Mapping yields of energy crops in Northern Europe

Willow plantations have long been considered a promising option for #bioenergy in northern Europe. But a basic question remains essential for both investors and #policy makers: how much biomass can actually be produced, and where. It is easy to speak about potential in general terms, but supply planning requires something much more concrete, spatially explicit estimates grounded in real production data.

In this study, we used harvesting records from 1,790 commercial willow plantations in Sweden and combined them with climatic variables to estimate productivity across northern Europe. Rather than relying only on experimental plots, the work was based on commercial plantations, which makes the estimates closer to the biomass that can realistically be harvested and mobilised in practice. The models were then extended to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Baltic coastal areas of Germany and Poland.

What we found was a strong spatial variability in yield potential. Precipitation during the growing season, together with key temperature variables, explained an important part of that variation. Under high-performance conditions, average first-rotation yields were above 7 odt ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the Baltic coast of Germany, above 6 in Denmark, above 5 in the Baltic coast of Poland, and between 4 and 5 in much of the remaining study area. This matters because it shows that not all land, and not all regions, offer the same opportunity for energy crops, even within relatively similar climatic zones.

This is, in my view, where the practical value of the study lies. Biomass strategies should not be discussed only in terms of total land availability, but also in terms of realistic productivity, regional differences, and the climatic limits of the crop. Better spatial estimates can improve hashtag#energysystems planning, reduce overly optimistic assumptions, and support more informed decisions on where willow can be a viable part of the renewable energy mix.

At the same time, the study also reminded us of something important: climate explains much, but not everything. Soil conditions, clone choice, and management still matter greatly, especially in the most productive plantations. In that sense, these maps should not be read as fixed truths, but as a solid reference for planning, comparison, and future improvement. For #bioeconomy and #renewableenergy, that is already a very useful step forward.

Download the TIF layers:

gcbb12332-sup-0001-FigS1.tifTIFF image, 5.9 MB	Figure S1. Yield estimates based on climatic variables at 1 × 1 km resolution for willow plantations on agricultural areas of northern Europe for a lowest performance scenario.
gcbb12332-sup-0002-FigS2.tifTIFF image, 5.9 MB	Figure S2. Yield estimates based on climatic variables at 1 × 1 km resolution for willow plantations on agricultural areas of northern Europe for a middle performance scenario.
gcbb12332-sup-0003-FigS3.tifTIFF image, 5.5 MB	Figure S3. Yield estimates based on climatic variables at 1 × 1 km resolution for willow plantations on agricultural areas of northern Europe for a highest performance scenario.
gcbb12332-sup-0004-Appendix.docxWord document, 249.7 KB	Appendix S1. Average yield response (marginal effect) by climatic variable.

Source: Mola-Yudego, B., Rahlf, J., Astrup, R., & Dimitriou, I. (2016). Spatial yield estimates of fast-growing willow plantations for energy based on climatic variables in northern Europe. GCB Bioenergy, 8, 1093–1105. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12332

Where Biomass Belongs: Mapping Europe’s Energy Crops to Build More Diverse Landscapes

As Europe accelerates its shift toward a low-carbon economy, the pressure to deliver sustainable biomass is rising fast, yet the hardest question is no longer only what to grow, it is where to grow it. Fast-growing plantations and perennial energy grasses can underpin biofuels and biomaterials, while also supporting carbon storage, water protection, and soil functions. However, when these systems expand as large, poorly integrated blocks, they can simplify land use patterns, weaken habitat variety, and reduce ecological resilience. The promise of the bioeconomy, therefore, depends on spatial intelligence: biomass systems need to be placed as part of the landscape, not imposed on top of it.

A recent open-access study addressed this challenge by building one of the most comprehensive empirical pictures yet of biomass production systems across Europe. Using harmonised spatial data for 426,783 fields and stands, covering 2,140,568 hectares across 17 countries, the authors characterised seven representative systems, including eucalypt, radiata pine, black locust, poplar and hybrid aspen, willow, miscanthus, and reed canary grass. They then assessed the land-use context around each site using 1 km buffers and CORINE land cover, translating “how mixed is the surrounding landscape?” into a Land Use Diversity Index based on Shannon diversity. The result was a practical lens for policy and planning: it showed not just where biomass is today, but where it is likely to diversify, or homogenise, the landscapes around it.

The key insight was that context dominates: the same crop can be either a corridor of diversity or an engine of simplification, depending on where it is inserted. Willow stood out as the strongest candidate for diversification, with 57% of willow plantations located in homogeneous, agriculture-dominated areas, where woody strips can introduce structural variety and potentially strengthen multifunctionality. Poplar and black locust also showed meaningful opportunities, with sizeable shares of stands situated where they could add “forested elements” into agricultural matrices. By contrast, miscanthus was often concentrated in low-diversity agricultural settings, suggesting that, without deliberate spatial planning, it may do little to raise local land-use diversity. The study also highlighted a recurring risk signal: biomass areas were highly unevenly distributed, with the largest 20% of stands accounting for the majority of total area, and thousands of very large polygons, a pattern that can translate into landscape dominance when not carefully governed. A sustainable bioeconomy is a design problem, and better maps, better metrics, and better placement rules are as important as better crops.

Read more:
Pineda-Zapata, S., & Mola-Yudego, B. (2025). European biomass production systems: Characterization and potential contribution to land use diversity. GCB Bioenergy, 17, e70057. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.70057
DOI: 10.1111/gcbb.70057

China’s Rural Energy Transition: Household Pathways Beyond Coal and Firewood

The recent developments in geopolitics have been a reminder that energy is never just #energy. For decades, the global oil system has been attached to collateral developments and power struggles. As fuel becomes strategically indispensable, some states stop treating supply as a market question and start treating it as a power question.

On top of the environmental effects linked to their consumption, #fossil #fuels have been framed as national interest with hard edges. We witness in recent events: energy security slide into coercion to third countries, and sometimes into force.

In this context it is interesting to study countries aiming to buy their way out of energy dependence by changing the fuel itself. Instead of competing for oil’s geography, the route to independence goes through millions of small, local energy decisions. Decisions which at the same time suppose a cleaner alternative, from solar for electricity, #bioenergy heating options, and the gradual replacement of #coal and #oil.

China has increased significantly and consistently the share of renewables in the energy mix, achieving simultaneously energy independence and lower carbon emissions. The #energy #transition has started in the cities, but has also reached rural areas, and while it is often discussed in terms of grids and powerplants, the real shift happens at household level too. That creates a practical policy question: where do traditional fuels still dominate, and which levers can accelerate cleaner options without ignoring local realities?

In Chinese rural areas, #coal (76%) and biomass residues, especially tree branches, #firewood (84%) and #crop #residues (38%), remain central for cooking and heating. The use of LPG is, however, limited (24%) and strongly concentrated. Our future projections suggest solar uptake could expand substantially, alongside a decline of up to ~50% in coal and firewood if supportive conditions continue. Subsidies and awareness matter, and familiarity with key renewable policies is still low in some counties, which points to information gaps as a real barrier, not just income or technology.

Region-specific strategies, combining solar and biogas diffusion with smarter, cleaner use of agricultural and forestry residues for local bioenergy, backed by targeted incentives and outreach, are setting the ground for a fast energy transition in rural China, with global geopolitical and climatic effects.

Read the PDF here

Xu, X., Li, Q., Khanam, T., Selkimäki, M., Liu, G., & Mola-Yudego, B. (2025). Rural Energy Consumption in Central China: Regional Patterns, Socioeconomic Influences, and Pathways to Sustainability. Food and Energy Security, 14, e70176. https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70176

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China, Chinese Universities Scientific Fund, the Research Council of Finland mobility programme and UNITE flagship.

Blackwater pulse

Post-fire effects on dissolved organic carbon concentrations in freshwater streams: a meta-analysis

Wildfires are often discussed through smoke, trees, and erosion, but one of their quieter legacies can travel downstream. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), the dark, tea-coloured fraction of organic matter in water, tends to rise after fire events, especially during storms. That matters because DOC is not only a carbon-export signal, it also shapes water treatment difficulty and can increase the formation potential of disinfection by-products when drinking-water is chlorinated.

In a recent meta-analysis, Polack and colleagues synthesised evidence on how forest fires affect peak-flow DOC concentrations in freshwater streams, focusing on the moments that often drive the largest exports: high-discharge events. Across 52 effect sizes from 14 peer-reviewed publications, their multi-level modelling estimated an average 26% increase in peak-flow DOC after fire, with the strongest signal occurring early in recovery.

The pattern was not uniform. The largest increases were reported for small catchments (≤10 km²), consistent with short flow paths and stronger hillslope–channel connectivity after canopy loss and altered infiltration. Climate and landscape context also mattered: humid continental sites showed clear increases, while subarctic sites tended towards declines, suggesting that post-fire DOC trajectories can differ substantially where permafrost and cold-region hydrology dominate. The analysis further indicated stronger responses in conifer-dominated systems, and soil texture appeared informative, with loam and clay loam showing particularly pronounced increases.

Mechanistically, the synthesis aligned two ideas that are intuitive yet easy to under-sample in practice: (i) post-fire hydrology can increase near-surface runoff and strengthen the connection between burnt hillslopes and channels, and (ii) fire can generate a pool of more labile residues that leach during storm events. The authors also highlighted a practical gap for both science and management: discharge-resolved chemistry remains scarce in the literature, and geographic coverage is still skewed, which limits transferability. The implication is straightforward: if the goal is to anticipate water-quality risk after fire, monitoring needs to follow the hydrograph, not only the calendar.

Find the study: Journal of Hydrology  |  ResearchGate

Read the PDF here

POLACK, J., PUMPANEN, J., MOLA-YUDEGO, B., & BERNINGER, F. 2025. Post-fire effects on dissolved organic carbon concentrations in freshwater streams: a meta-analysis. Journal of Hydrology, 134319. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134319

Understanding bioenergy conflicts: case of a jatropha project in Kenya's Tana Delta

Under the theme "Forests, competitiveness and sustainable landscapes", the Third Latin American IUFRO Congress was held in Costa Rica from 12-15 June 2013, gathering around 350 scientists. A poster entitled "Understanding bioenergy conflicts: case of a jatropha project inKenya's Tana Delta"  (Arevalo, J., Ochieng, R., Mola-Yudego, B. & Gritten, D.) was presented, prompting numerous comments and feedback from congress participants. Notwithstanding, Latin America has also experienced -similarly as sub-Saharan Africa- important bioenergy developments, many of which have been associated to deforestation and forest conflicts. A list of all congress contributions as well as the keynote presentations can be found at the congress website.

Promoting forest education through the development of a mobile game for school kids

One of the outputs of the 2012-2013 HEI-ICI project Improving Forestry Education in Kenya carried out by the University of Eastern Finland and the Chepkoilel University in Kenya has been recently launched: the Android-based game EntVenture.The game, freely available at the GooglePlay Store, aims at increasing the awareness of the importance forests and forestry to the environment, economy and everyday life.

EntVenture is a quiz game where the character Ent guides the user through various forestry related topics such as managing a tree nursery, uses of different trees and the importance of forests for sustaining life. EntVenture also consists of three mini games within the game - a word search, picture puzzle and a balancing game. Below is a short video showing the reactions and feedback of Kenyan pupils on the game.

Edited EduSilva

IEA Bioenergy News June 2012

IEA Bioenergy News is the newsletter of IEA Bioenergy. This issue covers the May ExCo69 meeting in Istanbul, Turkey. It also features an editorial 'Bioenergy in Turkey, a focus on Task 39, the Noticeboard, and recent publications and upcoming events.

You can download the newsletter from HERE

Wood oil plant in China

China has many woody oil plants, main species include Jatropha curcas of Euphorbiaceae, Pistacia chinensis of Anacardiaceae, Cornus wilsoniana of Cornaceae, Xanthoceras sorbifolia of Sapindaceae, and Camellia oleifera of Theaceae etc.

Jatropha curcas

Jatropha curcas is a plant species of genus Jatropha of family Euphorbiaceae, originated in America. The species was introduced into China 600 years ago, suitable for tropical, subtropical and low rainfall dry heat valleys on the south of latitude of 31° N, with altitude below 1,600 m, annual rainfall between 720-2600 mm and annual average temperature of 15.0-27℃. The species is now widely grown in south China, with height of 2-7 m, multiple braches, 3 seeds in each fruit, oil content of 40-60%. The species usually flowers twice a year in areas with higher temperature, and starts to flower at 3 or 4 years old. The oil of the species is an ideal raw material for bio-diesel, dry fruit production can reach 9 tons/ha, oil production is 1.5-3.0 tons/ha.

The fruit shells, leaves of Jatropha curcas contain rich compounds of Jatrophlone A, Jatrophloe B, Jatrophol, jatrophthome and their derivatives.

Xanthoceras sorbifolia

Xanthoceras sorbifolia is a deciduous tree species of Sapindaceae, with tree height up to 8 m, and DBH (diameter at breast height) up to 1 m, capsules of the species round, large and open up at mature. Trees are planted at 1 year old, start to flower next year and fruiting at the third year. At 5 years old, the proportion of fruiting trees can be up to over 95%. On slopes of barren mountains, production of fresh fruits can be more than 22,500 kg per ha, equivalent to more than 300 kg seeds, at 10 years old, seed production can be more than 10 kg per tree. The species is light preferring, drought and cold resistant, mainly grown in northeast and north China. The oil production from fruits with shells is 30%, and 65% from the pips.

Pistacia chinensis

Pistacia chinensis is a deciduous tree species of family Anacardiaceae, with height up to more than 30 m, distributed in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River system and north and southwest China. The oil content of seeds is about 40%, and the composition of fat acids in the oils is very similar to rapeseed oil. According to a survey conducted in 24 provinces of China: Currently, China has 133,000 ha of Pistacia chinensis resources. With a stocking density of 600 trees per ha and a production of 20 kg per tree, the annual production of bio-diesel will be about 3,000 kg per ha, close to the production of Jatropha curcas.

Cornus wilsoniana

Cornus wilsoniana, a deciduous tree species of genus Cornus of family Cornaceae, is distributed in limestone mountainous areas in Yangtze River system and southwest China, and it can also be found in areas along and on the south of Yellow River. The species start to fruit 2-3 years after planting, peak period of fruiting lasts for more than 50 years and life span of the trees can reach 200 years. Adult trees can produce 50 kg fruits per year per tree, and the highest can reach 150 kg. The oil content of a dried complete fruit is 33-36%.

Camellia oleifera

Camellia oleifera, a evergreen shrub or tree species of the family Theaceae, is distributed in 17 provinces/municipalities in China, with tree height up to 3-6 m. Trees start to fruit 3 years after planting. Peak period of fruiting starts from 6-7 years after planting. The life span of the species can be as long as over 100 years. Oil content of the seeds is over 40%, oil production can reach 0.5 tons/ha, and it can reach 0.7 tons/has for some unique varieties.

(Presented by Prof. Hou Yuanzhao at University of Joensuu, 2007)

Pellet markets in northern Europe

We have analysed in this recent publication the situation of pellet markets in northern Europe, including Finland, Sweden and Scotland. You can find the publication at the METLA Working Papers.

SELKIMÄKI M, PRINZ R, MOLA-YUDEGO B, RÖSER D. 2010. Pellet market, raw materials, handling and logistics in Northern Periphery. PELLETime. Working Papers of the Finnish Forest Research Institute. 157: 25 pp.

Abstract

Wood pellets have become an important fuel in heat and power production. The pellet market and supply structures are currently undergoing rapid development. Ensuring the quality of pellets through the whole production, delivery and handling chain is important in order to increase the use of pellets and sustain its ability to compete with other fuels. This study focuses on the development of the pellet market, raw materials and supply structures mainly in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden has a highly developed pellet market, where fuel taxation has promoted the use of wood pellets especially in large scale boilers of >2MW, where more than half of the pellets are combusted. There are about 120 000 households using pellet heating systems in addition to the 20 000 households using pellet stoves. Sweden is the world’s largest producer and consumer of pellets. In 2007 a total of 94 pellet plants/producers were producing 1.4 million tonnes of pellets, while at the same time the consumption was

1.7 million tonnes. In addition, about 400 000 tonnes of pellets were imported to meet domestic demand.

In Finland, pellet production has been growing steadily despite the fact that domestic consumption has remained relatively small until recently. Today there are 24 pellet plants/producers. In 2007 production was around 330 000 tonnes while the domestic consumption was 117 000 tonnes. The pellet market in Finland has long been export oriented; with 75% and 58% of production being exported in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Domestic consumption has been growing mainly in the small scale consumer sector; it is estimated that 15 000 households had pellet heating systems in 2008.

Concerning supply structures, Sweden has well established pellet distribution networks, for domestic household consumers pellets are mainly delivered in sacks (80%) directly from the plant or through extensive network of retailers while bulk deliveries are less common (20%). In Finland pellets are delivered to users mainly in bulk (71%) using pneumatic or normal trucks when the share of sack deliveries is much smaller, large sacks (25.5%) and small sacks (3.5%). In the future, the increasing number of pellet users requires an organized delivery network and good equipment for bulk pellet deliveries, currently the equipment used varies significantly.

About productivity as well...

I have just received a link from the John Sviokla blog about a study on productivity. However, in this case is nothing directly related to forest, but rather linked to our performance as researchers.

The summary says that: "(i)n our work so far, we've discovered the primary difference in how (employees) do work is that they have the power to shape their work environment — which means that they can customize, upgrade, and even create new information technology to propel their productivity", and adds: "(...) Yet many firms — in their desire to save money by creating "standard" information environments — actually hamper the potential productivity of their knowledge workers. It's the knowledge work equivalent of outlawing backhoes."

I found this a very interesting idea, and it is explained in a very easy way to understand. The resulting lessons can have many applications in our every-day research. (I believe that for many researchers, although otherwise very logical, has been a constant source of frustration to deal with their e.g. IT services). You can find here the whole article.


(A final question: Is the reverse of a bit-smith a bit-neck?)

Epilog: About bit-necks

The tragedy of the standardization carried out by the IT services (aka known as ATK keskus in some circles) is that potentially creates a very vicious circle. We have to analyse in detail the situation: the idea is to reduce costs and risks by standardising the computer systems and software, so the people in charge to maintain these systems can operate faster and with a good knowledge of the situation. If the software possibilities are reduced and common for everybody, the licenses can be better negotiated for possible price reductions and the IT staff can be trained with more precision to be ready for these specific problems. The system therefore leads to a standardisation and a strong hierarchysation where the decisions are centralised in a reduced amount of people.

The objective of this structure is to provide a good and efficient service, at a reduced cost. However, we all know that many ideas that work well in the theoretical level do not necessarily have the expected consequences. That usually happens when good objectives are not followed by good mechanisms that incentive the good practices and avoid excesses. Are there mechanisms working in this scheme? Some people could argue that the interest of these small and reduced IT decision makers is to simplify their own job, so they can avoid great responsibilities and excessive work load. Therefore, is in their interest to transfer the responsibilities of maintenance to the companies that supply software or equipment. At the same time, by simplifying the options and the decision freedom of the final user, they act in a relatively safe environment where they can easily deny alternatives that would cause additional work load or risks for their teams.

The structure then leads to a progressive increment of the decision power of these IT decision makers at the expense of the final user. In addition, the fear of a security crack adds convincing arguments to the IT decision makers, that can use at any step of the negotiation with the user. The objective of “good service” for the user is the replaced for the objective of “safe and simple”.

But in research this situation is not desirable at all. At the universities and research centres, thinking and working in alternative ways is an important value that leads to advances in research. The freedom to configure alternative software options, to develop programmes, to create different computer environments are core values. All these and many more possible alternatives can not be forecasted by the minds of these reduced IT decision makers (or IT planners) and, in addition, is not in their interest to try to forecast these needs as they lack the incentives to do so. They turn reactive to the situations.

This generates frustration among researchers, as they have to deal with more bureaucracy and restrictions associated to their computer systems, which reduce their capabilities and productivity. Many researchers prefer to buy their own computers and software, which then contradicts the main idea of reducing costs. Strictly speaking, the university and the IT can show a cost reduction (as the alternative laptops and software are paid by other budgets or by the researchers themselves), but in practice, that has been a consequence of a total failure of the IT service as such. The researchers that have to deal with this bureaucracy (and that have not yet surrender to its diktat) then require more time of the IT services in order to find solutions to their needs inside the restrictive environment created by the IT services, as the researcher needs to ask for permissions (administrative rights, specific licenses…) that otherwise could have been solving by themselves. This results in a more frequent dependence of the IT services, which become overloaded and demand additional technicians and staff, which increases their weight and power inside the Faculties, and yet again suppose additional costs.

The result of this vicious dynamics is a reduction of the productivity, a reduction of the quality of the research, and a terrible increase of costs, among others, which are at the same time very difficult to quantify and evaluate. The system results in unexpected consequences.

Brazilian pine plantations

The picture corresponds to Brasilian plantations of loblolly pine (Pinus Tadea) in the state of Santa Catarina, in the south of Brazil. In the next days we will work in productivity assessments of those plantations. The productivities in this region are quite significant, with annual average increments over 25 m3 / ha, reaching 30 m3 / ha and even more in some areas.

In the following weeks we will published the first results and analysis, as well as the possibilities of using them for bioernergy production

European biomass associations support non-binding sustainability criteria

A group of European biomass, biogas and forestry trade associations have come out in support of non-binding criteria on sustainability for solid and gaseous biomass for heat and electricity (read more).

Protests against Biomass plant in Wales - "Biomess"

Walesonline.com reports that protesters were demonstrating against a biomass power plant that opened earlier this year (which only uses local forest residues), as well as against a plant that is going through the planning processes (which will use imported chips). The protesters were apparently attempting to highlight the fallacy of importing chips from Canada and the US "“How can it be green to bring vast amounts of heavy wood by ship across the Atlantic then burn it?”

Is this a sign of things to come in the UK?

UK Government addressing supply issues?

According to an article in BusinessGreen.com the UK Government is making additional funds available for helping to guarantee wood supplies for energy production. However, am not sure if it is something that has long been planned or not. Will add more as I find it.

Bionergy could cover 20 percent of the global energy needs

One of the leading newspapers of Finland, Karjalainen refers (Nov. 19, page 12) to the studies of the Technology Research Centre of Finland according to which even 20 percent of the global energy consumption could be covered with bioenergy. The article is discussing about the new challenges of forest sector and presents bioenergy as one of the key alternatives in the future. The research indicates that biomass/dendromass could have a significant role in the future energy mix.

Energy Dendromass Corridor has presented similar predictions and has put emphasis on the fact that opportunities to utilize biomass are greatly varying in different countries and in different regions in the world. The calculations are mainly based on the resources of to-day. However, in the improved scenarios we should be able to take into account better the opportunities of technological, social and systeemic innovations for future land use. Education and training which are taking the very first steps even in many industrialized countries would lead to needed innovations and to better understanding and acceptance of dendromass energy.

Enough wood?

Hot on the heels of recent announcements of institutions seeking funds for investing in biomass projects in the UK there have been reports in the past few days that there is insufficient biomass supplies or infrastructure to meet this potential demand.
Some energy companies are taking the line of buying forests to meet this demand / guarantee their supply (link).

Update (20th November)
Another article today about lack of resources, this one quotes Forestry Commission "According to the Forestry Commission, the growing number of planned biomass-powered plants in the UK will surge timber imports by 150 per cent, from 20 million tonnes this year to 50 million by 2015." Additionally thhe article briefly mentions potential impact on consumers of wood products (increased costs as a result of increased competition for wood products).

Big money in biomass energy plants

In an online business magazine today - just shows the level of money in biomass energy production, and this is only in the UK: "Invicta Capital Ltd., a provider of investment opportunities for private clients, Monday launched a new fund seeking GBP300 million to invest in the construction and operation of an identified portfolio of biomass combined heat and power plants in Scotland."
Full article here (and more info here, and here (regarding Scotland)).

Bioenergy - indirect emissions

Interesting article in Science - with implications for use of forest residues and SRF for energy production.

Have pasted abstract and links below:

Indirect Emissions from Biofuels: How Important?

Melillo, J et al. 2009.
A global biofuels program will lead to intense pressures on land supply and can increase greenhouse gas emissions from land-use changes. Using linked economic and terrestrial biogeochemistry models, we examine direct and indirect effects of possible land-use changes from an expanded global cellulosic bioenergy program on greenhouse gas emissions over the 21st century. Our model predicts that indirect land use will be responsible for substantially more carbon loss (up to twice as much) than direct land use; however, because of predicted increases in fertilizer use, nitrous oxide emissions will be more important than carbon losses themselves in terms of warming potential. A global greenhouse gas emissions policy that protects forests and encourages best practices for nitrogen fertilizer use can dramatically reduce emissions associated with biofuels production.

Pellet news!

For the latest update on all things wood pellets.

One thing that struck me reading this is if Sweden is having to import pellets from Canada as its supply demands cannot be met (at a reasonable price) from within Europe, and there will be increased demand then it is likely European countries will look further and further afield for its pellets... including Brazil (just as some critics are saying)?

The host of the pellets news item also has interesting articles related to other forest product news.

Wood for energy production going same way as oil palm?

A bit of an extreme statement, but with the publication of the article in the Independent (see earlier post) and then Javier's post about the vote in Argentina is it the case that there is a bit of a backlash (opposition) against use of wood biomass for energy production?
Are we ignoring this potential problem at our peril? What can we do to respond?

Addendum
State Government in Massachusetts is rethinking its support for wood biomass plants following pressure from ENGOs (link).