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 indigenous energy source in Europe since 2016, ahead of fossil fuels . Biomass, as an energy resource, and forestry exploitation by 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 strengthening our forests. According to data from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO), biomass and waste represented, 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.”

To do this, Spain needs to develop forest management of the mountains that allows more biomass to be mobilized in the most efficient way . The mobilization of these renewable resources in a sustainable way will contribute to achieving the EU's 2030-2050 objectives, energy independence, reducing the risk of large fires and generating quality employment and a business network in rural areas. "It is relevant that, on the part of the EU, the importance of the use of forest biomass is considered in a country like ours, in which the rates of its use are far below those of Europe and, essentially, of the that sustainable management would allow us to achieve, as well as the development of necessary measures to improve the conditions of current forest management,” explains the expert.

Every year, forest biomass increases by 46 million m3, of which Spain only uses 40%, below the European average (61%) . Its use through sustainable forest management reduces the risk and virulence of forest fires and provides a source of sovereign energy. Furthermore, if efforts are focused on the coming years, as experts recommend, biomass could increase by 12 million m3 annually, sustainably, thanks to the gigantic stock of wood, which would imply the creation of 12,000 jobs. employment and the equivalent replacement 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 forestry . On the other hand, the paralysis of the new European Renewable Directive, RED III, which considers the defense of sustainable forest management as an integrative solution , which would prevent large forest fires, increase the CO2 absorption capacity in the mountains and allow biomass to be mobilized. accumulated, with socioeconomic benefits with a very positive impact on the demographic challenge. Experts also highlight the need to incorporate the planning and optimization of harvesting into forestry engineering and science in Spain.