Wood residue to energy from forests in the Central Metropolitan Area of Asturias (NW Spain)

Nowadays, high-density population in urban areas coexist with rural industrial zones, such is the case of the Central Metropolitan Area (CMA) of the Principality of Asturias (NW Spain) where 78% of the population of the region lives, and where 14% of the Asturian forests are located. This situation generates significant amounts of forest residues from management activities. The urban forests of the CMA generate large amounts of biomass residues, consisting primarily of branches from cleaning, thinning and felling operations. The available residues are suitable as biomass feedstock considering techno-economical and environmental constraints. The method used to choose the most suitable location for a pellet plant to process available residues is based on GIS software. This study has assessed the available biomass feedstock and the management implications to maximize the availability of forest residues for bioenergy. The calculated potential amount of wood residue is 92.7 dry kt year−1, equivalent to 920.1 TJ year−1. The municipality of Corvera has been proposed as the most suitable CMA location for a pellet plant. The plant could reach an annual pellet production capacity of 51 kt, equivalent to 32 MWth of fuel output.