Associated Research Groups
Laboratory of Wood Technology
Faculty of Bioscience EngineeringCoupure links 653
9000 Ghent
Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0)9 264 61 18
Fax.: + 32 (0)9 264 62 33
Contact:
Wood in the Modern Society
Wood has been used by man for millenia for many purposes, being many things to many people. One of its primary uses is as fuel. It may also be used as a material, for making artworks, boats, buildings, furniture, ships, tools, weapons, etc. Wood has been an important construction material since humans began building shelters, and remains in plentiful use today.
In light of the ever increasing problem of greenhouse gas emission, it is of fundamental importance that our energy needs are met using 'green' technology. Wood, by its very nature, is a renewable resource which scavenges the very CO2 that we produce by burning it. Using wood as a fuel is therefore again becoming ever more the fuel of choice, especially in light of the rampant oil and fuel prices. In order to use wood as a renewable resource, it is of vital importance to analyse all aspects of its use. This entails soil management, rigourous reforrestation efforts and ultimately the efficient use of this solid biofuel for firing purposes. The impact of the location trees are grown, the specific variety of trees used, and many other environmental and antropologic factors ultimatly determine the quality of the wood formed and its suitability for firing or other applications.
An Integrated Approach ...
The Laboratory of Wood Technology has extensive experience studying and modelling anatomical and structural variability of wood and the impact thereof on the energetic qualities of the wood biomass. The expertise and knowledge on the variability of wood quality is applied towards bio-energy production, based on an integrated vision of the whole forest-wood column.
In the laboratory, research is performed on the use of renewable wood resources for bio-energy generation. Using an integrated approach, the laboratory studies the production and use of bio-energy from a number of alternative wood sources. An important topic of interest is studying the composition of wood and the impact this has on energetic properties. In addition to life cycle analysis and the use of wood waste streams, special interest also goes to the study of hybrid poplar clones and genetically modified tree varieties. In addition to traditional energetic valorisation via (co-)firing and thus direct heat generation, the suitability of the wood for pulping and subsequent chemical and enzymatic processing to fermentable sugars, is also a new topic of interest.