The Energy Potential of Firewood and By-Products of Round Wood Processing—Economic and Technical Aspects

According to most energy demand forecasts, woody biomass has the potential to become an
important source of renewable energy, especially during the transitional period of energy transition.
The aim of this article was to estimate the energy potential of the biomass from the forest and the
biomass generated by the mechanical processing of wood raw material and also to show the spectrum
of possibilities for the potential use of the biomass for energy production in Poland. This research
used available statistical and literature data on the species structure of harvested wood and the
qualitative and assortment structures of woody biomass. The basic parameters of the raw material
were evaluated in accordance with the EU classification of energy wood. This study confirmed the
relationship between the energy potential of woody biomass and energy demand in Poland. The
correlation coefficient for these variables was r = 0.984. This correlation was reflected in the significant
shares of biomass in the production of electricity (more than 9%) or heat (almost 14%). Energy wood
resources in Poland are smaller than in other European Union countries, which affects the scale of the
potential use of woody biomass for energy purposes. Nevertheless, the use of such a biomass is fully
justified from the point of view of possible development.