The market for biofuels from the forests have had a positive development and the job initiators for this master´s thesis wanted to examine the profitability of a method for harvesting forest fuel, which was unfamiliar to them. The method was the “long tree tops-method”, here called the LT-method.
The LT-method is characterised by the fact that timber is harvested as the only roundwood assortment while the rest of the stem, which in other cases would become pulpwood, is harvested as forest fuel together with the logging residues. The method is based on the assumption that advantages in handling of the forest fuel assortment such as increased load weights for forest hauling and truck transportation, should compensate for the lower price for pulpwood when sold as forest fuel.
The aim of the study was to compare the profitability of the LT-method with the GROT-method (harvest of timber, pulpwood and logging residues) and conventional logging without any harvest of forest fuel, and aslo to try to identify factors affecting the profitability of the different methods. All calculations, analysis and comparisons were made on stand level and for final fellings.
In the study one object was logged according to the GROT-method and one object was logged according to the LT-method. Data from these loggings were complemented with data from earlier loggings and litterature studies. Based on these data calculations were made for the different methods´ profitability and sensitivity analysis were made to study the effects of different factors on the profitability of the different methods.
With the current prices for pulpwood, the mutual pricing and chipping cost for long tree tops and logging residues, the LT-method is not profitable compared to the GROT-method. In order for the LT-method to be financially competitive, a higher price and a lower chipping cost for long tree tops compared to logging residues is required. A higher price can be motivated by a higher quality, especially with concern to distribution of fractions and amount of...
