Methodology for choice of harvesting system for energy wood from early thinning

The primary aim of the present study was to develop a methodology for estimating the procurement cost of forest chips from early thinnings. The most common logging systems and supply chains of forest chips used in early thinnings in Finland were compared at stand and regional level using productivity models and cost parameters obtained mainly from the substudies of this thesis. Furthermore, a decision tree was constructed for selecting harvesting method for energy wood originating from early thinnings. Forwarding productivity following mechanised cutting was significantly higher compared to productivity after motor-manual cutting. Mechanised cutting by the harvester enables felling and bunching of whole trees into large grapple loads close to strip roads, which facilitates increasing forwarding output and reducing costs. The two-machine system comprised of a harvester and a forwarder was the most cost-efficient logging system due to higher efficiency in cutting and especially in the forwarding phase. The cost of motor-manual whole-tree cutting was equal to mechanised whole-tree cutting, while forwarding cost after motor-manual cutting was almost double that after mechanised cutting. Using a forwarderbased harwarder resulted in the highest logging costs. However, with large tree volumes and removals its costs were almost equal to those of motor-manual-based logging. In order to achieve a breakthrough for the harwarder system, costs must be reduced by improving both machine technology and working techniques. Available volumes and procurement costs of fuel chips made of small-diameter trees were compared at regional level. The trees were harvested either by the multi-stem delimbed shortwood or whole-tree method and chipped by a truck-mounted drum chipper at the roadside. Based on the availability analysis, delimbing reduced regional cutting recovery by 42% compared to whole tree harvesting, when the minimum concentration of energy wood was set at 25 m3 ha. Delimbing reduced the recovery rate of biomass thereby also reducing the number of potential harvesting sites with adequate removal rates. However, the study showed that forest energy potential can be increased and procurement costs reduced by applying the shortwood method with multi-stem delimbing in stands stands where whole tree harvesting is not recommended because of potential nutrient losses or other ecological reasons. Using versatile machinery in thinnings increases the flexibility of forest operations and thereby improves cost-efficiency.

[1]  Kalle Kärhä,et al.  Integrated harvesting of energy wood and pulpwood in first thinnings using the two-pile cutting method , 2011 .

[2]  R. Hänninen,et al.  Arvio Suomen puunjalostuksen tuotannosta ja puunkäytöstä vuosina 2015 ja 2020. (Summary: Outlook for Finland’s Forest Industry Production and Wood Consumption for 2015 and 2020). , 2009 .

[3]  T. Palander,et al.  Analyzing the views of wood harvesting professionals related to the approaches for increasing the cost-efficiency of wood harvesting from young stands. , 2010 .

[4]  T. Ranta,et al.  Logging residues from regeneration fellings for biofuel production - a GIS-based availability and supply cost analysis , 2002 .

[5]  Vesa Tanttu,et al.  Co-operation and Integration in Wood Energy Production , 2004 .

[6]  K. Väätäinen,et al.  Kokopuun ja rangan autokuljetus ja haketustuottavuus , 2011 .

[7]  K. Kärhä,et al.  Whole-tree harvesting in young stands in Finland. , 2006 .

[8]  R. Yin.  Case Study Research: Design and Methods , 1984 .

[9]  Tomas Gullberg,et al.  Systems analyses for harvesting small trees for forest fuel in urban forestry , 2003 .

[10]  Juha Nurmi.  Työtavan vaikutus hakkuukoneen tuotokseen ja hakkuutähteen kasautumiseen. , 1970 .

[11]  K. Raymond,et al.  Peterson-Pacific DDC 5000 delimber-debarker-chipper. , 1990 .

[12]  A. Asikainen,et al.  Energy wood logging from early thinnings by harwarder method. , 2006 .

[13]  Bryce J. Stokes,et al.  The transportation of fuelwood from forest to facility , 1995 .

[14]  Paula Jylhä,et al.  Harvesting undelimbed Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) from first thinnings for integrated production of kraft pulp and energy , 2011 .

[15]  Jussi Laurila,et al.  Weight and volume of small-sized whole trees at different phases of the supply chain , 2012 .

[16]  Pentti Hakkila,et al.  Factors driving the development of forest energy in Finland. , 2006 .

[17]  F. Convery,et al.  Stimulating the use of biofuels in the European Union: Implications for climate change policy , 2006 .

[18]  Tomas Gullberg.  A Deductive Time Consumption Model for Loading Shortwood , 2013 .

[19]  Antti Ihalainen,et al.  Keski-Suomen metsäkeskuksen alueen metsävarat ja niiden kehitys 1967–96 , 1970 .

[20]  Wim Turkenburg,et al.  Technological learning and cost reductions in wood fuel supply chains in Sweden , 2005 .

[21]  A. Asikainen,et al.  Metsähakkeen hankinta- ja toimituslogistiikan haasteet ja kehittämistarpeet , 2011 .

[22]  Khalid Rehman Hakeem,et al.  Biomass and Bioenergy , 2014, Springer International Publishing.

[23]  Juha Laitila,et al.  Potential and supply costs of wood chips from forests in Soria, Spain , 2011 .

[24]  Juha Laitila,et al.  Harvesting Technology and the Cost of Fuel Chips from Early Thinnings , 2008 .

[25]  Timo Määttä,et al.  Potential harvest for wood fuels (energy wood) from logging residues and first thinnings in Southern Finland , 2001 .

[26]  Anders Roos,et al.  Wood fuel supply as a function of forest owner preferences and management styles , 2002 .

[27]  Kalle Kärhä,et al.  Mechanized Energy Wood Harvesting from Early Thinnings , 2005 .

[28]  Juha Laitila,et al.  The effect of CO2 emission trade on the wood fuel market in Finland , 2007 .

[29]  Juha Laitila,et al.  Energia- ja ainespuun korjuu nuorista metsistä kokopuupaalaimella , 2007 .

[30]  I. Samset.  Forest operations as a scientific discipline , 1992 .

[31]  Juha Laitila,et al.  Harvesting alternatives, accumulation and procurement cost of small-diameter thinning wood for fuel in Central Finland. , 2010 .

[32]  Kalle Kärhä,et al.  Industrial supply chains and production machinery of forest chips in Finland , 2011 .

[33]  Timo Tahvanainen,et al.  Supply chain cost analysis of long-distance transportation of energy wood in Finland , 2011 .

[34]  Natascia Magagnotti,et al.  Comparison of two harvesting systems for the production of forest biomass from the thinning of Picea abies plantations , 2010 .

[35]  Jaakko Heinonen,et al.  Characteristics and time consumption of timber trucking in Finland , 2007 .

[36]  T. Ranta.  Logging residues from regeneration fellings for biofuel production - a GIS-based availability analysis in Finland. , 2005 .

[37]  Anssi Ahtikoski,et al.  Economic viability of utilizing biomass energy from young stands—The case of Finland , 2008 .

[38]  Dominik Röser,et al.  Supply chain management applications for forest fuel procurement : cost or benefit? , 2010 .

[39]  M. Sirén,et al.  Karsitun energiapuun korjuuvaihtoehdot ja kustannustekijät , 2005 .

[40]  Lauri Sikanen,et al.  Transport control of forest fuels by fleet manager, mobile terminals and GPS , 2005 .

[41]  Kari Väätäinen,et al.  Improving the Logistics of Biofuel Reception at the Power Plant of Kuopio City , 2005 .

[42]  Kalle Kärhä,et al.  Time consumption models and parameters for off- and on-road transportation of whole-tree bundles. , 2009 .

[43]  Tomas Gullberg,et al.  Transport and handling of forest energy bundles—advantages and problems , 2006 .

[44]  Juha Laitila,et al.  Forest energy potential in Europe (EU 27) , 2008 .

[45]  Matti Sirén,et al.  Productivity and Costs of Thinning Harvesters and Harvester-Forwarders , 2003 .

[46]  Martti E. Pesonen,et al.  University of Joensuu, Finland , 2001 .

[47]  P. Harstela,et al.  Forest work science and technology. Part 1 , 1993 .

[48]  Juha Laitila,et al.  Cost and sensitive analysis tools for forest energy procurement chains. , 2006 .

[49]  P. Hakkila.  Utilization of Residual Forest Biomass , 1989 .

[50]  A. Kangas,et al.  Decision Support for Forest Management , 2008, Managing Forest Ecosystems.

[51]  Jouko Laasasenaho.  Taper curve and volume functions for pine, spruce and birch [Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens] , 1982 .

[52]  Christian Rottensteiner,et al.  Evaluation of the Feller-Buncher Moipu 400E for Energy Wood Harvesting , 2008 .

[53]  Kalle Kärhä,et al.  Integrated procurement of pulpwood and energy wood from early thinnings using whole-tree bundling. , 2011 .

[54]  Jori Uusitalo,et al.  Characteristics and Significance of a Harvester Operators’ Working Technique in Thinnings , 2004 .

[55]  Martin Kaltschmitt,et al.  Heat supply from woody biomass — an economic analysis , 2000 .

[56]  Matti Sirén,et al.  Management alternatives of energy wood thinning stands , 2007 .

[57]  Dominik Röser,et al.  The Effect of Single Grip Harvester's Log Bunching on Forwarder Efficiency , 2006 .

[58]  J. Nurmi,et al.  The characteristics of whole-tree fuel stocks from silvicultural cleanings and thinnings , 2007 .

[59]  Juha Laitila,et al.  Energy wood and pulpwood harvesting from young stands using a prototype whole-tree bundler , 2007 .

[60]  M. Sirén,et al.  Pienet hakkuukoneet ja korjuri rämemännikön talvikorjuussa , 1970 .

[61]  Juha Laitila,et al.  Forwarding of Whole Trees After Manual and Mechanized Felling Bunching in Pre-Commercial Thinnings , 2007 .

[62]  Bernd Möller,et al.  Analysing transport costs of Danish forest wood chip resources by means of continuous cost surfaces , 2007 .

[63]  Dominik Röser,et al.  Forest energy procurement: state of the art in Finland and Sweden , 2013 .

[64]  P. D. Kofman,et al.  Some operational properties of the harvester-forwarder. , 1999 .

[65]  Olli Dahl,et al.  The effect of supply system on the wood paying capability of a kraft pulp mill using Scots pine harvested from first thinnings , 2010 .

[66]  Tapio Ranta,et al.  The profitability of transporting uncomminuted raw materials in Finland , 2006 .

[67]  P. Anttila,et al.  Are the Finnish targets for the energy use of forest chips realistic - Assessment with a spatial market model , 2011 .

[68]  Leena Kärkkäinen,et al.  Potential recovery of industrial wood and energy wood raw material in different cutting and climate scenarios for Finland , 2008 .

[69]  Kalle Kärhä,et al.  Productivity of whole-tree bundler in energy wood and pulpwood harvesting from early thinnings , 2011 .

[70]  Rolf Björheden,et al.  Learning Curves in Tree Section Hauling in Central Sweden , 2001 .

[71]  Jori Uusitalo,et al.  Applying the activity-based costing to cut-to-length timber harvesting and trucking. , 2009 .

[72]  J. Uusitalo.  Introduction to Forest Operations and Technology , 2010 .

[73]  Jori Uusitalo,et al.  Time consumption analysis of the mechanized cut-to-length harvesting system , 2006 .

[74]  Juha Nurmi,et al.  Energy wood harvesting productivity of three harvesting methods in first thinning of scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) , 2011 .

[75]  K. Väätäinen,et al.  Aines- ja energiapuun hakkuu ja lähikuljetus korjureilla. Kirjallisuuskatsaus , 2006 .

[76]  Kalle Kärhä,et al.  Effects of subsidies on the profitability of energy wood production of wood chips from early thinnings in Finland , 2011 .

[77]  Tomas Gullberg,et al.  Multiple Tree Handling in the Selective Felling and Bunching of Small Trees in Dense Stands , 2002 .

[78]  Yuri Gerasimov,et al.  Industrial Round-Wood Losses Associated with Harvesting Systems in Russia , 2010 .

[79]  P. Anttila,et al.  The realisable potential supply of woody biomass from forests in the European Union. , 2011 .