The green transition in the wood industry has been a topic of concern, as it is perceived by some as heading in the wrong direction. There are a few reasons for this viewpoint.
In previous decades, Finnish sawmills excelled in maximizing the yield of wood products, such as timber and particleboard, from large diameter logs, making them excellent for long-term storage purposes. During that time, the production of biomass for fuel and bio-products, including items like toilet paper, was comparatively lower. However, the landscape has since changed, and now there is a shift towards burning sawdust for ‘carbon-free’ energy, while the importation of particleboard has become more common.
The green transition in the context of wood burning has been facilitated by a political decision from the European Union (EU), which categorizes it as carbon neutral. However, it is unfortunate that this decision has led us in the wrong direction.
From the perspective of nature and engineers, the situation regarding wood burning and its categorization as carbon neutral is seen differently.