part one presents the workshop’s conclusion and recommendations, part two is a summary of the presentations given at the workshop. Two background paper to the workshop are in the presented in the annex.

2 ____________________________________________ National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008

2. Workshop’s Conclusions and Recommendations

2nd April 2008

2.1 Conclusions

1. The political importance of the need for better information for assessing wood supplies and uses has been widely recognised1. In this context, a wood resource balance is a valuable tool to assess all different sources and uses of wood as part of comprehensive assessments of bio-energy and sustainable wood supply.

2. The study “Wood Resource Availability and Demands” represents significant progress in understanding these issues, using a wood resource balance approach, but is nearing the limits of what can be achieved with data presently available internationally. In some cases there are existing national studies or datasets which are yet to be exploited, however, there remain widespread weaknesses and gaps. Therefore, new empirical research, including surveys, is a crucial input needed to address these issues.

3. Where available, results of preliminary empirical research on wood use shows that in many countries there is more wood already used than previously reported. This is particularly true for wood for energy generation.

4. Results of preliminary empirical research on wood supply also indicate that more wood is already removed from the forest than previously recorded, e.g. that from legitimate but unrecorded harvests and sales, such as fuelwood for household use.

5. Furthermore, sources of wood supply other than forest removals, like woody biomass from outside the forest and post-consumer recovered wood, are relatively unknown but often play a crucial role in wood supply, including for material products such as wood-based panels and for energy use.

6. Forest inventories are the starting point for supply analysis. However, a distinction needs to be made between net annual increment and wood availability.

7. Throughout the forest-wood chain, conversion factors (material input/product output) are crucial for wood resource balances but they have wide ranges due to local circumstances and measurement conventions. Hence, international comparisons have to be approached carefully.

8. The exchange of wood-energy information and data requires a harmonisation of terminologies, definitions and units at national and international levels.

9. In most energy sector analyses, wood is included in biomass but often not identified separately. As a result, forest sector analysis is sometimes not properly taken into account by policy-makers.

10. In reaction to changes in natural resource, energy and environmental policies, the needs for statistics in the forest-wood chain are evolving rapidly. Thus, national statistical systems need to be enabled to adapt accordingly so as to be able to deliver timely, policy-relevant data as the basis for analyses. However, appropriate adaptation requires changes in mandates, structures, networks

1 e.g. in the 2007 resolutions of the Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe.


and resources. Such challenges need considerable time, knowledge and collaborative efforts to be effectively addressed.

11. Assessing future wood supply and demand requires a comprehensive framework such as the European Forest Sector Outlook Study.

2.2 Recommendations

1. Countries are encouraged to bring together all relevant interested and concerned parties to work together to make available and share relevant data and expertise on sources and uses of wood.

2. To obtain a comprehensive overview on the forest sector, countries are encouraged to develop wood resource balances, or similar comprehensive wood flow models, encompassing all different types of wood sources and uses.

3. In order to help develop and improve such wood resource balances, empirical research is essential, in particular on:

- logging residues, including tree stumps, - woody biomass outside the forest, - short-rotation plantations – as appropriate according to national forest definitions and

possible changes of land use, - wood-industry residues (in certain countries), - post-consumer recovered wood, - combined heat and power (CHP) plants,

- energy in private households.

4. Interested countries and organisations are invited to co-ordinate efforts for empirical research and to share the results. UNECE/FAO may assist this process.

5. Additional empirical research in this field cannot be done without new funding. This needs to be provided by governments, industry and other national, European and international stakeholders.

6. Appropriate changes in mandates, structures, networks and resources at national and supra-national levels need to be identified and enacted so as to enable official statistical systems to provide, on a regular basis: policy-relevant, reliable, objective and timely data necessary for wood resource balances or similar comprehensive wood-flow models.

7. Data for wood resource balances should be collected and analysis be carried out in close collaboration with the energy sector in such a way that the results be usable by all participants in the overall debate and work on renewable energy.

8. National and international co-operation on the harmonisation of terminologies, definitions and units is necessary to facilitate the exchange of wood-energy information and data such as for wood resource balances and similar comprehensive wood-flow models.

9. A task force should be set up to collect and validate national-level conversion factors for use in wood resource balances and outlook studies as well as to address conversion factors in the area of greenhouse gas exchanges. It should report back to the Joint FAO/UNECE Working Party on Forest Economics and Statistics session in 2009. Countries are encouraged to agree on and update a set of conversion factors (e.g. material input / product output) for forest-based industries and energy conversion as these become available.


10. Research assessing future demand for wood raw material and future wood supply should apply the framework and methodology of wood resource balances or similar comprehensive wood-flow models, to ensure the inclusion of all different sources and the consistency and comparability of the results.

11. UNECE and FAO should consider implementing and conducting a new forest sector outlook study which would provide a baseline scenario and a comprehensive framework for analysis.

12. The Task Force on Wood Availability and Demands should continue as a platform for discussion, and encourage and guide empirical research on recent wood supply and uses as well as their future potentials.

13. The workshop recommended the publication of Part I of the background document “Wood Resource Availability and Demands – national and regional wood resource balances 2005” as soon as possible (mid 2008), pending final adjustments of national data. Part II (Wood Resource Availability and Demands – future wood flows in the forestry and energy sector) should also be published after completion and review.


3. Summary of presentations2

3.1 Concept of the national wood resource balance - methodological introduction

Udo Mantau, University of Hamburg, Department of Wood Science

Since 1999 the Centre of Wood Science carried out studies for wood resources. In the beginning it was all about sites of the wood industry. Then the interest in energy uses of wood increased and the tasks were enlarged to resource monitoring. Finally all aspects should be joined together in one system and the wood resource balance was developed. Meanwhile almost the same questions have attained for all of Europe.

Wood balances have been made since the late fifties. The focus was an overview of all wooden products in one calculation system via round wood equivalents. The balance was used to determine consumption as a rest calculation of more or less available statistics. For policy reasons different supply rates were calculated (t.ex. to determine the dependence of imports). In the course of time special topics have been analysed (separate paper and wood balances, tropical wood balance etc.).

In a wood balance the most important statistical source is the import and export statistic. All wooden products like logs and pulpwood semi-finished products and finished products are calculated on the basis of round wood equivalents. Additionally recorded cuttings are included as well as available data on used paper and used wood. If data on stocks are available, they are included as well. Consumption is finally calculated as the balance gap. This is one of the main targets of a wood balance.

As said before different kind of balances can be calculated, depending on the targets. The focus has changed from end-use-products to resources. To judge the sustainability of the wood consumption, all woody biomass and uses (consumption) must be taken into consideration. Thus a tool is needed for calculating energy consumption. Furthermore, the connections between sectors like distribution channels and the resource mix of consumers become more important and are not covered by traditional statistics. Thus there is a need for empirical research and modified structure of the balance.

Round wood equivalents calculate the input of round wood for an end product. In a system of resources with cascade uses, this is problematic. For example to produce one m³ of sawmill by products, about three m³ of raw logs are needed. Obviously, this doesn’t make sense. Therefore in the system of “wood resource balances” solid cubic meter equivalents are used, which just calculate the amount of solid cubic meter wood that is transferred from one sector to another.

At this point it should be mentioned that specific balances, like one for primary forest wood can be calculated as well. The terms sources and uses are not that common. It may be problematic to use supply and demand, because the data quality is very heterogeneous. They stretch from official statistics via inquiries to expert estimates.

In rough, on the side of resources (supply) we have the sectors of industrial round wood and other forest (rest) wood and bark. Sawmill by products and other residues are a valuable proportion of the balance volume. In this rough overview post consumer wood, wood from other then forest land and black liquor is summarised. On the side of uses (consumption) we have material & energy uses. Because different calculation systems and partly poor data are brought together in this balance, both sides aren’t equal. The balancing adjustment is with 5% in this case relatively small.

The balance in this form includes „cascade uses“. Wood is a highly versatile material being used and reused in many different processes. The balance in this form presents the sum of all these processes.

2 See annex 1 for an overview of the presentations


For example industrial round wood enters a sawmill. From there sawmill by products shift back to the recourse side and delivers to panel industry, pulp industry, and wood fuel industry. Wood fuel industry produces another resource like pellets, which are booked on the resource side and from there pellets are delivered to „power and heat” and „households“. Finally the panel industry produces black liquor and this resource is used for internal industrial energy generation. The overall cascade factor of the sawmill industry is in this calculation example 1.54.

„Wood balances“ and „wood resource balances“ are not contradictory to a methodological point of view. The latter fills some important gaps of actual resource issues. On the other hand end–consumer aspects can be included as well t. ex. to develop carbon sequestration models.

For each resource sector of the balance a flowchart to all consuming sectors is calculated. Therefore it is a bottom up calculation. All material and energetic consumption sectors are filled first. If possible this is done by available statistics, additional inquiries or if both isn‘t possible by expert estimates. The data quality is documented in a accompanying report. The sum of all consumption sectors represents the domestic availability of a resource. It is not identical with the use to forest wood since it can come from imports or leaves the system by exports and storage may have some influence as well. Foreign trade is documented in general statistically well. If one knows nothing about storage changes, the sector remains „zero“. In the case of Germany the result of all calculations is a domestic yield of forest products of 73.2 M m³ for the year 2005. Compared with the registered cutting of 56.9 of M m³, another 16.2 M m³ or 22.2% have been additionally cut. In the time between 1987 and 2005 it was just 14.4% of all forest wood uses.

Figure 1: Flowchart of forest woody biomass in Germany 2005

Comment: DY = DA – Im + Ex + ΔCiS; CNR = DY - ORC

This effect appears in other sectors as well. E.g. normally post consumer wood is calculated via an inquiry in the disposal system. But post consumer wood is burned in private households or companies buy directly post consumer wood (not contaminated) from other sources (import, industry).

As each resource sector has its typical distribution channels, each consumption sector has its assortment mix. Households do not just burn fuel wood. It is fuel wood from forests, from private gardens or from wood outside forests. Such studies are not available for each year or are not

Energy plants > 1MW0.840 1.2%Energy plants > 1MW

0.840 1.2%

Energy plants < 1MW3.463 4.9%Energy plants < 1MW

3.463 4.9%

households14.214 20.3%

households14.214 20.3%

Officially registered cuttings (ORC)56.946 77.8%

Domestic yield (DY)73.204 100.0%

Cuttings not registered (CNR)16.258 22.2%

Change in Stock (CiS)-0.036 0.0%

Import (Im)2.820 3.9%

Export (Ex)6.070 8.3%

Domestic availability (DA)69.990 100.0%







Change in Stock (CiS)-0.036 0.0%Change in Stock (CiS)

-0.036 0.0%Import (Im)

2.820 3.9%Import (Im)

2.820 3.9%Export (Ex)

6.070 8.3%Export (Ex)

6.070 8.3%

Domestic availability (DA)69.990 100.0%Domestic availability (DA)69.990 100.0%

Pulp industry6.184 8.8%

Panel industry7.470 10.7%

Sawmill industry37.234 53.2%

Other material uses *)0.585 0.8%







Other material uses *)0.585 0.8%Other material uses *)

0.585 0.8%Other energy uses

0.000 0.0%Other energy uses

0.000 0.0%


consistent. Thus, there are no time series. The alternative is to stop analyse at this point or find solutions with lower quality but still some information value.

Three household studies (1987, 2002, 2005) have been carried out in Germany. The first two have shown, that not really very much changed in household’s fuel wood consumption. We just assumed a linear yearly increment, calculated on the basis of the difference between the studies. The study in 2005 has shown a huge increase, because of oil price increase. It is always more problematic to model the data when circumstances changes like between 2000 and 2005. Between the need for relevant data and the methodical exactness of the data one cannot really solve the conflict of goals. The transparency of the assumptions is therefore a methodological acceptable way to fill the data gaps.

More studies in other countries will lead to better understanding of the developments and thereby may lead to improve the quality of these estimates. In Germany time series have been calculated back to 1987 because this was the year of the first German inventory and data should be compared with the second inventory in 2002. One of the advantages of time series of all resource and use sectors is a better understanding of wood availability and sustainability which is important for the energy use of wood.

The wood resource balance can lead to a monitoring system of carbon sequestration on the basis of actual statistics. By adding the end-use sector and statistics from the disposal sector it is possible to calculate the amount of wood which is stored in use and how much is used for energy or still is disposed. For Germany in 2002 57.2% of all wooden products were stored in use which added up to 4.5 M t of Carbon (4.5 x 3.67 = 16.5 M CO2). Construction and furniture have with two third a much higher storage potential then packaging with one fifth. However, it is a long way from the actual statistical situation in Europe until valuable calculations of this kind.

If it is true, that we are in a millennium cycle of scarce raw materials and too high carbon dioxide values it is worthwhile to start with all we have. The complexity and dynamics of markets will always be accompanied by data gaps, but the more we know of the unknown, the better we can guess.

3.2 Presentation of the study on "wood resource availability and supply", new data, lessons learned and identification of data gaps and weaknesses

Florian Steierer, University of Hamburg,

Sebastian Hetsch, UNECE/FAO Timber Section

Having always been one use of wood raw material, energy did not play a major economic role in the last decades; material use of wood (for paper and wood products) had been the dominating use in most countries of the UNECE region3. Since the late 1990s, wood energy came back in the focus of society and policy-makers as a renewable energy source to tackle issues of secure energy supply and climate change. In particular the European Union and her Member States have set policy targets for renewable energy (12% by 2010 and 20% by 2020). Since wood energy is currently the major source for renewable energy, these targets are also of high relevance for the forest sector.

This presenttaion is divided in two parts. Part I aims at giving a comprehensive picture of current (2005) sources of wood supply and wood uses. Part II aims at providing first information on future wood demand for energy, and first input to a discussion on future wood availability.

Part I assesses in depth current wood supply and consumption in 29 EU/EFTA countries in 2005, using the structure of the "wood resource balance" developed by Mantau (2004, 2005, 2006). This 3 North America, pan-Europe, Russia and Central Asia


methodology calculates independently the wood supply and use of wood fibres, it considers national import and export patterns as well as use and re-use of wood fibres for material and energy purposes.

At EU/EFTA level, the results of the study show a lower wood supply (775 million m3), than wood consumption (822 million m3). This difference comes unevenly forward at countries’ level, and in some cases calculated wood supply is higher than the figure for wood use. The imbalance of 47 million m3 is probably due to by weak and missing data on both sides of the balance (e.g. data on woody biomass supply from outside the forest, supply of post consumer recovered wood, use of logging residues). The study rates data on wood use for energy in private households particularly weak in many countries. Hence the study can not conclude neither on the quality (supply deficit v.s. unknown use), nor size of the difference of balance sheets totals - This can only be done by detailed empiric research at country level.4

Despite some data weaknesses, results of the first part are considered as best information available. They provide a solid basis for the assessment in the second part. National correspondents confirmed in a vital review process (response rate: 60%) data to be in the right order of magnitude. Only 6 out of 21 responses proposed changes, totalling to increasing supply by 17.6 million m³ (+2%) and increasing use by 10 million m³ (+1%).

Results of the 2005 wood resource balance indicate that 68% of the EU/EFTA wood fibres supply comes directly from forests, 3% of the woody biomass derives from outside the forest, 24% from co-products of the forest based industries (including chips, particles and black liquor), 4% from post consumer recovered wood and 1% from processed wood fuels (such as pellets and briquettes). With 58% material use dominates the energy use of wood fibres (42%) on the wood use.

In part II, national and EU policy targets for renewable energy (and if available for bioenergy and wood energy) are gathered and simple, transparent scenarios are build to “translate” these policy targets into volumes of wood possibly required to meet the targets. Furthermore, the study calculates wood consumption by the wood-based industries5 for 2010 and 2020, based on the European Forest Sector Outlook Study (UNECE 2005).

The wood requirements from EFSOS and the policy targets are then added up, to estimate wood requirements in 2010 and 2020 of both, the energy and wood-based industries. The combined wood requirements shows a difference to the EFSOS wood supply forecast of 134 million m3 wood in 2010 and 237 / 436 million m3 wood in 2020 (75% scenario and "business as usual" scenario). Since these calculations are based on two different scenarios and methods, not interacting with each other, the figures cannot be taken as forecasts for future wood supply, but rather identify an order of magnitude. The results should be an input and first step for discussion on future wood demand both for the forest based industry and energy, as well as for future work on wood availability and potential wood supply.

The study shows that there is a need to analyse future potential wood supply, focussing not only on wood supply from forest, but also on other sources like woody biomass outside the forest, post-consumer recovered wood and supply of co-products from the wood processing industries. In order to adequately determine future wood demand an outlook study for the forest sector is needed, taking current developments in the energy sector into account. This knowledge is crucial for policy decision on the future role of wood as raw material for the wood-processing industry and energy generation.

4 Experiences from international (Joint Wood Energy Enquiry) and national level (e.g. household surveys in

Germany, France, Norway) have also shown, volumes of wood used by the forest-based industries and in particular for energy generation are sometimes much higher than published in national and international statistics. Therefore empirical research is needed to gain a better picture of the actual situation of wood supply and demand, as well as the current contribution of wood to energy supply.

5 Wood-based panels, sawmilling and pulp & paper industries


3.3 Empirical research to fill data gaps

Udo Mantau, University of Hamburg, Department of Wood Science

Holger Weimar, von Thünen Institut, (vTI), Institute of Forest Based Sector Economics

The first part of the presentation (Udo Mantau) deals with the framework of empirical research. For this purpose, the following aspects have to be paid certain attention:

identification of sectors

data collection of new markets

market structures

Any analysis of new markets starts with an adequate segmentation of sectors. This depends very much on data availability, legal framework and analysis conditions. In the European wood resource balance the energy sector was segmented in

European balance actual German balance future balance

wood fuel industry

power and heating plants

internal industrial uses

private households

power and heat > 1 MW

power and heat < 1 MW

private households

large power and heat plants

small power and heat plants

private households

wood fuel industry

bio fuel industry

Because of the different market structures, different survey methods must be applied. E.g. in pulp industry plants (23 entities in DE in 2005) definitely all should be analyzed. Large power and heating plants (> 1 MW; 481 entities in DE in 2004) almost all could be identified by capacity. Small power and heating plants (> 1 MW; 43.179 in DE in 2006) cannot be identified one by one. Literature analysis and special statistics of chimney sweepers and subsidy statistics may lead to the overall number of plants and their capacity can lead to

Different market structures lead to different approaches. The pulp industry with some plants (DE: 23 in 2006) should definitely be 100% identified by site. Large power and heating plants (> 1 MW; DE: 481 in 2004) would be worthwhile to identify „90% +“ by site. Small power and heating plants (< 1 MW; DE: 43.179 in 2006) could only be identified with small sample inquiries combined with energy statistics. Private households (DE: 35.668.000 in 2005) could only be identified with large sample inquiries combined with household statistics.

The process of identification of the parent population is often characterized by multiple level surveys. In our first sawmill inquiry we collected 8.000 addresses from 5 different sources. We deleted 3.000 doubles but in the doubtful cases two similar addresses remained in the data set because we targeted for completeness. In this stage the ONLY objective is to get them all. Everything else then existence and capacity should be asked later in sample questionnaires, because the smaller the questionnaire, the better the return rate. In two written interviews 2.000 addresses could be identified. In a test sample of 300 telephone interviews we noticed that a large potential is still in the remaining addresses. Further 2.700 telephone interviews carried out with an average of five calls per a successful identification.

After the determination of the parent population we developed a very creative questionnaire with all topics of interest. Ten per cent return rate was sufficed, to identify the share of assortments and the distribution of the sawmill by-products. In such a sample questionnaire technical coefficients like proportions of sawdust and chips by sawmill size are questioned. Results could as well be projected on the parent population.

10 ___________________________________________ National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008

The second part of the presentation (Holger Weimar) deals with the execution of empirical research in data gaps. For this purpose, the following aspects have to be paid certain attention:

definition of the sector

understanding of the material flows

address research

development of the questionnaire

dealing with the data

In order to define the unknown sector the first step of the definition of the sector will be to gather all available informational sources. Despite other relevant information, especially in the energy sector the legal framework can help to define and structure the unknown sector. E. g. in Germany the federal emission control act can be used for a further differentiation of the heterogeneous energy sector.

For a proper outlining of the research concept an understanding of the material flows within a sector is crucial. The basic structure of the flow can be described like this: a supplier delivers raw material by himself or a trader/carrier to a plant or production site. To investigate sufficiently the material utilization of combines power and heating (CPH-) plants one has to questionnaire the facilities for their consumption of wood. If the material flows aren’t straight lined like this the flows have to be analysed more detailed and translated to an appropriate questionnaire.

Additionally to the questionnaire the address stock is fundamental for empirical research. Therefore address research is required. To survey CPH-plants or the disposal industry, one has to collect addresses of the business units. If no fundamental data of the unknown sector, e. g. number of units or total amount of used material, is available, coverage of 100% should be aimed. It will take a great afford to identify all addresses of the parent population. However this is necessary to avoid substantial misleading in the interpretation of the collected data. It is crucial to reduce undercoverage or nonresponse. To be able to make assumptions on the non-responding units a mixed mode survey and its differentiated response data is useful to optimize the calculation of the parent population.

National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008 ___________________________________________ 11

3.4 Empirical research on wood use for energy: experience in Italy.

Stefano Caserini, ARPA Lombardia, Air and Physical Agents sector, Modelling Unit

Marina Vitullo, APAT, Monitoring and Prevention of Atmospheric Impacts Unit

A survey was carried out in 2006 in order to assess the importance of domestic wood use in Italy and its patterns of consumption, as wood combustion has been identified in the Italian emission inventory as an important source of primary PM10 emissions. The survey was finalised also to provide information on the types of wood-burning appliances in use throughout the country, the most diffused procedures of wood supplying and storage, the reasons for wood use and the propensity towards other systems and fuels.

The survey has been carried out combining two methods: part of the sample has been contacted by phone with the CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) technique while other families were part of the TELEPANEL, a representative panel of the Italian population (individuals and households, distributed across over 700 municipalities) connected to the data center via personal computer. A questionnaire of about 40 questions was elaborated to collect information concerning amount and methods of wood consumption for domestic heating during the 2005/2006 winter.

From the statistical analysis of collected data, a regular wood use was assessed for 20% of the Italian families, with a national average annual consumption of about 20 million tons, equal to an average consumption per family using wood of 4.3 tons.

These results confirm that domestic wood use is widespread all over the country, is prevalent in small centres and in independent housing typologies.

Statistical analysis of data collected from 5,000 families in any case has provided a better knowledge of Italian wood consumption for domestic heating: results of the present research are comparable with previous surveys, and provide also useful details on used types of combustion installations and regional split of wood use.

The main problem of the CATI methodology is that a person could under or overestimate his own wood consumption; a data control is thus needed: outliers and inconsistent wood consumptions have been corrected with average values by layer. For 1/3 of the sample, that doesn’t give information on the amount of wood used, consumption has been estimated by an average value per heated surface unit or by the number of working hours of the appliance.

Although this research gives an estimation of wood use for domestic heating throughout the Italian territory the detail obtained is not the same for all regions (wood consumption by appliance): sample was grouped by 8 macro regions, consequently regional emissions can be over or underestimated.

This study, even if set with different objectives, evidences great discrepancies between fuel-wood consumption and the amounts of production (removals) and imports. This gap, already known by the specialists in the field, makes it urgent the launch of new “ad hoc” surveys and the revision of current statistics.

The importance of the quantification of wood use in the domestic sector is of great importance also for atmospheric emission inventory. Information on the use of different appliances is essential, as PM and toxic emissions are directly linked to combustion technologies and are higher for old stoves and fireplaces.

This research confirms that traditional wood systems (open fireplace, traditional stove) are widespread on the national territory as they represent more than 70% of the total, but trend in sales of innovative devices is growing.


Despite CO2 savings due to the photosynthetic origin of wood (about 2% of CO2 emissions) these advantages are far lower than the PM, VOC and PAH emission increase due to the use of wood in combustions (about 30% of PM10 emissions). On the other hand innovative devices could lower PM and toxic emissions if older appliances are changed out.

3.5 Improving Data on Wood Used by the Industry in Spain6

The Forestry Statistics Section is part of the Biodiversity Data Bank, included in the Biodiversity State Office, which is integrated in the environmental Ministry of Environment. As a result from the last elections in March, there might be some changes of the Official Names in the next months.

1. The Spanish Forestry Statistical System compiles information from six main sources:

2. The National Forest Inventory and the National Forest Map.

3. The International Trade Agency where the imports and exports are collected.

4. The National Statistics Institute, whose census and surveys are an essential support to the forestry statistics.

5. The National Industrial Federations and Associations, which provide with annual information, mainly wood consumption and production.

6. The Spanish Forest based Industries Register, as a basis for a yearly survey to support the industrial wood consumption and production data (project in progress).

7. The 17 Autonomous Communities have all the forestry competences but, as it is established in the National Forestry Law, they have to provide to the Data Bank with their annual data. Then, the information is included in a national data base and, as a result, national statistics are generated in the fields of removals and woodfuel, hunting and fishing, reforestation, non wood forest products, seed and plant production and forest management.

Focusing on the Industrial Roundwood, data are contrasted by two different information sources. The Annual Wood consumption per industry type is compared to the removals and their destinations. On the other side, the industrial production can be obtained by both, the Industry and the Industrial Production Survey from the National Statistics Institute (INE).

We are also working with the INE (www.ine.es) to improve the Forestry Sector surveys and statistics. The work involves two main lines:

• The Spanish forest-based Industries Register, which will improve the census for the surveys and samplings.

• Review of the Spanish Classification System involving the forest-based activities, products and occupations. It is a way to improve the data gathering as well as the analysis and its results, as the national classification system used does not deepen with the enough detail level needed for accurate forestry sector statistics.

The Industry is the other main information source in the Industrial Wood Statistics. There is a fluid relationship with the Panel Industry (www.anfta.es) and Pulp and Paper one (www.aspapel.es). They provide us with good quality information on wood consumption and production. In the case of panels, data cannot be contrasted with the National Industrial Production Survey as a different classification system is used in each case. This is not the case of paper and pulp where both information sources offer the same information in a similar way.

6 More info: www.mma.es/portal/secciones/biodiversidad/montes_politica_forestal/estadisticas_forestal/


The Plywood Industry is mainly focused in one big company, providing good quality data about production and wood consumption.

Our main weakness is the Sawmill Industry. There is not a Federation or Association at a national level. Moreover, most of sawmills are not interviewed in the National Industrial Production Survey as this just includes the industries with more than ten employees, and sawmills in Spain are normally smaller than that.

3.6 Improving data on wood used by the industry in Spain: the example of Galicia

Juan Picos Martín, Managing Director Monte Industria

Galicia is a Spanish Autonomous region, is located on the western front of Europe in the NW corner of the Iberian Peninsula. In past times there was an abundance of forests, but from the 17th century onwards the felling of the forests was devastating due to agriculture, grazing and shipbuilding. In the beginning of the XIX century only 4% of the land was forest. From that moment there has been a continuous growing of dense forest areas, associated with agricultural crisis and the important investments made mainly by private forest owners. Galician forest stands are nowadays composed by Pinus pinaster, Pinus radiata, Eucalyptus globulus, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus robur and Quercus pyrenaica. Though the first four species stands cover less than 65% of the forest land they produce more than 97% of the annual harvest, due to their high productivity (12-30 m3/ha/yr in Eucalyptus and 5-15 m3/ha/yr in Pine).

In Galicia 97% of the forest land is private (individual or collective) the other 3% is public (owned by a municipality, the region or the state). Non industrial private individual forestry represents almost two-thirds of the forest land, occupying the most productive land with a high share of wooded-land. Some recent calculations highlighted that there are 672.000 forest owners with an average of less than 2 hectares in 2 or 3 plots, being 80% of the plots are smaller than 0.5 ha. In Galicia there is a kind of private collective ownership called “Montes Vecinales en Mano Común” (MVMC) that occupies another third of the forest land (more than 600.000 ha).

Galician forests due to its productivity are nowadays providing an important raw material to forest based industries. The timber industry is represented by large companies of wood based panels and pulp present in international markets, as well as a sawmilling sector consisting in a large number of familiar enterprises. There are also several Furniture Manufacturers and Carpentry SME´s. Combined Gross Annual turnover for the Galician Wood Chain 2007 was 2.400 M€. Almost 50-55% of the Spanish roundwood production is harvested in Galicia. In Galicia is manufactured 33% of the Spanish wood based panels, 40% of the Spanish sawnwood and 30% of Spanish pulp.

In 2003 FEARMAGA (Galician Forest harvesting contractors and Sawmills Federation) and MONTE-INDUSTRIA (Galician Panel and Pulp Manufacturers) started an Statistic Workgroup in order to record and publish main Forest Value Chain figures, balances and Indicators. In 2006 CMA (Galician Wood Cluster that includes also Furniture and Carpentry Companies) joined this Workgroup. The main outcomes from this initiative has been the Annual Reports published since 2004 and other statistical Information (sawmill census, bioenergy use, consumption of timber affected by 2006 wildfires, etc). This works have been recently found as a promising source by Regional and National Authorities.

The methodology of the Annual Report includes Direct Survey o all the Pulp and Panel Company of the region, and a Sample of Sawmills as well as the Pulp and Panel factories that despite being out of Galicia have a significant Galician timber consumption. Thus between 65% and 75% of the timber


consumptions is recorded. Also Input-Output Tables, Economic and Industrial Indicators and Conversion Factors are adjusted and used in the process.

The complexity of the Extended Forest Value Chain (that should include for example energy use of forest biomass, uses in farms and households and other industrial uses out the traditional Wood Based Industries) is now starting to be considered in order to obtain the full Wood Balance.

The lessons learned of these years of work are

• Paradigm has changed: Industry is willing to be Active.

• Classifications, terms and units must be those used in the market. Consumptions and productions out of the main value chain have to be taken carefully into account.

• It is very important to offer companies reliable information for their decision making. Also it is very important to guarantee a Personal, Consistent and Confidential environment to record their information.

• Information on forest areas must be improved and must be updated more frequently. Wood balances need also to include not only harvests but reliable information on trends in commercial forest area, commercial forest stock and commercial forest growth.

3.7 EFORWOOD: a European project on Sustainability Impact Assessment of the forestry-wood chain

Gero Becker, University of Freiburg, Germany


3.8 Data collection for post-consumer wood in the Netherlands

Nico A. Leek, Probos Foundation, The Netherlands

Probos started already in 1990 to make inventories on post-consumer wood and industrial wood residues for the ministry of Environment. Later on this was repeated with an interval of three years. Our last inventory was part of the EU project “BioXchange” with data for 2003.

A definition is presented for post-consumer wood and the Dutch classification in A-, B- and C-quality wood is described. The outline for the Dutch market structure for post-consumer wood is explained: primary disposers, collecting companies, sorting, processing and trading companies and finally the end-users.

Three methods for data collection of post-consumer wood are presented:

A. Estimation of the quantities of post-consumer wood by the different primary disposer groups;

B. Inquiry with questionnaires in the waste industry;

C. Monitoring the input of different biomass products in the renewable energy production facilities.

For reliable market information a combination of A and B is preferred. The monitoring of the share of renewables in the total energy consumption is done by the Dutch Statistical Office since 1990. On the short run improved monitoring will result in better information on the input of A-, B- and C-quality wood for renewable energy production (both private and industrial).

In 2003 1,250 kton of post-consumer wood was available on the Dutch market of which 970 kton was exported mainly to the energy industry in Germany and to the particleboard industry in Europe. Consumption in the Netherlands was mainly the use of A-wood in the wood product industry (pressed wood pallets, wood pellets and briquettes and wood composites).

To deliver reliable market information on post-consumer wood you need to know the market structure in your country. Besides you have to realize there could be an overlap between post-consumer wood and wood residues from the woodworking industry. The best way to get the best information is to send questionnaires to the (most important) companies in the post-consumer wood chain and add as much available information as possible, preferable statistical information.


3.9 Monitoring the wood supply in Finland - wood removals from forests

Martti Aarne and Aarre Peltola, Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) / Forest Statistics Information Service

In Finland, the Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) compiles and publishes official forest statistics. The emphasis is on statistics concerning (i) roundwood purchases and prices, and (ii) removals and fellings (drain). When comparing total fellings, based on forest statistics, with the increment of the growing stock (National Forest Inventory, NFI), conclusions can be drawn regarding the forest balance. The annual increment in Finnish forests currently amounts to 98.5 mill. m³ overbark7, whereas fellings have remained between 65 and 70 mill. m³ o.b. during the last 10-year period. Consequently, Finland's wood resources are not a restricting factor as regards the increased use of domestic wood or increased wood supply.

Total fellings can be sub-divided into five categories as follows: (i) removals of commercial industrial roundwood, (ii) removals of non-commercial industrial roundwood, (iii) wood consumption in small-sized dwellings, (iv) logging residues, and (v) natural drain. As commercial industrial roundwood alone accounts for 80% of total fellings, from the statistical quality viewpoint, detailed and regular monitoring of volumes is necessary in this group.

Commercial industrial roundwood (51 mill. m³) is the term used for wood destined for industrial use or for exports, thus excluding household use and fuelwood. Statistics on commercial roundwood removals are based on Metla's own enquiries. Metla collects data directly from roundwood buyers applying stratified sampling (three strata) in which the sample size is 45 buyers for monthly statistics (preliminary, whole country) and 130 buyers for annual statistics (final, 13 regions). The Finnish Forest and Park Service (Metsähallitus) provides the data for state-owned forests. In fact, the method applied is close to a total survey, as the Finnish roundwood markets are fairly concentrated. For instance, in 2007, the share of the ten largest roundwood buyers was as high as 88% of the total removals in non-industrial, private forests. As Metla receives the removal volumes from the 30 largest companies, sampling is applied to only 4% of estimated total volume, resulting in marginal standard errors.

Non-commercial industrial roundwood (1 mill. m³) refers to wood used by small sawmills, i.e. roundwood for contract sawing or sawing for household use. The figures are based on specific studies on small sawmills, carried out by Metla, at approximately 10-year intervals. The latest survey refers to 1998, so the current figures, although marginal, need to be updated. Wood consumption in small-sized dwellings (6 mill. m³) is expected to change at a slow rate; therefore also in this category specific studies have taken place at approximately 10-year intervals. However, a new Metla survey is currently underway with the aim of producing new estimates in early-2009. Stratified sampling is used and further information will be sought via a mailed enquiry from 7400 dwellings. The four strata applied are as follows: (i) detached houses, (ii) farms, (iii) summer cottages, and (iv) other dwellings.

Logging residues (6 mill. m³) may constitute the main source of error in Finnish felling statistics, as the basic study in this area originates from the 1970s. Residues include stem wastewood resulting from logging and silvicultural operations, and they amount to approximately 10% of total roundwood removals. Natural drain (3 mill. m³) refers to mortality of trees. The figures are based on permanent sample plot data of the NFI (3000 sample plots measured in 1985, 1990 and 1995).

To sum up the issue of roundwood supply from Finnish forests, it is worth noting that Metla has a tradition of long standing and historical reasons for asking removal figures directly from roundwood

7 All volumes are presented in cu.m. including bark (bark-%: approx. 12).


buyers. Fostering an open and transparent statistical culture, it has always been easy for Metla to engage in discussions with forest industry companies and branch organisations, and to jointly agree on the kind of statistical information that will be made publicly available. Removal data, as well as roundwood prices, are among the top priorities and, in fact, a pre-requisite to well-functioning roundwood markets.

3.10 Empirical research on wood flows in Poland - summary

Ewa Ratajczak, Wood Technology Institute, Poznan, Poland

Due to Poland’s obligation to increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy balance as well as thanks to good economic conditions recent years have shown a shortage of roundwood on the market. This leads to an extreme increase in the significance of knowledge about actual supply of wood from various sources and in different forms.

In Poland there are big discrepancies between info on: WOOD SUPPLY (relatively better information in some cases, e.g. roundwood P, I, X) and USE (worse situation – no data available; excl. use of wood in panels and pulp industries). Main sources: Polish Central Statistical Office, General Directorate of State Forests National Forest Holding, chambers/association of wood products producers. Most available and reliable data: only in the case of roundwood (supply), whereas there is lack of information on: felling remnants, biomass outside the forests, wood waste, wood supply for energy, use of wood (material and energy production).

Main empirical research concerning wood flows in Poland carried out in recent years:

1) Forecast of the demand for wood raw material till 2013 in Poland regarding its main consumption types (2007, prepared by ITD in co-operation with the Forestry Research Institute for General Directorate of the State Forests),

2) Model indices of use of wood materials at various stages of processing and application areas (run by the ITD Poznan 2004-2006, financed by the Ministry of Science),

3) Market in industrial wood waste from the Polish wood industry (2002-2003 study carried on by ITD for Ekofundusz; 2007 - analysis of sawmilling wood waste prepared by ITD for the German panels producer),

4) Used wood in Poland (2002-2003, scientific project run by ITD, financed by the Ministry of Science).

Wood flows analysis - traditional approach

SUPPLY: roundwood removals by assortments (State Forests), roundwood import/export (Central Statistical Office - GUS), industrial wood waste (a derivative of wood consumption and material productivity in wood industries (ITD estimation)

USE: wood materials production (sawnwood, panels, pulp, other), amount of wood use in certain type of production (data from companies and/or raw material structure of wood materials - wood „from the forest”, industrial wood waste - and average indices of raw material/material productivity; disregarding energy purposes needs or only general estimation.

Empirical research on wood use – there was created a system of wood material consumption models which refer to the concept of inputs/outputs in industry branches (a set of net material intensity indices determined for close to 200 specified wood products and for the production conditions in Poland). The indices take into consideration: material properties, raw material structure in finished products, and suitability of materials for different applications. Main results: (2004) use of 17 Mm3 of wood materials in the production of final wood products (11 Mm3 of solid materials and 6 Mm3 of wood


based materials). The biggest user of wood materials: construction industry (5–6 Mm3), households (2 Mm3), commerce (and stock management - 1 Mm3). No wood for energy production was analysed.

Empirical research on industrial wood waste - thus far there is no complete and clear national wood waste record system in Poland. Also neither producer chambers nor associations carry out such analyses. Therefore there is no possibility of taking simple inventory of wood waste. The only possible methodological solution/approach is to employ the index method. Main sources of information: direct survey in companies, data of the GUS (concerning amount of business entities, material productivity indices, removals etc.), knowledge possessed by experts in wood processing and material management.

Main results (2002): supply 7.5 Mm3 (solid 4.6 Mm3); main sources: sawmilling incl. 82%, panels - 10%, furniture - 6%; use of wood as material - 3.6 Mm3 and as source of energy (internal and external) - 3.7 Mm3.

Empirical research on recovered wood - based on the concept of product life-cycle, the research centred on developing a system of rotation indices for individual wood products, and indices for their average life times, and using that information to define the amounts of waste produced. The analysis encompassed products made of solid wood and wood-based panels.

Main results (2002) - the potential supply of used wood waste - 2.9 M tons (75-80 kg per capita), what means 5.3 Mm3 of used wood, about 85% of it - solid wood. Origin of used wood: construction (54%),

households (24%), and commerce (12%). The main potential source of used wood by products: used furniture (19%), wooden buildings (18%), doors and windows (13%), and packaging (12%).

The characteristics of waste wood (the form of the wood, content levels of non-wood materials, including toxic materials, susceptibility to separation etc.) led to the qualification of approx. 37% of the waste wood produced in Poland as suitable for industrial use (on average, to 1.8 Mm3 of wood annually). The remaining used wood should only be used for energy production. The amount of used wood produced in Poland each year equals about 20% of harvested timber.

Wood for energy – Despite the rising interest in the issue of biomass for energy production in the last years, there is lack of comprehensive and reliable information on its supply and use. The only way solve the problem is estimation on the basis of different fragmented information.

In Poland production of energy from renewable sources accounts for 5.4% of the energy production altogether and for 4.6% of consumption (2005); according the Treaty of Accession to the EU by 2010 it should be 7.5%. Energy from biomass accounts for almost 92% (3.9 M toes - tonne of oil equivalent) of the production of renewable energy. Most of this energy comes from wood. Acc. to different information potential supply of wood for energy varies from 4.4 Mm3 (part of fuelwood, industrial wood waste) to 7.6 Mm3 (additionally: wood from fast-growing trees, from trees outside the forest, used wood etc.).

New initiative in relation to the comprehensive wood flows analysis - 2008 action taken in order to find in-country financing of a research project called „Wood resources in Poland and their production and energy use – diagnosis and forecast”. The planned scope of the project will cover all sources of wood supply (forests, outside forests, industrial wood waste from primary and secondary wood processing, used/recovered wood, pulp production co-products, wood fuel products).


3.11 Roundwood flow analysis and roundwood balances for Slovenia

Mitja Piškur, MSc, Nike Krajnc, PhD, Slovenian Forestry Institute, Večna pot 2, 1000 Ljubljana

Strategic planning of development in the sphere of woodworking industry requires, as a basis, certain knowledge on material flows in wood production. Some data and findings, however, have shown that these parameters have been poorly researched in Slovenia.

Owing to the very specific conditions, a model of wood flows based on material flux analysis (MFA) was made in our country, whose basic modules are as follows: the model's objectives, the boundaries of the system, definition of the model's elements, functional unit, selection of the basic study year, definition of the flows and uses, identification of the sources and users, calculation of wood balance and data quality evaluation. On the basis of this model, official roundwood balance, modelled roundwood balance and wood waste balance in Slovenia were made. At the same time, the quality and relevance of the existing data sources were evaluated.

The presented analysis of wood flows encloses merely an analysis of the sources and utilization of roundwood from the forests to the primary processing, where import and export are taken into account. The flows of wood wastes are analysed separately. The missing link for an integral analysis of wood flow in Slovenia is analysis of wood utilization in the production of wood products and semi-products, their further use, and analysis of the formation of wood wastes per separate phase.

An important part in the analysis of roundwood flow is the analysis of structure and the quantities removed. In the first instance, the official net removals were analysed, whereas in the second instance we derived from the registered roundwood utilization in Slovenia and suitably increased the removals in privately owned forests. In state-owned forests, the removals were not changed.

On the basis of our model, we have estimated that a total of 1,410,000 m3 sawlogs were sawn in Slovenia in 2004, 1,100,000 m3 of which were coniferous and 310,000 m3 non-coniferous. In 2004, the pulp and roundwood production was the second biggest wood user. Roundwood utilization in the production of fibres oscillated around 500,000 m3 between 2000 and 2005. The third biggest industrial roundwood user was the production of particleboard and fibreboard with annual consumption of 200,000 m3, primarily deciduous trees. Utilization of other industrial wood is decreasing.

We have estimated that 930,000 m3 of roundwood equivalents (without branches under 7 cm in diameter) from removals from forests are used per year for household heating purposes. In 2004, 90,000 households had their own fuelwood production. At least 450,000 roundwood equivalents for wood fuel from forests enter the market each year. Up to 220,000 m3 of logwood and other industrial wood are utilized annually by households themselves. Use of roundwood directly from forests is negligible in larger energy systems.

In 2004, the roundwood balance made on the basis of official net removals shows a deficit of 536,000 m3 of roundwood (net). The greatest deficit occurred in wood for heating purposes to the amount of 270.000 m3, and in sawlogs and veneer logs to the amount of 185,000 m3. Model balance is positive owing to the 37% increase in net removals in privately owned forests.

An important result of the research is also our analysis of the accessibility, employability and quality of various data sources. Our conclusion is that the majority of data sources are applicable only conditionally due to their quality and that certain methodological improvements are needed.

Forests are the most important sink of CO2 with five CO2 pools. According to our estimation the accumulation in above- and underground wood biomass in Slovenian forests is more than 410 M t CO2. Accumulation of CO2 in growing stock (difference between annual increment and felling) was in the year 2004 between 6.4 and 5.5 M t CO2.


A good overview of wood flows associated with the quantitative extent of separate uses of wood is an excellent tool for strategic decision making at the sectoral, local, regional and national levels. The created model enables use in several spheres: an overview of CO2 flows, evaluation of the illegal removals extent and roundwood assorting, overview of value flows in woodworking chain, and an analysis of the significance of import and export from the aspect of separate wood utilizations.

3.12 Drawing the bigger picture - Wood flow model in Austria

Dietmar Hagauer, Austrian Energy Agency


3.13 Woodfuel Balances

Miguel Angel Trossero. Wood Energy, Forest Products and Industry Division, Forestry Department, FAO. Rome, Italy.

The experience shows that the production and consumption patterns of woodfuel and its associated interrelations with other forest products (timber) and services are site and situation specific. In most cases, the analysis of woodfuel situations at local, regional and national level are carried out based on broad generalizations which often lead to misleading conclusions, poor planning and ineffective policies and programmes.

This paper provides an overview of the methodological approach followed by FAO for the analysis of woodfuel balances. The methodology called “Woodfuel Integrated Supply / Demand Overview Mapping” (WISDOM) is a geographical representation of woodfuel production and consumption areas using a GIS platform. The methodology has been already applied in several countries. This presentation provides a brief description of the example of WISDOM application in the case of Slovenia.

The experience has shown that the methodology is a good tool for understanding for the woodfuel flow analysis, for evaluating the wood energy role in the forestry and energy sectors and for formulating sound wood energy and forestry programmes and strategies.

However, the institutional capabilities of Forestry Services and Energy Agencies are insufficiently prepared in terms of human resources for its application and the quantity and quality of information needed is grossly insufficient. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop adequate institutional capacities for the development of reliable woodfuel balances


3.14 Efforts on European level to improve information on wood energy and renewable energy statistics

Nikolaos Roubanis, Eurostat, Energy Statistics Unit

To provide the European Commission with high quality statistics on renewable energy sources Eurostat in collaboration with the EU Member States developed in the early nineties a detailed statistical system for collecting data on production, transformation and consumption of renewable energy. This system, initially supported financially by the Commission (1989-1998) was the basis for the creation of the joint Eurostat/IEA/UNECE questionnaire on renewables and wastes in 1999.

Today after seventeen years of regular data collection on renewable energy sources, in view of the increasing demand for more detailed high quality statistics and to monitor targets set, Eurostat is examining ways of developing further the statistical system. A standing Working Group on renewable energy statistics was set up in 2007 to examine data needs and set up specific data improvement actions at EU end Member State level. This more detailed statistical approach on renewable energy will be reflected in the Energy Statistics Regulation.


Annex I: Programme of the workshop

31 March 09:30 - 09:40 Welcome note Virginia Cram-Martos, UNECE Trade and Timber Division 09:45 - 09:55 Introduction and background to the work on wood resource

availability and supply Kit Prins, UNECE/FAO Timber Section

09:55 - 10:20 Concept of national wood resource balance - methodological introduction *

Udo Mantau, University Hamburg 10:20 – 10:35 Discussion 10:35 - 10:55 Break 10:55 - 11:35 Presentation of the study on "wood resource availability and demand", new data,

lessons learned and identification of data gaps and weaknesses * Florian Steierer, University Hamburg & Sebastian Hetsch, UNECE/FAO Timber Section

11:35 - 12:05 Discussion Wood availability study 12:05 - 12:35 Empirical research to fill data gaps – about field work, projections and courageous

estimates * Udo Mantau & Holger Weimar, von Thünen-Institute, Germany

12 :35 - 13:00 Discussion 13:00 - 14:30 Lunch break 14:30 - 15:00 Conversion factors (product input/output, equivalent wood in the rough) – key

information to analyse wood balances and wood flows Alain Thivolle-Cazat, Institut Technologique FCBA, France

15:00 – 15:30 Discussion 15:30 – 15:50 Break 15:50 - 16:10 Empirical research on wood use for energy: experience in Italy *

Marina Vitullo & Stefano Caserini, Italian National Environmental Agency

16.10 - 16:30 Improving data on wood used by the industry in Spain * Cristina Viejo Téllez, Ministry of Environment, Spain Juan Picos Martín, Monte Industria

16:30 - 16:50 Discussion 16:50 - 17:05 EFORWOOD: a European project on Sustainability Impact Assessement of the

forestry-wood chain Gero Becker, University of Freiburg, Germany

17:05 - 17:20 Discussion 17:20 - 17:30 Closing and summary of the first day 17:45 Reception at the UN Palais des Nations * Summary of the presentation in section 3


1 April 09:00 - 09:10 Introduction

Chairman 09:10 - 09:30 Empirical research on post consumer recovered wood in the Netherlands *

Nico Leek, Probos, Netherlands

09:30 - 09:50 Measurements of wood supply in Finland – wood removals from the forests * Martti Aarne, Metla, Finland

09:50 - 10:10 Empirical research on wood flows in Poland * Ewa Ratajczak, Wood Technology Institute, Poznan, Poland

10:10 - 10:40 Discussion

10:40 - 11:00 Break 11:00 - 11:20 Roundwood flow analysis in Slovenia *

Nike Krajnc & Mitja Piškur, Slovenian Forestry Institute

11:20 - 11:40 Drawing the bigger picture - Wood flow model in Austria Dietmar Hagauer, Austrian Energy Agency

11:40 – 12:00 Discussion

12:00 - 12:20 Experiences for estimating current actual wood supply and demand using the

WISDOM approach * Miguel Trossero, Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome

12:20 - 12:35 Discussion 12:35 - 14:00 Lunch break 14:00 - 14:20 Efforts on European level to improve information on wood energy and

renewable energy statistics * Nikolaos Roubanis, Eurostat - Energy statistics

14:20 - 14:40 Coordinated empirical research for a European wood resource balance

Udo Mantau, University Hamburg

14:40 - 15:10 Discussion 15:10 – 15:30 Break 15:30 - 16:00 Workshop conclusions 16:00 – 16:15 Closing of the workshop

Chairman * Summary of the presentation in section 3


Annex II: Conversion factors - A necessity for an accurate estimation of wood consumption by industries8

II-1 Background Increasing demand and thus prices for wood have drawn the attention at the policy level to improved mapping of different sources and uses of wood. One approach to capture and examine sources, uses and flows of wood is the wood resource balance, as introduced by Mantau (2001) for Germany. Similar models have been built in other countries. The method of the wood balance was also applied on a European level in the study on “wood resource availability and demands” (UNECE/FAO 2007).

In order to compare the wood harvested with the wood used in different industrial processes, it is necessary to evaluate the ratio of roundwood (or equivalent roundwood volume) to final product quantities observed via conversion factors. Conversion factors can be calculated in two ways:

• Direct estimation by the precise knowledge of amount of raw material at the entrance of the mill and the related final products quantity. This way is simple and appropriate when accurate data are available.

• Indirect estimation by process analysis: The analysis must include the assessment of all by-products and losses generated by the production of the final product. Losses are difficult to estimate, so when they are generated in large quantities, this method may give an inaccurate result. In any case, precise knowledge of the process is necessary for determining conversion factor values.

Conversion factors: some values Table 1 gives examples for conversion factors (amount of inputted wood volume for the production of a unit (cubic meter or tonne) of final product) found in the literature. FAO and EFSOS values show the largest variation in the list of conversion factors of all European countries.

8 Alain THIVOLLE-CAZAT, Pôle Economie, Energie et prospective Institut Technologique FCBA


Table 1 : Compilation of some European conversion factors values.

FAO

1979

EFSOS

2000

M.Fonseca (p.c.)

2005

EPF

2008

Finland

(p.c.)

France

(p.c.)

Sawnwood Softwood 1.32 -2.39 1.42 - 2.1 1.99 1.83 1.5 - 1.9

Hardwood 1.44 - 2.55 1.4 - 3.52 1.95 2.32 1.7 - 2.30

Veneer 1.2 - 3.1 1.59 Veneer/Plywood Plywood 1.63 - 2.94 1.5 - 3.1 2.02 1.8 – 1.9

Panels Particle board 1.1 - 2.2 1.2 - 1.8 1.32 1.53 1.2

OSB 1.7 2.07 1.5 Hardboard 1.98 - 3.01 2.16 MDF 1.73 1.86 1.9

Insulation board 0.63 - 0.91

1.5 - 3.3

0.66

Pulp Mechanical 2.4 - 3.27 2.16 - 2.9 2.68 2.72 – 3.18 2.4

Semi mechanical 2.04 -3.30 2.2 - 3.2 2.78

2.5 – 3.26 2.6

Sulfate 3.68 - 5.64 4.9 4.26 – 4.73 4.6 Sulfite 4.65 - 6.24

4.48 - 6.4 4.6

The range of values observed is mainly due to variations in wood supply structure from one country to another. It shows also that technological conditions in a country, or differing units of measure lead to very different apparent efficiencies in the processes. A better knowledge of the processes and local conditions of wood supply are the key factors for accurate determination of conversion factors.

Industrial process description

Scheme 1 : Typical flow of an industrial wood process.

Wood Input(Roundwood Eq ub)- Roundwood- By products- Recovered wood

Bark LossesByproducts

Wood outputFinal products

Additiveproduct

Commercialized

Internaluse

(energy)


Conversion factor is the ratio between wood amount used by the process and the final product production.

• Final products are generally known with great accuracy and details. That is why, with good conversion factors, it would be possible to know with accuracy the amount of wood utilised for their fabrication.

• For some new processes (pellets for instance) or marginal uses (composting), the amount of raw material is difficult to estimate, because there are no available statistics.

• Raw material amount used by the process is measured at the entrance of the factory in order to pay the provider. The unit used for payment of raw materiel is often different from the unit used for the final product, so the relation between the two amounts is not direct: conversion factors (density, moisture content, bark factors) are used to convert the initial data to statistics data.

• Industrial by-products: if they are sold, the amount of by-products can be known with accuracy. If they are used inside the mill for energy production, it is more difficult to know the amount produced and used.

• Losses: By definition, losses are not recovered, so they are difficult to measure, except by deduction in the balance of raw material and products. It supposes that the wood input and output is known with accuracy.

So the first step for calculation of conversion factors is the definition of what is measured and how it is measured with which units. The analysis of each process will make it possible to determine the data whose knowledge is necessary and currently imperfect.

II-2 Measurement of round wood Volume and variation factors

Saw/veneer log volume The morphology of logs is irregular, however volume is generally determined through a simplified approach, e.g. in many E.U. countries, the log is assumed to be a cylinder with the following measurement procedures applied:

• Diameter is measured at mid length;

• Length is the total log length.

It has been shown that this method results in a systematic undervaluation of the volume. The mean undervaluation is about 1 % to 3 % for typical sawn timber. This undervaluation strongly increases with decreasing diameter and increasing taper.

In French or German sawing mills, a classical procedure for volume calculation is as follow:

• Commercial length : Total length measurement Reduction of 1 cm/m of log length

Rounding of the length to 50 cm inferior (for example 7.68 m is rounded to 7.5 m)

• Diameter : Diameter measurement at half commercial length Rounding of diameter at inferior cm


This procedure leads to a mean under estimation of about 3 %. Other reduction for defects such as unsound wood can occur which increase undervaluation. All these factors can contribute in an under evaluation of true wood volume:

• The assimilation of the log to a cylinder can contribute to a mean under estimation of 3 % depending on the diameter, the taper characteristics of the log and its length.

• The truncation of diameters and lengths to the lower cm or dm contributes to a mean underestimation of the volume. This undervaluation is strongly dependent on the diameter, with decreasing understatement as diameter increases.

• The truncation of length contributes to an underestimation depending on the length of the log.

Fuel wood and pulpwood volume measurement When logs are too small to be measured piece by piece, they are measured in pile, commonly called stacked measure. A wood pile volume contains wood, bark and air. The proportion of each part depends on species, log length, mean diameter. Apparent volume of the wood pile is converted in solid volume with conversion factors depending on species, log length, mean diameter.

Weight and variation factors Weight is a common way for estimation of pulp wood quantities and it is sometime used for fuel wood or saw logs. This measurement is very easy to do, it is commonly used for the commercial transactions and the price is often fixed by the fresh tonne. However, fresh weight is not a static value; round wood is composed of 1) cellulose and lignin 2) water and 3) air. This structure results in two major characteristics: moisture content and density.

Moisture content Moisture content is quite variable and probably the most confusing wood characteristic because of the difficulty to determine its value. By knowing fresh wood weight and moisture content, it is possible to determine the dry weight of the raw material arriving at plant. A good estimation of moisture content needs time consuming measurements:

• Five to ten samples per truck load taken from round wood at 30 cm from the end of log,

• Sample must be dried in an oven for 8 to 12 hours and weighed before and after drying.

Moisture content varies with species, wood type (logs, saw dust, chips, bark, etc.). It varies also with time due to seasonal variation, as shown in the following chart.

Chart 1: Evolution of water content by month for pulpwood delivered at mill-site.

50%

55%

60%

65%

70%

75%

80%

Janu

ary

Febr

uary

Mar

sh

Apr

il

May

June

July

Aug

ust

Sep

tem

ber

Oct

ober

Nov

embe

r

Dec

embe

r

Measurment Month

Moi

stur

e co

nten

t (%

)

Oak

Beech


Biological processes of the tree and drying speed of harvested wood depend on the season and moisture content at the mill yard changes significantly. Monthly monitoring of moisture content is necessary for a good knowledge of dry matter amounts delivered at the mill.

Specific gravity Wood specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the oven-dry weight of a sample to the weight of a volume of water equal to the volume of the sample at some specific moisture content e.g. green (1 m3 of water weighs 1,000 kg).

Wood density varies with:

• Species

• Speed growth: silvicultural prescription (lower plantation density, fertilization, genetic improvement, thinnings) can contribute to lower wood density

• Springwood to latewood ratio: latewood being much denser (this characteristic is related with speed growth).

• Position in the stem: wood from the lower part of the stem being generally denser than the upper portion.

The following table shows the variation of specific gravity for different species for sawing logs and pulpwood.

Table 2: Specific wood gravity for different species wood mean diameter

Density (kg/m3) Sawing logs Pulpwood

Oak 553 565

Beech 552 567

Poplar 362 405

Spruce 450 370

Maritime pine 442 395

Scots pine 461 400

Bark All the European statistics are given in cubic meter under bark, but data is also established in cubic meter or tonnes over bark depending of the processes and the countries.

Bark conversion factors are necessary for calculation of the equivalent volume under bark. Several conversion factors are necessary because the bark quantity on a tree depends on:

• Species : beech has thin bark (less than 10 % of the total volume) and maritime pine is thick (25 % of total volume),

• Age class : bark proportion decrease with age,

• Size of log: for many species bark percentage decreases as size increases. Bark factors will be different between a sawmill and a pulp mill,

• Part of the tree: the basal part of stem generally has thicker bark than the upper part,

• Harvest method: mechanised harvesting, forwarding, crane manipulation, log handling at the mill site, all result in bark losses from forest to mill. The actual amount of bark captured can be less than 50 % of the initial amount at felling.


Theoretical bark coefficient (as it can be measured in forest) is generally well known; real bark amount arriving at the mill is less known and must be estimated with an appropriate coefficient.

II-3. Sawmills The conversion factor depends on:

• Log diameter: in general the bigger the log, the higher the yield.

• Tree shape: the taper of logs generate significant losses (higher taper = lower product recovery and higher residual recovery).

• The kind of product: the bigger the sawn wood, the smaller the production of saw dust and thus, the better is the yield. In case of sawing only one product, the recovery rate increase with decreasing thickness or wideness of product. (chart 2)

• The length of product; longer products equal lower recovery due to taper and loss from logs which are not straight.

• The equipment: circular saws produce more saw dust than band saws as they are in general thicker.

• Species variations: some species shrink more from drying and are used for products that may be manufactured to differing quality standards (requiring more trimming).

The following chart shows the variation of ratio production with log diameter and product.

Chart 2: Recovery rate evolution with log diameter and product size

Product recovery rate increases with log diameter. If only one product is realized, production rate increases when wideness or thickness decreases. The combination of different products size can increase production rate.

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Log Diameter (cm)

Saw

ing

rate

(%)

100 x 15 80 x 15

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Log Diameter (cm)

Saw

ing

rate

(%)

120 x 22 100 x 22 80 x 20


Chart 3: Ratio of final product, by-product and bark for different species.

Amount of sawdust, log off-cut, slabs and edging are not very different from one species to another. Important variations between species occurs with final off-cut. Beech and oak loose 20 to 40 % of the final product at this stage of the process. It corresponds to the search of high quality final products. Bark generated by the process also varies a lot, from one species to another. Due to their own characteristics and uses, species have different conversion factors and also different recovery factors for by-products.

This is a result of quality required (different if sawn wood is used for furniture, wood frame, packing, etc.) understood to avoid bad interpretation of differing conversions factors.

If sawn volume is generally well known, log volume may be known with less accuracy. Sawn wood volume is generally given in cubic meter. But it must be specified if the volume is the raw (rough, green) volume, or after drying and/or planning. Volume variations generated by these different operations can be 10 % each.

The log volume measurement can be realized inside the forest, at roadside or in mill yard. Due to truncation for unsound wood, quality sorting between forest and mill, wood losses can occur between forest and mill. So, the farthest the forest measures are realised from the mill the higher is the probability to loose wood during the transfer.

In saw mills, volume measurement is frequently realised after barking. This volume can be used for statistics of wood consumption. But even in this case, a bark factor is necessary for the estimation of bark produced by the mill.

II-4. Panels Industry Plywood Industry Plywood process generates lots of by-products, depending on log diameter, straightness and taper. Following chart shows the production rate for two peeling machine wideness and for different log lengths and log deflexions.

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Oak Beech Spruce Maritime pine

Prod

ucts

and

by-

prod

ucts

(%)

Bark Final product Final Offcut EdgingsSlabs Log Offcut Saw dust


Chart 4: Output rate production evolution with log diameter and log deflection

Veneer recovery rate increases when diameter increases but decreases when peeling wide veneer or log deflexion (bow) increases. Production volume is well known. It is expressed in cubic meters. Sometimes, it is measured in surface (square meter). In this case, mean thickness must be known for conversion of the production in cubic meter. As in saw mill, the real wood volume under bark at the entrance of the mill must be measured with accuracy which is not always the case by now.

Particle and fibre board Industry Panel production is well recorded. The unit used is mainly cubic meter and sometimes square meter. In any case, these data have to be converted into air dry tonnes with appropriate conversion factor (density and, if necessary mean thickness), indeed due to differing compression factors, panel volume is not equivalent to round wood volume.

Panels never contains only wood. They also contain a proportion of adhesive and fillers, moisture and a proportion of bark. By knowing the dry weight of the wood used for the production of the panels and the mean specific gravity of species used in the process, it is possible to determine the volume of round wood equivalent under bark contained in panels at the end of the process. During the process losses can occur (cut-off ends, sanding dust) which increase wood inputted in the process for the production of panel. It is often difficult to determine these losses, so the conversion factor calculation, needs accurate knowledge of wood amount arriving at plant-site.

Wood amounts delivered at mill are well known. They are generally measured in green tonnes. Conversions factors are necessary to convert fresh weight into equivalent cubic meter under bark. This conversion can dramatically decrease the accuracy of volume u.b. or dry matter content if conversion factors are inappropriate.

A good estimation of wood content and dry matter delivered at mill needs:

• Monitoring of moisture of different kind of wood delivered at mill: regular and statistic sampling are supposed to be done each month, in order to obtain a precise estimation of wood moisture content (round wood, chips, recovered wood).

• Determination of bark proportion of wood arriving at mill and used in the process. Particular attention must be pointed to the fact that there is frequently a wood boiler partially fed with bark. Bark amounts delivered at mill can be different than bark found in the panels

• Determination of mean wood density used in the process.

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

30 35 40 45 50 55 60Log diameter u.b. (cm)

Out

put m

atte

r

Log length 2.6 m Log length 1.3 m

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140Log Curve u.b. (mm)

Out

put m

atte

r

Log length 2.6 m Log length 1.3 m


With these data, each mill could accurately calculate its own conversion factor. Taking into account the proportion of production for each plant, it will be possible to determine the mean conversion factor for a country.

II-5 Pulp mills Pulp production is exactly known, but is generally given in air dry tonnes. Water content of pulp is not always precise. Pulp content is often 7 to 10% water content.

The pulping process is generally well know as are the ratios of inputted dry fibre to the output of dry pulp as shown below:

• Mechanical pulp : 98 % • Semi mechanical : 80 – 95 % • Chemical : 45 – 50 %

Each factory tries to optimise its process, taking into account the mix of wood available in its region (mix of species of roundwood, chips). The pulp production rate varies with species as shown in the following table.

Table 3: Variation of pulp production rate (dry tonne wood to dry tonne pulp) with species by chemical process

Species Pulp production rate

Oak 43.8 %

Beech 51.3 %

Poplar 58.3 %

Birch 52.0 %

Maritime pine 42.6 %

Scots pine 42.9 %

Douglas fir 45.5 %

The production rate of a mix of species is generally not the mean of the individual production rate. These recovery ratios of pulp by dry wood fibre inputted are given for the volume of inputted wood fibre at the in-feed. Before arriving there, wood is chipped. With one tonne of roundwood, the chipper will produce only 850 to 950 kg of useable chips. The remaining being fines (undersized particles), and the use of these is not well accounted for. The production of fines depends on wood density, decay, efficiency of chippings system and water content and is not known with accuracy.

The calculation of wood conversion factors need precise knowledge of fibre amount delivered at plant-site. In the pulp industry, the fresh weight of wood inputted is known, but the equivalent volume under bark must be calculated with conversion factors. The use of inappropriate conversion factors can decrease the accuracy of the data.

As for particle and fibreboard, monitoring of moisture content of round wood and chips delivered at mill, bark content and wood density must be done in order to estimate dry fibre amounts delivered at plant.


II-6 Processed wood fuel This process involves drying and compression of saw dust. Energy is necessary for that and can be provided by wood combustion. So the conversion factor depends on the density of final product and compression rate and the bark content

II-7 Proposals for improvements of conversion factors Round wood Due to its irregular shape, wood volume is uneasy to measure. In sawmills, scanners are being used more frequently for volume measure, and could give the real measure of logs independently of commercial volume. The true volume could be compared to commercial volume commonly used for commercial transactions and make it possible to determine volume for payment to true volume in sawmills. This measure, if currently recorded and enough accurate, could allow direct calculation of the real conversion factor for sawmills.

For small logs, chips or recovered wood, weight is the best method for wood amount estimation. In order to determine the real amount of dry fibre delivered at mills, it is necessary to establish the matrix of conversion for round wood volume, over or under bark, to fresh or dry matter over or under bark as shown in the following scheme for maritime pine.

Chart 5: Matrix of units conversion factors for maritime pine round wood

This matrix allows the conversion of measurement in over units. Among these numerous figures, two are mostly important:

• Fresh weight over bark which is commonly measured at mill entrance

• Volume under bark which the unit for international statistics.

2.078

Volume over bark(m3 o.b.)

Volume under bark

(m3 u.b.)

Fresh Weightover bark

(ft o.b.)

Fresh Weightunder bark

(ft u.b.)

Dry Weightover bark (dt o.b.)

Dry Weightunder bark

(dt u.b.)

0.8801.136

0.750

2.17

1.333

0.460

0.890

2.470

1.124

0.405

0.361

2.774

Maritime Pine

0.481

0.8521.173

2.078

Volume over bark(m3 o.b.)

Volume under bark

(m3 u.b.)

Fresh Weightover bark

(ft o.b.)

Fresh Weightunder bark

(ft u.b.)

Dry Weightover bark (dt o.b.)

Dry Weightunder bark

(dt u.b.)

0.8801.136

0.750

2.17

1.333

0.460

0.890

2.470

1.124

0.405

0.361

2.774

Maritime Pine

0.481

0.8521.173


This matrix should be determined for different products separately. Like pulpwood, chips, recovered wood or rotary peeled logs. Mean values should be calculated by country for coniferous and hardwood species groups, taking in account the proportion of each species in the supply structure of the different processes.

Sawmills • Quantify the systematic error due to volume measurement procedure in saw mills, as it was

shown that commercial volume calculation under estimate volume by 3% and length and diameter measurement method under estimate volume by at least 3% also.

• Quantify the error due to the place of volume measurement (forest, road aside, mill yard before barking, mill after barking).

• Determine the stage of evaluation of production (raw sawn wood for instance).

Panel industry • Quantify total dry matter delivered at mill and monitor moisture content of wood arriving at

mill.

• Quantify bark content of panels resulting from mixed supply (round wood, chips, recovered wood, etc.).

• Quantify dry fibre content of panels in order to determine the equivalent round wood volume under bark inputted.

Pulp industry • Quantify wood dry matter delivered at mill

• Quantify dry matter content in the merchantable pulp

• Quantify bark delivered at mill

• Quantify the wood loss due to unusable chips

Data knowledge Due to different practices from a country to another and for one process to another, an important challenge is converting country data into harmonized international units. It is possible that tonnes are counted as cubic meter, cubic meter over bark as cubic meter under bark, or air dry tonnes are converted into volume with the same conversion factor as fresh tonnes. All these mistakes decrease the accuracy of the final statistics. It may be important to describe the original data and the procedure of conversion into international units, in order to point out the possible sources of mistakes and potential of accuracy gain. Essentially, it is the inputted wood which is poorly known:

• Defining units of current measurement;

• Describe the conversion factors (bark, moisture, specific gravity) used for conversion in cubic meter under bark.

A meta database could be constituted with the description of data, units, source, quality, and procedure of conversion into international units.


Annex III: The Potential of Albanian Forest Sector in the Production of Renewable Energy

Elvin Toromani, Agricultural University of Tirana-ALBANIA/Faculty of Forestry Sciences. Email: [email protected]

1. INTRODUCTION

Energy is the key theme for future world development. The energy demand worldwide is increasing rapidly, especially in the developing countries and transition countries. The great challenge now is to meet this energy demand in a sustainable manner without harming the environment. Without a sustainable reinforcement of the global energy supply system, sustainable development will not be possible. It is absolutely certain that without major changes in energy supply systems climate change will have significant impacts on human life.

During last 15 years, Albania is faced with the free market economy, which is characterized by a growing need for energy. Social-economic developments during the last two years did not reflect a very favourable situation in the energy sector, which is mainly based on the hydropower. During last decades the capacities of energy production in Albania have not changed, although demand for energy has increased. Therefore, Albania is now facing the challenge to expand its energy production, not only with hydropower but also from other sources. In this context, the forest sector in Albania could play a modest role for providing renewable energy in order to fulfill the demands of our society for energy. However, it is important that the principles of sustainable forest management are obeyed, to ensure the long-term availability of wood as resource, and the sustainability of this energy source.”

Key words: renewable energy, green house gases, biomass, economical value, primary and secondary forest fuels.

2. Renewable energy in the optics of sustainable development

During the last decades sustainable development came in the focus of political and scientific levels; and during the last years this concept has been dominating the economic development policies of developed countries. According to the international conference of Rio de Janeiro on year 1992, sustainability means:

“Development that provides sustainability of natural resources, productivity and a high level of environment, providing economic development that can face the recent demands of population without any compromise with demands of future generations”.

The management is a complex activity composed of:

Human resources Natural resources

Certainly the sustainable development is a strategy composed from:

The strategy of sustainable development of human resources The strategy of sustainable development of Natural resources The strategy of sustainability of ecosystem


The National Strategy for Development of Forests and Pastures in Albania, approved with decision of Council of Ministers, nr 247, on date 23.04.2004, presents a vision for development of the forest sector in accordance with the fundamental principles of international conventions.

In the priorities of this strategy it is emphasized that: “The sustainable management of natural resources of forests and pastures means well-governing and usage of these resources in a manner and a rhythm that preserve biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capability, vitality and their potential to fulfill nowadays and for the future the ecological function, economic function, social function at national and global level without causing damages to other ecosystems”.

The strategy defines 5 strategic purposes for the development of forest and pasture sector, but using biomass to produce of bio-energy is never mentioned. There is a need, therefore, for Albania’s institutions to review this strategy, with a view to developing new policies for the forest and pasture sector that include the production of bio-energy as one of the principal objectives of the strategy.

3. Why we should use renewable energy?

The European Union has set ambitious targets to increase the share of renewable energy for total consumption of primary energy at the European level. In combating climate change and increasing the share of renewable energy sources, biomass will play an important role. However, the increase in the use of biomass for energy must go hand in hand with the conservation of biodiversity and local environment, as biomass production may create additional environmental pressures, potentially affecting biodiversity, soil and water resources. The efficiency of all steps from growing or collecting biomass over transporting and processing it contributes to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce emissions affecting air quality. There are several reasons why we should use renewable energy:

During the last years is noted a reduction of natural deposits of oil and gas, against to continuous increasing of demands for consumption. That has caused several problems, sometimes provoking crises and severe fluctuations in prices on the world market.

Burning fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases, thus increasing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. It is generally accepted that the production of bioenergy from sustainably-managed forests does not result in any increase of CO2 in the atmosphere, unlike, for example deforestation for oil palm plantations in Indonesia, or deforestation and forest degradation in other countries.

Fossil fuel resources tend to occur in a restricted number of countries or to be concentrated in particular world regions, with the result, that the majority of people are dependent on foreign energy sources. This is particularly the case with oil.

For all these reasons it would be desirable to substitute gradually fossil fuels with other fuels with a shorter cycle of production (as is the case for biomass). Possible sources for renewable energy are: solar, wind, geo-thermal, hydro, ocean waves and biomass. Bioenergy derives mainly from forest ecosystems and residues from the wood industries. Wood is a renewable resource because energy removed from the forest stock can be replaced through photosynthesis (by solar power).

The major portion of the world’s energy stocks is in deposits of fossil fuel (coal, gas and oil) which accumulated over a period of 500 million years. Fossil energy is considered to be finite or non-renewable energy. Biomass fuels are fundamentally different from fossil fuels because biomass fuels


recycle carbon to the atmosphere whereas fossil fuels introduce ‘new’ carbon to the atmosphere. This is why biomass fuels are called ‘carbon-neutral’.” For coal, oil, and natural gas, the ratio of time between formation and their use is in order of 1 million to one: that is, the world uses as much resources in one year as it takes in the natural processes to create in one million years. Among stored forms of energy, only biomass has a time ratio that is within a human time frame of years or decades. Such renewable energy can be defined as a form of solar energy that is available and can be replenished in time scales of human lifetimes.

4. The state of energy sector in Albania

Albania has two main sources of energy: the first is hydropower from rivers, used mainly to produce electricity (electricity from hydropower is regarded as a clean form of energy because it does not directly cause pollution to the atmosphere) and the second source is oil/gas.

The fact that hydropower account for a significant proportion of Albania’s domestic energy production, estimated as 95.3%, explains partly why Albania causes little atmospheric pollution, with a correspondingly small impact on overall global warming. The system of electricity transmitting and its use at dwellings, schools, industry is accompanied with misusing. Theoretically, Albania has the capacity to produces enough electricity for its needs. In reality, Albania has to import a lot of energy from neighbouring countries at high prices. Actually Albania’s energy consumption averages 14 million KWh per day, with 5.5 million KWh produced domestically and the rest imported (8.5 million KWh). Unfulfilled electricity demand has led to heavy economic crises in Albania in 2000 and 2007. To overcome these crises the construction of new

power plants like hydropower and TEC are needed, as well as reducing energy waste. The Albanian Government has taken some measures to construct new generation capacity, like construction of TEC to Vlora and giving a concession for hydropower at Banja. According to data from INSTAT (for the first half of 2007) total domestic electricity production was about half the corresponding figure for the same period in 2006. Total energy production in the first half of 2007 was 1,662 GWh and covered only 52.9% of all energy needs. The considerable reduction in energy production from hydropower of 50.3% has been the main cause for the reduction in total energy production. There has been an increasing reliance on private generation plants with concessions at amount 4.3% compared with the same period of year 2006. The import of energy is increased with 197,2% compare with first half of year 2006.The imported amount of energy was 1,445GWh and make up 47,1% of total amount of resources for first half year 2007. According to INSTAT the losses in the network for the first half year 2007 are reduced with 13,3% compare with the same period of year 2006 with an amount 1,156 GWh that consist to 37,7% of energy amount for use. The use of electricity for domestic use is increased with 2.8% compare with the same period of the last year where the final consumption value was 1850 GWh that comprise 60.3% of total energy for usage. While the amount of energy used from family consumers is reduced with 3.3% compare with first half of the year 2006. That is result of the warm winter during the last year. The general balance of energy according to different years is shown on the following table:

Figure 1: Hydropower for energy production in Albania


Table 1: General balance of energy for Albania (INSTAT 2007) (thousand tons of oil equivalent)

Years Description 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Gross inland consumption

1,911

1,809

1,824

1,934

1,861

2,055

2,258

Primary production 1,345 1,113 987 933 896 1,012 1,178 626 761 858 1,007 971 1,164 1,149 Import

Export 60 65 21 6 6 121 69 133 77 24 40 21 39 47 Consumption of the energy

sector Distribution losses

140

108

113

145

116

85

94

1,605 1,570 1,665 1,764 1,696 1,802 2,131

12

-

5

-

4

11

68

Available for final consumption

Final non-energy consumption

Final energy consumption 1,514

1,570

1,660

1,764

1,691

1,791

2,063

Basing to the data given by INSTAT the national energy independence estimated for different years is given in the following table.

Table 2: National energy independence estimation (Source: INSTAT (Institute of Statistics). (Thousand tons of oil equivalent)

Years Description 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Source of primary energy 1,345 1,113 987 933 896 1,012 1,178 Lignite 10 7 7 15 5 19 19 Crude oil 391 328 314 335 308 359 443 Natural gas 25 15 10 8 8 12 9 Primary electric power 461 494 395 317 317 422 472 Fire wood 456 256 260 256 256 198 233 Derived heat 2 13 1 2 2 2 2 Use of energy 1,604 1,570 1,665 1,764 1,696 1,802 2,131 Lignite 5 4 11 14 12 18 21 Crude oil 717 941 1,027 1,134 1,075 1,205 1,418 Natural gas 1 3 1 3 1 0 0 Primary electric power 355 366 366 355 349 377 458 Fire wood 456 256 258 256 256 198 233 Derived heat 70 0 2 2 3 4 1 Energy independence% 84 71 59 53 53 56 55

Table 2 reveals a falling percentage of energy independence between 1998 and 2004. In 2004 Albania met only 55% of its energy demand with the balance having to be met from import. Coal and gas are insignificant in terms of specific weight which is reduced gradually in the energy balance. The electric energy is becoming one of the most requested sources for the socio-economic life in the country. The domestic production recently does not cover the growing need for the product, creating serious problems for the final consume coverage. In 2003, private households accounted for 58 % of total national energy consumption. Figure 2 shows the main primary energy sources for domestic use:


Energy sources

58.5

15.4

2.5

23.4

0.30

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Electricpow er

Gas Kerosene Fire w ood Others

Description

Perc

enta

ge

Figure 2: Primary energy sources for domestic usage

After electricity, fire wood consumption is the main heating source. Most of the fire wood is used in the rural areas, where around 400,000 families live, representing 55% of Albania’s population of 3.1 millions (Instat 2005).

5. Forest resources in Albania The forest products industry can play a unique role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the provision of wood as a renewable and carbon neutral biomass “fuels”. The Albanian Parliament ratified in January 1995 the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The main objective of this convention is "stabilization of the greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere", and Albania is trying to play an important role in this global challenge. Production of bio-energy is very important and in this context, natural resources in Albania may contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases, if sustainably managed. According to the data for the MCPFE process, already more wood is harvested than the annual growth in the forests. However, a certain amount of wood can be utilized on a sustainable level, as well as wood from thinning, in particular in young beech forests.

There are different sources to provide forest biomass for production of energy:

Complementary fellings in order to increase the supply of bio-energy from forest biomass. This includes stem-wood biomass from thinnings and final harvest (annual harvesting possibility).

Residues from harvesting operations in the forest. This includes stem tops, branches, foliage, stumps and roots that are left during stem-wood removal.

Various industrial wood residues such as saw-dust. This is very important in the present utilization of woody bio-energy.

Artificial plantations for energy production with short-rotation. That includes chips from plantations of willow, poplar, eucalyptus planted on land area that was formerly used for agriculture or in bare lands.

Woody biomass from trees grown outside forests, e.g. horticulture and road side tending. Recycled wood, e.g. demolition wood from old buildings.

Albania has a forest and pasture area that cover about 52% of whole territory, but the state of the forest resources is not so good. The country is hilly and mountainous in character with different forms


of vegetation. As result of the last National Forest Inventory carried out during the years 2002-2004 is drawn the current state of forest resources for Albanian Forest Fund:

Table 3: Results of last NFI in Albania

Description Area(ha) % Volume(m3) %

High forests 295.000 31 59,910.000 82.7

Coppice forests

405.000 43 12,130.000 17

Shrubs forests 242.000 26 200.000 0.3

Total 942.000 100 72,240,000 100

Fig 4: map of land use in Albania:


While the timber wood harvested according to years is:

Table 4: The timber wood harvested during the last years9, (sources: 1993- 2000: Report from INSTAT (Institute of Statistics to Albania), data from 2004 from NFI.)

Years Description 1998 1999 2000 2004

Timber wood (thousand m3)*

1077 953 775 590.7

Coniferous 47 40.0 39.5 159.5 Deciduous 60.7 55.3 38 431.2 Fire wood (thousand m3) 190.5 213.4 146.4 490.8 Coniferous 45.5 15.7 6.4 125.4 Deciduous 145 197.7 140.0 365.4 Total 298.2 308.7 223.9 1081.5 Harvesting possibility 1.520.0 1.520.0 1.520.0 1.152.0 Timber wood 747.0 747.0 747.0 926.2 Fire wood 773.0 773.0 773.0 225.8

* data over bark

If we take into consideration the data of the last national Forest Inventory carried out during years 2002-2004, the sustainable annual harvesting possibility is 1,152,000 m3. The annual potential of biomass for bio-energy production includes firewood, branches, foliage and residues of timber processing. Firewood consumption is estimated to be around 2 million m3, much higher than the official statistics record. The difference is considered to be the result of illegal cutting10. The potential for bio-energy production will be higher if we take also into account the timber provided from thinnings ( 35000 m3/year) and timber provided from artificial plantations with species of short cycle of production, like willow, eucalyptus, poplar, acacia, tamarix. According to the Ministry of Agriculture’s statistics, Albania possesses about 403,651 ha bare land that could be used for short rotation plantations for energy production. The potential of energy derived from our forest resources is estimated as follows:

9 Figures for fellings reported to MCPFE State of Europe’s Forests 2007 are about 2.5 million m3, in 2005 and at

a similar high level in 1990 according to MCPFE data. This is due to the quantity of timber that is used by farmers not reported in this statistic.

10 Rough estimation: 400,000 families live in rural areas in Albania, their estimated annual average consumption is 5 m3, resulting in an estimated national consumption of 2’000’000 m3)


Table 5: Potential annual sustainable wood and biomass production from forests (2006) according to the last NFI

Stem volume (m3/yr) Types of forests

Unit

Industrial roundwood

(m3/yr)

Fuel wood (m3/yr)

Total residues (m3/yr)*

Thinnings residues

Total amount of biomass for

energy

High forests m3 426,383 231,557 581,174 32,900 845,631 Coppice m3 52,699 81,444 64,575 2,100 148,119 Shrubs m3 - 6,387 - - 6,387 Total

potential production

m3 479,082 319,388 645,749 35,000 1,000,137

Potential energy

production from forests

resources

Toe - 63,878 129,150 7,000 200,028

* Residues from harvesting and forest-based industries (sawmills, panels, pulp etc) - see table 6 below

1 Mtoe= 5 million m3 fresh wood=41.9PJ 1GWh=85.984 Toe 1 TJ = 23.884 Toe

44__

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nal W

ood

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urce

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orks

hop

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Table 6: Potential supply of wood residues from harvesting and forest-based industries (total volume over bark)

The figures are based on net annual growth according to data from the General Directorate of Forest Policies in the MEFWM, the estimations are by the author based on interviews with experts in the field of forestry and timber processing


The situation of annual potential supply of biomass for energy production at national level is shown in table 7. It refers the net annual growth of forests estimated from last NFI and means that each year for a period of 10 years (2004-2014):

Table 7: Potential sources and uses of wood energy in ALBANIA

Inhabitants 3,134,980

Total wood energy generation

Roundwood equivalent m3/inhabitant

0,36

U1 Power

and heat

U2 Industrial

(m3)

U3 Private

household

(m3)

SUM

(U1+U2+U3)

%

S1 Direct - 319,388 319,388 32%

S 2 Indirect 645,749 35,000 680,749 68 %

S 3 Recovered - - - - -

SUM (S1+S2+S3) - 645,749 354,388

% - 65% 35%

1,000,137 (m3)

Table 8: Potential annual sustainable production of wood energy in Albania

Total %

Total volumes (1000m3) of roundwood (annually) 1,140,671 100

Wood equivalent for energy (1000 m3) 1,000,137 88

.... of which wood energy directly from the forest (thousand m3)

319,388 28

Direct fuelwood consumption per inhabitant (m3/a) 0.10

Estimated Energy content (Mtoe) 0.161

Total primary energy supply TPES (Mtoe) 5.110

Wood energy in TPES (%) 3.15%

S1-source for providing biomass direct from forests

S2- source for providing biomass indirect from forests residues or timber processing residues

S3-timber provided from demolished buildings

So the potential contribution of biomass from forests to overall national energy consumption could be 3.9% of the annual energy consumption in Albania.

6. Conclusions about biomass energy usage in Albania

In addition to the direct power and environmental benefits, biomass energy systems offer numerous other potential benefits that are very important especially for Albania. Some of the conclusions drawn by this study are:

• Main source for electricity power production to Albania is by hydropower.

• The electricity power covers 58% of domestic use energy sources.

46____________________________________________National Wood Resource Balances: Workshop Proceedings – 2008

• Energy independence of Albania is 55% and rest part of energy demands our country fulfil by means of import.

• Annual consumption of firewood is bigger than net annual growth (increment).

• The potential contribution of biomass from forests to overall national energy consumption in Albania is around 3.9% of the annual energy consumption.

Recommendations based on the findings of the study:

Our government (Ministry of Environment) should compile a new set of laws regarding sustainable forest resources management for bioenergy supply, in particular fostering:

• Construction of wood energy plants for heat energy supply mainly in small towns.

• Collection of all available wood resources for bio energy production at a sustainable level.

• Increase forest areas through reforestation of bare lands with fast growing species like willow, poplar, eucalyptus, acacia, tamarix etc for energy production.

• Use of efficient techniques wood harvesting, transporting and processing.

7. Literature

Cork,W.P.(1970): “Timber supply and demand”

DPPK 2005: “Raporti final i Inventarizimit kombetar te Pyjeve ne Shqiperi”.

Earl,D.E 1975: “Forest Energy and economical development”. Pages 14-53

INSTAT 2003: “Vjetari statistikor 1993-2003”.

Philips,E (2005): “Biotechnology and energy”.


Some facts about the Timber Committee

The Timber Committee is a principal subsidiary body of the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) based in Geneva. It constitutes a forum for cooperation and consultation between member countries on forestry, the forest industry and forest product matters. All countries of Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the United States, Canada and Israel are members of the UNECE and participate in its work.

The UNECE Timber Committee shall, within the context of sustainable development, provide member countries with the information and services needed for policy- and decision-making with regard to their forest and forest industry sectors (“the sector”), including the trade and use of forest products and, when appropriate, will formulate recommendations addressed to member Governments and interested organizations. To this end, it shall:

1. With the active participation of member countries, undertake short-, medium- and long-term analyses of developments in, and having an impact on, the sector, including those offering possibilities for the facilitation of international trade and for enhancing the protection of the environment;

2. In support of these analyses, collect, store and disseminate statistics relating to the sector, and carry out activities to improve their quality and comparability;

3. Provide the framework for cooperation e.g. by organizing seminars, workshops and ad hoc meetings and setting up time-limited ad hoc groups, for the exchange of economic, environmental and technical information between governments and other institutions of member countries required for the development and implementation of policies leading to the sustainable development of the sector and to the protection of the environment in their respective countries;

4. Carry out tasks identified by the UNECE or the Timber Committee as being of priority, including the facilitation of subregional cooperation and activities in support of the economies in transition of central and eastern Europe and of the countries of the region that are developing from an economic perspective;

5. It should also keep under review its structure and priorities and cooperate with other international and intergovernmental organizations active in the sector, and in particular with the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and its European Forestry Commission, and with the ILO (International Labour Organization), in order to ensure complementarity and to avoid duplication, thereby optimizing the use of resources.

More information about the Committee’s work may be obtained by writing to:

UNECE/FAO Timber Section Trade and Timber Division United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Fax: +41 22 917 0041 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.unece.org/trade/timber


UNECE/FAO Publications

Forest Products Annual Market Review 2006-2007 ECE/TIM/SP/22

Note: other market related publications and information are available in electronic format from our website.

Geneva Timber and Forest Study Papers

Forest Products Annual Market Review, 2005-2006 ECE/TIM/SP/21 European Forest Sector Outlook Study: 1960 – 2000 – 2020, Main Report ECE/TIM/SP/20 Forest policies and institutions of Europe, 1998-2000 ECE/TIM/SP/19 Forest and Forest Products Country Profile: Russian Federation ECE/TIM/SP/18 (Country profiles also exist on Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, former Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Republic of Moldova, Slovenia and Ukraine) Forest resources of Europe, CIS, North America, Australia, Japan and New Zealand ECE/TIM/SP/17 State of European forests and forestry, 1999 ECE/TIM/SP/16 Non-wood goods and services of the forest ECE/TIM/SP/15

The above series of sales publications and subscriptions are available through United Nations Publications Offices as follows:

Orders from Africa, Europe and the Middle East should be sent to: Sales and Marketing Section, Room C-113 United Nations Palais des Nations CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Fax: + 41 22 917 0027 E-mail: [email protected]

Orders from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific should be sent to: Sales and Marketing Section, Room DC2-853 United Nations 2 United Nations Plaza New York, N.Y. 10017 United States, of America

Fax: + 1 212 963 3489 E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: http://www.un.org/Pubs/sales.htm

* * * * *


Geneva Timber and Forest Discussion Papers (original language only)

Potential wood supply in Europe ECE/TIM/DP/52 Wood Availability and Demand in Europe ECE/TIM/DP/51 Private Forest Ownership in Europe ECE/TIM/DP/50 Wood Energy 2009 ECE/TIM/DP/49 International Forest Sector Institutions and Policy Instruments for Europe: A Source Book ECE/TIM/DP/48 European Forest Sector Outlook Study: Trends 2000-2005 Compared to the EFSOS Scenarios ECE/TIM/DP/47 Forest and Forest Products Country Profile: Uzbekistan ECE/TIM/DP/45 Forest Certification – Do Governments Have a Role? ECE/TIM/DP/44 International Forest Sector Institutions and Policy Instruments for Europe: A Source Book ECE/TIM/DP/43 Forests, Wood and Energy: Policy Interactions ECE/TIM/DP/42 Outlook for the Development of European Forest Resources ECE/TIM/DP/41 Forest and Forest Products Country Profile: Serbia and Montenegro ECE/TIM/DP/40 Forest Certification Update for the UNECE Region, 2003 ECE/TIM/DP/39 Forest and Forest Products Country Profile: Republic of Bulgaria ECE/TIM/DP/38 Forest Legislation in Europe: How 23 Countries Approach the Obligation to Reforest, Public Access and Use of Non-Wood Forest Products ECE/TIM/DP/37 Value-Added Wood Products Markets, 2001-2003 ECE/TIM/DP/36 Trends in the Tropical Timber Trade, 2002-2003 ECE/TIM/DP/35 Biological Diversity, Tree Species Composition and Environmental Protection in the Regional FRA-2000 ECE/TIM/DP/33 Forestry and Forest Products Country Profile: Ukraine ECE/TIM/DP/32 The Development of European Forest Resources, 1950 To 2000: a Better Information Base ECE/TIM/DP/31 Modelling and Projections of Forest Products Demand, Supply and Trade in Europe ECE/TIM/DP/30 Employment Trends and Prospects in the European Forest Sector ECE/TIM/DP/29 Forestry Cooperation with Countries in Transition ECE/TIM/DP/28 Russian Federation Forest Sector Outlook Study ECE/TIM/DP/27 Forest and Forest Products Country Profile: Georgia ECE/TIM/DP/26 Forest certification update for the UNECE region, summer 2002 ECE/TIM/DP/25 Forecasts of economic growth in OECD and central and eastern European countries for the period 2000-2040 ECE/TIM/DP/24 Forest Certification update for the UNECE Region, summer 2001 ECE/TIM/DP/23 Structural, Compositional and Functional Aspects of Forest Biodiversity in Europe ECE/TIM/DP/22 Markets for secondary processed wood products, 1990-2000 ECE/TIM/DP/21 Forest certification update for the UNECE Region, summer 2000 ECE/TIM/DP/20 Trade and environment issues in the forest and forest products sector ECE/TIM/DP/19 Multiple use forestry ECE/TIM/DP/18 Forest certification update for the UNECE Region, summer 1999 ECE/TIM/DP/17 A summary of “The competitive climate for wood products and paper packaging: the factors causing substitution with emphasis on environmental promotions” ECE/TIM/DP/16 Recycling, energy and market interactions ECE/TIM/DP/15 The status of forest certification in the UNECE region ECE/TIM/DP/14 The role of women on forest properties in Haute-Savoie (France): Initial research ECE/TIM/DP/13 Interim report on the Implementation of Resolution H3 of the Helsinki Ministerial Conference on the protection of forests in Europe (Results of the second enquiry) ECE/TIM/DP/12 Manual on acute forest damage ECE/TIM/DP/7


International Forest Fire News (two issues per year) Timber and Forest Information Series Timber Committee Yearbook 2004 ECE/TIM/INF/11

The above series of publications may be requested free of charge through:

UNECE/FAO Timber Section Trade and Timber Division United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Fax: +41 22 917 0041 E-mail: [email protected] Downloads are available at: http://www.unece.org/trade/timber

UNECE/FAO GENEVA TIMBER AND FOREST DISCUSSION PAPERS

The objective of the Discussion Papers is to make available to a wider audience work carried out, usually by national experts, in the course of UNECE/FAO activities. The Discussion Papers do not represent the final official outputs of particular activities but rather contributions, which, because of their subject matter or quality, deserve to be disseminated more widely than to the restricted official circles from whose work they emerged. The Discussion Papers are also utilized when the subject matter is not suitable (e.g. because of technical content, narrow focus, specialized audience) for distribution in the UNECE/FAO Geneva Timber and Forest Study Paper series. Another objective of the Discussion Papers is to stimulate dialogue and contacts among specialists.

In all cases, the author(s) of the discussion papers are identified, and the papers are solely their responsibility. The designation employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The UNECE Timber Committee, the FAO European Forestry Commission, the Governments of the authors’ country and the UNECE/FAO secretariat, are neither responsible for the opinions expressed, nor the facts presented, nor the conclusions and recommendations in the Discussion Paper.

In the interests of economy, Discussion Papers are issued in the original language, with only minor language editing and final layout by the secretariat. They are distributed automatically to nominated forestry libraries and information centres in member countries.

This Discussion Paper is available on the Timber Section website at: http//www.unece.org/trade/timber.

The Discussion Papers are available on request from the secretariat. Those interested in receiving them on the continuing basis should contact the secretariat as well. Your comments are most welcome and will be referred to the authors:


Printed at United Nations Geneva United Nations publication GE.XX-XXXXX – December 2008 ISSN 1020-7228

ECE/TIM/DP/53

Mobilizing Wood Resources: Proceedings of a Workshop Held in Geneva Switzerland 11 and 12 January 2007

Wood is currently a source for renewable energy in Europe. Increasing global prices for fossil fuels, concerns over energy security, and commitments to reduce CO2 emissions has increased the demand for wood in the energy sector. This has created a situation where there is competition for raw materials between the energy sector and the wood product sector and has led to an acute need for up-to-date, reliable statistical information on wood sources and uses, which have heretofore either been unavailable or weak in many countries. The proceedings are divided into two parts: part one presents the workshop’s conclusions and recommendations, part two is a summary of the presentations given at the workshop. The annex contains two background papers.

UNECE Timber Committee and FAO European Forestry Commission

Further information about forests and forest products, as well as information about the UNECE Timber Committee and the FAO European Forestry Commission is available on the website www.unece.org/trade/timber

Information about the UNECE may be found at www.unece.org and information about FAO may be found at www.fao.org


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