Synergies between Green Production and Green Consumption: Biomass Use

1. Matching business and citizenship in Green Production and Green Consumption:Biomass useBologna, 14th May 2014 JuditRodríguezDepartment of Forest Harvesting and Bioenergy Forest Sciences Centre of Catalonia www.ctfc.cat

2. Mediterranean countries • Great potential in biomass production • Many forest biomass remains in the forests, and an excess of forest biomass increases the forest fire risk • Constraints: biodiversity, protection and site conditions • Low level of mechanisation and therefore low rate of productivity • Diversity of biofuels from agricultural and agrifood activities (olive stone, grape stone, dry fruits clover, pruning remains, etc.) • Each region has own features to be taken into account • Bioenergy and general context • Increase of fossil fuel prices • Increase of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) • Economic crisis in some countries • Heating needs in households are not too high • International standards for solid biofuels: European EN in force; ISO in preparation

3. Synergies bioenergy-industry • One of the most interesting synergies: • bioenergy from forest or agricultural biomass (by-products) and agrifood industry. • Some present examples: • olive stones for heating • almond cloves for the own cooperative heating • wood chips in lunchmeat • pasteurization and yogurt production • Approach: to be detected according to the regional industry sectors

4. Savings: heating costs and CO2 • Saving of CO2 emissions in industry: • A growing need • Synergies between industries with high fuel consumption • Present examples: pottery, cement industry, varnish and paint drying. • Saving in heating costs, according to: • Cost of biomass production in each region • Price of fossils fuels • Heating needs continuous and high • Feasibility plan

5. Industrial areas and forest bioenergy • Where? • Industrial areas/facilities near forests or agricultural lands with woody biomass potential • High and constant heating demand • How? • Energy services (buy “heat”) • Advantages for industry: • Fuel with a lower and constant price • Green image of the industry/ general economy: • Use of local resources (label km 0) • Local labor contribution • Use of renewable energy • Savings in CO2 emissions • In short, social and environmental commitment

6. Bioenergy positive effects in a general sense • Labour creation: all the investment for energy purposes remains in the corresponding region. • Forest fire prevention: if properly planned, biomass harvesting can contribute to big forest fires prevention.

7. Other issues • Constraints (depending on the region): • Competition with cheap fossil fuels • Heating available for medium temperatures processes • Pending issues: • Cooling can also be produced with biomass by absorption. One example: a winery is using grape stone and wood chips for heating and cooling of their facilities. • Traceability of biofuels: currently some ongoing projects.

8. Conclusions • Many potential synergies between bioenergy and industry • Interest in local production/consumption (km 0) • Therefore, suitable projects for seeking these synergies would be: • Industrial areas with heat demand • Areas with forests or agrifood biomass

9. Thanks for you attentionGraxe per la vostreattenzione.