TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGY ON SHORT ROTATION COPPICE

PRODUCTIONGianni Picchi, Raffaele Spinelli - CNR-IVALSA

Consiglio Nazionale

delle Ricerche

www.cnr.it

www.ivalsa.cnr.it

www.biomassaforestale.org

Timber and Trees Institute

• Nearly 20 years of experience on woody energy crops• Consultant for Lombardy Region (Italy) on SRC harvest

BIOENERGY IN ITALY

- 200 MWht and 400 MWhe; - Demand exceeding 4 millions tons per

year;- Booming sector;- Market value of fresh biomass 30-60 €/t.

PLANTATIONS FOR BIOMASS

- About 5.000 hectars, 3.000 in Lombardy Region;

- Different public grants according to region;

- Fertile agricultural soils

SPECIALIZED CROPSpecific technique and machinery: service companies provide support from the grant demand to the harvest and sold of biomass.

20

-25

cm

PLANTATIONS

In Italy poplar (Populus spp.) is the only species used:

• Already well known by farmers;

• Specialized nursery available;

• Easy reproduction and hibridization.

DOUBLE ROWshort

rotation(1 year)

200-280 cm

70-80 cm

45-60 cm

Density:

280x75x45 = 12.500 plants/ha

SINGLE ROWshort

rotation(2 years)

250-300 cm

40-60 cm

Density:

300x60 cm = 5,600 plants/ha

SINGLE ROW medium rotation5 years

300 cm

200 cm

Density:

1.100-1600 plants/ha

Region Planting Management Compensation

Lombardia

3.150 €/ha

620 €/ha (2 years)

105-725 €/ha/y

Piemonte

4.000 €/ha

- -

Veneto 4.000 €/ha

- -

Friuli 4.000 €/ha

- -

Management Short, double row

Short, single row

Medium

Operation €/ha €/ha €/ha

Plow 250 250 250

Weed control 150 150 150

Fertilization 250 250 250

Planting 700 500 350

Cuttings 2640 1540 540

Total planting

3990 2690 1540

Management 400 200 120

COSTS AND GRANTS

AgeRotation Area

Diameter Yield Yield/year Yield d.m/y

Years ha cmt

fresh/ha t fresh/ha/y t dry/ha/y1 first 9.2 2.05 9.0 9.0 3.61 second 3.2 2.34 25.5 25.5 10.21 third 8.4 2.13 10.9 10.9 4.41 second 0.6 1.89 40.8 40.8 16.32 first 0.6 4.31 43.1 21.6 8.62 first 2.5 3.91 28.2 14.1 5.61 first 2.7 1.76 7.2 7.2 2.91 third 1.2 1.58 27.6 27.6 11.01 first 2.0 2.23 13.5 13.5 5.41 first 4.3 1.71 8.4 8.4 3.41 second 3.1 2.29 37.9 37.9 15.22 second 1.3 3.37 71.9 36.0 14.42 second 1.0 4.64 24.8 12.4 5.02 second 4.5 4.43 31.4 15.7 6.32 second 1.2 4.20 53.5 26.8 10.72 second 3.6 3.70 27.8 13.9 5.65 first 0.9 10.70 107.4 21.5 9.75 first 0.7 12.40 154.4 30.9 13.9

PRODUCTIVITY IN COMMERCIAL PLANTATIONS

HARVEST SYSTEMSMany prototypes from all over

Europe

• Different technical solutions• Trials in country of origin or in Italy

HARVESTShort rotations: Claas

system (HS2-GBE) + 2-3 tractors

•High productivity•Cheaper system•High mobility

•High moisture (60%)•Small size of wood chips

HARVEST LONGER ROTATIONS• 3 years rotation

• Stems diameter over 15 cm

• New crops (harder wood)

Krone + Woodcut 1500

John Deere + Biopoplar

Substitution of comminuting drum...

HARVESTMedium rotation: forestry systems

Integrated production of chips and pulp logs

Claas system costs 220 €/hour + 3 tractors for 70 €/hora = 430 €/hour : 35 tf/hour = 12 €/tf

Productity depends on many factors: density, planting design, soil type and moisture, stem diameter...

Medium rotation: harvest and transport 20 €/tf

Much room for improvement, flexible system, valuable assortments.

SOME ECONOMIC DATA

10-20 €/tf to farmers, 35-45 €/tf payed by power plants.

FUTURE• Optimization of harvest and transportation;• New cropping systems (longer rotations);• New clones and species.

Species tf/ha ts/ha

ts/ha/y

Populus 43,7 19,6

9,8

Robinia 39,0 24,9

12,5

Paulownia

41,0 18,0

9,0

Moisture

Price €/t

50% 44

40% 55

35% 61

San Marco plant, 2007

DANKE SHÖN!

For more info: Gianni Picchi

picchi@ivalsa.cnr.itwww.biomassaforestale.org

http://www.fao.org/docrep/011/k3305e/k3305e00.htm