Materials / Short rotation coppice
Particleboard (P5) from SRC chips
Willow (Salix spp.) SRC, 3-year cutting cycle
Willow planted as cuttings, cut back after year one, then harvested every three years with a cut-and-chip harvester. Chips are flaked, dried, resinated and hot-pressed.
Declared unit: 1 m³ of installed particleboard (about 710 kg)
Across the steps that could be counted, one declared unit releases about 23.7 kg CO2e of fossil greenhouse gases (range 13.4 to 43.8). The largest share comes from transport to the factory (A2, 51%). The material itself holds 1 174 kg of CO2 that the plants absorbed while growing. 14 of 35 burden flows have a number; the rest are marked as gaps below.
23.7kg CO2e fossil, growing to installedrange 13.4 to 43.8
-1 174kg CO2 stored in the materialDerived
40%of flows with a number14 counted, 21 gaps
4.0data quality score1 best, 5 worst, weighted by impact
0.033kg CO2e per kg of productat 710 kg/m3
Every step, field to wall
Each tag is one process. Its colour shows the weakest evidence among its flows, and the number is its fossil CO2e in kg. Select a tag to open its rows in the inventory.
A1 Growing, harvesting and raw materials
Site preparation
- Pre-planting herbicide burn-down <0.1
- Subsoiling / deep loosening 0.2
- Ploughing 0.2
- Power harrowing / seedbed preparation 0.1
Establishment
- Cutting production in mother beds
- Mechanical planting (step planter) 0.1
- Pre-emergence herbicide <0.1
- Inter-row mechanical weeding (2 passes) 0.1
- Cut-back after first winter 0.1
Crop management
Field emissions
Harvest
End of plantation
Field emissions
Establishment
A2 Transport to the factory
Transport
A3 Making the product
Board plant
- S Sourced
- D Derived
- P Proxy
- A Assumption
- G Gap
- I Information
Where the fossil emissions happen
Bars add up counted flows only. The whiskers span the low and high cases from the ranges of amounts and emission factors.
The EPD reports 198.0 kg CO2e for A1-A3. Characterised flows explain 17.4 (9%). The remaining 180.6 is attributed to flows listed as gaps (mainly A3 energy and adhesives). It is indicative, not measured.
Checks and stored carbon
- Comparison with a published EPD
- Kronospan raw particleboard EPD HUB-0864, GWP-fossil A1-A3: 198.0 kg CO2e/m3
Uses 78% secondary (recycled) wood, not SRC. Residual is therefore indicative only. Kronospan particleboard EPD - Carbon stored in the material
- 640.2 kg dry mass x 0.50 C x 44/12 = 1 173.7 kg CO2 removed in A1 (reported separately).
EN 16449:2014; CWC Particleboard EPD - Harvest cycles over plantation life
- 6 harvests (every 3 years after cut-back)
Informs machinery passes. Forest Research SRC; EUBIA SRC
Assumptions and key inputs
Change these per project by editing the data package. Values marked Assumption are the first ones to replace with real data.
| Parameter | Value | Status | DQ | Source | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean yield | 9.5 odt/ha/yr | D | 3 | Forest Research SRC | Midpoint of 7-12 odt/ha/yr. |
| Productive years over plantation life | 18 yr | A | 4 | Forest Research SRC; EUBIA SRC | 20-year plantation minus establishment years. |
| Lifetime yield | 171 odt/ha | D | 4 | – | = yield x productive years. |
| Board composition per m3 | 640.22 odkg wood, 63.64 kg UF, 1.93 urea, 1.06 catalyst, 0.31 scavenger, 2.14 slack wax, 0.48 ammonium sulphate | P | 3 | CWC Particleboard EPD | North American average; used as proxy for an EU board. |
| Planting density | 15 000 cuttings/ha | S | 2 | Forest Research SRC | |
| Fresh chip moisture (wet basis) | 0.45 - | A | 4 | – | For transport mass: 640 odkg / 0.55. |
| Conversion: ha x plantation lifetime per DU | 0.003744 | D | = 0.64022 odt / 171.0 odt/ha | ||
| Conversion: oven-dry tonnes of wood per DU | 0.64022 | S | From board composition. |
Inventory
One row per flow. "Per DU" converts the amount to one declared unit; kg CO2e = per DU x emission factor.
| Flow | Amount | Basis | Per DU | Emission factor | kg CO2e | Status | DQ | Source | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Site preparation / Pre-planting herbicide burn-down 0.01 kg CO2e Glyphosate on grass/stubble before cultivation. | |||||||||
| Diesel, sprayer | 0.85 L 0.4–1.3 |
per ha | 0.00318 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.010 | Proxy | 3 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide; Poplar SRC operations (Sciforum) | |
| Herbicide active ingredient | ? kg | per ha | – | no open factor | – | Gap | 5 | – | |
| A1 Site preparation / Subsoiling / deep loosening 0.21 kg CO2e | |||||||||
| Diesel | 17.5 L 15–20 |
per ha | 0.06552 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.207 | Proxy | 3 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide; Poplar SRC operations (Sciforum) | Ameublissement profond 15-20 L/ha. |
| A1 Site preparation / Ploughing 0.18 kg CO2e | |||||||||
| Diesel | 15 L 10–20 |
per ha | 0.05616 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.177 | Proxy | 3 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide | Labour 10-20 L/ha. |
| A1 Site preparation / Power harrowing / seedbed preparation 0.12 kg CO2e | |||||||||
| Diesel | 10 L 5–15 |
per ha | 0.03744 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.118 | Proxy | 3 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide | Preparation de sol 5-15 L/ha. |
| A1 Establishment / Cutting production in mother beds Nursery production of 20 cm cuttings. | |||||||||
| Willow cuttings | 15 000 cutting | per ha | 56.1597 | no open factor | – | Sourced | 2 | Forest Research SRC | Amount sourced; nursery burden per cutting not available. |
| A1 Establishment / Mechanical planting (step planter) 0.15 kg CO2e Double rows, 0.75 m in-row. | |||||||||
| Diesel | 12.5 L 10–15 |
per ha | 0.0468 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.148 | Proxy | 4 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide; EUBIA SRC | Proxy: combined sowing 10-15 L/ha. |
| A1 Establishment / Pre-emergence herbicide 0.01 kg CO2e | |||||||||
| Diesel, sprayer | 0.85 L 0.4–1.3 |
per ha | 0.00318 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.010 | Proxy | 3 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide | |
| Herbicide a.i. | ? kg | per ha | – | no open factor | – | Gap | 5 | – | |
| A1 Establishment / Inter-row mechanical weeding (2 passes) 0.07 kg CO2e | |||||||||
| Diesel | 6 L 4–8 |
per ha | 0.02246 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.071 | Proxy | 3 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide | Binage 2-4 L/ha per pass. |
| A1 Establishment / Cut-back after first winter 0.06 kg CO2e Stems cut to ground level to promote multi-stem stools. | |||||||||
| Diesel | 4.75 L 3.5–6 |
per ha | 0.01778 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.056 | Proxy | 4 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide; Forest Research SRC | Proxy: mowing 3.5-6 L/ha. |
| A1 Crop management / Fertilisation after harvests Many guidelines recommend low or no mineral N on fertile arable land. | |||||||||
| Mineral N | ? kg N | per ha | – | Mineral N fertiliser (ammonium nitrate), production 3.6 kg CO2e/kg N |
– | Gap | 5 | – | Enter site-specific rate; field N2O is then added by step src-11. |
| A1 Field emissions / Field N2O from fertiliser N | |||||||||
| N applied (for N2O) emission | ? kg N | per ha | – | Field N2O (direct + indirect) per kg mineral N applied 5.894 kg CO2e/kg N |
– | Gap | 5 | IPCC 2019 Refinement | Depends on src-10. |
| A1 Harvest / Cut-and-chip harvesting (every 3 years) 4.25 kg CO2e Self-propelled forage harvester with coppice header, winter harvest. | |||||||||
| Diesel, forage harvester | 2.1 L 1.9–2.3 |
per odt | 1.34446 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
4.248 | Proxy | 4 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide | Proxy: maize silage harvest 1.9-2.3 L/t DM. |
| A1 Harvest / In-field chip haulage to field edge Tractor + trailer shuttles. | |||||||||
| Diesel | ? L | per odt | – | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
– | Gap | 5 | – | |
| A1 End of plantation / Stool removal and reconversion 0.38 kg CO2e Stump grinding / deep loosening and ploughing after the last harvest. | |||||||||
| Diesel, stump removal | 17.5 L 15–20 |
per ha | 0.06552 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.207 | Proxy | 4 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide; Poplar SRC operations (Sciforum) | Proxy: deep loosening. |
| Diesel, ploughing | 15 L 10–20 |
per ha | 0.05616 | Diesel, non-road (GNR), combustion + upstream 3.16 kg CO2e/L |
0.177 | Proxy | 3 | INRAE 2022 fuel guide | |
| A1 Field emissions / Soil organic carbon change Land-use change effect of converting arable land to SRC. | |||||||||
| SOC change | ? kg CO2 | per DU | – | no open factor | – | Gap | 5 | – | Site-specific; report under GWP-luluc when quantified. |
| A2 Transport / Fresh chip transport to board plant 10.19 kg CO2e | |||||||||
| Truck transport | 116.404 t.km 58.2018–232.807 |
per DU | 116.404 | Road freight, articulated truck 34-40 t 0.0875 kg CO2e/t.km |
10.185 | Assumption | 4 | Truck 34-40 t default | = 0.640 odt / 0.55 x 100 km. |
| A2 Transport / Resin and additives to the board plant 1.83 kg CO2e Inbound road freight of UF resin, urea, wax and salts. | |||||||||
| Truck transport | 20.868 t.km 6.956–55.648 |
per DU | 20.868 | Road freight, articulated truck 34-40 t 0.0875 kg CO2e/t.km |
1.826 | Assumption | 4 | Truck 34-40 t default | = 69.56 kg x 300 km (assumed supplier distance). |
| A1 Establishment / Cutting transport to the field Cuttings stored cold and trucked from the nursery. | |||||||||
| Truck transport | ? t.km | per ha | – | Road freight, articulated truck 34-40 t 0.0875 kg CO2e/t.km |
– | Gap | 5 | – | Nursery location and cutting mass not sourced. |
| A3 Board plant / Screening and flaking | |||||||||
| Electricity | ? kWh | per DU | – | Electricity, France average consumption mix 2024 0.058 kg CO2e/kWh |
– | Gap | 5 | – | |
| A3 Board plant / Particle drying Rotary dryer; heat from bark/dust burner. | |||||||||
| Heat, biomass (biogenic) | ? MJ | per DU | – | no open factor | – | Gap | 5 | – | |
| Electricity | ? kWh | per DU | – | Electricity, France average consumption mix 2024 0.058 kg CO2e/kWh |
– | Gap | 5 | – | |
| A3 Board plant / Resin blending Resin system per board composition. | |||||||||
| UF resin | 63.64 kg | per DU | 63.64 | no open factor | – | Sourced | 3 | CWC Particleboard EPD | EF not available in open sources. |
| Urea | 1.93 kg | per DU | 1.93 | no open factor | – | Sourced | 3 | CWC Particleboard EPD | |
| Catalyst | 1.06 kg | per DU | 1.06 | no open factor | – | Sourced | 3 | CWC Particleboard EPD | |
| Formaldehyde scavenger | 0.31 kg | per DU | 0.31 | no open factor | – | Sourced | 3 | CWC Particleboard EPD | |
| Slack wax | 2.14 kg | per DU | 2.14 | no open factor | – | Sourced | 3 | CWC Particleboard EPD | |
| Ammonium sulphate | 0.48 kg | per DU | 0.48 | no open factor | – | Sourced | 3 | CWC Particleboard EPD | |
| A3 Board plant / Mat forming and continuous hot pressing | |||||||||
| Electricity + thermal oil | ? kWh | per DU | – | Electricity, France average consumption mix 2024 0.058 kg CO2e/kWh |
– | Gap | 5 | – | |
| A3 Board plant / Cooling, sanding, sizing | |||||||||
| Electricity | ? kWh | per DU | – | Electricity, France average consumption mix 2024 0.058 kg CO2e/kWh |
– | Gap | 5 | – | |
| A3 Board plant / Packaging | |||||||||
| Packaging | ? kg | per DU | – | no open factor | – | Gap | 5 | – | |
| A4 Transport / Delivery to site 6.21 kg CO2e | |||||||||
| Truck transport | 70.98 t.km 35.49–141.96 |
per DU | 70.98 | Road freight, articulated truck 34-40 t 0.0875 kg CO2e/t.km |
6.211 | Assumption | 4 | Truck 34-40 t default | = 0.7098 t x 100 km. |
| A5 Installation / Cutting and fixing boards Circular saw, screws or nails. | |||||||||
| Fasteners + electricity | ? - | per DU | – | no open factor | – | Gap | 5 | – | |
| Total fossil CO2e, counted flows | 23.65 | range 13.43 to 43.81 | |||||||
| EPD-calibrated residual (A1-A3, indicative) | 180.56 | total with residual 204.21 | |||||||
Not included
- Manufacture of machinery, vehicles, factory buildings and forest roads (capital goods)
- Staff commuting, offices and research
- Use stage (B1-B7) and end of life (C1-C4, D); lime carbonation during use is shown as information only
- Land-use change and soil carbon, listed as gaps where relevant because they are site-specific
Sources used on this page
- Forest Research SRC. Forest Research (UK). Short rotation coppice: willow planted at 15,000/ha, first harvest ~3 years after cut-back, 7-12 odt/ha/yr. Link
- EUBIA SRC. EUBIA. Short rotation forestry: 10,000-20,000 cuttings/ha, rotation years by species, stools survive at least 5 rotations. Link
- CWC Particleboard EPD. Canadian Wood Council (2019). Particleboard EPD: 1 m3 = 640.22 odkg wood, 63.64 kg UF resin, 1.93 urea, 1.06 catalyst, 0.31 scavenger, 2.14 slack wax, 0.48 ammonium sulphate. Link
- Kronospan particleboard EPD. Kronospan Ltd. EPD HUB-0864 Raw Particleboard: 639 kg/m3, GWP-fossil A1-A3 198 kg CO2e/m3, 78.3% secondary input. Link
- INRAE 2022 fuel guide. INRAE (2022). Bonnes pratiques economes en carburant: ranges in L GNR per ha / t / balle for tillage, sowing, spraying, mowing, tedding, raking, baling, silage. Link
- ADEME Base Empreinte (fuels). ADEME Base Empreinte, status 'valide generique': gazole non routier 3.16 kgCO2e/L; gazole routier B7 3.10 kgCO2e/L; electricite 2022 0.05 kgCO2e/kWh (combustion + upstream). Link
- ADEME Base Empreinte (electricity 2024). ADEME Base Empreinte, electricite mix moyen France 2024 = 58 gCO2e/kWh (as used by SNCF comparateur carbone). Link
- Truck 34-40 t default. Regulatory default 2026 for articulated truck 34-40 t: 0.0875 kgCO2e per t.km (as reported by Projet Celsius, from ADEME Base Empreinte). Link
- Yara AN footprint. Yara: ammonium nitrate from BAT plants = 3.6 kgCO2e/kg N; average European non-BAT plant about twice as high. Link
- IPCC 2019 Refinement. IPCC (2019). Refinement to the 2006 Guidelines, Vol.4 Ch.11: EF1 = 0.010 (0.001-0.018) kg N2O-N/kg N; FracGASF 0.11; EF4 0.010; FracLEACH 0.24; EF5 0.011. Standard reference, not re-fetched in this session. Link
- IPCC AR6 GWP100. IPCC AR6 WG1 (2021), Ch.7 Table 7.15: GWP100 N2O = 273. Standard reference, not re-fetched in this session. Link
- EN 16449:2014. EN 16449:2014 Wood and wood-based products: calculation of biogenic carbon content (carbon fraction 0.5 of oven-dry mass). Link
- Poplar SRC operations (Sciforum). Poplar SRF/MRF LCA: field preparation and planting (deep scarification, ploughing, fertilisation, chemical weeding, irrigation, hoeing, harrowing), annual management, harvesting, stump grinding at end. Link