Berr Woodfuel Resource in UK

8/6/2019 Berr Woodfuel Resource in UK

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WOODFUEL RESOURCEIN BRITAIN

NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAMME


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CONTENTS

Objectives ..............................................................1

Summary ...............................................................2

Background ...........................................................3

Findings .................................................................5

Conclusions ...........................................................9

Potential for Future Development .......................9


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1

Objectives

To quantify the present resource from traditional forests, sawmills, urban

areas, roadsides, and short rotation coppice, taking account of technical and

environmental but not economic constraints we describe this as the

potential operationally available resource.

To forecast future availability of the resource from traditional forests.

To summarise information in paper and electronic format, for a range of

geographical areas and timescales.

To provide commentary on potential commercial availability, making clear the

location and general scale of existing competing markets.

To allow the user, via an interactive Web site

(www.woodfuelresource.org.uk), to sift through summarised information to

identify the woodfuel of interest.

To allow the user to submit an electronic request for resource information

within a defined area of interest, resource type, and timescale.

Figure 1. Forests can provide a substantial quantity of biomass for energy markets

(courtesy of the Forestry Commission)


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Summary

The biologically available woodfuel resource from British forests has been

estimated in a sound and consistent way, and from this the operationally

available resource from traditional forests has been estimated for both thepresent forecast period and the future. Current resources from sawmills,

arboricultural arisings and short rotation coppice have also been estimated.

Best available information has been used to indicate how much of the

resource is not marketed at present and is, therefore, potentially available for

energy end uses without taking competing markets into account.

Though not an objective of the study, we have also estimated the resource

that could be made available without disrupting existing wood-using industries,and provided commentary on potential commercial availability, making clear

the location and general scale of existing competing markets.

Data have been summarised in paper and electronic format for a range of

geographical areas and timescales. An interactive Web site

(www.woodfuelresource.org.uk) allows the user to sift through summarised

information. The user can define an area of interest, a type of resource, and a

specific time interval and can then submit, via the Web site, a detailed requestfor more refined information.

Two outputs have been produced in addition to the original objectives. Firstly,

data at English Region level has been summarised, to help regional planning

for renewable energy. Secondly, the project has delivered an extremely

valuable method of estimating the carbon pools in standing woody biomass.

Biomass has been estimated for all tree components (except fine roots) and

can be easily converted to carbon values. Moreover, the data can be easily

summarised over a range of geographical areas and forecast over a range of

time periods. The Geographical Information System (GIS) allows carbon pools

to be estimated for any user-defined area and component through time.

It is considered that the data are the most reliable available and will serve as a

very useful basis for strategic thinking, planning and project development.

Nevertheless, there are limitations to the study. These have been identified

and future actions suggested to remedy them.

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There have been numerous studies on the

potential resources available in Britain in the

past decade. These have indicated a wide

band of potential resource in the region of

1.0 to 2.0 million oven dry tonnes per year

(odt y-1). However, they are limited in

various ways, principally because they do

not include all the potential resource of

clean primary product, data are presented in

paper format only, and they pre-date

widespread use of GIS. Therefore,

information is not readily available to

planners and developers.

This study considers material from forests,

sawmills, urban sites and roadsides through

to arboricultural operations, and short

rotation coppice.

3

Figure 2. Woodchips make up 66% of sawmill products that would be available for energy end markets


Background

There is considerable interest in the use of wood as an energy source.

Worldwide efforts to reduce net carbon emissions, current and impending

environmental legislation, concerns over the sustainability of rural

communities, and the need to create additional markets for woodland owners

are all factors driving this interest. Possible end products include electricity

and heat, either singly or in combined heat and power applications, fuel oils,

transportation fuels and chemical feed stocks. The end use will determine raw

material requirements and wood fuel specifications.


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Traditional forestry. Forests produce a

variety of woodfuel products: harvesting

brash (needles, branches and stems,

usually 7cm

diameter to cover all biomass components,and presenting in summary form up to

2020. In addition to the standard paper

report, this information is made available on

an interactive Web site that allows the user

to interrogate the GIS database. Much more

detailed information can be obtained by

submitting a request to Forest Research via

the Web site.

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5

Findings

Present potential resource in the

absence of competing markets

The total potential operationally availablewoodfuel in Britain during the present

forecast period of 2003-06, in the absence

of competing markets, is 3.1 million odt y-1.

The main sources are small roundwood

followed by sawmill product (a potential to

contribute around 1.03 and 0.86 million

odt y-1 respectively), with arboricultural

arisings providing about 14% of the total.

Approximately equal quantities are available

in England and Scotland but the

composition is substantially different.

Arboricultural arisings form the major

element in England though sawmill product,

small roundwood, and branches are allsignificant components. In Scotland and

Wales, small roundwood and sawmill

product are the dominant resources with all

other potential resource streams playing

only a minor part. Unless establishment of

fast growing species, such as short rotation

coppice, increases substantially, it will

remain a minor component of the potential

woodfuel mix.

Product Scotland England Wales Britain

Stemwood 7-14 cm diameter 606 298 128 1032

Poor quality stemwood 113 94 70 277

Stem tips 12 14 5 31

Branches 116 225 68 409

Sawmill product 404 290 166 860

Arboricultural arisings 22 456 14 492

Short rotation coppice 0.6 16 0.2 17

Total 1,274 1,393 451 3,118

Table 1. Current potential operationally available woodfuel resource in the absence of competing markets, by

country (thousand odt y-1)

Product Scotland England Wales Britain

Stemwood 7-14 cm diameter 61 30 13 104Poor quality stemwood 113 94 70 277

Stem tips 12 14 5 31

Branches 116 225 68 409

Sawmill product 40 29 17 86

Arboricultural arisings 18 313 10 341

Short rotation coppice 0.6 13 0.2 14

Total 361 718 183 1,262

Table 2. Current potential operationally available woodfuel resource in the presence of competing markets, by

country (thousand odt y-1)


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Present potential resource taking

account of existing industries

The potential British resource that could be

made available to new woodfuel projects

without serious disruption of existing wood-

using industries is estimated to be

1.26 million odt y-1. Assumptions on marketavailability are:

10% of the small roundwood

100% of poor quality stemwood, stem

tips and branches

10% of sawmill product

On average, 70% of arboricultural

arisings

100% of material from clearance of

utilities and roadside maintenance

80% of short rotation coppice in England,

ie all coppice other than that established

under the Energy Crop Scheme, and

100% short rotation coppice in Scotland

and Wales.

The databases compiled within this project

can be interrogated for smaller geographical

areas, to identify the zones of greatest

development potential, and to evaluate the

risks of regional or local imbalances in

supply and demand created by new energy

end use markets.

Future potential resource in theabsence of competing markets

Operationally available woodfuel in the form

of small roundwood, poor quality stems,

branches, tips and foliage from traditional

forestry is expected to remain relatively

stable at just under 2 million odt y-1 up to

2020.

Even though the availability of smaller and

poor quality fractions is expected to remain

relatively stable to 2020, the availability of

larger dimension material is expected to

increase substantially. Assuming the

sawmilling sector expands to use this

resource, product will increase

proportionally. Thus expansion in future

resource is likely to be in sawmill product

rather than biomass direct from the forest.

Operationally available arboricultural arisings

cannot be forecast with any certainty, but

seem unlikely to change dramatically.

Future availability of short rotation coppice

will depend on many factors of which

Renewables Obligation co-firing conditions,

CAP reform, support schemes, proof ofenergy end-markets and profitability of

coppice relative to alternative crops are

likely to be the most influential.

Significance of estimated resource

The total operationally available resource

(3.1 million odt y-1), if used for electricity

generation, would equate to 3.6TWHe

y-1

(assumes calorific value of 20 GJ odt-1 and

25% conversion efficiency) or 0.44GW

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Figure 3. Chips and logs from arboricultural

operations in urban areas and roadsides are an

important source of supply, especially in England



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(assumes a generating time of 8000h per

annum). The 10% UK electricity target for

renewable generation is equivalent at

present to 3GW, of which about 1GW it is

hoped will come from biomass. If all the

operationally available woodfuel is used to

generate electricity it could, therefore

provide just under half of the notional target

for biomass.

If woodfuel were used to generate heat,

the operationally available resource of3.1 million odt y-1 would generate about

12.1TWHth y-1 (assuming 85% conversion

efficiency).

In the future, biomass could be used to

produce transport fuels. The current annual

demand is 1600PJ. The conversion efficiency

of woody biomass to ethanol or methanol is

about 65%. If all the operationally availablewoodfuel were used to produce transport

fuels, this would give about 40PJ y-1, ie

2.5% of current demand. EU Directive

2003/30/EC states that 5.75% of all petrol

and diesel must be replaced by biofuels by

2010.

Woodfuel would not be delivered for use in

an oven-dried condition. The above

estimates do not account for the energy

required to evaporate the moisture

contained in woodfuel, because it can vary

widely from one form of material to

another, and from one season to another.Ideally, woodfuel will be dried using passive

drying or waste heat to maximise efficiency

of the overall process.

Limitations and uncertainties

The base data for this study is sound,

though there are uncertainties and

limitations. For example, the estimate of

constraints on brash harvesting in the

private sector should be verified. Dead

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Figure 4. Chips made from short rotation willow (courtesy of the Forestry Commission)


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wood has not been included but could be a

significant additional resource in areas

where it is too windy to thin the stands

regularly. In view of the large resource

identified in the branchwood of broadleaved

woodlands, this estimate should be further

validated and refined.

Forecasts of the biologically availableresource are subject to changes in a

silvicultural system which is generally

expected to reduce woodfuel yields, and to

a lesser extent to climate change, which is

expected to increase overall tree growth.

Forecasts of the operationally available

resource are subject to technological

developments; some are likely to have

positive effects on woodfuel availability,

while others are likely to reduce availability.

A particular uncertainty is the response of

the forestry sector, both the growing and

the processing sectors, to the opportunities

presented by a developing woodfuel market.

This study did not include an estimate for

dead wood, ie trees that have died because

of excessive shading by neighbouring trees,

drought, or disease. A few standing dead

trees may be left to provide wildlife habitats

but most are normally felled along with

living trees. Although they are currently not

extracted, since the timber is not suitable

for present markets, standing dead wood

does represent a potential woodfuelresource especially as the moisture content

is lower than that of living trees. Although

the number and volume of trees that have

died in any previous five-year period can be

estimated, it was not possible in the time

available for the project to estimate this at

any particular harvesting time.

Though predictions of the commercially

available resource are not part of this study,

an attempt has been made to estimate the

quantity of woodfuel that could be made

available without significantly affecting

existing industries. However, the

assumptions behind these estimates are

open to question.

If the data presented in this study are

extended to estimate commercial availabilityof woodfuel to energy markets, a further

layer of uncertainty must be taken into

consideration. The effects of competing and

inter-related markets are difficult to predict,

especially as most wood products are

traded internationally. The commercially

available woodfuel resource will also be

highly influenced by regulation, incentives

and support mechanisms affecting not onlyenergy markets but also waste recovery and

recycling.

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Figure 5. Worcestershire County Hall boiler house

(courtesy of Econergy Ltd)


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Conclusions

The current total potential operationally available resource is

estimated to be 3.1 million odt y-1, with unmarketed material

estimated at 1.3 million odt y-1.

Across Britain as a whole, the greatest uncommitted resource

lies in branches and poor quality stems, while arboricultural

arisings are the single biggest uncommitted resource in

England from present data, arboricultural arisings are of minor

importance in Wales and Scotland. In the absence of

competing markets the main potential source of woodfuel is

small roundwood followed by sawmill product (a potential to

contribute around 1.03 and 0.86 million odt y-1 respectively).

Assuming that 10% of both could be made available to new

woodfuel projects without disruption to existing wood-usingindustries, a realistic but conservative figure for current

availability from each is approximately 100,000 odt y-1. Thus

sawmill product and small roundwood direct from growers

represent major potential sources of woodfuel in all three

countries.

Operationally available woodfuel in the form of small

roundwood, poor quality stems, branches, tips and foliage from

traditional forestry is expected to remain relatively stable at just

under 2 million odt y-1 up to 2020. Future expansion in theresource is likely to be in sawmill product rather than biomass

direct from the forest. Future availability of arboricultural

arisings and short rotation coppice has not been estimated.

If all the operationally available woodfuel (3.1 million odt y -1)

were used to generate electricity, this would provide

3.6 TWHe y-1 - just under half of the notional target for the

contribution of biomass to the UK Governments target of

10% electricity to be supplied from renewable sources by

2010. This emphasises the need to consider other sources ofbiomass, such as recovered wood, and to increase

establishment of biomass crops with rapid early growth

rates, such as short rotation coppice or energy grasses. If

woodfuel were used to generate heat instead of electricity,

the operationally available resource of 3.1 million odt y-1

would generate about 12.1 TWHth y-1; 40-50% of electricity

is used to provide space heating. If all the operationally

available woodfuel were used to produce transport fuels this

could provide about 40 PJ y-1, ie 2.5% of current demand.

These estimates do not account for the energy required to

evaporate the moisture contained in woodfuel, and should

be reduced by a factor of three if existing markets are taken

into consideration.

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Potentialfor FutureDevelopment

The ideal tool forplanners and

developers

considering biomass

projects is a GIS that

contains all potential

biomass sources. In

addition to the clean

sources quantified in

this study (traditional

forestry, sawmill

product, arboricultural

arisings and short

rotation coppice),

planning and

realisation of biomass

projects would be

facilitated if the

database were to be

expanded to include

clean post-consumer

wood (for example

packaging and joinery

waste), straw, and

energy grasses.

Information on the

potential contribution

of wood that has been

chemically treatedshould also be made

available on the

database since there

will be situations

where its use gives

economic benefits

with no environmental

or social disbenefits.


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Further renewable energy information from the

New & Renewable Energy Programme, and copies

of publications, can be obtained from:

Renewable Energy Helpline

Tel: +44 (0)870 190 6349

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.dti.gov.uk/renewable/index.html

Crown copyright. First printed February 2004.

Printed on paper containing a minimum of 75% post-consumer waste. DTI/Pub URN 04/604

CONTRACTOR

Forestry Contracting Association

Dalfling

Blairdaff

Inverurie

Aberdeenshire

AB51 5LA

Tel: +44 (0)1467 651368

Fax: +44 (0)1467 651595

Contact: Ben Hudson

(Contract Number

B/W3/00787/00/00)

COLLABORATORS

Forestry Group

231 Corstorphine Road

Edinburgh

EH12 7AT

Tel: +44 (0)131 334 0303

Fax: +44 (0)131 316 4344

Contact: Helen McKay

Forest Research

Northern Research Station

Roslin

Midlothian

EH25 9SYTel: +44 (0)131 445 2176

Fax: +44 (0)131 445 5124

Contact: Steve Smith

Forest Enterprise

231 Corstorphine Road

Edinburgh

EH12 7AT

Tel: +44 (0)131 334 0303

Fax: +44 (0)131 316 4344

Contact: Lesley Halsall

FURTHERINFORMATION

For further information about this

project see FES project report

Woodfuel Resource in Britain

(B/W3/00787/REP,

URN 03/1436) available from the

Helpline or via the Web site

www.woodfuelresource.org.uk.

COST

The total cost of this project

(263,550) was funded by the

Department of Trade and Industry,

Scottish Enterprise, and the Welsh

Development Agency, with in-kind

contributions from the Forestry

Commission and the forestry

industry.

DURATION

12 months April 2002 to April

2003.

Documents

Berr Woodfuel Resource in UK