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Matching business and citizenship in Green Production and Green Consumption:

Biomass use

Bologna, 14th May 2014

Judit Rodríguez

Department of Forest Harvesting and Bioenergy

Forest Sciences Centre of Catalonia

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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Thanks for you attentionGraxe per la vostre attenzione.