Eucalyptus storage performance after debranching

Short and medium rotation coppice (SRC and MRC) have been identified as an interesting solid biomass resource at global level. The production of large amount of biomass in limited time is no longer complicated thanks to modern machine technology, but the concentrated availability of wood fuel often does not go in line with the demand for energy in cases where this demand is high and steady all along the year. This lack of alinement implies the need to find storage solutions to buffer fluctuations in supply and demand. The goal of this study was to understand the storage performance of 5 years old Eucalyptus whole trees, with and without branches, obtained from an MRC plantation located in central Italy (42°10’19’’N latitude, 12°62’66’’E longitude). Fuel quality parameters were evaluated periodically during a 8 months period from March to September 2018, being the first attempt to store Eucalyptus in this area.