Classification of lignocellulose raw materials regarding selected material properties and the requirements of three competitors to reveal options for alternative use.

According to different scenarios, the consumption of lignocellulosic raw material leading to competition is increasing for raw material for use in the board industry, the energy conversion industry, and the pulp and paper industry. The primary production of lignocellulosic raw material in some regions may therefore reach the limit of sustainability, and this means that the lignocellulosic raw material must be used more effective to reduce the risk of a shortage. The physical and chemical properties of the lignocellulosic raw material of selected species have therefore been surveyed and the raw material properties which are important for each of the three competitors have been defined. A comparison between the properties of the various lignocellulosicraw materials and the requirements of the competitors for their products shows which raw materials face a high competition and which raw materials may open new opportunities, and at the same time lower competition because of their extraordinary properties. The aim of the study is to characterise the lignocellulosic raw materials according to the three competing users and to showwhether these is high or low competition. This is done by studying the restrictions found in the literature in combination with a statistical analysis. This method leads to results showing that the highest competition is for the coniferous species, while the properties of monocotyledons differ greatly from the properties of wooden species resulting in low competition. Wood species grown in short rotation plantations show a high potential for all uses and not only for energy purposes.Godkänd; 2014; 20140728 (dicsan