Sustainability assessment of forest biomass supply chain at local scale: carrying capacity of the system for energy valorisation

The multyfunctionality of forest has been remarked constantly in European policies. Forests can ensure several ecosystem services: providing raw material for goods, regulating local and global climate, buffering weather events, regulating the hydrological cycles, protecting watersheds and their vegetation [1]. The valorisation of forest biomass is recognized as a new frontier of economically sustainable and environmentally friendly processes, however it is not possible to assume a positive comprehensive balance in term of sustainability of products based only on the fact that they are bio-based [2].