Abstract
Introduction of second-generation biofuels is an essential factor for meeting the EU’s 2020 targets for
renewable energy in the transport sector and enabling the more ambitious targets for 2030. Finland’s forest industry
is strongly involved in the development and commercializing of second-generation biofuel production technologies.
The goal of this paper is to provide a quantifi ed insight into Finnish prospects for reaching the 2020 national renewable
energy targets and concurrently becoming a large-scale producer of forest-biomass-based second-generation
biofuels feeding the increasing demand in European markets. The focus of the paper is on assessing the potential
for utilizing forest biomass for liquid biofuels up to 2020. In addition, technological issues related to the production of
second-generation biofuels were reviewed. Finland has good opportunities to realize a scenario to meet 2020 renewable
energy targets and for large-scale production of wood-based biofuels. In 2020, biofuel production from domestic
forest biomass in Finland may reach nearly a million ton (40 PJ). With the existing biofuel production capacity
(20 PJ/yr) and the national biofuel consumption target (25 PJ) taken into account, the potential net export of biofuels
from Finland in 2020 would be 35 PJ, corresponding to 2–3% of European demand. Commercialization of secondgeneration
biofuel production technologies, high utilization of the sustainable harvesting potential of Finnish forest
biomass, and allocation of a signifi cant proportion of the pulpwood harvesting potential for energy purposes are prerequisites
for this scenario. Large-scale import of raw biomass would enable remarkably greater biofuel production
than is described in this paper.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 238-249 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - May 2011 |