Green Nuclear Power: Wood from Sustainably Managed Forests in Romania

The main topic of this year’s edition of the Forum is the huge potential of the timber in Romania’s sustainably managed forests when it comes to climate action, economic development and support for the communities who depend on the wood resource.

Without any exaggeration, the potential of the wood in Romania’s forests can be compared to the power of nuclear plants.

The power “installed” in Romania’s forests is growing by 14 reactors per year!

From the point of view of its energy potential, simple calculations show that Romania’s nuclear power – the two reactors functioning in the Cernavoda plant – is surpassed by the energy capacity of the biomass in the forests by orders of magnitude. Every 2 million tonnes of biomass are the energy equivalent of the power provided by one of Romania’s nuclear reactors each year.

Given that the stock of wood on stump grows annually by approx. 25 million m³ and hovers around 339 m³/ha according to the National Forest Inventory (more than double the European average), this huge potential is one of Romania’s greatest treasures. Its strategic role must be clearly defined and supported through adequate public policies and laws.

But the wood’s potential isn’t reduced to its energy capacity. Forests and wood protect us from climate change, offer us homes and jobs, form the basis for a wide diversity of products that make our lives easier, that support national economy and local communities, at the same time capturing CO2 for tens or even hundreds of years. Some figures:

• The forested area of Romania grew from les than 6.5 million ha right after WWII to almost 7 million ha today.
• Romania’s forests capture 23.5 million tonnes of CO2 – 30% of the country’s emissions (LULUCF).
• The forest-wood sector contributes more than 7 billion Euros to Romania’s GDP (2020), create 150,000 jobs and adds a net 2.5 billion Euros to the trade balance.
• 5 million homes in Romania use firewood for heating. For thermal energy production overall, 14 million tonnes of wood biomass – 7 times more energy than the Cernavoda plant!

Main topic of the Forum: How do we turn on the green nuclear reactors of the forest?

The Forum will take place in two separate sessions and will comprise presentations and debates on the most important topics of the day:

• The contribution of the forest-wood sector to national economy. Jobs and rural development.
• Reduction in CO2 emissions through the substitution effect of alternative materials.
• LULUCF summary: the carbon stock in wood products.
• How to simulate the use of wood and wood products through public policy
• Energy efficiency in using the wood resource – challenges and opportunities
• How to make available the wood resource – investments in the forest infrastructure, forestry works and public policy for superior processing of the wood.
• Financing the sector through the National Strategic Plan and NPRR
• The impact of administrative and legislative decisions on the sector (SUMAL 2.0, environmental assessment for forest management plans, moving towards shaped wood).

During the Forum will be presented the results of the study produced by INCDS Marin Dracea and commissioned by Prolemn regarding the potential of Romania’s forests and wood-based economy to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal: fighting climate change and simultaneously support social and economic development.

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The Forum of the Forests, Wood Industry and Green Economy is organised by the Community of the Foresters – FORDAQ, with support from academic institutions and professional organisations of the sector:

• Romanian Association of the Wood Industry – Prolemn
• INCDS Marin Dracea
• Romanian Federation of Forest and Pasture Owners – Nostra Silva
• Romanian Association of Forest Administrators – AAP
• Romanian Association of Furniture Producers – APMR
• PIAROM
• CLCC

The final agenda of the forum will be made available soon.

Media partners: Agerpres, Bursa, Economistul, Agro TV, Lumea Satului

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