ROMANIA The characteristics and potential of the wooden pellets and briquettes ROMANIAN PELLETS AND BRIQUETTES ASSOCIATION Mr. Dorin Sfaca - President
ROMANIA - located in Southeastern Europe and that is part of the European Union since 2007. In terms of area, located in the EU is what the 9th with a total of 238,391 km2 and 7th in terms of population less than 20 million. Landforms are distributed in equal relative odds : 35 % of the country is covered by mountains, 35 % is covered by hills and plateaus while 30 % is covered by plains.
Forests cover a total area of about 6,300,000 ha, being relatively equal proportions in the possession and management of Romanian state that private property ( regained the years 1990-2000 ). Distribution and composition of forests main geographic areas is as follows : - Mountain areas : wood and beech forests 66 % ; - Hill and plateau areas : forests of beech and oak 24 % ; - Plains : different species 10%. Of the total forest area of Romania, it is composed as follows : - Softwood : 27 % ; - Beech : 32 % ; - Oak : 18 % ; - Other wood: 17 % ; - Other redwood 6 %. The total value of the forest is about 1.3 billion cubic meters, with an annual average of 216 cubic meters / hectare with an average annual increase of 5.6 cm per hectare. Activity and recovery of timber harvesting is regulated by law, existing at the annual potential 17-19000000 cubic meters, accounting for approximately 75 % of the potential harvest, and so creating operating reserve for future years.
FOREST MAP
Romania has a significant forestry potential of wood and plant to support the production of pellets and briquettes in terms of quality and protection to meet the requirements and standards. Romania still has one of the healthiest forest areas in Europe. Since the early '90s developed new capabilities for primary wood processing, the production of particleboard, MDF, HDF, plywood, etc., resulting in the addition inseminated quantities of chips and sawdust. In the early 2000s, there were besides these factories and production capacities of pellets, particularly softwood but beech. Today pellets are being made out of plants ( cereal straw, corn, sunflower, canola, etc. ) in different new factories in Romania. This factories have a production capacity of about 180 thousand tons / year and are in development, growth.
Because there is no industrial consumption even if the caloric power is between 4 to 4.25 kw / kg pellet production is below design capacity. In the year 2013, the production capacity in Romania pellets was about 480.000 tones, of which 360.000 tones were made by the four large companies pellets and briquettes. These companies founded in October 2013 the Romanian Pellets and Briquettes Association called APPBR and whose production was destined in 90 % to EU countries such as Italy, Austria, Germany, Greece, France but not least and Japan, their products being of class Premium or A, in accordance with EN and DIN plus. The remaining 120,000 tons were made by small producers who had the main market domestic standards but their quality is significantly lower. Today there are in Romania recorded over 28 producers of pellets and briquettes. Their number is increasing in proportion with a 80% manufacturers of pellets. Production forecasts for 2014 are about 740,000 tons pellets / year because on the market will entry other two factories. The domestic consumption will be increased by 20 %. This growth estimate above is based on the fact that it expects a significant increase in the price per cubic metro gas, petroleum products and electricity, making the pellets and briquettes very competitive products.
Exported versus local consumption 400 300 200 100 Export Local 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Local Export
According to estimates made by the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2020 in Romania there will pellets and briquettes production capacity which will exceed 1.2 million tons / year. Domestic consumption is relatively low, due to the lack of pellets and briquettes stoves and power plants. We must recognize that the pellet in Romania as product - Fuel Type - is little known and little advertised. In this contributed to their high acquisition costs compared to power plants and gas and subsequent maintenance. Another major reason of low rate of consumption of domestic representative has been in the past and poor quality of pellets ( large amount of ash, dirt, high humidity, low durability ) which influenced the choice of potential consumers.
Grant programs for pellets, briquettes were virtually non-existent even though nationwide was presented the " Green House " program that would have to grant each program participant with 1350 Euro.
APPBR Association, which I represent, wants to conduct campaigns, to promote widespread use pellets in the residential sector, through discussions with architects and organizing thematic workshops and attracting power producers and pellet stoves, aiming to decrease the initial cost of purchasing and commissioning them. At the local government level - state, government, re- promote the " Green House " where the state grant at least 2500 Euro for each project which will be used as fuel pellets, briquettes central / stoves. To sustain competitiveness and maintain a quality product Romanian all manufacturers of pellets and briquettes in the next two years will be required to be certified according to EN plus and DIN plus. For small business segment are several projects in preparation for the heating of farms, greenhouses and production halls, and this is the segment that will see a significant development in the coming years. To this end, the level of production of pellets and briquettes will set up a private client portfolio and state through voluntary private partnership and investment in new projects in terms of heating, hot water production and co - generation. pellet production industry, which is missing from the portfolio. Mr DORIN SFACA President of A.P.P.B.R.