The use of forest biomass for bioenergy in Australia represents only 1% of total energy production but is being recognized for having the potential to deliver low-cost and low-emission, renewable energy solutions. This review addresses the potential of forest biomass for bioenergy production in Australia relative to the amount of biomass energy measures available for production, harvest and transport, conversion, distribution and emission. Thirty-Five Australian studies on forest biomass for bioenergy are reviewed and categorized under five hierarchical terms delimiting the level of assessment on the biomass potential. Most of these studies assess the amount of biomass at a production level using measures such as the allometric volume equation and form factor assumptions linked to forest inventory data or applied in-field weighing of samples to predict the theoretical potential of forest biomass across an area or region. However, when estimating the potential of forest biomass for bioenergy production, it is essential to consider the entire supply chain that includes many limitations and reductions on the recovery of the forest biomass from production in the field to distribution to the network. This review reiterated definitions for theoretical, available, technological, economic and environmental biomass potential and identified missing links between them in the Australian literature. There is a need for further research on the forest biomass potential to explore lower cost and lowest net emission solutions as a replacement to fossil resources for energy production in Australia but methods the could provide promising solutions are available and can be applied to address this gap.
This research investigates how biomass supply chains (BSChs) for bioenergy within the broader bioeconomy could contribute to the post-COVID-19 recovery in three dimensions: boosting economic growth, creating jobs, and building more resilient and cleaner energy systems in four future scenarios, in the short term (by 2023) and long term (by 2030). A SWOT analysis on BSChs was used for generating a questionnaire for foresight by a two-round Delphi study. To interpret the results properly, a short survey and literature review is executed to record BSChs behavior during the pandemic. In total, 23 (55% response rate) and 28 (46% response rate) biomass experts from three continents participated in the Delphi and the short survey, respectively. The strongest impact from investment in BSChs would be on economic growth, followed by a contribution to the resilient and cleaner energy systems and job creation. The effects would be more visible in the long- than in the short-term period. Investments with the most impact on recovery are those that improve biomass material efficiency and circularity. Refurbishment of current policies to enhance the supply of biomass as a renewable resource to the future economy is a must.
Half-butt eucalypts (genera: Eucalyptus and Corymbia) have both thick outer bark at the stem base (half-butt) conferring resistance to surface fire, and thin photosynthetic canopy bark that reduces moisture stress.Here we examine how the functional ecology of dual outer bark types influences the wide distribution of Australian half-butt species. We evaluate the proposition that half-butts should predominate in semi-arid environments prone to surface fires. We measured the bark thickness, butt height relative to flame/fire char height and tree height, height of first branch, and the location and prevalence of epicormic resprouting of co-occurring Eucalyptus miniata (half-butt) and E. tetrodonta (fibrous bark only) individuals, across 15 sites with contrasting fire frequencies (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) in the Darwin region. Total tree height was compared with butt height for all E. miniata individuals. The survival of half-butt and other eucalypt species, as well as non-eucalypts, was investigated at three sites affected by intense gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus) fire. The proportion of half-butt species in each of Australia's 85 bioregions was calculated from geographic distribution records of 618 eucalypt species. Mean annual fire frequency (1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010), fire type (crown or surface fires) and climate in each bioregion was determined from satellite-derived records. Butt height at a site, including gamba grass sites, was not induced by flame height or affected by fire frequency and was approximately half the canopy height of the tree, suggesting it is internally regulated. The half-butt E. miniata and full-bark eucalypts were similarly resilient (survival) under surface fire conditions. Half-butt species predominated in arid and semi-arid bioregions characterised by surface fire, consistent with our proposition that half-butt bark is an adaptation to surface fire, and thin photosynthetic outer canopy bark reduces moisture stress, accounting for the wide distribution of half-butt eucalypts in arid and seasonally dry regions of Australia.
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