If you have a question about Woodfuel visit our national frequently asked questions page to see if your woodfuel question has been answered.
Visit national frequently asked questions.
Wood – the ultimate renewable resource
Renewable energy from biomass - and in particular woodfuel - provides a real opportunity to help combat climate change. It can also improve the economics of the forestry sector and provide business opportunities along the woodfuel supply chain.
This emerging energy market provides an excellent opportunity for woodland owners in South West England to reinvigorate the management of their woods and forests. Satisfying the market for woodfuel will also generate revenue to enable owners to improve both the quality and the amount of high value timber available in the future. It will also help in managing woods for wider benefits, such as biodiversity.
Woodburning technology has developed over recent years and highly efficient, automated wood-fired boilers and stoves are now available. These can provide a cost effective and practical alternative to fossil fuels for heating, hot water and even electricity production.
An opportunity for the South West
The South West is England’s largest region and is the second most wooded, with 206,000 hectares of woodland over 2 hectares in size.
This significant under-utilised resource provides a real opportunity. Our aim is get owners to re-think their woodland management. This can create economic and environmental benefits for themselves and to society as a whole.
The Forestry Commission’s ‘A Woodfuel Strategy for England’ (PDF 3.9MB) has a target of increasing woodfuel production from England’s woodlands by an additional 2m tonnes per annum by 2020. To achieve this target, it will be focusing efforts on the potential wood resource available in the 60% of English woodlands that are currently under-managed.
In the South West, we are working in partnership with the regional agencies, businesses and other organisations to promote and develop the markets and supply chains – from woodland owners through to woodfuel users.
Supporting Woodfuel in the South West
South West Woodshed provides regional information on news, events, guidance documents, case studies and fuel suppliers.
It is the information portal for the South West Bioheat Programme. The programme helps advise on the installation of biomass boilers, which will then create a demand for woodfuel from privately owned undermanaged woods. The Programme is run by RegenSW, the region's sustainable energy agency and is funded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and the Forestry Commission.
South West Sustainable Woodlands (Silvanus Trust website) provides support and advice to rural businesses wishing to take advantage of the opportunities for investment to improve the economic value of forests or forest products, including woodfuel, available under the Rural Development Plan for England (RDPE). You can download its leaflet (PDF 372KB).
The Biomass Energy Centre provides a central point for impartial information, advice and guidance to individuals and organisations on a wide range of biomass fuels and technologies.
