The study addressed the use of modern forestry technologies such as CTL machines, harvester concepts for thinning operations and technologies relevant for energy wood production. The study also included an analysis of supply/production chains in Poland as an integral part of energy development projections both at the regional and national levels in Eastern Europe.
Poland, like other EU countries, is ambitious to increase its bioenergy production. However, as earlier studies have revealed, there is still a lack of driving forces in the bioenergy production support from the forest industry and the agricultural sector despite the fact that various incentives on the demand side have arisen.
Because of this demand, one of the main tasks of this study was to develop an assessment of forestry energy potentials, evaluate the projections for the demand of bioenergy from forestry sector, and to create a cost comparison benefit analysis of modern forestry fuel production technology in Poland. Additionally, the study looks at how to adjust forestry fuel supply chains by taking into account environmental and social concerns. Despite the special, well-managed and unique regulations in forestry management in the CEEC at the European level, much is to be done to adjust supply technology and supply chains to prevent growing environmental impacts in Central and Eastern European countries.
The research was expected to determine what are the CTL operation costs related to physical environment of forests in Central-East Europe e.g.: stand types, species, age, hilly and wet areas, but also to define socio-economical factors of modern technology implementation. Factors including a) forest operation organisation, b) attitudes and constraints defined by the State Forest representatives, forest operation entrepreneurs, private forest owners and c) the current wood removal costs and forest operations costs will be investigated.
Marcin Pisarek worked as EFI's scholarship researcher and was in close collaboration with LUKE experts under the supervision of Professor Antti Asikainen from LUKE, Joensuu.