Cost analysis of transporting forest chips and forest industry by-products with large truck-trailers in Finland

Laitila, Juha; Asikainen, Antti; Ranta, T.

doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.04.011

Cited by 50 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Chips produced at the roadside landings were transported with a 69-tonne modern truck-trailer equipped with steering axles at the rear end of the trailer (ETS). The truck-trailer unit had a 157.4 m 3 load space and 27-tonne empty weight (Laitila et al 2016). Chips produced at the terminal were transported in a standard 76-tonne truck-trailer having a 157.4 m 3 load space and 26-tonne empty weight (Laitila et al 2016).…”

Section: Productivity and Cost Parameters Of The Procurement Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The truck-trailer unit had a 157.4 m 3 load space and 27-tonne empty weight (Laitila et al 2016). Chips produced at the terminal were transported in a standard 76-tonne truck-trailer having a 157.4 m 3 load space and 26-tonne empty weight (Laitila et al 2016). The transportation time consisted of driving time and terminal time.…”

Section: Productivity and Cost Parameters Of The Procurement Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Windisch et al 2015;Laitila et al 2016). The degree of filling and permissible payload was calculated for each stand as a function of basic densities of tree species, dry matter losses of storing (6.75%) moisture content (40% or 55%) and solid content percentage (40%) of wood chips (Table 3).…”

Section: Productivity and Cost Parameters Of The Procurement Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, laws mandating the physical dimensions of freight transport vehicles were changed on 1 October 2013 in Finland (Valtioneuvoston asetus 407/2013) and the new legislation enables higher gross weights as well as larger load capacities. It favours increasingly transport of fresh wood material (Laitila et al 2016) and may also increase interest in artificial drying of forest chips in the generation of heat and in combined heat and power production, especially if waste heat streams can be used as a heat source for drying (Holmberg 2007;Rinne et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Pre-feasibility study of supply systems based on artificial drying of delimbed stem forest chips

Laitila¹,

Ahtikoski²,

Repola³

et al. 2017

Silva Fenn.

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Highlights• With artificial drying and quick delivery, avoiding dry material losses of harvested timber, it could be possible to reduce the current costs of the prevailing procurement system based on natural drying of stored timber at roadside landings.• The maximum cost for the prospective drying process of fresh chips corresponds to, e.g., organization costs or stumpage price of delimbed stems. AbstractThis study was aimed at determining the maximum cost level of artificial drying required for cost-efficient operation. This was done using a system analysis approach, in which the harvesting potential and procurement cost of alternative fuel chip production systems were compared at the stand and regional level. The accumulation and procurement cost of chipped delimbed stems from young forests were estimated within a 100 km transport distance from a hypothetical end use facility located in northern Finland. Logging and transportation costs, stumpage prices, tied up capital, dry matter losses and moisture content of harvested timber were considered in the study. Moisture content of artificially dried fuel chips made of fresh timber (55%) was set to 20%, 30% and 40% in the comparisons. Moisture content of fuel chips based on natural drying during storing was 40%. Transporting costs were calculated according to new higher permissible dimensions and weight limits for truck-trailers. The procurement cost calculations indicated that with artificial drying and by avoiding dry material losses of timber, it could be possible to reduce current costs of the prevailing procurement system based on natural drying of timber at roadside landings. The maximum cost level of artificial drying ranged between 1.2-3.2 € MWh -1 depending on the supply chain, moisture content and procurement volume of fuel chips. This cost margin corresponds to, e.g., organization, forwarding and transportation costs or stumpage price of delimbed stems.

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Section: Productivity and Cost Parameters Of The Procurement Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Productivity and Cost Parameters Of The Procurement Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Productivity and Cost Parameters Of The Procurement Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Pre-feasibility study of supply systems based on artificial drying of delimbed stem forest chips

Laitila¹,

Ahtikoski²,

Repola³

et al. 2017

Silva Fenn.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The hourly costs (Table 2) for logging, transporting and comminuting machinery of forest biomass were obtained from the studies of and Laitila et al (2016). It was assumed that a conventional harvester-forwarder chain was used in logging operations in early thinning, and harvesting stumps from clear cuts was based on the excavator-forwarder chain (Fig.…”

Section: Productivity and Cost Parameters Of The Procurement Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Procurement costs of cereal straw and forest chips for biorefining in South-East Finland

Laitila¹,

Lehtonen²,

Ranta³

et al. 2016

Silva Fenn.

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Highlights• Procurement cost at the plant was 59 € dry tonne -1 when the annual procurement volume of biomass was 100 000 tonnes. Of that amount, the proportion of logging residues was 58.4%, stumps 24.3% and delimbed stems 17.3%.• Cereal straw represents an important source of biomass in Kouvola but the cost competiveness is poor compared the procurement costs of forest chips due to high baling and transporting costs. AbstractIn Finland the increasing use of biofuel in transport presupposes a search for new raw material sources for biorefining. The aim of this study was, at the regional level, to compare the procurement costs of logging residues, stumps, delimbed stems and cereal straw for biorefining. The accumulation and procurement costs of forest chips and cereal straw were estimated within a 100-kilometre transporting distance via existing road network from an end-use-facility located in Kouvola in South-East Finland. The analyses were performed as simulated treatments in thinnings of young stands, cereal fields and regeneration fellings using existing productivity and cost functions and yield calculations based on crop statistics, the forest industry stand data and the sample plots data of the National Forest Inventory of Finland. Accumulation of raw material assortments and costs of production stages were defined per dry tonnes. Subsidies and raw material prices were excluded from consideration in the study. The results indicate that recovering logging residues requires lower costs than utilization of stumps, delimbed stems or cereal straw. Cereal straw represents an important source of biomass in Kouvola but the cost competiveness is poor compared the procurement costs of forest chips. When the annual procurement volume of biomass was 50 000 dry tonnes the cost at the plant was 49 € dry tonne -1 and biomass was comprised totally of logging residues. Procurement cost grew to 59 € dry tonne -1 when the annual procurement volume of biomass was doubled to 100 000 dry tonnes. Of that amount, the proportion of logging residues was 58.4%, stumps 24.3% and delimbed stems 17.3%. First cereal straw dry tonnes were delivered to end-use-facility, when procurement cost grew to 60 € dry tonne -1 and annual procurement volume of biomass was 110 000 dry tonnes.

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Economic feasibility of forest biomass feedstock supply chains: clean and dirty chips for bioenergy applications

Brown

Quinn

et al. 2021

Biofuels Bioprod Bioref

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There is a lack of economic feasibility analyses on the harvesting of forest biomass to supply low-carbon bioenergy feedstocks using actual data on the mixed product harvest in the hardwood region of the northeast USA. This study is a techno-economic analysis of three different scenarios (clean chips, dirty chips, or pulpwood) based on data collected from wholetree harvesting systems over 6 years. Each scenario had two different cases: one with costs and revenues allocated by mass (allocated system), and the other without allocation (whole system). The six cases of three scenarios tested resulted in a wide range of positive net present values (NPVs) from $1 713 000 to $819 in US dollars. Clean chip production generated substantial NPVs and dirty chips generated marginal NPVs. The minimum selling prices (MSPs) of clean chips from two cases were similar, $45.92 and $45.55 per green metric ton (Mg), with maximum hauling distances (MHDs) of 247 and 250 km (km). The MSPs for dirty chips from four cases ranged from $34.38 to $37.47 per Mg with the range of MHDs from 184 to 351 km. MSP and sensitivity analyses suggest that the selling prices and harvesting production levels of clean chips and dirty chips, and purchase prices of forestry logging equipment are the key factors that most influence the profitability of the regional forest biomass feedstock supply chain.

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Cost analysis of transporting forest chips and forest industry by-products with large truck-trailers in Finland

Cited by 50 publications

References 23 publications

Pre-feasibility study of supply systems based on artificial drying of delimbed stem forest chips

Pre-feasibility study of supply systems based on artificial drying of delimbed stem forest chips

Procurement costs of cereal straw and forest chips for biorefining in South-East Finland

Economic feasibility of forest biomass feedstock supply chains: clean and dirty chips for bioenergy applications

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