Scion’s Integrated bioenergy portfolio leader Paul Bennett and scientist Alan Jones, who carried out research showing that short rotation forestry has big potential in Northland.
Scion’s Integrated bioenergy portfolio leader Paul Bennett and scientist Alan Jones, who carried out research showing that short rotation forestry has big potential in Northland.
Short rotation forestry for bioenergy production could transform Northland’s economy and lower fossil fuel dependency, new research shows.
A two-year research project by Crown Research Institute Scion reveals the promising opportunities for regional New Zealand to adopt short rotation forestry (SRF) for the green energy production, with Northland ideal for the practice.
SRF is a forestry practice that involves growing and harvesting trees on a short rotation cycle which, according to Scion’s modelling, would ideally be between 12 and 18 years for the production of wood biomass.
This is considerably shorter than the conventional 28-year harvesting cycle.
The findings show that short rotation forestry will not only diversify regional economies, but also contribute to sustainable land management and generate environmental benefits as New Zealand looks for ways to transition to a circular bio-economy and meet its net-zero emissions targets by 2050.
Scion has produced a Short Rotation Forestry Bioenergy Handbook to help landowners understand more about the process and if it is right for their land.
It is a ‘how to’ guide for short rotation forestry targeting landowners, forest investors, and government agencies.
Silviculture and forest carbon scientist Alan Jones said the handbook highlighted economic opportunities for landowners and investors seeking alternative income from economically marginal grazing land.
The research has identified that up to 500,000 hectares would potentially be profitable for short rotation forestry in Northland, that could lead to millions of dollars in economic benefits for the region.
‘’We focus on LUC 5-7 land, which typically consists of lower-value grazing land in Northland with low yields and profitability. Generating forest bioenergy from these areas offers significant investment and diversification opportunities for landowners,’’ Jones said.
‘’Assuming 5 per cent of this available land area could realistically be used for short rotation forestry, this could yield an annual bioenergy output equivalent to approximately 120,000 tonnes of coal within 16 years.
“As woody biomass is a renewable energy source with near-zero emissions over multiple growing rotations, this bioenergy would also significantly reduce fossil fuel CO2 emissions.’’
The Scion Short Rotation Forestry Bioenergy Handbook for landowners considering the idea
The price of coal on the international market has fluctuated between US$106 ($174) and US$138 ($226) a tonne since last October.
‘’On a broader scale, short rotation forest bioenergy presents considerable regional economic development potential, especially as the sector matures. For example, our analysis indicates significant profitability benefits from decentralised processing of short rotation biomass.
“Investment in this bioenergy processing infrastructure in Northland would provide much-needed economic stimulus,’’ he said.
‘’Additionally, we foresee a potential future role for the Marsden Point Refinery if it were re-established. Facilities like this could become hubs for converting forest biomass into valuable carbon-neutral liquid fuels such as biodiesel, sustainable marine fuel, or sustainable aviation fuel.’’
Scion is establishing a network of short rotation regime trial plots to measure nationally and have identified existing Northland commercial forest plantations with suitable attributes.
‘’Our aim is to integrate these Northland forests into our measurement network to improve our understanding of how short rotation forests grow.
‘’Short rotation bioenergy forestry presents a significant opportunity for investment and sustainable economic development in Northland. This has the potential to transform the region’s economy, boost domestic energy production, and help meet climate targets.
“Additionally, it offers Northland landowners a chance to diversify their less productive land.’’
Jones said Northland landowners interested in the idea can download the handbook from www.scionresearch.com.
Scion’s modelling shows that short rotation forestry as a feedstock for bioenergy has the potential to replace 6 per cent of New Zealand’s annual fossil fuel demand from less than 1 per cent of the land area.
“We’ve built on research from a decade ago and assessed the feasibility of rapidly upscaling bioenergy production from forests. We’ve found there are particular regions well-suited to short rotation forestry which provides a real opportunity for communities to transform their economic base and reshape New Zealand’s energy future.”
The ideal species for short rotation forestry is pinus radiata, owing to its rapid growth rates and high degree of adaptability and disease resistance in a range of growing locations.
“Trees are generally planted in dense stands and managed to intensify rates of wood production for renewable energy, such as wood pellets, torrefied briquettes or liquid biofuels for marine and aviation sectors.
SRF can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil fuels and promoting carbon sequestration in the form of sustainably harvested living trees.
