Author(s)

Antti Karhunen, Mika Laihanen, Tapio Ranta

LUT Energy-Bioenergy Technology, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland..

In Finland it is estimated that forest biomass will be the main source of bioenergy when meeting the national target: 38% renewable from total energy consumption by 2020. This target must become concrete for regional and local level participators of a forest industry and actions should take place in large combined heat and power generation (CHP) plants, district heating plants and independent heating systems. In energy production replacing fossil fuels with renewa-ble energy is reasonable in many cases. However, there are usually doubts about the availability and security of supply of forest biomass. The aim of this study is to introduce a systematical method for analyzing the availability and demand of forest biomass in regional and local level. This study introduces an objective method for analyzing local possibilities on where and how much the use of forest biomass could be increased. By replacing use of fossil fuels with renewable and domestic energy sources carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and dependency on imported fossil fuels can be reduced. Utilization of biomass creates also local employment on energy sector.

Forest Biomass; Energy Production; Energy Consumption

A. Karhunen, M. Laihanen and T. Ranta, "Supply and Demand of a Forest Biomass in Application to the Region of South-East Finland," Smart Grid and Renewable Energy, Vol. 3 No. 1, 2012, pp. 34-42. doi: 10.4236/sgre.2012.31005.