Title:
Invasive Woodland Resources in the Azores: Biomass Availability for 100% Renewable Energy Supply in Graciosa Island
Author(s):
Teixeira, A., Mir, C., Silva, L.B., Hahndorf, I., Silva, L.
Document(s):
Paper
Slide presentation
Abstract:
The potential of biomass for energy production has been widely studied, and recently gained new impetus with the attention now devoted to renewable energies. In Graciosa Island, Azores, there is a ongoing project from Younicos AG together with the Azorean Government and the energy supplier, EDA, with the goal to achieve 65% of renewable energy supply by 2016. But can biomass be used to achieve the 100% renewable energy goal? In Graciosa, only 12% of the land surface is forested, however, considerable land areas are occupied by alien invasive woodland, mostly dominated by Pittosporum undulatum Ventenat (Pittosporaceae). Field work in Graciosa was done in order to measure P. undulatum dendrometric traits and relate these to biomass of fresh cut trees through specific allometric equations. Stand densities, determined by point-centered quarter method, were considerably variable, attaining values of up to 10,000 trees.ha-1 . The best model for allometric equation determined was ln(Biomass)=a+b.ln(BasalArea2.Height)+., with an adjusted R2 of 0.96 and AIC of 35.5. Using this equation and the mean stand density values, the P. undulatum available biomass in Graciosa was estimated at 92,152 Mg (dry weight), with an annual available biomass yield of 2,368 Mg.year-1(dry weight). The exploitation of P. undulatum biomass for energetic use is viable and sustainable principles of forest management can be applied, allowing the use of the existing forest as well as implementing the control of an alien invasive species.
Keywords:
forestry, lignocellulosic sources, biomass assessment, azores, pittosporum undulatum, allometric equations
Topic:
Biomass Resources
Subtopic:
Biomass potentials and biomass mobilisation
Event:
23rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1AO.1.5
Pages:
14 - 23
ISBN:
978-88-89407-516
Paper DOI:
10.5071/23rdEUBCE2015-1AO.1.5
Price:
FREE
