Wood energy consumption and GHG emissions from wood fuels used for heating purposes in eastern Serbia

Abstract

This paper contains the research results on wood energy consumption in the region of Eastern Serbia during the heating season 2020/2021. The aim of the research was to collect data on the types, amounts, and values of wood fuels being consumed in this region in Serbia, as well as GHG emissions from their combustion. Based on the conducted research, the following results were obtained: total consumption of wood fuels for energy purposes in Eastern Serbia in heating season 2020/2021 was the following: firewood 1.07 million m(3); wood pellets 34,419 tonnes, wood chips 2,205 tonnes, wood briquettes 127 tonnes and sawdust 13,203 tonnes. The average consumption of wood energy per 1m(2) of heating surface in households in Eastern Serbia amounts to 232.6 kWh/m(2) (a) in urban households and 242.9 kWh/m(2) (a) in other households. Such high values of the wood energy consumption are unsatisfactory because they are beyond the values of the last class of the energy passport for residential buildings [G class gt 188 kWh/m(2) (a)].Total CO2 emissions from the wood fuels combustion in Eastern Serbia during the heating season 2020/2021 are estimated to be 1.3 million tonnes.