
T. RANTA ET AL.
is the capacity and characteristics of the storage area. Terminals
act also as buffer storage; therefore, enough space is needed for
both uncomminuted and comminuted biomass, as is stable ground
(asphalted concrete), for chipping machines and trucks. Ease of
access and short distance between storage and loading track are
a self-evident need. For biorefineries, buffer storage capability
is particularly essential for maintaining even supply year-round.
From forest sites only via direct deliveries, this would not be
possible. Therefore, the result of this case study is to some ex-
tent theoretical, and more biomass should be directed via termi-
nal supply. The results rely solely on minimising supply costs on
the basis of summing costs of supply stages and transport costs.
In this case, supply security issues and availability of free vehi-
cle capacity and labour were omitted. In the terminal system, there
are better possibilities to increase biomass quality, by control-
ling the moisture content and impurity levels. There is the pos-
sibility of sieving out impurities and selecting and mixing se-
parate biomass lots to homogenise deliveries. Vehicle needs
(trucks and mobile chippers) will be lower for a terminal system
feeding in the same amount of biomass, in comparison to de-
centralised supply from forest sites to the biorefinery.
In the study, only railway transport was used via terminals,
and in this way 20 truckloads were transported in one shipment.
Depending on the terminal’s location (remote or in the immedi-
ate vicinity), also truck transport from terminals would be an
option, but it was not considered in this study. Waterway trans-
port based on barges could take 30 - 40 truckloads at a time.
The waterway option is viable only in the Lake Saimaa area,
where the best terminal sites are existing harbours for round-
wood or other commodities. These sites have the best facilities
for handling biomass. The waterway deep water channel (4.35
m) reaches a rather large area in eastern Finland, but the maxi-
mum transport distances will be to the line between south and
north. For example, the route between harbours of Lappeenranta
(southernmost) and Joensuu (northernmost on the east channel
route) is 312 km and Lappeenranta and Siilinjärvi (northern-
most on the western channel route) is 339 km. These distances
are rather short for making waterways a competitive solution,
since in most cases the practical distance will be much shorter
in this area. Waterway transport will become part of a supply
solution only if the biorefinery has its own harbour and is in the
lake area. The Saimaa canal connects the lake to the sea, the
Gulf of Finland, and also makes imports from abroad possible.
The sea transport would be based on dry cargo vessels instead
of the barges used in the lake area.
A common challenge with other transport modes is the un-
der-utilisation of capacity, both bearing capacity and utilisation
rate. The latter could be addressed with better management of
logistics and the first with vehicle structure development. Both
railway wagon and barge capacity could be increased by enlarge-
ing the load frame. It is possible to use higher containers in rail-
way wagons or extended sides in barges. Wagon frames could
be increased approx. 20%, but to make multi-mode transporta-
tion possible, containers should be dimensioned in view of truck
logistics. Also, various compacting systems could be used, such
as vacuum feed for containers and pressing the load down by
running over it with heavy machines for barge loads.
A common challenge with other transport modes is the un-
der-utilisation of capacity, both bearing capacity and utilisation
rate. The latter could be addressed with better management of
logistics and the first with vehicle structure development. Both
railway wagon and barge capacity could be increased by enlarge-
ing the load frame. It is possible to use higher containers in rail-
way wagons or extended sides in barges. Wagon frames could
be increased approx. 20%, but to make multi-mode transporta-
tion possible, containers should be dimensioned in view of truck
logistics. Also, various compacting systems could be used, such
as vacuum feed for containers and pressing the load down by
running over it with heavy machines for barge loads.
So far, no biorefinery investment has been decided on in Fin-
land. The first site’s location will have a major effect on the site
decision for other potential sites, because of the tighter compe-
tition for biomass in the proximity of the biorefinery. Also, other
biomass sources may come into play, such as pulpwood, short-
rotation forestry, and agro biomass. At the moment, these are
more expensive sources, but if there arises a shortage of bio-
mass, other sources will be mobilised. Peat would be an abun-
dant source of biomass, especially in the northern part of the
country, but biofuel produced from it would not have an RES
label and Finland will not be able to count it toward the com-
mitment set for RES fuel in the traffic sector.
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