Tag Archives: Wood Pellets

Biomass wood fuel burning boilers

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31 JULY 2012 – Biomass wood fuel burning boilers

NEWS RELEASE No: 15580

ISSUED JOINTLY WITH CENTRAL SCOTLAND WOODFUEL FORUM

Free woodfuel event in Falkirk

A FREE event to help hard pressed businesses save cash and cut their carbon footprints by using local firewood takes place near Falkirk soon.

Hotel owners, farmers, tourism businesses and anyone else keen to explore the incentives and cutting edge technology for burning wood are invited to the information evening at Airth Castle Hotel on 9 August.

The event is being organised by the Central Scotland Woodfuel Forum. Until the 20th century, firewood was the most common source of fuel used by Scottish farms, hostelries and homes for heating and cooking. As oil central heating ushered in a new era of convenience, the use of firewood declined, and on many farms trees were removed or left unmanaged. However soaring prices of high carbon heating fuels such as coal and kerosene and huge advances in wood burning technology have recently triggered a steep rise in demand for woodfuel. Sales of wood burning stoves have rocketed and firewood merchants across the country are struggling to keep up with the explosion in demand for logs to fuel them.

Meanwhile, as the drive to cut carbon emissions gathers pace and oil prices rise, biomass boilers are rapidly gaining recognition as a practical, efficient way of heating homes and businesses. Dan Gates, from the wood heating specialists Uaine Limited, chairs the Central Scotland Woodfuel Forum and will be the keynote speaker at the free seminar on 9 August from 6 – 8 pm. Mr Gates draws on eight years’ experience in the biomass industry in asserting that the time is ripe for bringing woods into management for fuel. “With the new and rapidly expanding market for woodfuel, and uncertainty over the future affordability of fossil fuel heating, the economic case for land managers to diversify into growing trees for firewood is getting stronger all the time,’ he said. Figures and productivity rates will be explored during the workshop. Mr Gates says two to three hectares of well managed woodland would be enough for a medium to large farmhouse with a 25 – 50 kilowatt boiler to be entirely self sufficient in fuel. “Support is available to help finance forestry projects and biomass boilers, and to help with marketing woodfuel produced on the farm,” he added. “The Scotland Rural Development Programme can fund boilers and specialist processing equipment, and encourages the creation of new woodlands with grants that will contribute to the cost of their establishment. “Automated log, chip and pellet boilers are eligible for payments under the UK Government’s Renewable Heat Inventive(RHI), a cash back scheme for heat similar to the feed in tariff for solar or wind.” Event organiser Amanda Calvert of Rural Enterprise Services said using woodfuel was one of the most environmentally friendly ways to heat homes and businesses. “A tree absorbs the same amount of carbon dioxide when it is growing as is released when it is burned,” she explained. “Meanwhile burning fossil fuels like coal and oil releases carbon stored underground millions of years ago. “Vast quantities of greenhouse gases are released through the refining, transportation and burning of oil, coal and gas. The emissions from biomass are well under 10% of those from fossil fuel.”

The Airth Castle event is the second in a series of five free seminars being held across southern Scotland over the course of the summer. Similar events will be held at Falkland Estate on Fife on 23 August; Whitmuir near Selkirk on 6 September and Dunbar on 20 September.

Keith Wishart, Forestry Commission Scotland Conservator for Central Scotland said: “For farmers, developing their own woodfuel supply from under managed woodlands could be very beneficial. Trees can turn an unproductive area of land to a productive one. ” “Developing their own woodfuel supply can be an opportunity for farmers to both to save money in fuel costs and to develop a new income stream from sales of woodfuel.”

To book your place at the seminar or for details of future events contact Amanda Calvert on 07956622452 e-mail acres@amandacalvert.co.uk . For more information on woodfuel as a source of renewable energy www.usewoodfuel.co.uk

Source: www.forestrycommission.com

Biomass boilers fit the bill

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Biomass boilers fit the bill – but plan projects carefully

 Olivia Cooper

Friday 06 July 2012 06:50
Modern biomass technology is very much in its infancy, so new projects must be carefully planned to avoid any pitfalls.

The first consideration, according to Kate Hutchinson, biomass energy consultant at the Scottish Agriculture College, is to ascertain what type of fuel will suit you best.

“Just because you have one type of fuel available on the farm doesn’t mean it is the right choice for you – you need to fully understand the pros and cons of each system.” For example, while solid wood may be freely available, it requires frequent manual loading, so opting for an automated pellet boiler may be better.

Fuel storage and delivery is another important factor, as is choosing an experienced manufacturer and installer. “It is a good idea to go with someone that has a good track record; because it’s a new industry there are lot of companies starting up that have no real experience.”

To qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive, farmers must ensure the boiler, installer and final use are eligible, she adds. “If it’s less than 45kW, both the boiler and installer must be accredited with the Microgeneration Certification scheme.”

Boilers smaller than 200kW cannot be registered for the RHI until they are installed and commissioned, so investors must ensure the boiler qualifies before proceeding. “Once it’s up and running it’s a bit late to discover it’s not eligible.”

Currently, only non-domestic projects qualify for the RHI, which means the boiler must be heating a business premises or more than one separately-rated household. “If you’re heating a workshop and the farmhouse, check that the workshop is not considered to be part of the house for council tax banding.” Biomass must also be the primary fuel source – so multi-fuel boilers will not qualify.

Biomass boilers can also be used for grain dryers, but a lack of definitive guidance means it can be difficult to comply with the regulations, says Miss Hutchinson. “The heat must be used in a wholly enclosed building, so open-sided tray dryers wouldn’t be eligible.” The boiler must also heat water rather than simply producing hot air, so it will require a heat exchanger and fans.

“Getting independent advice at the early stage of planning is very valuable, but because the industry hasn’t been going for very long there aren’t very many experienced consultants out there,” she adds.

Although the RHI application should take six weeks for Ofgem to approve, they often require additional information, which delays the whole process.

“Make sure you allow plenty of time for every stage – installers are very busy, so there can be unforeseen setbacks at any time.”

 

Case Study: John Seed, Duns, Scottish Borders

 

John Seed installed a biomass boiler at Woodend Farm, Duns, in the Scottish Borders, last year to power the farm’s grain dryer. “I wanted to stop the haemorrhaging of cash on heat and power, with a system that would suit an arable enterprise.”

With 200ha of cereals, he powers the 450kW boiler with 170t of oilseed rape straw a year – although it can also burn woodchip and other biomass fuels. Solar panels also provide electricity for the farm.

“It’s been fairly simple to replace the boiler, but it’s been quite a job getting the RHI because we are all learning as we go along.” By passing the exhaust gases from the boiler through the accumulator tank, Mr Seed has increased the overall boiler efficiency to 88%.

He has replaced the old continuous flow dryer with an on-floor system with ducts and grain stirrers, but says a new building isn’t essential. “These drying systems can be easily retrofitted to many grain stores.” The ash from the boiler is applied as a soil conditioner, helping to reduce fertiliser bills.

As well as the grain dryer, the boiler heats the farmhouse, offices, cottages and, soon, a new poultry business. Installing the correct metering to meet RHI requirements has been particularly time consuming, but it will certainly be worth it.

“In 2011 we saved £38,500 in gas and heating oil, and we expect to receive RHI payments of £25,000 a year. The Overdahl system, district heating and central heating systems cost around £250,000, while the on-floor grain dryer cost a further £95,000, so we are looking at a payback of around seven years.”

 

RHI biomass boilers

 

  • Plan projects carefully 
  • Allow plenty of time for every stage – installers are busy and setbacks often delay projects 
  • Fuel choice – not just a matter of availability – consider handling practicalities and suitability also 
  • Look at track record of supplier, manufacturer and installer 
  • Check RHI requirements – size and type of project, deadlines 
  • Multi-fuel boilers do not qualify for RHI – biomass must be primary fuel source 
  • RHI application should take six weeks but Ofgem often requires additional information, causing delays

Source: http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/06/07/2012/133786/Biomass-boilers-fit-the-bill-but-plan-projects-carefully.htm

Written Ministerial Statement on the Renewable Heat Incentive – Biomass boilers

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11 June 2012

Greg Barker MP: Minister of State for Climate Change

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)  is the first of its kind in the world and
provides long term support for renewable heat technologies such as heat pumps,
biomass boilers and solar thermal panels.

On 26 March 2012 I reaffirmed Government’s commitment to growing the UK
market for renewable heat technologies by announcing further support for the
domestic sector under a second phase of the Renewable Heat Premium Payment
Scheme (RHPP).  At the same time I set out our delivery timetable for providing
longer term support for  households, expanding the non-domestic scheme and
transparent plans for staying within our budget for this year.

I am pleased to report that we are on track to meet the RHI delivery
timetable and have met our first milestone.

In March we consulted on a mechanism for more effectively managing the RHI
budget in the short term.  Today, I am pleased to publish our response which
will ensure we have a stand-by budget management mechanism in place this summer,
enabling the sustainability of the scheme by allowing us to keep within the
budgetary limits set by the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR).  Further, I can
confirm that we are on track to consult on longer term proposals in July 2012 as
planned.

To ensure the supply chain can be maintained with the available funds in this
spending review period, we have set an upper limit of £70m for 2012/13.
However, it is important to note that the funding amounts announced in the
spending review for 2013/14 and 2014/15 are unchanged.

The upper limit of £70m ensures that the 2013/14 budget of £251m would be
enough to pay for existing installations and new installations, were the 2012/13
limit to be reached.  A higher limit for 2012/13 would leave insufficient funds
available in the following year for new installations and therefore could be
very damaging to the renewable heat industry.

In the event of having to use the stand-by mechanism, a notice period of one
week would allow for a much higher trigger point for suspension of the scheme
(£67.9m, 97% of the £70m limit) compared with one months’ notice (£56m, 80% of
the £70m limit) and would also reduce the chances of scheme suspension being
triggered unnecessarily.

We recognise the need to provide comprehensive information on current and
forecast scheme expenditure  and make it publically available.  To do this we
will provide a weekly information update on our website, tracking our committed
expenditure. If required we will also provide an estimated date of suspension
prior to the formal notice period, in the event of an unexpected surge in uptake
such that suspension is likely to be triggered.

I would like to thank all those people who helped us develop these plans.  I
can confirm that after careful consideration, should we need to use the stand-by
mechanism, this will be done when the spend in 2012/13 is forecast to reach
£67.9m with a formal notification period of one week.  Given current uptake
figures, we do not currently envisage having to use this mechanism. However, we
have learnt from our previous experiences and want to provide assurances to the
market and the public that we are spending money on the RHI in a sustainable
way.

Government remains committed to the deployment of renewable heat and as such
we are continuously looking at innovative ways of supporting it across all
sectors including biomass boilers.

Source: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/wms_rhijun12/wms_rhijun12.aspx

 

Biomass boilers for Scotland

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£5m green energy boost for Scottish homeowners

Published on Saturday 23 June 2012 01:52

A FURTHER £5 million has been set aside to help homeowners generate clean, green energy.

The fund, announced by energy minister Fergus Ewing, will be used to provide loans of up to £10,000 for renewable heat technology projects, such as biomass boilers and heat pumps. The scheme will run from August.

The loans are part of a wider strategy announced by the Scottish Government, which aims to encourage people to install microgeneration technologies in their homes, businesses and schools.

Mr Ewing said: “In Scotland, we are blessed with a wealth of natural resources which can be harnessed to power our nation, and, increasingly, technologies such as solar panels, heat pumps and biomass mean we can harness this energy in our own homes, schools, offices and businesses.

“The Scottish Government has the most ambitious renewable energy targets in the world, but the growth of microgeneration is not simply about meeting targets.

“This work can help contribute to Scotland’s transition to a low-carbon economy, it can support jobs in Scotland and create new ones, and it can help energy efficiency, reducing bills and taking more households out of fuel poverty.

“This strategy sets out the Scottish Government’s ambitions for the microgeneration sector, showcasing what’s already been achieved and the work we have done to make it easier for people all over Scotland to take the first steps to moving towards generating their own renewable energy.”

The new loans provide a boost to the existing Home Renewables Loan Scheme and are aimed at helping Scotland meet the government’s target of at least 100,000 homes having some form of renewable heating system by 2020.

Source: www.scotsman.com