Forest bioeconomy - processes, energy and products

The course comprises the following components: - The concepts of bioeconomy and circularity - The forest as a provider of ecosystem services, including biomass - Forest biodiversity - Foundations of environmental ethics - Policy instruments in bioeconomy - Forestry and harvesting techniques - Resource management in industrial processes - The development of biomass from an evolutionary perspective - Wood and fibre morphology - The chemical structure of biomass - The environmental impact of forest industry processes - Conflicts of interest in sustainable land use The course provides knowledge of the following processes: - Sawmilling - Wooden construction - Mechanical and chemical pulp production - Paper production technology - Solid biofuels - Biorefineries - New materials and processes - Selected unit operations in bioindustrial processes, such as drying, pelleting, and extrusion The course consists of a series of lectures, a literature seminar, a study visit, a simulation exercise, and a laboratory project in which students work in pairs, or, occasionally, individually or in groups of three. Students plan, conduct, and evaluate an experiment in bioenergy or purification technology that addresses a research question, according to instructions. This involves analysis of results and presentation of findings with visual aids (such as diagrams, graphs, and images) to support and enhance their presentation.