Policy Options for Deep Decarbonization and Wood Utilization in California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard

California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is one of the most important policies to develop and deploy low-carbon and carbon-negative fuels. Yet, because the LCFS is designed to deliver the lowest-cost carbon intensity (CI) reductions possible in the transportation fuel system, it may fail to deliver technologies that would be poised to offer deeper decarbonization or other ancillary benefits to California's people and environment. We contemplate administrative changes to the LCFS to further stimulate the commercialization of promising low-carbon and carbon-negative fuels. To do so, we examine promising technical pathways, their barriers to commercialization, and recent administrative actions by the CA Air Resources Board (ARB) under the LCFS to promote novel lower-carbon fuels. We propose three actions that ARB could undertake to promote commercialization within existing authorities. To commercialize low-carbon and carbon negative fuel, including those derived from forest residue feedstocks, ARB could: (1) embrace the most up-to-date science regarding lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, (2) create additional, targeted incentives for very low-carbon or carbon-negative fuels through a volumetric technology carve-out or credit multiplier, and (3) ensure that the LCFS stimulates the best-performing fuels across a variety of sustainability parameters.

Linking Federal Forest Restoration with Wood Utilization: Modeling Biomass Prices and Analyzing Forest Restoration Costs in the Northern Sierra Nevada

Over half of California’s forestland is managed by the US Forest Service, and the agency has identified a need to scale up forest restoration treatments in the state to one million acres per year by 2025. However, the high costs of mechanical fuel reduction and lack of markets for biomass pose significant barriers to accomplishing this target. The objectives of this case study were: (1) to identify costs of forest restoration treatments on federally-managed land in the Northern Sierra under a variety of harvesting scenarios and haul distances to biomass facilities, and (2) to understand what market prices for biomass must be offered to support such efforts. We modeled silvicultural prescription and harvesting options, machine productivity and costs, and transportation costs to assess economic thresholds. Biomass harvest, chip, and haul costs ranged from $55/bone dry ton to $118/bone dry ton, depending on the harvesting system scenario and distance from the biomass disposal site. Results suggest that the cost of forest restoration far exceeds current market prices for biomass, and additional investment is needed to adequately pay for federal forest restoration in California. Additional takeaways include that biomass outlets closer to supply sources can reduce both haul costs and production costs, and local wood utilization campuses can play a key role in supporting forest restoration.

KEKUATAN TAHANAN LATERAL SAMBUNGAN GESER GANDA PADA KOMPOSIT LVL KAYU SENGON DAN WPC JATI

<p>Wood utilization technology is needed to meet the increasing demand for wood. These technologies are such us LVL and WPC. To make this wood a structural material, size limitations are a problem in its application. To overcome size limitations, a connesction is required. The research was conducted to determine lateral resistance in composite LVL Sengon wood and WPC Teak wood.<strong> </strong>This research use a standart bolt connecting tool for composite of LVL Sengon wood and WPC Teak wood with a variations in the diameter of 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, and 12 mm using a double shear methode. This research was conducted at the Universitas Tidar and testing using UTM at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta.<strong> </strong>Based on the results of the research, it was found that the value of lateral resistance testing on composite LVL Sengon and Teak WPC using standard bolts with variations in diameter 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, and 12 mm were 4150,37 N, 5761,74 N, 8258 ,37 N, and 12416,33 N. The greatest lateral resistance occurs when using bolts with a diameter of 12 mm. The melt mode that occurs in all specimens is the IIIs melt mode, namely the formation of two plastic hinges in the bolt connection and damage to the side wood.</p>

Land Use Spatial Optimization for Sustainable Wood Utilization at the Regional Level: A Case Study from Vietnam

Forest landscape restoration is a widely accepted approach to sustainable forest management. In addition to revitalizing degraded sites, forest landscape restoration can increase the supply of sustainable timber and thereby reduce logging in natural forests. The current study presents a spatial land use optimization model and utilizes a linear programming algorithm that integrates timber production and timber processing chains to meet timber demand trade-offs and timber supply. The objective is to maximize yield and profit from forest plantations under volatile timber demands. The model was parameterized for a case study in Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam, where most forest plantations grow Acacia mangium (A. mangium). Data were obtained from field surveys on tree growth, as well as from questionnaires to collect social-economic information and determine the timber demand of local wood processing mills. The integration of land use and wood utilization approaches reduces the amount of land needed to maintain a sustainable timber supply and simultaneously leads to higher yields and profits from forest plantations. This forest management solution combines economic and timber yield aspects and promotes measures focused on economic sustainability and land resource efficiency.

Weathering Behaviour of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. under Natural Conditions

Information on the weathering behaviour of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook. is needed to provide references for wood weatherproof pre-treatment and to improve wood utilization. Therefore, this study was conducted to understand the variation in the intrinsic weathering behaviour of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Chinese fir) under natural conditions. Wood samples from 15 Cunninghamia lanceolata trees aged 26–30 years old were used. The structural degradation and discoloration of wood surfaces before and after exposure were compared. The results show that the weathering behaviour of wood was weakened from heartwood to sapwood and enhanced from the bottom to the top. This study provided information for weatherability research and improved wood utilization of Cunninghamia lanceolata.

PEMANFAATAN RUMPUT DAN KAYU BAKAR UNTUK KEBUTUHAN SUBSISTEN MASYARAKAT DI TAMAN NASIONAL GUNUNG MERBABU (Utilization of Grass and Fuel Wood for Community Subsistence Needs in Gunung Merbabu National Park)

ABSTRAKPemanfaatan rumput dan kayu bakar oleh masyarakat sekitar pada Taman Nasional Gunung Merbabu (TNGMb) tidak sejalan dengan zonasi taman nasional. Pada penelitian ini telah dilakukan berupa kajian intensitas pemanfaatan rumput dan kayu bakar dari kawasan TNGMb melalui identifikasi pengaruh antar faktor pada aktivitas pemanfaatan rumput dan kayu bakar oleh masyarakat serta identifikasi unsur pembentuk akses masyarakat dalam pemanfaatan rumput dan kayu bakar yang berasal dari kawasan TNGMb. Penelitian dilakukan di wilayah TNGMb dengan mengambil lokasi sampel di Dusun Godang, Guwolelo, Batur, dan Sembungan. Tipe penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode kombinasi. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui observasi lapangan, kuesioner, wawancara, dan penelusuran dokumen. Metode kuantitatif disajikan dalam bentuk statistik diskriptif (peta, distribusi frekuensi) dan analisis jalur. Metode kualitatif menggunakan analisis akses. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa intensitas pemanfaatan rumput dan kayu bakar di TNGMb di lokasi sampel tergolong sedang cenderung tinggi (63 kali per hari untuk rumput dan 41 kali per minggu untuk kayu bakar). Dalam kaitannya terhadap faktor pengelolaan lahan maka faktor budaya berpengaruh sebesar 91%, faktor ekonomi berpengaruh sebesar 17,8 %. Faktor ekonomi menjadi faktor mediasi antara faktor budaya dan faktor pengelolaan lahan, serta terukur secara bersama-sama berpengaruh terhadap faktor pengelolaan lahan sebesar 49,2%. Unsur pembentuk akses masyarakat sekitar kawasan dalam pemanfaatan rumput dan kayu bakar bersifat sederhana atau konvensional.ABSTRACTGrass and fuel wood utilization by community around Gunung Merbabu National Park (GMNP) was inconsistent with national park zoning. This research have been done by evaluating of the intensity of grass and fuel wood derived from GMNP, according to identify the effect between factors at grass and fuel wood utilization by community and determining of the community access pattern in grass and fuel wood utilization. The research study was implemented in GMNP area, which sample locations were Gondang, Guwolelo, Batur, and Sembungan villages. The method used for the research was a combined research method. Data collection was conducted by field observation, interview, questionnaires and document analysis. Quantitative method was presented in descriptive statistic (map, frequency distribution) and path analysis results. Qualitative method was conducted by access analysis. The results showed that intensity grass and fuel wood utilization in GMNP in sample location was in the middle to high trend categories (63 times per day for grass and 41 times per week for fuel wood). Affect to the land management factor, it has been known that the contribution of the cultural factor was in 91% and the economic factor in 17.8 %. Economic factor become intervening factor between cultural factor and land management factor and it was evaluated in 49.2%. Community access structure in grass and fuel wood utilization was simple or conventional.

Projecting Climate Change Potential of Harvested Wood Products under Different Scenarios of Wood Production and Utilization: Study of Slovakia

The forestry and forest-based sector play a significant role in climate change mitigation strategies and can contribute to the achievement of a climate-neutral economy. In this context, the ability of harvested wood products (HWP) to sequester carbon is of significant importance. The objective of this work is to make a projection of climate change mitigation potential of HWP, under different scenarios of wood utilization in Slovakia. This study builds on the comparison of different scenarios of industrial wood utilization till 2035 and presents the resulting impacts on the national carbon balance. The results suggest that the development of timber supplies after 2020 in Slovakia will be influenced, in particular, by the future changes in the age distribution and tree species composition as well as the extent of future accidental felling. Consequently, a predicted structure and availability of wood resources in Slovakia will be reflected in a higher share of the production of products with shorter life cycle and thus will negatively affect the carbon pool in HWP. By comparing the results of the four designed scenarios, it follows that the scenario with the greatest mitigation potential, is the one assuming the optimal use of wood assortments and limitation of industrial roundwood foreign trade.