31 May 2007
Interested in using woodfuel to heat your premises?
Help and advice are on hand
The Co-ordinated Woodfuel Initiative in the south west aims to bring the benefits of wood heating to premises such as schools, community buildings, farms and large domestic properties.
Helen Mounsey, project co-administrator said:
‘There’s significant interest from organisations and householders across the south west in using wood as a renewable heating fuel. Until now there’s been little or no independent advice to guide this interest. This new advice service will address these problems and really help the wood heating sector in the region to grow.’
A dedicated local rate phone line (08450 74 06 74) provides the first point of contact. All callers receive information on woodfuel systems and can assess the potential of their property against some basic feasibility criteria. For larger premises the project can arrange a site visit from an expert to assess the site in more detail, including the capacity of the building to accommodate a wood-fired boiler, ease of access for fuel deliveries, and the availability of storage space.
To date the scheme has helped with the installation of biomass heaters in many premises, including an educational facility at Yeo Valley Farms in Somerset. It is particularly interested to hear from potential wood heating projects located within the boundaries of a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the south west as a limited amount of grant aid could be available. So far 15 installations have received grant funding, once these systems are commissioned this will equate to nearly 800 kw of installed capacity.
Ends
For Further Information from the Centre for Sustainable Energy
Louise Rutterford, Senior Project Worker
Tel: 0117 934 0918
E mail: louise.rutterford@cse.org.uk
Notes for Editors
The Co-ordinated Woodfuel Initiative
The Co-ordinated Woodfuel Initiative (CWI) is a region-wide programme to promote woodfuel as a low-carbon and renewable energy source. The initiative will add local value through developing and sustaining the woodfuel industry and supporting rural livelihoods. The CWI involves an independent technical advice service for the south west coupled with some grant support for small scale installations in the rural areas of the ten participating Protected Landscapes.
The Co-ordinated Woodfuel Initiative is managed by the Centre for Sustainable Energy. (external link, opens new window) It is funded by the South West Regional Development Agency through Woodland Renaissance (external link, opens new window) matched with contributions from Sustainable Development Funds from 10 of the regions Protected Landscapes and a contribution from the Forestry Commission.
The Protected Landscapes areas involved are:
•Dartmoor National Park Authority
•North Devon AONB (external link, opens new window)
•East Devon AONB (external link, opens new window)
•South Devon AONB (external link, opens new window)
•Blackdown Hills AONB (external link, opens new window)
•Tamar Valley AONB (external link, opens new window)
•Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs AONB (external link, opens new window)
•Dorset AONB (external link, opens new window)
•Mendip Hills AONB (external link, opens new window)
•Quantock Hills AONB (external link, opens new window)
Energy from biomass
Energy from biomass refers to energy produced from organic matter of recent origin. This includes both wood-based materials (raw timber, forestry thinnings, untreated wood products, energy crops and short rotation coppice), and non-woody materials (animal waste and food-processing by-products) but excludes fossil fuels which are organic in origin but which have taken millions of years to form.
For the forestry industry the types of wood-based products involved include logs, wood chips, wood pellets and wood briquettes.
The generation of energy through the burning of wood-based biomass is considered a low carbon process because the carbon dioxide released by the burning is balanced by that absorbed by trees during their lifetime.
Biomass can contribute to waste management by harnessing energy from products that are often disposed of at landfill sites. It is most cost effective when a local fuel source is used and transportation costs and energy are minimised.
Of course, people have been producing energy from biomass for centuries, and in many parts of the world it is still the principle source of heat. However modern biomass systems are far more efficient and clean than the traditional open fire and are at the forefront of renewable energy technology.
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This page last updated 31 May 2007
