The goal of the project is to develop a unified and scientifically based state standard for chopped wood, which includes compaction coefficients and a modern methodology for volume and mass conversion. This standard will provide a unified approach to the accounting and use of biomass resources, facilitating market transactions, reducing costs and ensuring more efficient circulation of bioeconomy resources.
Currently, there is a lack of uniform guidelines for determining the amount of chopped wood in Latvia, which creates significant differences and uncertainties when conducting transactions between suppliers and consumers and when settling settlements with service providers. This is especially important in the context of the national regulatory enactments on heavy weight permits in the transport of timber, because without uniform conversion factors and standardized methodology there is a risk of overloading vehicles and roads, creating non-compliance with regulatory requirements and increasing the risk of fines. The solutions developed as part of the project will provide reliable data that will help entrepreneurs plan transportation in accordance with legislative requirements, while maintaining competitiveness, as well as developing a knowledge-based regulatory environment.
The development of the methodology will be based on experimental measurements for different fractions of chopped wood biomass and conditions of production, storage, transportation, in order to determine the exact compaction indicators and volume/mass ratio. As a result, a practical tool will be created, which will be useful both for entrepreneurs in their daily work and for state institutions for performing control and monitoring functions.
This approach will ensure sustainable use of resources, reduce logistics costs and reduce environmental impact through optimized transportation and accurate resource circulation. The results of the project will strengthen the transparency of the biomass market, create a level playing field for all market participants and ensure compliance with the strategic goals of Latvia and the European Union in climate and energy policy.
Activities will be implemented within the project:
- Study of determination and standardization of compaction coefficient of chopped wood
- Development of the chopped wood standard;
- Collection of data for determining the compaction coefficient of chopped wood in road transport – taking measurements in the forest by the road;
- Collection of data for determining the compaction coefficient of chopped wood in road transport – taking measurements at processing sites/port;
- Collection of data for determination of the compaction coefficient of chopped wood at a temporary storage place – taking measurements at processing sites/port;
- Collection of the measured data on moisture, fractional composition, volume density, ash content of chopped wood loads/stacks;
- Analysis of data collected for determining the compaction coefficient of chopped wood;
- Development of methodology for determining the compaction coefficient of chopped wood;
- Using the mass method in timber transport
- Development of a methodology for evaluating the accuracy of mass method conversion coefficients for evaluating the mass of timber cargo;
- Data collection of timber cargo mass and related factors;
- Data analysis of timber cargo mass and related factors;
- Evaluation of the data flow necessary for the application of axle/grabber weights and conversion factors;
- LVS 82:2024 Update of the section on the standard mass method for measuring round cocametrics;
- Project coordination, administration.
The leading partner of the project: SIA “Management of Latvian timber measurement and accounting”.
Cooperation partners: SIA “VMF LATVIA”, SIA “Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Institute”, SIA “Timbro” and Timber Seller Association of Latvia.
The project implementation period is from February 2026 to June 2028.
Total funding – EUR 255,186.80, incl. EU co-financing 75% – 191,390.08 EUR.