Efficient and sustainable development path of forest-based bioenergy “forestry-oil integration” industry

ObjectiveForest-based bioenergy “forestry-oil integration” industry (hereinafter referred to as the “forestry-oil integration” industry) is main consisted by biomass energy enterprises, which combines feedstock forest cultivation with series product production, such as biodiesel products. This paper aims to optimize the development pattern, and promote the development of industry.

MethodBased on the survey of related companies, investigation of feedstock plantations, calculation of carbon emissions on soapberry biodiesel by lifecycle assessment, estimating on profits of feedstock forests cultivation and product production, etc., this paper analyzes the current situation of “forestry-oil integration” industry in China, and the economic benefits of different cultivation patterns and different industry chains.

Result(1) The industry had basically formed a certain scale of feedstock forests base, and most companies had already created a series of biodiesel production processes and products with independent intellectual property. (2) The amount of CO₂ sequestration of feedstock forest reached 25.38 t while producing 1 t of biodiesel; the CO_2eq emissions of lifecycle was − 19.41 t, which had decreased by 621.77% compared with petroleum diesel. (3) Most feedstock forests were cultivated by seeding pattern with extensive management, late fruit stage, low yield and high cost; taking 20 years as the project lifecycle, the fruit selling price was 4 RMB/kg (year 2017), the seeding cultivation pattern would loss about 1 687.68 RMB/(ha·yr), and the high scion & head-changing pattern would have an average annual profit of 419.57 RMB/(ha·yr); if the clone’s cultivation mode was formed, the costs would be recovered in the 10th year, and the annual profit was 2 675.55 RMB/(ha·yr), which could greatly improve the economic benefit; If the fruits selling price was 9 RMB/kg (year 2019), the costs would be recovered in the 5th year, and the annual profit was 20 675 RMB/(ha·yr). (4) The average profit was 18.65 RMB when using 1 t of soapberry dried fruit to produce biodiesel, and the average profit of saponin products was 6 573.3 RMB; if poly-generation products production line was formed, it could be estimated that the total income would increase to 55.66 million RMB.

Conclusion“Clones plantation culture pattern + poly-generation industry chain pattern” was the ideal pattern for development of the industry, which would promote comprehensive benefits. In addition, in view of industrial supporting policies, four suggestions were proposed, i.e., enjoying inclusive financial subsidy policy, enjoying National Seed Industry and improved variety preferential policies, enjoying fiscal and tax preferential policies and requiring the proportion of biodiesel in petroleum diesel.