Modelling timber offcuts utilisation: a case study in Victoria, Australia

This study evaluates the economic potential of utilizing timber offcuts for bioenergy in Victoria, Aus-tralia. Timber residues, often sent to landfills, present an opportunity for revenue generation through bioenergy production. We assessed chipping productivity and transportation costs, utilizing the Vermeer BC1500 chipper, which yielded an average productivity of 7.5 t/PMH and a cost of $25.5/t. Transporta-tion was modelled using a small woodchip truck with payload of 10 t over distances ranging from 30 to 100 km. Results indicate transport costs increased from $1.5/t to $5.0/t with distance. Profitability analysis revealed that transporting wood chips is still viable up to 100 km, with average profits decreasing as distance increases. This research underscores the economic benefits of biomass recovery, highlight-ing potential savings of $170/t compared to landfill disposal, thereby promoting sustainability in offcuts utilisation.