Energy wood resources in Northwest Russia

Published Date
Biomass and Bioenergy
May 2011, Vol.35(5):1655–1662, doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.12.039

Author 

• Y. Gerasimov ^,
• T. Karjalainen

• Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Unit, Yliopistokatu 6, 80101 Joensuu, Finland

Received 22 April 2009. Revised 8 November 2010. Accepted 22 December 2010. Available online 14 January 2011. 

Abstract

The energy wood procurement possibilities for the eight regions making up Northwest Russia were assessed. Wood byproducts from logging and mechanical wood processing were considered for energy production based on actual cut, sawmill and plywood production figures for 2006. Of the total calculated potential of 31 million solid m³ (62 TWh), nearly 70% (21.8 million m³) is from logging. The remainder (9 million m³) is from sawmill and plywood production. The approximate available energy wood by region would be: 2.3 million m³ from the Republic of Karelia, 2.7 million m³ from the Republic of Komi, 5.4 million m³ from Arkhangelsk, 4.6 million m³from Vologda, 3.8 million m³ from Leningrad, 2.0 million m³ from Novgorod, 0.8 million m³ from Pskov, and 41,000 m³ from the Murmansk region. There are large differences in the potentials between and within the regions. This is due to the differences in their forest resources; differences in their utilisation of these resources; the available infrastructures; and some limitations on logging. Nearly 65% of all the potential energy wood from logging is non-industrial roundwood, 19% is spruce stumps removed after final felling, 8% is unused branches and tops, and 8% is defective wood resulting from logging. About 58% of the total potential energy wood from logging is coniferous. However, there are large differences between the regions and within the regions in the species proportions. Currently about 40% of the allowable cut is used. This means that it would be possible to intensify the utilisation of the forest resources and thereby also to increase the use of wood for energy production. Full implementation of the allowable cut could provide 73.5 million m³ of energy wood (147 TWh). In addition, if the technical potential for thinnings is utilised, the total potential energy wood provided by logging, and mechanical wood processing could be 104 million m³ (208 TWh).

Keywords

Energy wood

Logging residues

Non-industrial round wood

Wood procurement

Wood processing by-products

Lifted stumps

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