Wood is the most widely used renewable energy source in the world.
However, there are competing views on how wood should be used in the
future. The objective of this study is to examine conceptions related to
alternative futures for the use of woodchips as an energy source in
Finland. We construct futures images based on two data sources
describing the views favouring the use of woodchips: thematic interviews
with woodchip users and newspaper articles. The futures images are
constructed based on two key themes that emerge from our data. First,
the alternatives are imagined for the types of the operators using
woodchips in the future, varying between small- and large-scale use.
Second, the strong role of regulations, particularly at the European
Union level, will be the key driver of the future use of woodchips as an
energy source. The results show wide variation in the potential goals
of public governance, ranging from regulations designed to strongly
support the use of woodchips as an energy source to almost complete
conservation of forests. Focusing on the regime level, we identify
possible transition pathways illustrating how the use of woodchips could
change in the future and discuss possible policy implications.