A cross national comparative study on the utilization of private forestry in the development of local wood energy supply chains

Sammanfattning: Both Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) have set ambitious targets for increasing the amount of renewable heat being generated. By 2020, NI is aiming for a 10% target, in the Republic a 12% target has been stipulated (DARD, 2010) (SEAI, 2007). In both countries the majority of the private forest estate has been created through establishment grants that began in the 1980s, the woodland is now reaching an age were it can potentially make a contribution to the supply of wood energy. I have used a mixed ‘agency’ and ‘structure’ approach in comparing the way that private forestry is being utilised in NI and the Donegal region of the Republic. The agency of individual private forest manager and the decisions they make are at the base of private sectors involvement in the supply of wood energy, for this reason I conducted a survey involving private forest owners in the two regions to compare the capacity of delivering the renewable energy resource. This has been accompanied by a more ‘structure’ based approach that deals with the specific conditions which have produced the variations in private forester behaviour. This involved an investigation of the respective institutional frameworks governing the development of private forestry wood energy including the relevant policies being implemented, the role of various public institutions and the support being offered by the respective forestry services. I have discovered major differences in the capabilities of private forest owners in delivering a wood energy resource in the two regions. In the analysis section I have used a transition management perspective to investigate the way in which the transformation towards increased use of private forest energy is being directed in both regions.In Northern Ireland a ‘top down’ approach to stimulating the bioenergy market through the central distribution of economic incentives is failing to involve the private forester in the transition process. In contrast a more local localised approach in Donegal that is focuses on organising and facilitating interaction processes among local actors is having a greater impact in the development of a private forest energy resource.