Forestry Research Group
Current Research Projects
The Chemical and Physical Analysis of Irish Pine, Spruce and Larch For Use as Wood Biomass
Chemical and physical analysis of different wood species and assortments from various geographical locations. Assessing suitability as a solid biofuel with respect to ash content, energy values, major and minor elements. The outcomes of the project will contribute to environmental sustainability and the more efficient use of energy as described in the national energy policy priorities document.
Development of a Novel Solid Biofuel (Forest and Sawmill Residues mixed with Solid Pig Manure Waste
Develop an energy efficient and environmentally safe novel solid biomass from the waste products of the Wood harvesting and supply industry, namely forest and sawmill residues mixed with solid pig manure (another waste product which is experiencing waste disposal issues). By this approach waste products would be recycled to produce a higher value energy product.
WoodEnergy 06 and 07, ForestEnergy 08 and 09
WoodEnergy 06, Harvesting and Processing Forest Biomass for Energy Production in Ireland, provided public demonstration and workshops on harvesting first thinnings. The project also determined a number of parameters relevant to fuel quality for a number of different assortments of wood chip and species: moisture content, bulk density, ash content etc.WoodEnergy 07 builds on the 2006 programme and addresses how to harvest and store wood fuel of acceptable moisture content, for sale as wood chip and firewood. The programme encompasses wood chip and firewood harvesting, processing, stacking and storage trials, as well as research on moisture content variation in standing trees over the year. Storage trials examining the length of time required to dry wood to acceptable moisture content are in place at forest sites and at a specialised experiment site where moisture loss is being determined by using large metal bins placed on weigh cells. Drying rate is being examined in relation to measured meteorological variables at the site. This will provide a better insight into the length of drying required to reach specified end use requirements, using different assortments and covering treatments. In the trial, the wood stored in bins is being compared with the same assortments stored in the forest in large.
Forest Services (Dept of Agriculture)
A quality management system based on chipping and storage characteristics will be determined. This will allow suppliers to provide customers with wood fuel of a pre-determined energy values and quality specific to their requirements. This approach will provide customers with faith in the quality of their wood energy supply.CEN Standards Committees
A set of European standards are currently being developed for the terminology, fuel classification, sampling, physical testing and chemical analysis for all types of Solid Biofuel likely to be used within the European Union. This is a pan European approach with 5 working groups developing technical specifications in all areas.
Expanding good practice in vocational education and training in the Forestry-Wood Chain sector through the InnovaWood network
The project specifically addresses the issues of knowledge deficit, developing methods for the analysis of existing skills requirements and forecasting the future need for new skills. In the spirit of the Leonardo da Vinci programme, the development of the InnovaWood network will act as a driver for experiments with new methods in VET practices, organization and delivery.