Global competitiveness of forest energy products: Evidence and implications for the bioeconomy

Forest energy products (FEP) represent a promising sector in global trade, reaching a value of USD 14.9 billion in 2023. In order to understand the evolution of the sector and indicate the prospects for a bioeconomy, this study analyzed the international competitiveness in FEP exports between 1990 and 2023, with forecasts up to 2030. It aims to understand the competitive dynamics of FEP-exporting, identify key players and product, and provide insights for the bioeconomy. Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) were used, along with the Market Share (MS), Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), Coverage Rate (CR), and Competitiveness Index (CI) indices. To evaluate the distributional properties of the dataset and association between variables, the Shapiro–Wilk normality test was applied, followed by the calculation of Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Among FEP categories, wood chips emerged as the most competitive category (RCA: 0.64). Spearman's correlation between CI and CR suggests that market concentration can directly influence the international competitiveness of the FEP. The conclusions highlight the predominance of wood chips and wood pellets in the international FEP market. The correlations between FEP exports and CI, as well as between RCA and CI, reveal opportunities to strengthen the bioeconomy by increasing market share and enhancing the positioning of countries in the global market. Finally, the strategic role of biofuels in advancing a low carbon economy and enhancing the global competitiveness of the FEP provides a solid basis to develop competitive strategies, expanding forest stocks, and implementing targeted plans in infrastructure, innovation, and trade.