Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
are grown in SRWCs in tropical and subtropical Africa, South America, Asia, and Australia, and
in temperate Europe, South America, North America, and Australia (Figure 15.1), but 12 countries
account for nearly all of the almost 12 million ha classified as productive (FAO 2006; Table 15.1,
Figure 15.1). Eucalypt planting is still intensifying, especially in tropical countries.
Four species and their hybrids from the subgenus
Symphyomyrtu
s (
Eucalyptus grandis
(
EG
),
E.
urophylla
(
EU
)
, E. camaldulensis,
and
E. globulus
) constitute about 80% of eucalypt SRWCs world-
wide.
EG
,
EU,
and
EG
×
EU
hybrids are favored in tropical and subtropical regions.
EG
has been
planted extensively in countries such as India and South Africa, and it is grown in California, Hawaii,
and Florida in the United States.
E. globulus
is best for temperate countries such as Portugal, Spain,
Chile, and Australia. Eucalypt products worldwide include pulp for high quality paper (Tournier et al.
2003), poles, lumber, plywood, veneer, flooring, landscape mulch (Aaction Mulch 2007), fiberboard
(Krysik et al. 2001), composites (Coutts 2005), essential oils (Barton 2007), firewood, and charcoal.
15.2.1
e
ucAlyptus
B
ioEnErgy
u
SE
and
p
otEntial
w
orldwidE
Although eucalypts are major bioenergy contributors worldwide, their utilization by individual
countries reflects a number of factors. Renewable energy incentives, greenhouse gas (GHG) emis-
sion targets, synergism with industrial waste management projects, and high oil prices are major
drivers of SRWCs for bioenergy.
Bioenergy consumption is greatest in countries with heavy subsidies or tax incentives, such as
Brazil and China (Wright 2006). Total bioenergy consumption in China, EU, the United States,
Brazil, Canada, and Australia is 17.1 EJ. SRWCs in Brazil, New Zealand, and Australia total about
5 million ha, and SRWCs in China may be as large as 10 million ha, whereas SRWCs and other
energy crops in the United States and EU are less than 100,000 ha. SRWCs have mainly been estab-
lished for other than bioenergy production. Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, the
United Kingdom, and the United States are among the countries conducting SRWC research and
development.
15.2.1.1 Brazil
Brazil is the world's largest bioenergy producer and consumer, with 29.6% of its energy coming
from biomass in 2003, including 13.0% from firewood and charcoal (Pelaez-Samaneigo et al. 2008).
With 3 million ha of
Eucalyptus
SRWCs (Rosillo-Calle 2004), it may have the most SRWCs grown
specifically for energy.
Eucalyptus
planting occurred primarily from 1966 to 1989 under govern-
ment incentives (Couto et al. 2004). The pulp and paper industry has more than 1.4 million ha of
mainly
Eucalyptus
and pine plantations.
Wood production, especially SRWC
Eucalyptus
, is well established in Brazil (Couto et al. 2002).
Brazil has about 5 million ha of sustainable forests (afforestation and reforestation), with 56% of
these forests in the Southeast, where
Eucalyptus
is 64% of the area (BMME 2003). SRWC estab-
lishment targets from 2004 to 2007 included 0.8 and 1.2 million ha through small/medium farmers
and through medium/large companies, respectively.
SRWC utilization is 33% for charcoal production, 13% for industrial energy, 31% for pulp and
paper mills, and 23% for timber (BMME 2003). Brazil produced 7.3 million tons (225 PJ) of char-
coal in 2003, of which the steel industry consumed 85% (Walter et al. 2006). SRWC
Eucalyptus
accounted for 87%, 97%, and 74% in 1997, 1999, and 2003, respectively, of the charcoal consumed
by steel mills (ABRACAVE 2003).
Brazil's forests produce about 55 million tons of firewood (Walter et al. 2006). Of this, over 40%
is for charcoal (almost 580 PJ), 29% is for residential use, and 23% is for industrial and commercial
uses such as steam generation. Charcoal production was 22% of industrial roundwood consumption
from SRWCs in Brazil in 2006 (Pelaez-Samaniego et al. 2008). Wood chip production for electricity
and heating in Europe in 2004 was expected to be 250,000 green mt, or 3 PJ, using acacia and bark
of
Eucalyptus
and
Pinus
.
