facts about NordBio

WoodBio Wood biomass in the Nordic Bioeconomy

Nordic Council of Ministers

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Wood is one of the most common raw materials used in the Nordic countries. Therefore forest products play an important role for the realization of the bio-economy concept; they are renewable, ecologically friendly and can be recycled.

Biomass is a tissue produced by living organisms. In a forest, trees produce huge amounts of biomass. Forest biomass has been used by humans for thousands of years for a variety of purposes.

Renewable resources are key to creating a sustainable future and our forests are among the main contributors.

Goals of the WoodBio projectThis project aims to highlight the role of forestry in the Nordic bio-economy with emphasis on wood biomass as raw material. The wood biomass can be used for generating heat and electricity, producing biofuels and making bio-chemicals.

This project deals with the following wood biomass sources:

• Forest harvesting by cutting some of the trees from the forest to give space for better forest growth for the future. Often referred to as precommercial thinning of forest.

• Timber harvesting and logging: wood residuals, including branches and undersized trees, removed during typical timber harvesting operations.

• Sawmill and other wood manufacturing residues: bark, undersized and defective wood, sawdust, and other wood waste.

• Dedicated forests (plantations): fast growing trees grown specifically for wood biomass production.

• The output of the WoodBio project will be:

• Updated information on the supply of wood biomass in the Nordic countries and usage of wood biomass.

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Addresses & Information

Nordic Council of MinistersVed Stranden 18DK-1061 Copenhagen KTlf +45 3396 0200

www.norden.org

Contact informationDr. Ólafur Eggertsson, senior researcherIceland Forest Service, Tel: +354-4702091Mobile: +354-6904724

E-mail: olie@skogur.is

NordBio

• Predicted future demands (2020, 2050) of the traditional use of wood biomass, both as resource for energy and other industries (e.g. pulp, paper-making, textiles, chemicals and silicon manufacturing).

• Information about the best forest management practice for high productive forestry (fast growing plantation forest) and a model showing the most promising tree species for wood biomass production in the Nordic countries depending on different site conditions.

• Details about available land area for dedicated forests (plantation forest) for wood biomass in the Nordic countries.

• Information on the highest value added product from wood biomass.

• An overview of the new developing industries (innovation) utilizing the wood biomass and information on the future demands of the evolving industry for the biomass.

• The importance of wood biomass in the Nordic bio-economy based on the findings from the above information.

To be able to fulfil the criteria concerning bioeconomy, forestry must be highly sustainable in all aspects. The most important aspect is that the forest serves as a source of renewable raw material for the coming future.

Project participantsThe project involves highly skilled researchers from the Nordic countries, IS, DK, SE, NO and FI. They come from research institutes, universities and the industry. Close collaboration will be with related projects in the Nordic, concerning, wood biomass and bio-economy. The project will also collaborate with SNS- Nordic Forest Research and EFINORD-European Forest Institute.

Read more at www.norden.org/bioeconomy

What is NordBio?The Nordic bioeconomy initiative, NordBio, is a project initiated as part of the Icelandic chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2014. The aim is to promote a more sustainable utilization of natural resources and encourage less waste of resources.

The initial run of the program and all associated projects is three years and it involves a broad range of sectors. Implementation of the program will thus require close multidisciplinary collaboration.

The focus will be on projects that add economic, environmental and educational value. The Nordic countries have good prerequisites for clearing the path for a more biobased economy and also have a very holistic approach to societal change. Hence they are well placed to lead the way in this field.