UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Press Release

[Index]

Modern Wood Energy Systems Offer Best Solution for Renewable Energy in Europe

Geneva, 23 September 2008 -- Wood energy is the best and most important solution for renewable heat generation in Europe, with modern burning technologies efficient enough to meet the highest environmental standards.

Romania and other South-East European countries are, however, not currently achieving their wood energy potential because of a lack of domestic markets and policy support to develop such markets – in spite of the broad use of firewood in rural areas. This is evidenced by the growing volumes of wood pellets and briquettes that are being exported to Western Europe.

These were the key conclusions of the workshop on “Modern Wood Energy Systems and Markets – an Opportunity for South-East Europe” organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Romanian National Forest Administration (Romsilva), in Timisoara on 16-17 September.

The workshop successfully raised awareness of wood as a clean energy source thanks to the benefits of modern wood-burning technology. During the two day meeting, participants from South-East and Western Europe shared experiences on successful, economic conversion of fossil fuel-fired plants, district heating and small-scale units. The event also served to draw attention to the sustainable forest management undertaken in Romania and other South-East European countries.

The broad-reaching conclusions of the event included:

• Significant forest resources and manufacturing residues exist now to supply wood energy and wood processing industries’ demand on a sustainable basis if well-managed.

• With the right political will, supported by well-targeted incentives, wood could substitute for fossil fuels, offering advantages of mitigating climate change, developing the forest sector and national economies, and providing energy security (i.e. stable price and supply).

• There is a lack of policies at national and sub-national levels to promote modern wood energy advantages at municipal, company and private household levels.

• Quality standards for wood fuels exist in the EU which need to be respected in the countries of South-East Europe in order to facilitate trade.

• Sufficient supplies of pellets prevent severe market price fluctuations, which caused, for example, a drop in pellet stove installations in Austria in 2007 following a pellet price spike.

• Wood processing residues are under-utilized and often discarded for lack of collection channels and viable markets for various types of wood fuels. This is not only a waste of a valuable energy resource, but also not environmentally sound.

• Technology is known and available to convert fossil fuel boilers to wood, either partly or fully, if technology transfer accompanies policy implementation.

• Trade associations of wood energy producers, traders, suppliers and users can create a positive image and framework for modern wood energy development.

• Demand for wood energy requires affordable burning equipment, which could result from policy support and then economies of scale with greater sales of equipment.

• The responsibility for developing modern wood energy markets is shared by raw material suppliers (e.g. national forest administrations and private forest owners), wood processing and burning suppliers, woodfuel traders, governments (at national and sub-national levels), international organizations and non-governmental organizations (including trade associations).

• Repeating the Timisoara workshop in other South-East European countries could spread the findings and build on the results.

The UNECE/FAO conducts workshops to improve marketing and use of forest products, including wood energy, in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of ensuring environmental sustainability. While the proceedings of the workshop are being published, the presentations and additional information are available at the workshop website: www.unece.org/timber/workshops/2008/timisoara/timisoara.html

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Ed Pepke
Forest Products Marketing Specialist
UNECE/FAO Timber Section
UNECE Trade and Timber Division
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Phone:     +41 (0) 22 917 2872
Fax:          +41 (0) 22 917 0041
E-mail:     [email protected]

Website:  www.unece.org/timber

Ref: ECE/TIM/08/P04