Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

Wood biomass is very important in the Poland's energy balance. In 2014, 76% of energy obtained from renewable energy sources in Poland came from biomass, especially from wood. The main place of wood biomass formation is forestry and agriculture. The aim of this study was to compare the possibilities of harvesting wood biomass from apple orchards and national forests in the context of using it for energy purposes on the example of the Grójec county and the Grójec Forest District. The study presents wood biomass harvested from pruning and elimination of apple orchards. As well as fuel wood from forestry and wood that is possible to be derived from forest residues. The data used in the analyses were obtained from various official sources and statistics as well as previously published studies.

Based on the calculations made, it was found that 55.8 thousand m³ of wood can be harvested from apple orchards located in the studied object. In turn, in 2014, 20.6 thousand m³ of fuel wood were sold in the Grójec Forest District, and a further 3.3 thous. m³, which could also be obtained, remained in the forest. The sale of firewood in the Grójec Forest District showed a systematic increase in the period 2005–2014.