DO WE USE BIOMASS AS AN ENERGY SOURCE? IF SO, HOW DO WE USE IT?

Ovih dana naši šumari i drvnotehnolozi imali su prilike posjetiti “Holzmesse”, šumarsko-drvnotehnološki sajam u Klagenfurtu, a u srpnju “Interforst” u Münchenu (Messe München). Prema informacijama onih koji su im nazočili, oba su posvetila značajnu pozornost pridobivanju i korištenju šumske biomase i drvnog otpada iz drvoprerađivačke industrije u energetske svrhe, bilo da se radi o proizvodnji toplinske ili elektro energije. U Našicama se u sklopu 5. hrvatskih dana biomase, 3. rujna 2010. održava Hrvatsko-Austrijski gospodarski skup na temu “Biomasa (električna i toplinska energija), bioplin i biogoriva”, na kojemu će prema programu biti prezentirani referati grupirani u nekoliko cjelina: Biogoriva u Hrvatskoj, Iskustva izAustrije, Modeli financiranja i poticanja projekata u Republici Hrvatskoj i stručna predavnja u svezi s kogenaricijskim postrojenjima i saznanjima o biogorivima glede zakonskih odredbi, tržišta i strategije za budućnost u Njemačkoj. Iz izvješća s 4. hrvatskih dana biomase i onih prethodnih, koja redovito donosimo u našem časopisu, kao i ostalih napisa iz aktivnosti HŠD-a po pitanju bionergije, bilo da je o tome raspravljano na tematskim sjednicama Upravnog odbora, godišnjim skupštinama ili u okviru aktivnosti HŠD sekcije Hrvatska udruga za biomasu, koju je je osnovalo HŠD 2005. god, a koja je članica Europske udruge za biomasu, možemo dobiti saznanja što je HŠD, HŠ d.o.o.,Vlada RH i resorno Ministarstvo učinilo po tom pitanju. Stvoreni su određeni okviri za korištenja bioenergije, ustanovljeni poticaji, zakonski omogućeno uključivanje (prodaja) električne energije dobivene iz biomase u elektroenergetski sustav, krenula je izgradnja peletarnica, projekti za kogeneracijske sustave i dr. No, nas zanima odgovor gdje je tu šumarstvo i biomasa kao raspoloživi energent čija je struktura i količina naznačena primjerice na znanstvenom skupu u organizaciji Hrvatske akademije znanosti i umjetnosti na temu “Poljoprivreda i šumarstvo kao proizvođači obnovljivih izvora energije”, ili savjetovanju u organizaciji Hrvatskog šumarskog instituta, Šumarskog fakulteta, Hrvatskih šuma d.o.o. i Hrvatske komore inženjera šumarstva i drvne tehnologije, na temu “Biološko-ekološke i energetske značajke amorfe u Hrvatskoj”. Korištenjem biomase iz realno mogućeg etata, koja je do sada ostajala u šumi i povećanjem uzgojnih radova na čišćenju, proredi i obnovi sastojina, koji postaju isplativi kao novi proizvod, a koji na tržištu ima pristojnu cijenu, u bližoj budućnost potencijali biomase kretali bi se i do 4,5 mil. tona godišnje, što je ekvivalent 2,2 mil. tona nafte (koju uvozimo). Sa stručnog šumarskog gledišta, nije ni potrebno napominjati što bi ti sada isplativi radovi, koji često izostaju radi manjka financijskih sredstava, značili za kvalitetu šume, vrijednost njenih općekorisnih funkcija i osiguranja potrajnosti. Osim dva pogona Hrvatskih šuma d.o.o. u Gospiću i Ogulinu, koja proizvode toplinsku energiju za sebe i manji krug ostalih potrošača, Hrvatske šume d.o.o. putem kćerke “Biomasa”, prodaju drvnu sječku i to najviše inozemnim kupcima, proizvedenu najčešće iz ogrjevnog drva, do sada postojećeg sortimenta koji već ima svoje tržište, a najmanje iz nazovimo “otpada” koji i dalje ostaje u šumi , a da i ne govorimo o biomasi iz povećanja uzgojnih radova. PrimjericeAustrijske državne šume imaju u vlasništvu 30 kogeneracijskih sustava i prodaju KWh kao gotov proizvod a ne sirovinu). Drvna industrija Gorskog kotara među prvima je prepoznala potrebe igradnje peletarnica (Mrkopalj, Gerovo, Delnice), no i one kao i Spačva, Perušić i dr. također uglavnom rade za izvoz. Strategija pak energetskog razvoja Republike Hrvatske do 2020. god., po našem mišljenju, predviđa premalo učešće korištenja biomase. Dakle, uvozimo fosilna goriva, a nedovoljno proizvodimo i izvozimo ono čime bi mogli zadovoljiti velik dio svojih potreba i međunarodne obveze. Naime, Hrvatska je potpisnica Kyoto protokola i preporuka Gradačke deklaracije, koje nas jasno obvezuju na smanjenje stakleničkih plinova. Kada bi odgovorili na pitanje iz naslova, mogli bi reći da još nismo iskoristili naše mogućnosti, i da se baš kao u i svemu, sporo pomičemo. Prof. em. dr. sc. Branimir PrpićIn July and August of this year, the Croatian foresters and wood technologists had the opportunity to visit two very important trade fairs: “Holzmesse”, a forestry – wood technology fair in Klagenfurt, and “Interforst”, an international forestry fair in Munich (Messe Munich). Those who attended these events claim that both were dedicated to the procurement and use of forest biomass and woody debris from the wood processing industry for the production of thermal and electrical energy. Within the Fifth Croatian Biomass Days, there will be a Croatian-Austrian economic symposium in Našice on September 3, 2010, focusing on the topic “Biomass (electric and thermal energy), biogas and biofuels”. The papers presented at the symposium will be grouped into the following topics: Biofuels in Croatia, The Austrian Experience, Models of Project Financing and Enhancement in the Republic of Croatia. There will also be specialist lectures related to cogeneration plants and to new knowledge of biofuels in terms of legal regulations, markets and future strategies in Germany. An insight into what the Croatian Forestry Association (CFA), the company Hrvatske Šume, the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the competent Ministry have undertaken in connection with the very topical issue of bioenergy can be obtained from the reports of the Fourth Croatian Biomass Days and of previous such events, (which we regularly publish in the Forestry Journal), as well as from the reports on bioenergy-related activities of the Croatian Forestry Association (CFA). These issues are regularly discussed at Management Board meetings, at annual conferences or within the CFA’s section established in 2005 under the name The Croatian Biomass Association (a member of the European Biomass Association). A framework has been provided for bioenergy use, stimuli have been put forth, the inclusion (sale) of biomass-based electrical energy into the electro-energy system has been legally regulated, pellet plants have been launched, cogeneration system projects have been drawn up and many other activities have been initiated. However, what we want to know is this: what role does forestry play here? Where is biomass as an available energy resource, whose structure and quantity have been discussed at a scientific symposium “Agriculture and Forestry as Producers of Renewable Energy Sources” organized by the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, or at a symposium entitled “Biological-Ecological Energy Characteristics of Amorpha in Croatia” organized by the Croatian Forestry Institute, Faculty of Forestry, the company Hrvatske Šume and the Croatian Chamber of Forestry and Wood Technology Engineers? Biomass from the realistically possible allowable cut, which has so far remained in the forest, and more vigorous silvicultural activities of stand cleaning, thinning and regeneration, which are becoming profitable in the form of new products and which are achieving a good market price, would provide biomass potentials of up to 4.5 million tons annually, an equivalent of 2.2 million tons of oil (which we import). From the specialist, forestry aspect, it goes without saying that these profitable activities, which are often lacking due to a lack of financial means, would substantially increase the quality of the forest, enhance the value of its non-commercial functions and ensure sustainability. Exceptfor the two plants in Gospić and Ogulin owned by the company Hrvatske Šume, which produce thermal energy for their own needs and for a smaller circle of other consumers, the majority of wood chips are soldmainly to foreign buyers via Hrvatske Šume’s daughter company “Biomasa”. Wood chips are mostly produced from fuelwood, an assortment which has already found its place on the market, instead from so-called “waste”, which continues to remain in the forest, not to mention biomass obtained from increased silvicultural activities. For example, the Austrian state forests have in their ownership 30 cogeneration system and they sell KWh as a finished product instead of as raw material. The wood industry of Gorski Kotar has been among the first to recognize the need for building pellet plants (Mrkopalj, Gerovo, Delnice); however, they, just as those in Spačva, Perušić and elsewhere, generally export their product. It is our opinion that the energy sector development strategy of the Republic of Croatia up to 2020 sets down too many restrictions to biomass use. We import fossil fuels, but we either produce too little or export these resources which could otherwise satisfy a large share of our own needs or fulfil our international commitments. Namely, Croatia is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol and the Gradac Declaration recommendations, which unequivocally commit us to reducing greenhouse gasses. Finally, to answer the question from the headline: no, we have not yet made use of our possibilities. And yes, just like in everything else, we are making very sluggish progress in biomass use. Professor Emeritus Branimir Prpić, Ph.D