Forests and energy : key issues

2008·3.7 MB·English

by  Broadhead, Jeremy

Forests and energy
Key issues
laterial
Coverphotos,fromleft
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Forests and energy FAO
FORESTRY
PAPER
Key issues 1 54
FOODANDAGRICULTUREORGANIZATIONOFTHEUNITEDNATIONS
Rome,2008
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OFAO2008
Contents
Acknowledgements vii
Foreword ix
Executivesummary xi
1. Introduction 1
2. Energysupplyanddemand:trendsandprospects 5
PpnpvA/sKIppnprnv/ g
113J
Futureenergychoices-keyissues 18
Solidwoodfuels 21
Liquidbiofuels 22
4. Thecontributionofwoodenergytofutureenergydemand 27
Woodfuelsources 28
Emissionsandeconomicsofbiofuels ^2
5. Implicationsofincreased useofbioenergy 37
Poverty,employmentandprices 38
Landandenvironment 39
6. Policyoptionsandrecommendations 45
Glossary 49
References 53
This One
SQ4E-RHL-4Y9B
iv
lables
1 woriatotalmarKeteaenergyconsumptionDyregionandTuei, 1990-2030 6
2Worldconsumptionofhydroelectricityandothermarketedrenewable
energybyregion, 1990-2030 9
3 Globalincreaseinrenewableenergy 11
4 Peopleusingtraditionalbiomass 18
5Shareoffuelsintotalmerchandisebyregion 20
6WoodresiduesfromforestindustryoperationsinBrazil 29
Figures
1 TotalmarketedenergyconsumptionforOECDandnon-OECDcountries.
1990-2030 fi
2 Fuelsharesofworldtotalprimaryenergysupplyin2004 7
3Totalglobalmarketedenergyconsumptionbysourcein2004and
projectecitorzujU 7
4MarketedrenewableenergyconsumptionforOECDandnon-OECD
countries, isyu—zu^u 09
5 Percentageofmarketedrenewableenergyintotalenergyconsumption
forOECDandnon-OECDcountriesin2004andprojectedfor2030 9
6Worldrenewableenergyconsumptionbyregionfor2002and
projectedfor2030 11
7TotalprimaryenergysupplyfrombiofuelsforG8+5countries 12
8Percentageprimaryenergysupplyfrombioenergy 13
9Totalgrowingstock 14
10WoodfuelconsumptionforOECDandnon-OECDcountries1990.
projectionsfor2010and2030 16
11 PercapitawoodfuelconsumptionforOECDandnon-OECDcountries
1990,projertionsfor2010and2030 17
12WoodremovalsinAfrica 17
13EuropeBrentSpotPriceFOB. 1987-2008 19
14Globalgreenhousegasemissionsin2000bysector 19
15Comparisonofgreenhousegasemissionsfrombiofuelsderivedfrom
varioussources 34
16Competitivenessofbiofuelsbyfeedstock 34
Boxes
1 Bioenergyterminology 2
2 BiofuelsfortransportinBrazil 10
3 Impedimentstoaccuratewoodfuelinformation 15
4Forestproductprices 33
Copyri
V
5 Energyefficiencyandbioenergyproduaion 35
6 Potentialbenefitsandnegativeeffectsofbioenergydevelopment 38
7 Foodpricesandbioenergy 40
8Scenariosforliquidbiofueldevelopment 42
1«
Acknowledgements
Thispublicationconsolidatesand synthesizestwomorecomprehensivestudies
commissionedbyFAOin2007andpublishedasworkingpapers.TheyareForests
andenergyindevehfmgcountriesbyIvanTomaselliandForestsandenergyin
OECDcountriesbyWarrenMabeeandJackSaddler.Thesepaperscanbefoundat
www.f.io.org/forcstry/cncrgy. Adraftversionoftheconsolidatedpaper,prepared
byDouglasKneelandandAndreaPerils,wasdistributedattheFAOConference
SpecialEvent:ForestsandEnergyinNovember2007.Thepresentedition,revised
byJeremyBroadhcadandeditedbyMariaCasa,incorporatescommentsreceived
from memberci^untrics. MiguelTrossero,SimmoneRose,SebastianHctschand
GustavoBestalsocontributed.
Oopyiiytiicainaieiial
iz
Foreword
Forestsandenergyareatthecentreoftheglobaldebateonclimatechange.This
publicationaddressessomeofthemostimportanttrendsinbothdiesesectorsto
enlightenthedebate.
Thepaperdraws upon two comprehensiye studies commissioned byFAO
in2007:Foreftssndenergyindevelopingcountries(IvanTomaselli,Brazil)and
ForestsandenergyinOECDcountries(WarrenMabccandJackSaddler,Canada).
Theseworkingpapersareavailablein£nglishontheFAOWebsiteatwww.^.
org/forcsty/energy.
UpuntilICOvcarsagowhenpetroleumbecamewidelyavailable,woodwasthe
mostimportantsourceofenergyforhumanbeings.Inmanyoftheworld'spoorest
countries,woodremainstheprimarysourceotenergyforheatingandcooking.In
thisstudy,welookintothefutureandseethatwoodisonceagainlikelytoemerge
asaveryimportantsourceofenergyinallcountries.
Bioenei^ from wood and t^cultural sources will regain its importance.
Agriculturalandforestcropsplayaparticularroleinmodembioenergygeneration
assourcesofliquidbiofuels.Whilefossilfuelsarelikelytoremainthedominant
sourceofenergyforsometimetocome,along-termandgradualpartialconversion
fromfossilfuelstosolidandliquidbiofuelsisanincreasinglylikelyscenariofor
manycountriesinthecomingdecades.Willthesetrendshaveanimpactonforests?
Willtheyresultinmoreorlessforestinthefuture?
Thispublicationexploresthesequestionsandmoreasacontributiontoinformed
policydiscussions. Itoutlinespotential opportunities and impactsinrelation to
forestryindiecontemofgrowingglobal energy demand.Expectedchangesin
globalenergysupplyandthepositionofrenewablesandforestenergywithinthis
arediscussedinSection2.Aspectsofbioenergyproductionaresummarizedin
Section3,andSection4reviewsthepossiblecontributionofforestenergytoglobal
energy consun4>tion in the comingyears. Section5 examines the implications
ofincreasedconsumptionofbioenergyonforests,andSection6outlinespolicy
optionsandreoommendadonsinlightoftheopportunitiesandthreatstoforestry.
WulfKiUmann
Director
ForestProductsandIndustriesDivision
FAOForestryDepartment
Oopyiiytiicainaieiial
Executive summary
Soaring energy consumption, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and concerns
overenergyimportdependencearepromptingglobalchangesinthesourcesfrom
whichenergyisexpectedtobederivedinthecomingyears.Energyconsumption
isprojectedtoincreaseatthehighestratesindevelopingcountriesandparticularly
inAsia.Fossilfuelsareexpectedtoaccountforthebulkoftheincreaseinenergy
supply.Althoughpercapitalevelsofconsumptionwill remainbelowthoseinthe
industrialized world, energy consumption in developing countries is expected to
surpassthatofdevelopedcountriesby2010.
Alternativeformsofenergyarereceivingconsiderableinterestasameanstoreduce
fossilfuelconsumption and limitgreenhousegas emissions. Bioenergy,including
wood energy,constitutes alargeproportion ofcurrent supplyfrom "renewable"
sourcesofenergy.Inspiteoftherecentoilpriceincreases,itisunlikelythatmarkets
alonewillsupportamajorreorientationtowardsrenewablesandfutureconsumption
willthereforedependlargelyonpolicymeasures.
Woodenergyhasbeenusedforthousandsofyearsforcookingandheating.In
manyoftheworld'sdevelopingcountries,itremainstheprimary'sourceofenergy
and in much ofAfrica total consumption ofwoodfuel is still increasing, largely
asaresultofpopulationgrowth. Inotherdevelopingregionsconsumptionatthe
nationallevelisgenerallyfallingasaresultofrisinglevelsofincomeandincreasing
urbanization-twofactorswhichleadtoincreaseduseofmoreconvenientfuels.
Inindustrializedcountriesand particularly countries with largewoodprocessing
industries,woodenergyisusedforbothdomesticandindustrialpurposes-oftenin
significantamounts.
Wood energy produced with efficient technology is already competitive with
fossilenergyinmanycountriesandcanoffersomeofthehighestlevelsofenergy
and carbon efficiencyamongbioenergy feedstocks. Most notably, combined heat
andpowerplantshaveconversionefficienciesofupto80percentandwoodpellet
stoves havesimilarly high rates ofconversion. Itisexpectedthattechnologywill
alsobeavailableinthemedium-termforcommerciallycompetitiveproductionof
liquidbiofuelsfromcellulosicmaterialsincludingwood,althoughcostsassociated
withpatentsandroyaltiesmayholdbackdevelopment.Liquidbiofuelsarecurrently
producedmainlyfromfoodcropsandeconomicandcarbonefficienciesaremostly
low.Thenotableexceptiontothisruleistheproductionofethanolfromsugarcane.
InBrazil,bioethanolpricesarealreadybelowthoseforpetroleumbasedtransport
fuels.
Itisexpectedthatproductionofsecond-generationHquidbiofuelsmadefrom
woodandothercellulosicfeedstockswillbesimilarlycompetitive,bothintermsof
priceandcarbonemissions.Second-generationbiofuelproductionisalreadyunder
wayindemonstrationplantsandcommerciallycompetitiveproductionisexpected