Title:
Local Economic Impacts of Forest Biomass Production
Author(s):
Laihanen, M., Karhunen, A., Ranta, T.
Document(s):
Paper
Slide presentation
Abstract:
There is a target to increase the use of renewable energy sources to achieve carbon neutrality in the EU level. In Finland, biomass is the most important renewable energy source and in the future biomass will be utilised more widely to replace fossil energy sources such as coal, natural gas, and oil. The aim of the paper is to analyse what kind of regional economic impacts can be achieved when replacing natural gas by solid forest biomass in district heating plants of municipalities. The regional economic impacts were analysed in district heating plants of three municipalities located in South-East Finland. The analysed regional economic factors were the value of fuel mix, the direct employment effects in fuel production, the energy taxation and carbon dioxide mitigation. All analysed factors were compared to values of natural gas. The result of study shows that we can achieve many positive effects when natural gas is replaced by local forest energy. The study produced background information from the use of forest energy to policymakers and operators. If forest energy is imported from abroad, the local employment effects from forest energy production is not generated.
Keywords:
biomass, district heating, natural gas, economical aspects
Topic:
Sustainability, Impacts and Policies
Subtopic:
Sustainability, socio-economic aspects and public acceptance
Event:
30th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
2CO.8.2
Pages:
325 - 326
ISBN:
978-88-89407-22-6
Paper DOI:
10.5071/30thEUBCE2022-2CO.8.2
Price:
FREE
