The COFORD Council has published a new paper, entitled ‘Forest Based Biomass and Modern Bioenergy, Moving to Net Zero’.
The COFORD Council is a body appointed by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to advise the minister and department on issues related to the development of the forest sector in Ireland.
Its membership is appointed by the minister and comprises stakeholders from across the forestry sector.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), this paper complements and rounds out an earlier series of COFORD statements on the role of forests and forest products in climate change mitigation.
It aims to highlight the role that modern bioenergy plays in climate change mitigation and security of energy supply.
It also sets out a series of recommendations around future policies to support an expanded role of forest-based biomass.
Chair of the COFORD Council and lead author of the paper, Dr. Eugene Hendrick said: “I would like to acknowledge the work of the COFORD climate change group, and the contribution of all the authors in producing this report, on potential future forest-based biomass supply.
“Forest based biomass has a clear role to play in decarbonising the heat sector in Ireland.”Â
Modern bioenergy in the context of the paper refers to efficient and low particulate emission biomass combustion, biorefining and other conversion technologies, based on sustainable supply chains, leading to quantifiable reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to fossil sources, and/or removals of CO2 from the atmosphere.
Forest contribution
According to the COFORD paper, there are trade-offs between harvest and maintaining forest carbon stocks, in relation to net climate benefit.
In Ireland, most forests are grown for wood production. In terms of harvest for bioenergy, it is necessary to look at impacts on carbon stocks and sinks at the regional and country levels, the paper stated.
“Sustainability is essential in deploying all forms of biomass. Acting sustainably means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, while maintaining or enhancing forest ecosystem services,” the document continues.
“The concept encompasses three broad pillars – the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of forest-based biomass harvest and use.”
COFORD has said that the starting point for the policy frameworks is the overarching goal to limit global warming to 1.5 °C to be achieved by having net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.
“Afforestation is the primary climate change mitigation measure identified in the Climate Action Plan, but as demonstrated in the COFORD climate change statements, forest management and harvested wood products also have a strong role in addressing climate change,” the paper continues.
“As outlined in this paper modern bioenergy also has role to play if new and existing measures are developed and promoted, and effectively implemented.
“With regard to the afforestation target levels of 8,000 ha/year, DAFM data show that the area afforested over 2021, 2022 and 2023 (the opening three years of first carbon budget period) was 5,940ha, leaving a significant distance to target.”
Despite this, COFORD authors state that based on the Teagasc Marginal Abatement Cost Curve
(MACC) 2023 analysis, afforestation allied to reduced deforestation, seems to remain the most direct route to medium- to long-term increases in the forest sink in Ireland.
Biomass
Bioenergy accounted for almost one third of the renewable energy contribution to gross final energy consumption in Ireland in 2022, while forest-based biomass provided over half of the renewable heat supply.
The COFORD paper states: “There is considerable scope to expand these contributions from bioenergy, including forest-based/woody biomass, over the coming decades to contribute to climate goals, security of energy supply and balanced regional development.
“In considering current levels of use and expansion, it is a requirement that bioenergy supply, both indigenous and imported, is sourced from sustainable sources and supply chains.
“Scarce biomass needs to be used in an efficient manner, and in a way that does not damage air quality.”
The paper calls for a national bioenergy strategy to be developed to set out the general aims for bioenergy use into the future.
Another recommendation is that the support scheme for renewable heat (SSRH) should be extended to the ETS sector, with an extended timeframe to 2035 in climate action plans.
COFORD also said that a separate target for solid biomass should be included in the district heating action in the Climate Action Plan, in line with the target for biomethane.
Compliance checking of solid fuels, including wood fuels, should be rigorously enforced by local authorities as set out in the Solid Fuel Regulations, according to the paper.
It also calls on Teagasc and DAFM to continue to promote early thinning interventions, where appropriate, in order to improve stand quality and accelerate the growth of saw log assortments and returns to owners.
Another recommendation is that state and industry bodies should resource the promotion of the use of modern bioenergy and wood fuels.