Conclusions and Future Research Needs

Abstract

This is the last chapter of the book entitled “Forest Bioenergy: From Wood Production to Energy Use”. The preceding chapters have covered the sources and distribution of forest biomass, its availability for different stand structures, and the methodologies and tools employed for its estimation. Furthermore, the diverse pathways for converting forest biomass into energy and biofuels have been explored, along with the associated technologies for biomass-to-energy conversion in the residential, industrial and power sectors. Forest biomass is a highly versatile source of energy, holding the potential to play a central role in a sustainable energy future. However, its use should guarantee the continued sustainability of forest stands, forests and the array of products they offer. It is equally essential to identify and prioritise the most effective pathways for the conversion of forest biomass into energy. A large body of work has been done; however, improvements can be achieved with whole system approaches that can accommodate the variability of forest biomass and conversion technologies and enable a comprehensive characterisation of the entire system. Accurate and precise statistics are of primordial importance for the whole system analysis.