Getting to know whether in the future wood resources would be enough to satisfy human needs is one of the objectives set by the EU funded project EUWOOD, 'Real potential for changes in growth and use of EU forests'. Under this project, researchers also aim at showing new insight into the wood biomass supply.

Taking into account that one of the priorities high on the EU agenda about energy and environment consist in doubling the share of renewable energy in Europe by 2020, and green power should account for 20% of the region's total energy consumption, it is expected that the demand for wood would increase. Wood and wood waste has always played a crucial role in Europe, covering about 50% of renewable power sources. This fact, and the more varied applications wood has in the industry sector, makes that assessing economic and forest policy decisions is becoming more difficult because of the increasingly complex nature of the forest products market.

In order to give an answer to some of these questions, the EUWOOD project, supported by Commission's DG Energy, used the 'Wood Resource Balance' tool to compare the demand for wood for energy and goods with the potential supply of wood from forests and others sources in the EU-27. According to the conclusions and findings of the EUWOOD final report, a rise in the supply of woody biomass from Europe-based forests can top the existing level of resource use if EU officials implement a comprehensive strategy and make quick and radical political decisions.

The EUWOOD consortium found out that the theoretical biomass potential from EU forests amounted to almost 1.3 billion cubic metres for 2010. Specifically, the stem wood made up around 50% of this potential, with the remaining half made up of logging residues, stumps and woody biomass from early thinnings in young forests. But this potential dropped to some 750 million cubic metres, with the loss triggered by environmental, technical and social constraints. Biomass from early thinnings, stumps and residues feel the biggest impact.

EUWOOD suggests that supply should get a boost - from both forests and other sources - to help Europe meet the growing demand. However, the demand for wood could shrink if Europeans bolster energy efficiency and make other wood-based renewable energy sources available.

EUWOOD used mobilisation scenarios to assess the potential of woody biomass. They focused, for example, on how society views the use of wood. On the one hand, woody biomass potential can swell to 898 million cubic metres in 2030 if Europeans place strong emphasis on using wood for energy generation and other uses. On the other hand, the potential could shrink to 625 million cubic metres if possible negative environmental effects of stronger wood use are deemed crucial. Economical constraints, such as procurement costs, could result in a bigger potential loss as well.

Led by the Centre of Wood Science of the University of Hamburg in Germany, EUWOOD brought together experts from the European Forest Institute, the UNECE/ FAO (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe/Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN) - Forestry and Timber Section, the Institute for Forestry and Forest Products in the Netherlands (PROBOS), and the Finnish Forest Research Institute (METLA) in Vantaa.