Wood could contribute to a major increase in the use of biomass-generated energy in Europe, according to a new study coordinated by the VTT Technical Research Institute in Finland.
According to the institute, its 2008-2011 Eubionet III study “has made more accurate infomration available than ever on biomass reserves in the EU” and concluded that there is annual energy-producing potential form biomaterial from forests, agriculture and industry equivalent to 157 million tonnes of oil. That is 50% more than is currently exploited.
“The greatest potential for increase is in wood chips and agrobiomass,” said VTT senior research scientist Eija Alakangas. “Finland alone aims to use forest chips to produce energy equivalent to the yield of 13.5million m3 of solid fuel.”
Wood pellet trade and volumes were evaluated in the study using customs codes and price data and, following its findings, a new EU customs code will be introduced to monitor trade more precisely from 2012.
The EU will now use the reports findings in its wider evaluation of the sustainability and potential of solid and gaseous biofuels.
