Spain only uses 40% of its forest biomass

The forestry sector should be one of the drivers of the economic and socio-labor development of rural areas in a country in which the forest area represents more than 55% of the surface, almost 30% of which is wooded.

Biomass is the most important native energy source in Eur OPA since 2016, ahead of fossil fuels . Biomass, as an energy resource, and forest exploits of the transformation sector industry constitute two dynamic agents of the rural economy with clear complementary advantages in the decarbonization processes, the fulfillment of circular economy objectives and, above all, in the defense against forest fires and the strengthening of our forests. According to data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (Miteco), Biomass and Waste supposed, in 2020, 19.1% of the total (4,541 GWh), well below the objectives .

Miguel Soriano, member of the Rural Affairs Committee of the Spanish Engineering Institute, states that “in a country like ours, with a marked forestry character in a large part of its territory, coinciding with rural areas, the use of timber resources for biomass “As an energy source, it can contribute to promoting the development of a rural economy with clear complementary advantages in the decarbonization processes, the fulfillment of circular economy objectives and, above all, in the defense against forest fires and the strengthening of our forests.”

For this, Spain needs to develop forest management of the mountains that allows more biomass to mobilize in the most efficient way . The mobilization of these renewable resources in a sustainable way will contribute to achieve the 2030-2050 objectives of the EU, to energy independence, reduction of large fire risk and the generation of quality employment and a business fabric in rural areas. "It is relevant that, by the EU, the importance of the use of forest biomass is considered in a country like ours, in which the ratios of its use are well below the eur opeos and, in essence, of which a sustainable management would allow to achieve, as well as the development of necessary measures to improve the conditions of current forest management." The expert explains.

Each year, forest biomass increases by 46 million m3, of which Spain only takes advantage of 40%, below the Opea average eur 61%) . Its use through sustainable forest management reduces the risk and virulence of forest fires and provides a source of sovereign energy. In addition, if efforts focus on the coming years, as experts recommend, biomass could increase by 12 million m3 annually, sustainably, thanks to the gigantic wood stock, which would imply the creation of 12,000 jobs and the equivalent substitution of 25 million barrels of oil and 9 million CO2 not emitted.

Spain ranks 22 out of 27 in terms of the proportion of electrical energy produced with solid biofuels . The production of solid biofuels is 8.1 million tons of dry matter/year, with 56% of said production coming from chips, 19% from firewood, 10% from pomace and 7% from pellets.

But, there are currently two factors that threaten the biomass sector . On the one hand, the lack of qualified operators for mechanized forest exploitation . On the other, the paralysis of the new Eur OPEA directive of renewables, Red III, which considers the defense of sustainable forest management as an integrative solution , which would avoid large forest fires, increase the absorption capacity of CO2 in the mountains and allow to mobilize accumulated biomass, with socio -economic benefits with a very positive impact for the demographic challenge. Experts also highlight the need to incorporate the planning and optimization of engineering uses and forest science in Spain.