The sound use of wood from an industries perspective

CEI-Bois – European Confederation of Woodworking IndustriesCEI-Bois – European Confederation of Woodworking Industries

The sound use of wood from The sound use of wood from

an industries perspectivean industries perspective

Impacts of the EU energy policy on the woodworking industries

Dr.ir. Chris Van Riet

Poiana Braşow, 25 March 2003



The sound use of wood from an industries perspective

• Introduction• EU energy policy impact study 2000• Impact on the woodworking industries,

as observed by the end of 2002• Sustainable management of resources &

respect for the carbon cycle • Conclusions and recommendations



Introduction

• The EWWI (EU15): Two million employees Over 42,000 companies, 165 billion EUR/year of turnover

• Pioneer in sustainable use of resources Process heating (up to 91% needs) and CHP

with wood biomass unsuitable for recycling Supporting sustainable forest management Continuously improving recycling rates



EU eEU energy policy impact study 2000nergy policy impact study 2000• 1997: White Paper on renewable energy• Target WP: double the contribution of renewable

energy by 2010;• Biomass, mainly wood, to triple its contribution => Scenario analysis:

White Paper Business as Usual Foresters Minimum Pain



249

345 375

432 482

Actual 1996

Business-as- usual 2010

White Paper 2010

Foresters 2010

Minimum Pain 2010

0

100

200

300

400

500

600 mill m3

Wood to industry

Wood to energy

21 22

68

44 24

Actual 1996

Business-as- usual 2010

White Paper 2010

Foresters 2010

Minimum Pain 2010

0

40

80 mill m3

Imports to industry from outside EU15



Percentage wood price change 1996-2010Percentage wood price change 1996-2010

Supply/scenario

Low wood supply (inelastic)

High wood supply (elastic)

Business as usual + 18% - White Paper= Additional 163 Mio m3 for energy

+ 75% + 39%

Foresters= Higher price, new raw materials

+ 49% + 29%

Minimum Pain= More industrial and post-consumer residues

+ 26% + 18%



EU eEU energy policy impact study 2000nergy policy impact study 2000 conclusionsconclusions

• The industry “will hardly, if at all” be able to absorb the shift which will be induced by the White Paper “without detrimental effects”

• “A reduced target for wood could be compensated by increased targets for other bio-fuels”



IImpact mpact onon woodworking woodworking industriesindustries,, as as observed by the end of 2002observed by the end of 2002

• Increasing shortage of wood raw material for the wood-based industries

• Growing use of other materials and products which are:

not renewable sometimes recyclable and always less energy-efficient

• Increasing pressure on the forest resource



Increased pressure - some examples In Sweden today wood-based panels have a market

value of 1.3 SEK/kg, energy pellets sell at 2.3 SEK/kg; In Sweden and Denmark a particleboard and an MDF

plant respectively had to close, due to raw materials’ price increases;

In S1/2002, prices of sawdust and wood chips imported from Austria into Italy, for the production of wood-based panels, increased by 15 to 50% >< 2001;

Prices of coniferous logs increased by 23% with a tendency to grow towards 35% :

Woodworking plants in Italy and France declared to have lost raw material suppliers to electricity producers.



SSustainable resource managemeustainable resource managementnt andand respect for the carbon cycle respect for the carbon cycle

• Thanks to sustainable Forest Management the WWI has not been detrimental to the forest resource:

European forests grow by 4m³/sec• Using wood extracted from the forest for

manufacturing products contributes to sustainable development: Wood products are carbon sinks Wood products require little energy for manufacturing Wood products are an energy source at their end of life




• The value chain of the wood resource is presently not respected: => material suitable for the

production of wood-based products, is used directly for energy generation

• The energy market is not governed by free market principles: => unbalanced energy subsidies




Let wood products functionally cascade:

Primary product Re-use and/or Recycle Eventually use as energy source




• More intensified usage of wood residues, currently left behind in the forests

• Further improved techniques for growing forests, resulting in: increased yield per hectare of forest improved quality of harvested wood towards final

applications

• Reforestation of agricultural land, recurrently becoming available for alternative purposes.




• Increased recycling and re-use of wood, counterbalancing wood for biomass energy needs

• Another example: future combustion of recycled wood in Germany Available amount of recycled wood: 3.5 Mill. Tonnes/y Wood power stations planned: 60 Future energy need: 4.5 Mill. Tonnes/y Wood-based panel industry needs: 6 Mill. Tonnes/y



SSustainable resource managemeustainable resource management – nt – the other two pillarsthe other two pillars

Sustainability Added value (EUR/tonne dry)

Labour (hours/tonne dry)

Use in carpentry

1044 54

Energy use 118 2



The sound use of wood from The sound use of wood from an industries perspectivean industries perspective

Next

Steps

??????



CConclusionsonclusions andand recommendationsrecommendations

• Avoid massive burning of wood for purely energetic reasons

• Respect the value chain of wood-based products as long-lasting pools of carbon, substantially contributing to climate change mitigation

• Do not “subsidise away” wood as a raw material for durable applications by favouring the firing of trees, unless locally socio-economic and environmental considerations are compelling



CConclusionsonclusions andand recommendationsrecommendations (2)(2)

• Recognise the superior eco-efficiency of wood-based products and their supreme properties in recycling, with minimal energy use, as compared to other materials;

• Focus future EU and member states research policies on efficient recovery of forest residues and development of biomass crops specifically grown for energy generation;

• Reconsider and adapt the “163 million m³ fuelwood-for-energy” to a realistic target level



The sound use of wood from The sound use of wood from an industries perspectivean industries perspective

• Adopt sincere and visionary thinking about long-term strategies for wood resource use

• Use a realistic and balanced approach considering all three pillars of sustainable development

And: only burn wood after it has been fully and soundly used



The European wood-based The European wood-based industries thank you for a industries thank you for a sound future use of wood.sound future use of wood.

I thank you for your attentionI thank you for your attention

The sound use of wood from an industries perspective

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