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Biomass Fuel
by Sandy Thomson of Westpark Farm, by Aberfeldy
‘The Rural Economy – Cultivating Ideas’ was the grand title of a conference held on the 17 November at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Perth & Kinross Council and Angus Council were the joint hosts. Delegates travelled from all over Scotland, representing estates, councils, Scottish Enterprise, housing associations and just about every other organisation with an interest in rural affairs. Neither the local National Farmers Union branch nor the Breadalbane Initiative for Farm Forestry were invited to attend, but after spotting a newspaper article about the conference, we contacted the organisers and invited ourselves!
CAP Reform and Rural Development Regulations were covered first but the highlight of the conference - and the subject of most interest in Highland Perthshire at the moment came next - farm forestry woodfuel supply chains.
The scene was set by Maurice Millar, Renewable Energies Manager of NIFCS Consulting Group. He gave details of housing developments in Scotland already using woodchips as a fuel for heating.
Biomass Fuel
Mats Rydohell from Sweden then gave an excellent presentation covering all aspects of woodfuel heating for single house situations, and for village heating systems or large scale industrial situations.
In Sweden, groups of farmers form a co-op to supply heat to each individual house. Each member of the co-op takes a week in which they are responsible for stoking, ash disposal and maintenance.
Modern wood fuel systems can run on either wood chips or pellets formed from sawdust and other sawmill waste. Pellets generally give more heat and last longer as they are of a more uniform quality.
Woodfuel heating offers real advantages in an area like Highland Perthshire. Low grade, low value timber can be used as wood fuel while other higher value timber can still be used for traditional markets. Transport costs are minimal as the timber is grown locally.
Burning wood is a ‘carbon balanced’ process as long as cut trees are replanted. Job opportunities exist both in processing and in the supply of biomass fuel.
The technology for burning wood is already well proven and can easily replace existing oil or gas systems which have water filled radiators. Automatic stoking systems, timers, electric ignition and automated ash disposal are all features which can easily be incorporated to make wood fuel heating very user friendly.
A study tour for interested individuals or companies from Highland Perthshire to Western Sweden is being planned for late February 2006. The objective is to look at best practice in Sweden so that an efficient wood fuel supply chain can be set up by those best placed to supply what is hoped will be a growing local market.
The installation of a woodfuel boiler in the new school campus at Breadalbane Academy may just be the encouragement that this project needs to get some momentum behind it.
Let’s hope that the political will is there to get this project off the ground.
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