Managing wood energy dynamics
The main goal of the ECHAINE project was to provide data, identify and evaluate key issues of socio-economic and environmentally friendly production of energy wood for heat and power production. Under these auspices, a new Geographic information system (GIS) tool based on multi-criteria analysis was created. Users of the tool can select a category such as European policy and a map can be created to visualise the results. The results, which characterise the wood energy market, were identified and many findings were produced. In terms of the market, different historical developments are taking place and the competition is both at national and regional level. Regarding socio-economic factors, good cooperation between the manager and relevant stakeholders can result in significant cost reductions. Stakeholders, wood fuel supply and locality are factors that were shown to vary between local and national levels. Also very diverse are the policies that have an impact on wood fuel and wood energy utilisation rates. Essentially the GIS tool illustrates the main obstacles for wood fuel and wood energy utilisation. Thus, users can understand the choices managers make and why. The results have been disseminated on the ECHAINE webpage as well as in presentations given in workshops and seminars.
