Forest bioeconomy - processes, energy and products

The course comprises the following components:

• The concepts of bioeconomy and circularity
• The forest as a provider of ecosystem services, including biomass
• Forest biodiversity
• Foundations of environmental ethics
• Policy instruments in bioeconomy
• Forestry and harvesting techniques
• Resource management in industrial processes
• The development of biomass from an evolutionary perspective
• Wood and fibre morphology
• The chemical structure of biomass
• The environmental impact of forest industry processes
• Conflicts of interest in sustainable land use

The course provides knowledge of the following processes:

• Sawmilling
• Wooden construction
• Mechanical and chemical pulp production
• Paper production technology
• Solid biofuels
• Biorefineries
• New materials and processes
• Selected unit operations in bioindustrial processes, such as drying, pelleting, and extrusion

The course consists of a series of lectures, a literature seminar, a study visit, a simulation exercise, and a laboratory project in which students work in pairs, or, occasionally, individually or in groups of three. Students plan, conduct, and evaluate an experiment in bioenergy or purification technology that addresses a research question, according to instructions. This involves analysis of results and presentation of findings with visual aids (such as diagrams, graphs, and images) to support and enhance their presentation.

Progressive specialisation: A1N (has only first‐cycle course/s as entry requirements)

Education level: Master's level

Admission requirements: Registered for 180 credits in the Master of Science Programme in Energy and Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Industrial Management. Pass grade in the courses Sustainable development (7.5 credits) and Thermal fluid sciences (7.5 credits).In addition, upper secondary level Swedish 3 or Swedish as a second language 3, and English 6, or Swedish level 3 or Swedish as a second language level 3, and English level 2.An equivalence assessment can be made.

Selection: Selection is usually based on your grade point average from upper secondary school or the number of credit points from previous university studies, or both.