Assessing logging residues availability for energy production by using forest management plans data and geographic information system (GIS)

This work aimed at the quantification of branches and tops (t·yr-1 dry matter, DM) for energy generation starting from Forest Management Plans (FMP) data. The methodology was applied to public stands of Valle Camonica district (Italy) for the period 2009-2018 (total area: 3.53∙104 ha). Compared to the previous preliminary analysis, the potentially available logging residues were computed by considering forest’s accessibility and roads’ transitability by combining the FMPs data with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in a Geographic Information System (GIS). New issues that were assessed here were: (i) representation of stands characterized by multiple disconnected parts; (ii) calculation of producible residues by using both constant (Scenario 1, S1) and variable biomass expansion factors (Scenario 2, S2). The potentially available residues computed for the analyzed period were used to quantify the current sustainable supply, i.e., 1.86∙103±7.01∙102 t·yr-1 DM (S1) and 1.05∙103±3.76∙102 t·yr-1 DM (S2), respectively. Then, the potentially generated heat (thermal energy, TE; GJ·yr-1) and electricity (EE; GJ·yr-1) and the potential avoided CO2 emissions into the atmosphere (EM; t·yr-1 CO2) related to the combustion process were quantified under the assumption that the wood substituted non-renewable energy sources. Future works on residues dynamics are essential to understand the relation between residues recovery and the other ecosystem services.

NONINI Luca;  SCHILLACI Calogero;  FIALA Marco; 

2022-09-30

SPRINGER

JRC128696

1612-4669 (online),   

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10342-022-01484-2,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC128696,   

10.1007/s10342-022-01484-2 (online),