The use of biomass to produce electricity will be encouraged by the forestry industry in Australia, according to ABC. This decision was announced at the sixth annual Forest Industry Advisory Council meeting last week, by Anne Ruston, assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, as to expand the forestry sector and increase its profitability.
The forestry sector needs to take a "less traditional approach" and foresters will begin to invest in timber and biomass products as to make them usable as renewable energy resources, Ruston said. Moreover, if timber will be used as fuel to produce energy, the forestry will meet a sustainable future and the industry will make use of its waste too.
"The industry is very keen to pursue a bio-based economy for forestry to make sure that we are maximising the opportunity for all of the parts of the tree. The industry is very keen to move into this renewable energy space,” she added.
Ian Telfer, WA Plantation Resources (WAPRES) chief executive officer, said that the new trend will be to make as much use of the tress as possible, especially for small trees and fine woodchips, particularly the ones from Jarrah forests.
"In the Karri forest we have the opportunity to use [residue] for woodchips to make paper. But in the Jarrah forests, a lot of the residue is left behind. In Europe and in Asia, there's increasing focus on looking to use wood waste and wood residues as a fuel source,” Telfer added.
As Telfer predicts, Japan would make an important market to reduce its reliance on nuclear power, as wood waste is considered much better than nuclear, coal or gas energy.
[gravityform id="1" title="true" description="true"]
[gravityform id="2" title="true" description="true"]