RSE – forest management, national carbon sink and biomass for energy
2025–2027 · Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSE) · Research Fund for the Italian Electrical System · The Forest and woodland resource management project, developed by the University of Milan and Ricerca sul Sistema Energetico (RSE), investigates how much woody biomass can be supplied to the national energy system under alternative forest-management policies while remaining consistent with climate, ecological and sustainability objectives. · Subsequent activities will develop and validate a national forest-harvesting model integrating forest type, management regime, carbon stocks and flows, and climate change. Scenarios will cover the 2030, 2050 and 2070 horizons and include business-as-usual management, fire-prevention silviculture, substitution through wood products and bioenergy, and abandonment or spontaneous forest expansion.
The first activity reviews forest management in Italy and estimates biomass availability by distinguishing between biological potential, technical availability and economically and ecologically sustainable availability. The analysis considers accessibility, slope, forest roads, management and conservation constraints, harvesting costs, bioenergy sustainability criteria and competition between material and energy uses of wood. The project analyses how available biomass could be allocated among district heating, electricity generation, off-grid heat and other energy uses.
A specific component assesses whether different harvesting levels are compatible with maintaining the national forest carbon sink and with climate targets for the LULUCF sector. Scenarios will also be assessed against other ecosystem services, including biodiversity, protection from hydrogeological hazards, wildfire risk and carbon storage. Results will feed into RSE Life Cycle Assessment analyses of present and future bioenergy pathways in the Italian energy system. UniMi coordinator: Giorgio Vacchiano
Related research lines: Forest carbon, climate mitigation and bioeconomy · Sustainable forest management and planning
Reports and outputs: Forest and woodland resource management – First interim report: state-of-the-art analysis (December 2025)