Global woody biomass trade for energy

Abstract

This chapter presents global woody biomass production and trade developments and extracts energy-related trade volumes. It shows that direct, policyinfluenced trade for energy has reached over 300 PJ by 2010. The majority of this volume comprises of wood pellets and wood chips aimed for consumption in the European Union (EU). Wood pellets are the largest single commodity stream and have seen a rapid production growth and trade internationalization. This is primarily due to past and expected future EU demand developments in the industrial segment, i.e. large-scale use of wood pellets in co- and mono-firing installations. Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Denmark in particular are bound to increase consumption, and will remain net pellet importers. Wood pellet production has become a key diversification strategy of many forest companies and other traditional forest sectors, e.g. pulp and paper. Even energy utilities themselves are investing upstream. Wood chip trade for energy is largely limited to wood waste and small volumes of virgin wood chip (including roundwood) trade for energy in the Baltic Sea region and towards Italy. Policy-influenced fuelwood trade is also largest in Europe where it is mainly used in residential heating. Trade is predominantly regional or cross-border, and has been driven by local market price differences, winter conditions, and regional supply shortages. Market factors and policies have both defined woody biomass trade volumes while policy changes did not have as dramatic effects on trade developments as in the liquid biofuel sector. Economic viability is the key limiting trade factor for woody biomass 'commodities'. Most exporting countries have low feedstock costs and already existing wood processing industries. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014.