In Sweden, a new report from researchers from IIASA, Luleå University of Technology, and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden has shown that more biorefineries, which produce biobased fuels and chemicals, will have only a small effect on the availability and pricing of wood products and feedstocks.
Their results show that there is likely to be a much stronger demand on forests in the EU as a whole, however the total production of wood is not likely to increase as a whole. There will, however, be differences between different sectors. Some material-producing industries are likely to see profitability increase due to demand for their byproducts. The pressure to use roundwood for energy may increase without the use of fast-growing plantations.
Biorefinery products can replace some fossil-based equivalents. Biorefineries can better use available biomass, for example using waste products like bark, and there is potential for the development of completely new products.