2019

New Options for the Delivery of Woodchips in Kurzeme Region

JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) has opened a new woodchip storage area in Kuldīga, in the territory of a former reinforced concrete factory that will be able to provide boiler houses in Kurzeme region with top quality woodchips.

The role of woodchip storage areas

“Increasing the share of renewable energy resources in the overall energy balance of Latvia is a state-level task since it affects the country's energy independence. Therefore, it is important to ensure stable and guaranteed supply of woodchips in the regions, and storage areas are the best solution for the energy supplier to meet the highest service level requirements imposed by local heat producers. During summer, woodchips will be delivered to the storage area and in winter the woodchips from the storage area will be delivered to Kurzeme region's heat producers to balance the consumption of winter and summer chips and to reduce the risk of the availability of energy chips, especially in the heating season, where the demand for woodchips is greatest,” tells Ojārs Keziks, LVM Energy Wood Product Manager.

From slums to woodchip heaps

Valdis Kalns, Head of Real Estate Management at LVM, tells about the development of the construction of the open woodchip area: “In 2017, LVM acquired (at a public auction) from JSC “Valsts nekustamie īpašumi” a real estate with an area of 2 hectares in Kuldīga (Priedaine), in the territory of a former reinforced concrete factory; approximately 10 000 m² of this territory were occupied by slums and about 6 000 m² - by usable reinforced concrete slabs. At the beginning of 2018, the demolition of the existing building and horizontal buildings was carried out and later - the design of the woodchip storage area and construction works in an area of 12 000 m² were performed by the association of suppliers “CP&IB” (JSC “Ceļu pārvalde” and LLC “Būvfirma Inbuv”). At the beginning of the summer 2019, when the woodchip storage area was put into operation, Kuldīga gained another orderly territory, opening up new opportunities for heat producers.”

The total area of the newly built woodchip storage area is 25 000 m².

Woodchips are an energy-efficient and renewable energy source derived from felling residues, overgrowth and small trees. JSC “Latvia's State Forests” produces 500 000 bulk m3 (~ 400,000 MWh) of energy chips annually.