When slash becomes something special

There’s a special pre-show conference at Elmia Wood 2009 and basically it’s for international bioenergy pioneers.
Bioenergy is the source of 28% of Sweden’s total energy consumption, including in the transportation sector. Most of this biofuel comes from the forest.
Participants can discover more about how Swedish solutions and systems work – on the spot. The conference is part of the program for the Elmia Wood 2009 forestry show in Jönköping. Together with the show, the conference offers a unique insight into the entire chain from forest to energy user. The special Slash Conference is now being arranged for 2 June in Jönköping.
The forest and forest industries are the primary producers of biofuel in Sweden today. Harvesting residues are one important part of the bioenergy mix. Residues are increasingly being recovered and utilized as fuel, especially in district heating plants. In modern and efficient facilities, harvesting residues are being transformed into heat and green electricity.
“Thanks to over 30 years of bioenergy experience, Sweden is the world’s most advanced country in the large-scale, efficient and economic utilization of harvesting residues,” explained Gustav Melin, President of the Swedish Bioenergy Association (SVEBIO).
“We know there’s a demand for the conference, not least from within the North American forest industry,” said Torbjörn Johnsen of Elmia. “Right now people have many questions about how utilizing harvesting residues can help improve the economics of the forest industry and reduce oil dependency. It’s not hard to figure out how to use chippers and other forest machines. The big challenges are how to find efficient logistics, functioning business models and good price structures, and Sweden can offer a lot of knowledge in those areas.”
Elmia Wood 3-6 June 2009 is the No. 1 forestry show in the world. Its special theme is CTL technology and Scandinavian forestry, covering the whole chain from the stump (and the seedling) to the woodyard. The event is all arranged in the woods, with lots of live demos and harvesting under real conditions. The last Elmia Wood in 2005 attracted some 50,000 visitors from 50 countries.