Forest resources that have been discarded until now can be used to achieve carbon neutrality - South Korean report

Forest resources that have been discarded up until now will be utilized as a new alternative for carbon neutrality and greenhouse gas reduction. In particular, the underutilized forest biomass system will be improved.
The strategy is to increase the income of forestry businesses and households by recycling by-products that have previously been discarded, and to improve the prevention of forest disasters such as forest fires and landslides.
According to the Forestry Agency and others, the underutilized forest biomass system is a way to use trees with low economic value as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels.
The system was introduced in 2018 to be used as wood pellets and chips. The system covers by-products of timber harvesting and tree species renewal that are not used for log production, and waste from mountain development.
These include by-products that are not used in the production of logs, products produced during forest maintenance, and wood produced through the removal of trees damaged by pests and diseases in forests.
Biomass is a material that is made by converting biological resources into energy resources.
Since its introduction, the PS has played an effective role as a means of converting coal-fired power plants. As of 2023, 2.7 gigawatt-class power plants are in operation, accounting for 20% of new and renewable energy generation.
The amount of wood biomass used in 2023 will be 4.45 million tons, a 30-fold increase from 2012, ten years ago.
Imported wood pellets reached 3.4 million tons, of which 98% was imported from Vietnam, Russia, Indonesia, etc. The annual revenue was 700 billion won (approx.
The cost of RPS for biomass has increased to 900 billion won (US$978 million) per year.
In addition, the competitiveness of domestic biomass remains low compared to imported wood. Furthermore, there is ongoing criticism of biomass power generation for its damage to forests and carbon emissions.
In response, the South Korean government has been discussing the issue of improving the system to revitalize domestic forest use from 2023.
In order to accurately diagnose and resolve the problem, which involves complex intertwining of interests among various industries, including the food industry, the petroleum industry, and the pellet manufacturing industry, we conducted detailed data analysis, collected a wide range of opinions, and held policy discussions between government ministries.
Furthermore, in December last year, the Korea Forest Service, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of Environment agreed on a plan to improve the structure of the biomass fuel and power generation markets at the 11th Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee Greenhouse Gas Reduction Subcommittee.
The proposed improvements include, first of all, changes to the relevant system to allow the classification system of waste wood generated at home and construction sites to be used according to the principle of recycling as a priority.
Until now, waste painted wood, packaging materials, waste electric cable drums, waste wood from construction sites, etc. have been reused or used as raw materials for particle boards and medium density fiberboards (MDF), and waste wood from abandoned houses has been recycled.
In response to this, the Ministry of Environment has decided to classify furniture that is suitable for use in energy recovery, such as biosolid fuel, separately and to separate it from other waste.
It was decided to exclude wood from the scope of the Renewable Energy Supply Certificate (REC) program. In addition, to maximize the added value of wood, the government decided to give priority to unused forest biomass.
The Forestry Agency has decided to set the scope of use as "1. The Forestry Agency will strengthen management and supervision of illegal activities" to establish a sound distribution order, such as preventing the mixing of raw wood and strengthening management and supervision of collection and certification sites.
Through the Wood Industry Coexistence and Development Forum with 11 organizations, we agreed on standards for utilizing wood resources damaged by forest fires, clarified the distinction between unused wood and logs, and strengthened the legal basis for forest fires and forest management.
This has resolved concerns about competition for raw materials within the timber industry, such as by setting priorities for the use of resources resulting from the removal of pests and diseases.
Cho Young-hee, head of the wood industry division at the Korea Forest Service, said, “We are looking to use unused forest biomass.
"Since wood can replace fossil fuels and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we are working to build a regional recycling-based system for utilizing unused resources and to expand wood production and collection," he said.
We will build a center for recycling unused forests, collect unused by-products, and recycle them to increase the income of forestry businesses and households, and contribute to the prevention of forest disasters such as forest fires and landslides.
"We will continue to explore development plans that can contribute to carbon neutrality, such as expanding unused forest biomass that is not raw wood and ensuring orderly distribution," the company said.
"We will closely monitor the effects of the unused forest biomass system, analyze the policy effects through roundtable discussions between related industries and adjustment of interests, and supplement and develop the system," he said.
We plan to exhibit it," he added.