wiki:fuel_wood_in_the_alps
Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Both sides previous revisionPrevious revisionNext revision | Previous revision | ||
wiki:fuel_wood_in_the_alps [2018/07/11 11:55] – eurac | wiki:fuel_wood_in_the_alps [2018/07/12 08:53] (current) – [Demand] eurac | ||
---|---|---|---|
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
- | ====== Fuel wood in the alps ====== | + | ====== Fuel wood in the Alps ====== |
Large swaths of forested land are one of the defining features of the Alps. These numerous forests provide for many social and economic benefits: one of the most significant being timber. Timber can be processed in numerous ways and serve a variety of purposes: from constructing buildings to being burned as fuel. Traditionally, | Large swaths of forested land are one of the defining features of the Alps. These numerous forests provide for many social and economic benefits: one of the most significant being timber. Timber can be processed in numerous ways and serve a variety of purposes: from constructing buildings to being burned as fuel. Traditionally, | ||
Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
Forest management is only possible if there is viable infrastructure to reach the felling sites. Moreover, topographical site conditions affect the technical feasibility of the tree felling activities and the subsequent collection and transportation of the timber. All these factors, together with data on the forests available for wood supply, were utilized to develop the flow indicator for fuel wood. The resulting map shows a heterogeneous distribution of the flow rates for fuel wood; high values can be observed in the eastern (Slovenia and east Austria) and the northwestern (upper Switzerland and France) parts of the Alpine Space. Such areas present the most accessible and workable forests, which also have a reasonably high supply. The southern areas of the Alpine Space and the central mountain ridge score low levels of fuel wood flow, partly due to already low wood supply rates, and partly because of the remoteness and ruggedness of these areas. | Forest management is only possible if there is viable infrastructure to reach the felling sites. Moreover, topographical site conditions affect the technical feasibility of the tree felling activities and the subsequent collection and transportation of the timber. All these factors, together with data on the forests available for wood supply, were utilized to develop the flow indicator for fuel wood. The resulting map shows a heterogeneous distribution of the flow rates for fuel wood; high values can be observed in the eastern (Slovenia and east Austria) and the northwestern (upper Switzerland and France) parts of the Alpine Space. Such areas present the most accessible and workable forests, which also have a reasonably high supply. The southern areas of the Alpine Space and the central mountain ridge score low levels of fuel wood flow, partly due to already low wood supply rates, and partly because of the remoteness and ruggedness of these areas. | ||
+ | |||
==== Demand ==== | ==== Demand ==== | ||
Line 25: | Line 26: | ||
[[http:// | [[http:// | ||
- | The demand for fuel wood as an energy source is highly variable across the Alps and high resolution data on energy consumption is scarce. Hence, this indicator estimates the hypothetical fuel wood requirements for heating purposes per municipality. The resulting map has a mosaic pattern, yet most big cities are easily recognizable due to their large population numbers, and consequently high energy demand. Figure 3.4 compares the different heating and cooling systems used in different European\\ | + | The demand for fuel wood as an energy source is highly variable across the Alps and high resolution data on energy consumption is scarce. Hence, this indicator estimates the hypothetical fuel wood requirements for heating purposes per municipality. The resulting map has a mosaic pattern, yet most big cities are easily recognizable due to their large population numbers, and consequently high energy demand. Figure 3.4 compares the different heating and cooling systems used in different European countries: fuel wood is the predominant heating system only in Sweden, Latvia and Finland, whereas in the Alpine countries the favored heating source is natural gas. Nonetheless, |
- | countries: fuel wood is the predominant heating system only in Sweden, Latvia and Finland, whereas in the Alpine countries the favored heating source is natural gas. Nonetheless, | + | |
With the 2020 Energy Strategy, the EU aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% and increase the share of renewable energy to at least 20% of consumption by 2020, while also achieving energy savings of 20% or more. | With the 2020 Energy Strategy, the EU aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% and increase the share of renewable energy to at least 20% of consumption by 2020, while also achieving energy savings of 20% or more. | ||
wiki/fuel_wood_in_the_alps.1531302951.txt.gz · Last modified: 2018/07/11 11:55 by eurac