Forthcoming Events

See all forthcoming events >>

Past Events

United Kingdom

22/02/2013 Harnessing Energy The practicailities and feasibility of woodfuel production in the New Forest

03/12/2012 CLA Woodheat Event: Wood to Warmth - the practicalities

Austria

22/03/2010 D12 Austrian Study Tour

Croatia

01/02/2012 Woodheat Solutions Training Pack - Croatia

05/11/2010 D17 Technical training seminar - Krizevci

Finland

30/09/2010 D31 WhS presentation on woodfuel standards at Laatuhakeseminaari, Saarijarvi

01/09/2010 D31 Forest Bioenergy Conference - Tampere

Slovenia

01/02/2012 Woodheat Solutions Training Pack - Slovenia

31/03/2011 LES KOT ENERGENT /Wood as energy source

See all past events >>

Biomass Installations

United Kingdom

Googlemap - Biomass Installations in the South East

Croatia

Toplinska rješenja na biomasu SZ Hrvatska Google karta

Slovenia

Rešitve za ogrevanje z lesom / Woodheat Solutions

Wood Heat Solutions

HOT NEWS:

Soaring energy prices encourage more people to consider woodheat

The woodheat solutions project has demonstrated that the greatest opportunities lie at the local level with local woods supplying local needs:

increasingly sophisticated wood stoves and 'batch boilers' make more efficient use of 'old fashioned' logs
woodchips provide a major opportunity for woodland owners to supply their own heat needs OR to sell to local users OR to add value by selling heat direct to users

Key lessons from the Woodheat Solutions project

The WhS project report brings together the key lessons from Austria and Finland including:

designing a woodheat system
model contracts for selling woodheat
the importance of quality standards

Key elements are also illustrated in the WhS Key Lessons PowerPoint and examples are provided through the case studies PowerPoint

Woodheat Solutions training pack

All the lessons are encompassed in the WhS training packs which can be downloaded or provided on CD's

Country news

UK

Launched the world's first Renewable Heat Incentive earlier this year with more details of how it will be deployed very recently

Click here for details on the DECC website
Click here for analysis and RHI calculator (helping you assess the financial implications of particular sites and business opportunities)

The Forestry Commission will shortly launch the Woodfuel Woodland Improvement Grant which can help you assess the amount of wood in your woodland and overcome access barriers to undermanaged woods. Most of the £10M budget is focused on southern England. If interested contact your local FC Woodland Officer who can help you consider the first step of preparing a woodland management plan (for which there are also grants available).

The WhS project has encouraged a range of local partnerships and initiatives which may be able to help you take forward the opportunities offered by woodheat – see WhS/Forestry Commission – woodfuel potential and progress in South East England.

Croatia

Woodheat Solutions launched several initiatives to invest in wood-based heat (and CHP) generation particularly from undermanaged forest. Pokupsko Municipality is the first municipality in the Republic of Croatia which in collaboration with the North West Croatia Regional Energy Agency (REGEA) prepared a project which has been successful in attracting €958 000 finance from the IPARD program (5 Component of IPA Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance).

The WhS project has encouraged a range of local partnerships and initiatives which may be able to help you take forward the opportunities offered by woodheat.

Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management will continue to support investment in wood-based heat (and CHP) generation, and the cities and municipalities in the Republic of Croatia in the desire for efficient use of biomass from undermanaged woods.

Thinking about using wood as a fuel?

Wood Heat Solutions can help

Find out:

How wood has been used as a fuel in Austria and Finland for decades;
What we can learn from their experience;
Where woodfuel is already being used in South East England, Slovenia and Croatia;
How much woodfuel is available;
What questions to ask when considering using wood as a fuel;
What are the business opportunities in selling woodfuel or heat; and
How to meet your customers needs

Project sponsors - Aiming to increase the use of renewable energy in Europe.

The sole responsibility for the content of this website lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

If you would like us to send you a copy of this poster please contact us at southeast.fce@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

The benefits of using wood as a fuel

Before the industrial revolution wood was the main source of fuel for heating and industry.
Since then fossil fuels have offered a cheap and convenient alternative.
Reserves of fossil fuels are finite, becoming more difficult to access and more expensive.
Use of fossil fuels is affecting our climate. See The world is hot enough.
Trees are natures solar panels using the suns energy to create wood from carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. See A convenient truth.
Using wood as a fuel releases the suns stored energy and carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere.
Well managed woods absorb tonnes of carbon per hectare (100 metres square) per year and this can be harvested sustainably.
Well managed woods also provide homes for native plants and animals, enhance the landscape, and jobs for local people.
Most of us want to know how we can use less fossil fuel, Governments have agreed targets and are considering how they can help us use alternatives. See Renewable Heat Incentive consultation document.