Woodfuel Information Pack

 

By: Duncan Ireland, Andy Hall and David H. Jones, Technical Development, Forest Research

Woodfuel is not new: wood has been used as a fuel since humans first learned how to make and harness fire. It has always been a major source of energy for heat and light, providing comfort and power. But woodfuel is news again, going through a resurgence, replacing fossil fuels for heat and electricity in an attempt to cut greenhouse gases and other emissions.

Many areas of the world are well ahead in their use of woodfuel and other sustainable energy sources and the UK is in the process of catching up. The forest industry is currently being swamped with requests for information and support from a new and exciting market sector.

This Woodfuel Information Pack brings together key basic information about many aspects of using wood for fuel. These include background on benefits, renewable energy targets and policy, conversion, end users and systems.

The pack now also includes a new Frequently Asked Questions section.

Summaries of the information presented in the pack are included in these pages:

• Background information
  Woodfuel : introducing the benefits
  Renewable trading systems
  Combustion of woodfuel to produce heat and electricity
   
• Biomass sources
  Short rotation coppice
  Woodfuel harvesting
  Woodfuel chipping
   
• Biomass conversion
  Converting biomass to a solid biofuel
  Converting biomass to a liquid biofuel
   
• Biomass user
  Woodfuel end users and associated needs
  Woodfuel heating systems : installation and management