The potential of wood residue streams for industrial wood pellet production in the Baltic Countries and Poland

Abstract

Currently most solid biomass in the European Union (EU-27) is made from high grade secondary wood residues, e.g. clean saw dust and wood chips. The demand for solid biomass is expected to keep on growing. However, the potential of high grade secondary wood residues is limited and alternative biomass sources need to be mobilized.

This study, identifies and assesses the potential of low valued residue streams for the Baltic Countries and Poland, that can be used for the production of industrial certified wood pellets. A statistical approach is used on a country level, based on the current production of primary wood and secondary wood products and the amount of tertiary residues. Secondly, the statistical approach is complemented with empirical data from selected industries and regions in each country to identify gaps or errors in the available statistical data and improve the level of detail in the resource assessment. To identify the wood streams and unused residue streams in the Baltic Countries and Poland, a wood balance has been made of the wood industry. Further, expected future developments in the wood sector were included to assess the long term potential, and two empirical cases show the costs of mobilization. The wood processing industry is divided in the following industries/product types:

• Wood processing industry sector (sawmilling, veneer peeling, pulp and paper production and wood based panel production) • Other wood industry (furniture production, construction materials, packaging materials and other wood products) • Post-consumer wood (PCW) includes all sorts of materials which are available at the end of life of wooden products.

Figure 1 shows the resource balance for Poland in 2010. Both processes which produce and use wood residues are identified. Figure 2 presents the residue balance, with the current production and use of wood residues, and shows the technical potential for unused residues in the Baltic Countries and Poland combined, to be 5.2 Mm³, largely consisting of tertiary residues. The results of the wood residue balance shows that secondary residues from the wood processing industry are to a large extent, already used.

On the long term, the wood markets in Poland and the Baltic Countries are expected to grow significantly. However, the growth of the residue potential is not linear due to more efficient processes and different product outputs. Figure 2 also presents the potential for 2030, the potential is estimated to rise 25%, to 5.9Mm³ in 2030.

Figure 3 presents the production and use of residues per country. The largest technical potential of unused wood residues is available in Poland. The potential of tertiary residues in Poland was estimated to be 3.68 Mm³ swe and all secondary residues are already used in this region. In Lithuania, the technical potential is 0.36 Mm³ swe, unused tertiary residues account for 70% of the potential. The technical potential for Latvia is 0.68 Mm³ swe, where unused tertiary residues account for 33%. The potential in Estonia is insignificant, as current residues are to a large extent already used, and large amounts residues (including possible chipped roundwood, sold as residues) are exported. As Estonia is still expected to export large amounts of residues, the potential is expected to remain insignificant in 2030.

Figure 3 Production and use of residue streams per country in the Baltic Countries and Poland for 2010 and 2030 It can be concluded that at this point, there are not large amounts of unused secondary residues in the Baltic Countries and Poland. Residues are available, but they mainly consist of tertiary residues, which are (at this point) to a large extend not mobilized. However, little information is available on the technical availability and quality of this stream, and it may need extensive treatment before it can be used for wood pellet production.