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Sustainability Impact Assessment on the Production and Use of Different Wood and Fossil Fuels Employed for Energy Production in North Karelia, Finland

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Den Herder

    (European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, Joensuu FI-80100, Finland)

  • Marja Kolström

    (European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, Joensuu FI-80100, Finland
    Current address: Mekrijärvi Research Station, Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistontie 4, Ilomantsi FI-82900, Finland)

  • Marcus Lindner

    (European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, Joensuu FI-80100, Finland)

  • Tommi Suominen

    (European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, Joensuu FI-80100, Finland)

  • Diana Tuomasjukka

    (European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, Joensuu FI-80100, Finland)

  • Matias Pekkanen

    (European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, Joensuu FI-80100, Finland
    Current address: Indufor Oy, Töölönkatu 11A, Helsinki FI-00100, Finland)

Abstract

The utilization rate of woody biomass in eastern Finland is high and expected to increase further in the near future as set out in several regional, national and European policies and strategies. The aim of this study was to assess the sustainability impacts of changes in fuel consumption patterns. We investigated fossil and woody biomass-based energy production chains in the region of North Karelia, focusing on some economic, environmental and social indicators. Indicators were selected based on stakeholder preferences and evaluated using the Tool for Sustainability Impact Assessment (ToSIA). The analysis was based on representative values from National Forest Inventory data, scientific publications, national and regional statistics, databases, published policy targets and expert opinion. From the results it became evident that shifting from fossil to wood-based energy production implies some trade-offs. Replacing oil with woody biomass in energy production would increase the local value added remaining in the region, create employment opportunities and would reduce total GHG emissions. However, firewood, wood chips from small-diameter trees from early thinning and wood pellets have high production costs. Moreover, large greenhouse gas emission resulted from wood pellet production. The case study generated valuable reference data for future sustainability assessments and demonstrated the usefulness of ToSIA as a tool presenting existing knowledge on sustainability impacts of alternative energy supply chains to inform decision making.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Den Herder & Marja Kolström & Marcus Lindner & Tommi Suominen & Diana Tuomasjukka & Matias Pekkanen, 2012. "Sustainability Impact Assessment on the Production and Use of Different Wood and Fossil Fuels Employed for Energy Production in North Karelia, Finland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 5(11), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:5:y:2012:i:11:p:4870-4891:d:21621
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lindner, Marcus & Suominen, Tommi & Palosuo, Taru & Garcia-Gonzalo, Jordi & Verweij, Peter & Zudin, Sergey & Päivinen, Risto, 2010. "ToSIA—A tool for sustainability impact assessment of forest-wood-chains," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 221(18), pages 2197-2205.
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    Cited by:

    1. Takashi Hayashi & Daisuke Sawauchi & Daisuke Kunii, 2017. "Forest Maintenance Practices and Wood Energy Alternatives to Increase Uses of Forest Resources in a Local Initiative in Nishiwaga, Iwate, Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Bernardine Chigozie Chidozie & Ana Luísa Ramos & José Vasconcelos Ferreira & Luís Pinto Ferreira, 2023. "Residual Agroforestry Biomass Supply Chain Simulation Insights and Directions: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-16, June.
    3. Ayaovi Locoh & Évelyne Thiffault & Simon Barnabé, 2022. "Sustainability Impact Assessment of Forest Bioenergy Value Chains in Quebec (Canada)—A ToSIA Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Proskurina, Svetlana & Alakangas, Eija & Heinimö, Jussi & Mikkilä, Mirja & Vakkilainen, Esa, 2017. "A survey analysis of the wood pellet industry in Finland: Future perspectives," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 692-704.
    5. Behnam Zakeri & Samuli Rinne & Sanna Syri, 2015. "Wind Integration into Energy Systems with a High Share of Nuclear Power—What Are the Compromises?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-35, March.
    6. Kanematsu, Yuichiro & Oosawa, Kazutake & Okubo, Tatsuya & Kikuchi, Yasunori, 2017. "Designing the scale of a woody biomass CHP considering local forestry reformation: A case study of Tanegashima, Japan," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 160-172.
    7. Zakeri, Behnam & Syri, Sanna & Rinne, Samuli, 2015. "Higher renewable energy integration into the existing energy system of Finland – Is there any maximum limit?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(P3), pages 244-259.
    8. Elena Fedorova & Antonio Caló & Eva Pongrácz, 2019. "Balancing Socio-Efficiency and Resilience of Energy Provisioning on a Regional Level, Case Oulun Energia in Finland," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-21, September.
    9. Cambero, Claudia & Sowlati, Taraneh, 2014. "Assessment and optimization of forest biomass supply chains from economic, social and environmental perspectives – A review of literature," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 62-73.
    10. Assed Haddad & Ahmed Hammad & Danielle Castro & Diego Vasco & Carlos Alberto Pereira Soares, 2021. "Framework for Assessing Urban Energy Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-18, August.
    11. Lee Liu & Jie Liu & Zhenguo Zhang, 2014. "Environmental Justice and Sustainability Impact Assessment: In Search of Solutions to Ethnic Conflicts Caused by Coal Mining in Inner Mongolia, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-19, December.
    12. Buchmayr, A. & Verhofstadt, E. & Van Ootegem, L. & Sanjuan Delmás, D. & Thomassen, G. & Dewulf, J., 2021. "The path to sustainable energy supply systems: Proposal of an integrative sustainability assessment framework," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    13. Diana Tuomasjukka & Marcus Lindner & David Edwards, 2013. "A Concept for Testing Decision Support Tools in Participatory Processes Applied to the ToSIA Tool," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 4(1), pages 1-22, April.
    14. Judl, Jáchym & Koskela, Sirkka & Korpela, Timo & Karvosenoja, Niko & Häyrinen, Anna & Rantsi, Jari, 2014. "Net environmental impacts of low-share wood pellet co-combustion in an existing coal-fired CHP (combined heat and power) production in Helsinki, Finland," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 844-851.
    15. Karol Tucki & Olga Orynycz & Andrzej Wasiak & Antoni Świć & Wojciech Dybaś, 2019. "Capacity Market Implementation in Poland: Analysis of a Survey on Consequences for the Electricity Market and for Energy Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-16, March.

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