Putin closes the gas taps, Germany lights up the coal boilers, and energy prices hit the ceiling … What’s going on? Well, we know what’s going on this time. It’s war in Europe, and crises are coming or already here. It’s time to light up the bioenergy boilers.
What are the alternatives? We have asked this question here at Forestry.com as timber prices are low and we wish to find better ways to use the forest. Here in Sweden, we don’t use gas for energy production or heating but as we are a part of the common EU energy market we are affected anyway. This has made the demand for firewood increase dramatically.
Firewood producers we have talked to confirm this. E.g., Marcus whom we wrote about earlier this year. But all types of bioenergy should be hot for the moment.
Countries, like Sweden, which already have boilers and logistic chains for bioenergy from the forest are maybe the lucky ones. All they must do is speed up the existing systems. But for others, it may not be so easy. Building a boiler like the Torsvik plant here in my neighborhood takes time.
But I can’t help thinking this should be a golden opportunity for the bioenergy business and the forest.
A steady flow of chips from the CBI 8400.
It may seem cynical to take advantage of the current situation. But life goes on and the best alternative solutions must be found when something fails, like the gas supply. So, has the time come for the major bioenergy breakthrough?
I don’t know. But even though the EU classifies bioenergy from the forest as not desirable as it lets the carbon in the wood out, I believe in it. And it must in any case be better than coal!
I started my first own chainsaw in 1978. After that I have been working as logger, both with chainsaw and harvesters/forwarders, export salesman, marketing manager and project manager for the Elmia forestry shows. Along the way I also graduated as forester. I joined the Forestry.com team as a freelance editor in January 2020.
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