Conclusions of the Workshop 'Policy Options for Wood Energy' - Cavtat, Croatia
- The workshop provided a useful platform for the countries of the region to share
-Participants urged the introduction of active arrangements that could encourage
future regular exchange.
- The country reports highlighted the scope for wood to play an even greater role
in meeting the energy needs of the countries, reducing reliance on high cost
fossil fuels.
- Increasing the efficiency of wood energy and its share in the overall energy
supply of the region has the potential to boost economic development and
employment, especially in rural areas.
- The region is a net exporter of wood fuel while at the same time highly
dependent on imported energy.
- The current lack of reliable consistent data about wood energy across the region
must be addressed, if policies are to be soundly based.
- Improvements in infrastructure are essential to encourage wood mobilization and
allow countries to realize fully the considerable potential of their forest resources.
- Private forestry has significant potential to increase the supply of wood energy,
but the small scale and scattered private forest ownership are barriers to
mobilizing the wood resource.
- The divided responsibilities across public and private sector stakeholders
together with the absence of a clearly recognized lead body, produces difficulties
in developing and implementing policies for promoting wood energy.
- Financial support through coherent incentive mechanisms could do much to help
with the high investment costs that are currently a barrier to the wider adoption of
modern wood energy systems.
- With notable exceptions, panel, pellet and briquette production have increased
significantly and, in several areas, production capacity now exceeds the available
supply of co-products: the economic downturn in the sawmill sector has
worsened the situation. �� Wood energy in the region must be affordable if it is to succeed.
- Practical demonstration projects are the most effective mechanism for convincing
stakeholders of the effectiveness and benefits of modern wood burning
technology.
- A technology transfer needs assessment from EU to non-EU countries would
assist greatly in identifying current gaps in know how.
- The introduction of a system of consistent quality standards for wood fuels is
essential in supporting market development.
Recommendations:
- Build on the network initiated at this workshop to secure the regular exchange of
wood energy information between countries in the region, with the support of
international organizations.
- There should be further regional workshops to review progress in advancing
modern wood energy.
- International organisations should work together and coordinate their wood
energy capacity building activities in the region.
- Countries may wish to examine how to enhance cross-sectoral cooperation
(public and private) and coordination to develop policies, strategies and practical
projects for greater and efficient use of wood energy.
- Action should be taken to improve wood energy information in the region.
