This week, the Promobiomasse partners – the Centro de Ciencia y Tecnología Forestal de Cataluña (CTFC), the public society of the Navarra Government – Navarra de Suelo y Vivienda, SA (NASUVINSA, the Agencia Extremeña de la Energía (AGENEX), the Agência Regional de Energia e Ambiente do Interior (ENERAREA), of Región Norte Portugal, the Communauté de Communes du Plateau de Lannemezan (CCPL), of the French department Hautes-Pyrénées, and the Association des Communes Forestières des Pyrénées Atlantiques (COFOR64) of the Pyrénées Atlantiques – held a virtual meeting to discuss the progress made within the project framework and to plan new actions, adapted to the current pandemic situation.
Promobiomasse is a transnational cooperation project that aims to promote the forest biomass energy market in the SUDOE territory (southwestern Europe), with the resulting benefits: reduced fire risk, creation of employment in rural areas, progress in the energy transition and sustainable development opportunities. As well as the above-mentioned project partners, 19 associates are also involved. The total budget for the project amounts to EUR 1.4 million, of which the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is providing 1 million.
Progress in the pilot schemes
During the virtual meeting, the partners looked at the progress of the pilot schemes that are being implemented in each territory, the Integrated Model for the Sustainable Management of the Forest Biomass Market in a short-circuit, prepared in the project. As far as Nasuvinsa is concerned, this week marks the start of the work on the logistics centre in Aoiz (Navarra), which is to supply the biomass boilers of the social housing buildings of Nasuvinsa and those of any other future installations that may be promoted from the public sector. A viability plan is also being prepared for this provision, which is to count on a public-private management body and will be tendered shortly.
The Centro de Ciencia y Tecnología Forestal de Cataluña (CTFC) has implemented two schemes: on the one hand, it has prepared a study on the promotion of joint forest management for the prevention of fires and the production of biomass and, on the other hand, it has analysed some innovative log extraction techniques that have a lower environmental impact and improve working conditions in the forest. Specifically, an overhead cable system has been tried out and a guide for good practices in the use of cable extraction has been prepared. Online seminars will be organised for the CTFC partners, enterprises and schools of forestry to inform them of the operation and characteristics of this scheme.
The Communauté de Communes du Plateau de Lannemezan (CCPL) of the French department of Hautes-Pyrénées has developed a digital platform for the characterisation of forest masses directed at facilitating the mobilisation of privately-owned forest resources, ensuring the traceability of forest products and helping to coordinate and to achieve joint action with regard to forest management. The tool has already been tried out on 5,000 hectares in Occitania, obtaining some extremely positive results.
The Agencia Extremeña de la Energía (AGENEX) is currently developing courses for the integrated management of biomass, aimed at local actors. The training comprises two theoretical-practical online sessions and field visits to a timber harvesting site, a logistics plant for biomass processing and a heating network of the company Extremadura Verde, responsible for conducting the course. The proposal has received an excellent response, with more than 120 participants.
The Association des Communes Forestières des Pyrénées Atlantiques (COFOR64) of the Pyrénées Atlantiques has already started up a biomass boiler “Users club” that gathers together the actors of the local authorities and companies responsible for the management of the biomass boilers in the Pyrénées Atlantiques zone in order to promote the exchange of experiences and increase the expertise of the actors responsible for the management of the equipment, thereby improving its operation. The group met for the first time in June and is planning its second meeting for the end of this year.
For its part, the Agência Regional de Energia e Ambiente do Interior (ENERAREA), through its Biomass Centre for Energy, is preparing a viability plan for a logistics centre for the collection and processing of residual forest biomass, which is set to be completed by February. The creation of this infrastructure is directed at increasing the efficiency of the biomass collection models, promoting the valorisation of biomass for energy purposes, changing the legal framework for the exploitation of this resource and improving the technical knowledge of the actors involved.
Adapting to the pandemic
During the Committee meeting, the partners also considered the actions to be implemented in the final stage of the project, adapted to the current circumstances caused by Covid-19. These actions include the definitive validation of the Integrated Model for the Sustainable Management of the Forest Biomass Market in a short-circuit, including the assessment of the pilot schemes, the dissemination of the project through the website and social media, the preparation of micro-videos to present each pilot scheme, and the holding of an online workshop with the participation of the project’s group of experts to report on the said model.
