Case Study:Entreneurship in Farms related to Bioenergy in Northern

Ostrobothnia in Finland

Farms in Northern Ostrobothnia

Interviews

Farm cases (3)

Tentative notices from interviews

Regions

OuluNorthern Ostrobothnia

Farms in Northern Ostrobothnia

• 5700 farms in 2006

• average field area 40 ha / farm

• average forest area 61 ha / farm

• 35 % of farms have dairy cattle, on average 21 cows / farm

Interviews

Interviews have been done in 39 Farms

26 farms had activities in energy wood chain:

• firewood production (15)

• energy wood (stems) (6)

• wood chips (3)

• heating entrepreneurs (8)

• energy contractors (8)

13 farms were related only to energy crops or biogas

Lines of Production of Farms related to Energy Wood

• milk production 13

• crop production 13

• forest production 8

• other 8

• 14 farms had forest 100 ha and over

Interviews

Farm case 1: Heating Entrepreneur and Chipping Service (1)

A Farm

• dairy farm with 44 dairy cows and young stock

• field area 117 ha

• forest area 70 ha

Farm case 1: Heating Entrepreneur and Chipping Service (2)

Heating

Private limited company

1. step: heating plant produce heat to school center (2003)

2. step: district heating plant and network (2007)

3. step: heat production to local food processing industry ???

Farm case 1: Heating Entrepreneur and Chipping Service (3)

Chipping

Farm’s business

• wood chips to heating plant

»raw material from local wood industry, and farm’s own forest

• services for other farms

• chipper and transport equipment

Farm case 1: Heating Entrepreneur and Chipping Service (4)

Other Ideas

• to produce biodiesel for farm’s own use

• to produce wood pellets or briquettes

• to produce biogas

Farmer has confidence in the increase in bioenergy sector during next decades