Laufende Projekte
Dendromass 4 Europe
Projektleiter: Prof. Dr. Dr. Bues
Laufzeit: seit 2018
Sustainable Dendromass Production and Innovative Bio-based Materials from Poplar Plantations in European Rural Areas
Dendromass4Europe (D4E) aims at establishing sustainable, Short-Rotation Coppice (SRC)-based regional cropping systems for agricultural dendromass on marginal land that feed into bio-based value chains and create additional job opportunities in rural areas. For that purpose, 2,500 ha of short rotation poplar plantations are established, including marginal or currently unused land in rural areas of the Slovak Republic and Hungary. These plantations will provide the feedstock for the establishment of four new bio-based value chains based upon products from wood and bark from poplar trees: (1) a functionally adapted lightweight fibreboard, (2) eco-fungicidal moulded fibre parts, (3) a bark-enriched woodplastic composite and (4) a multi-purpose wood-plastic granulate.
Besides developing attractive business opportunities, the activities of the industrial partners in D4E will generate profit for the rural economy (income for farmers, employment opportunities). A large number of farmers and rural land owners will directly benefit from the diversification and increase of revenues through their involvement into D4E. The main responsible plantation owner IKEA Industries Malacky provides a framework for land acquisition. Based on the impact of D4E plantations for the farmers’ income, new primary agricultural jobs will be created. New green jobs in rural areas will also originate from the D4E at the production plants of the industrial partners. The consortium D4E unites expertise from industrial and academic partners in the relevant fields along the production, processing and utilization of products from short-rotation coppice.
Harvesting, debarking, field logistics, log storage
At the operation management level, a dedicated project team will focus on designing, testing and demonstrating alternative harvesting and supply chains for the efficient felling, processing, extraction and transportation of wood products from SRC. Supply chains will be designed for meeting the required quality specifications within the set cost threshold, while complying with all environmental, social and market constraints. A continuous supply with raw material is essential for the implementation of a new industrial processing line. The harvest of SRC dendromass can only take place when the trees are dormant during the winter months. The storage of the raw material is an important aspect for the successful implementation of the value chain, especially in the summer months, when no freshly harvested wood is available. Strategies and technologies for dendromass are manifold. The duration and type of storage greatly influence wood quality and with that the quality of the respective end product. The main risks associated with long-term wood storage are e.g.: formation of wood cracks after drying or seasoning the external log parts too close to fibre saturation point; discoloration; infestation with insects; and destruction of the wood by infestation with fungi. Depending on the duration of storage, a number of factors can contribute to a reduction in wood quality, demanding for various kinds of storage strategies.
The objective of log storage is to optimize the method for the storage of poplar trunks over a period of up to 8 months. Three different storage methods: a) Storage in compact pile; b) Log conservation under oxygen exclusion; c) Storage in compact pile with water sprinkling – will be evaluated regarding its impact to wood quality as well as ecological and economical aspects. Furthermore, the differences in wood quality and drying of logs stored with and without bark will be evaluated. All parameters of the storage principles will be evaluated and if necessary adapted to the specific industrial process requirement. Wood quality during the storage/conservation period will be monitored and controlled continuously. Finally, it is necessary to test whether the stored raw material undergoes changes in its anatomical, chemical, and physical composition, which may influence the wood processing technique and the characteristics of the end product. Based on the analysis results an operating procedure for the optimum storage method will be created.