Mobilisation of Forest Bioenergy in the Boreal and Temperate Biomes: Challenges, Opportunities and Case Studies

Mobilisation of Forest Bioenergy in the Boreal and Temperate Biomes: Challenges, Opportunities, and Case Studies features input from key international experts who identify and analyze the main opportunities and roadblocks for the implementation of sustainable forest biomass supply chains in the boreal and temperate regions. It draws from responses to surveys that were sent to specialists from different countries, compares models of bioenergy deployment, and discusses different types of bioenergy carriers.

Efficiency and profitability of the supply chain are analyzed and the scale and level of confidence of feedstock inventory estimates are highlighted. Logistics and ecological and socio-economic footprints are also covered. This book provides a synthesis of the scientific and technical literature on specific aspects of forest biomass supply chains, and quantifies future potentials in comparison to estimates provided by other sources and the targets for bioenergy production set by various organizations (IEA, IPCC, etc.).

Finally, the book proposes recommendations for practitioners, policymakers, and future research. This approach makes the book especially relevant for professionals, policymakers, researchers, and graduate students in the field of bioenergy conversion and management, as well as those interested in sustainable management of natural resources.

• Presents foundational theory, examples and lessons learned, drawing on scientific and technical literature, as well as surveys conducted among stakeholders from various countries of the boreal and temperate biomes
• Provides best practices, insights, and recommendations through an integrative framework that encompasses various aspects of forest biomass supply chain, at different scales, and looking at a broad geographical and geopolitical range
• Compares contrasting history, policy context, and level of forest bioenergy development in several countries through several case studies
• Analyzes the efficiency and profitability of the supply chain, highlighting the scale and level of confidence of feedstock inventory estimates

Dr. Evelyne Thiffault is an assistant professor in forest bioenergy and forest soil ecology and forest biomass at the department of wood and forest sciences of Laval University (Canada) and member of the Research Centre on Renewable Materials. She has a degree in forest engineering (2001) and a PhD in forest sciences (2006), both from Laval University. She manages since 2009 research programs on the ecological effects of forest management on ecosystems, and on forest bioenergy value chains. She has authored/co-authored 26 research articles and 4 book chapters related to forest bioenergy at the local, national and international scales. She is involved since 2009 in Canada’s national team on IEA-Bioenergy Task 43: Biomass feedstocks for energy markets and Task 40: Sustainable international bioenergy trade.

Dr C.T. (Tat) Smith is a Professor at the faculty of geography and is Dean emeritus of the faculty of forestry of the University of Toronto (Canada). Professor Smith obtained a B.A. in economics from the University of Virginia, an M.A. in forestry from the University of Vermont, and a Ph.D. in forest resources from the University of Maine. He has experience with the environmental impact analysis associated with bioenergy production systems in North America, Europe and New Zealand. He is co-leader of IEA-Bioenergy Task 43, He has been a collaborator with IEA Bioenergy programs since 1985. He is currently the coordinator of the IEA-Bioenergy Intertask project : Mobilisation of biomass supply chains.

Dr. Martin Junginger is associate professor at Energy & Resources (E&R) of the Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University, and leads the bioenergy cluster of the E&R group. He has a background in chemistry and environmental science, and joined the staff of E&R in 2001 as PhD student, doing extensive research on the technological development and associated cost reductions of several renewable energy technologies, including onshore and offshore wind farms, biomass CHP plants in Sweden and biogas plants in Denmark. He is leader of IEA Bioenergy Task 40 He works amongst others on charting and projecting international trade in biomass and biofuels (with a special focus on wood pellets), and identifying limitations and opportunities for bioenergy trade. His expertise includes solid biomass logistic supply chains and GHG balances including forest carbon accounting.

Dr Göran Berndes is associate professor for Physical Resource Theory at the Department for Energy and Environment of Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg (Sweden), researching the development of energy systems and of land use, He is international leader of IEA Bioenergy Task 43 and also a member of several other international expert groups. He served as lead author for the bioenergy chapter in the IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation and currently serves as contributing author on bioenergy and land use for the Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC. He has an MSc in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Environmental Sciences and Physical Resource Theory.