Customer-oriented network trade and logistics of firewood

The small-scale use of firewood is the second largest source of wood based energy after industrial residues in Finland. Objectives of this project, funded by European Regional Development Fund via Tekes and Finnish companies, were to develop logistic systems for small scale use of wood fuels and produce information and material for advisors and consults. The small-scale use of wood fuels increases constantly and e-commerce of chopped firewood is developing especially in Eastern Finland. Currently, the most severe bottlenecks are in the integration of production and delivery logistics, availability of raw material, as well as in the non-professional way of working. In the project, technological alternatives of supply chains, cost structures as well as constraints and preconditions for the economically sustainable operations were clarified. Project ended with following results: 'Typical features of North-Karelian firewood entrepreneur', identifying wood fuel resources in forest planning, new biomass models for estimating availability of energy wood in young stands, simulation studies about delivery logistics, cost structure of firewood supply chains and feasibility of integrating firewood transport to other transport services. Also education and training materials were produced for advisory organizations, like Finnish forestry centers. (orig.)