Pre-concentration of chipping material using conventional log trucks consequences for the profitability of energy wood supply chains.

摘要

With regard to European and national goals to foster renewable energies, a productivity- and cost-analysis of an innovative supply-system for wood chips was conducted in the region "Schwabische Alb" in South-western Germany. This study focused mainly on the reduction of chipping costs by concentrating the chipping material by transporting it to an adequate chipping area within the forest using a conventional logging truck with trailer. Although extra costs for trucking incurred, the overall costs of the supply-chain were reduced in comparison to a system without trucking, due to an increased productivity of the chipper. The method could be shown being most effective, when the volume of the transported chipping material was reduced beforehand. Particularly the harvester can easily reduce the chipping materials' volume by cutting the treetops and breaking off branches, therewith helping forwarder and truck to increase the transported volume per working-cycle.