Research Trends in European Forest Fuel Supply Chains: a Review of the Last Ten Years (2007–2017) – Part One: Harvesting and Storage

• Main Authors: Martin Kühmaier, Gernot Erber
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry 2017-01-01
• Series: Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering
• Online Access: https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/281501
• ISSN: 1845-5719; 1848-9672

Forest fuel is a renewable source with the potential to substitute fossil fuels in several application fields, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting rural areas by fostering income and jobs. Contribution margins in fuelwood supply are small and ensuring supply chain efficiency plays a crucial role in delivering high quality products at competitive costs. This paper provides a review of research trends related to this issue in the field of harvesting and storing fuelwood and the impact of recent technology during the last decade. Whereas the basic suitability of supply chains and machines was research’s main priority 20 years ago, the focus shifted to improving the efficiency of machines appropriate for harvesting fuelwood during recent years. Significant increase of productivity could be achieved by introducing fuelwood harvesting heads for processing whole trees to bunches convenient for forwarding (»multi-tree handling«), and adapted working techniques (»boom-corridor thinning «) were developed. Development of compaction measures for bulky raw materials, like logging residues, applied during or before processing and forwarding, culminated in dedicated machines (»bundle-harvester«). Improving the final product quality by appropriate storage practices was emphasised. The phrase »moisture content management« voiced the urgent need for prompt monitoring of fuelwood drying behaviour, which was answered by research in the form of meteorological data based drying models. Among the treatments applied before and during storage, covering has evolved as the most suitable measure. Furthermore, research advocated for greater attention to dry matter losses during storage and the development of basic energy density.