The use of bio energy in Sweden has increased during the last few years and with every passing year, bio energy produces 3-4 TWh´s more energy than the previous year. The increase in the use of bio energy makes it an interesting prospect for forest companies to produce bio energy from the forest. Sveaskog has a fairly extensive bio energy programme, mainly in southern and middle Sweden. Their activity regarding bio energy in northern Sweden has been very restrictive or even non-existent. Because of this, during the winter of 2003-2004, Sveaskog initiated a number of degree projects with the purpose of looking at the use of bio energy in northern Sweden. The outcome was three different research projects, one with the purpose of looking at the use of bio energy within Sveaskog’s southern Norrland district, another that looked at the same thing in Sveaskog’s Västerbotten district and the third one focused on the possibilities for Sveaskog to generate bio energy from its own land in the two districts mentioned above. Sveaskog wanted us to look at actors with a usage of bio energy of 10 GWh or more per annum. The purpose was to find out if there would be sufficient consignment contracts if Sveaskog were to take on these users as their clients.
During the spring of 2004 four larger bio energy users were identified in Västerbotten. These are Skellefteå Kraft AB, Sydkraft värme Vilhelmina, Sydkraft värme Vännäs and Umeå Energi. In Västerbotten there are not many actors in the bio energy business with facilities that consume 10 GWh or more, which meant that the interview samples were quite few. The employees in charge of the bio fuel consumption in each company were contacted with regards to an interview concerning their view of the company’s bio fuel consumption. The results of the interviews were then compiled to create an image of each company’s bio energy consumption and their view on the bio energy business in general. The compilations were made with emphasis on their situation to day, prospects, suppliers and factors that influence their choice of fuel. The most interesting bio energy consumers in Västerbotten are those that produce district heating and pellets.
After the interviews were compiled a register was made of the facilities of the interviewed companies where their usage of bio energy is displayed as well as what type of fuel is used. One can conclude that the most common fuel is some kind of wood fuel, often in combination with peat and that it is used foremost in district heating facilities. The usage was then compared with the bio energy resources from forests owned by Sveaskog.
The interviewed companies’ use of bio energy as an energy source has constantly increased during the last five years. The interviewed subjects believe that this increase will continue and that there will be a need for more fuels from the forests. All companies welcome more bio energy producers, as that would encourage competition that would r...
