The transportation of fuelwood from forest to facility

Angus-Hankin, C; Stokes, Bryce J.; Twaddle, A. A.

doi:10.1016/0961-9534(95)00091-7

Cited by 63 publications

(35 citation statements)

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“…Regulation on the trucks weight and dimensions highlights the challenge truck operator's face when loading enough material on a truck and trailer of fixed dimensions. Haulage contractors incur in opportunity costs when carrying less than the legal maximum weight [33]. In the case of wood biomass (chips and bundles) low bulk density can decrease the productivity in transport by having loads reaching the maximum legal dimensions (volume) of the truck and trailer before exceeding the legal maximum weight.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlling moisture content and truck configurations to model and optimise biomass supply chain logistics in Ireland

et al. 2015

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Highlights A linear programming model that optimises wood biomass supply in Ireland. It uses MC to determine harvesting, chipping, storage and transportation costs. It analyses two supply chain scenarios and two truck configurations. Low wood MC increases supply cost due to longer transport distances. Optimal truck loads can be achieved by controlling wood MC. AbstractIn the coming years, Ireland will continue to face an increasing demand for wood biomass as a renewable source of energy. This will result in strained supply/demand scenarios, which will call for new planning and logistics systems capable of optimizing the efficient use of the biomass resources.In this study, a linear programming tool was developed which includes moisture content (MC) as a driving factor for the cost optimisation of two supply chains that use short wood and whole trees from thinnings as material feedstock. The tool was designed and implemented to analyse the impact of moisture content and truck configurations (5-axle and 6-axle trucks) on supply chain costs and spatial distribution of the supply materials. The results indicate that the inclusion of wood chips from whole trees reduces the costs of wood energy supply in comparison with only producing wood chips from short wood to satisfy the demand, with 9.8% and 10.2% cost reduction when transported with 5-axle and 6-axle trucks, respectively. Constraining the MC of the wood chips delivered to the power plant increases both transport and overall supply chain costs, due, firstly to an increase in the haulage distance and secondly, to the number of counties providing the biomass material. In terms of truck configuration, the use of 6-axle trucks resulted in a 14.8% reduction in the number of truckloads and a 12.3% reduction in haulage costs in comparison to the use of 5-axle trucks across the MC scenarios analysed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlling moisture content and truck configurations to model and optimise biomass supply chain logistics in Ireland

et al. 2015

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“…According to Angus-Hankin et al (1995) to carry less than the legal maximum weight is incurring opportunity costs [10]. In the case of wood biomass (chips and bundles) low density can decrease the productivity in transport with loads reaching the maximum legal dimensions of the truck and/or trailer before meeting the legal maximum weight [10]. Talbot and Suadicani (2006) considered the cost of road transport as being the main factor limiting the expansion of the bioenergy sector since secondary transport can be responsible for 20% to 40% of the supply chain costs [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Log Loading Efficiency for Improved Sustainable Transport within the Irish Forest and Biomass Sectors

et al. 2015

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Abstract:In Ireland, timber and biomass haulage faces the challenge of transporting enough material within strict legal dimensions and gross vehicle weights restrictions for trucks and trailers. The objective of this study was to develop a method to control payload weight by knowing the moisture content of the wood. Weights, volumes, and moisture content were gathered from 100 truckloads of Sitka spruce pulpwood. Truck volume and weight utilization patterns were analyzed based on stacked volume, truck volume, and weights recorded from the weighbridge. Solid/bulk volume conversion factors for the truckloads were estimated indicating the truck's solid volume capacity to be filled. Trucks were grouped into five conditions based on their configuration-volume capacity and legal maximum payload. A loaded volume fraction was estimated to assess the optimal volume capacity and stanchion height at which the trucks should be loaded. Results showed that 100% of the trucks presented volume underutilization, with a maximum of 27.5 m 3 (only 39.85% volume capacity). In contrast, 67% of trucks were overweight while the remaining 33% were under the legal maximum weight. The average solid/bulk volume conversion factor was 0.66 ± 0.013 at 95% confidence level. Depending on the conditions, trucks can be filled to 100% of their volume capacity with wood at an MC from 29% to 55%. The minimum truck volume capacity utilization was 45%. This methodology can be used by truck hauliers, enabling them to determine in-forest the optimum volume and weight of wood to be transported by OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 3018 knowing the moisture content (MC), the wood specie, and using the height of the stanchions of the trailer as reference when loading the truck.

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“…Previous Russia-related studies [21,26,53,67,68,79,80,85] pointed out that since the energy wood sector of Karelia is not well developed, its development would then allow a move to the latest proven technology for the supply and utilization of energy wood. Karelia would then provide new markets for technology and know-how.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of the existing heating plants in Karelian municipal districts have sufficient potential and availability of woody biomass [7]. The plants are within an average transportation distance of about 50-70 km, which makes woody biomass energy costs competitive, at least in terms of light fuel oil [79,80].…”

Section: Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nordic Forest Energy Solutions in the Republic of Karelia

Gerasimov

Senko

2013

Forests

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Abstract:The situation in Karelia, a region in Northwest Russia, is analyzed in the context of forest energy. The annual potential energy available from wood harvesting is about 7 tera watt hours (TWh) (3.6 million m 3 ), which is equal to the total need of Karelia in energy for municipal heating. We point out that the contribution to the municipal economy, the moderate heating cost, the enhanced energy security in the cold Russian climate, the environmental friendliness, the better access to the forests and the utilization of the proven Nordic forest energy solutions (NFES) might have important consequences for strategy-making processes in forest energy development. For this purpose, connecting Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with SWOT (internal strengths (S) or weaknesses (W) and external opportunities (O) or threats (T)) analysis is proposed to identify local operational strategies and assign priorities. Major threats include lack of government support, an insufficient road network, the dominance of extensive forest management, gasification and financial indiscipline. Analysis indicates that NFES are viewed positively for the Russian conditions. The forest biomass market has virtually unlimited opportunities for growth. Together, with the transition to intensive forest management, favorable policy in terms of forestry development programs can support bioenergy development. The advantageous location of existing power plants next to forests, increasing fossil fuel prices, the improvement of the road network and the availability of new technology are seen as potential opportunities for NFES. However, the results also indicate that there is substantial OPEN ACCESSForests 2013, 4 946 uncertainty and skepticism concerning how such markets benefit forest leaseholders who would like to adopt forest energy. The lack of bioenergy technology development, high transportation cost, low awareness of NFES, high demands for roads, the requirement for skilled specialists and wood fuel quality are the main weaknesses regarding the transfer of NFES to Karelia.

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The transportation of fuelwood from forest to facility

Cited by 63 publications

References 1 publication

Controlling moisture content and truck configurations to model and optimise biomass supply chain logistics in Ireland

Controlling moisture content and truck configurations to model and optimise biomass supply chain logistics in Ireland

Improving Log Loading Efficiency for Improved Sustainable Transport within the Irish Forest and Biomass Sectors

Nordic Forest Energy Solutions in the Republic of Karelia

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