Wood fuelled future moves a step closer

Wood's comeback as an environmentally friendly fuel for generating heat and power moved a significant step forward today.

Forestry Commission Director-General Tim Rollinson launched three key new sources of information for potential users and suppliers of woodfuel and other "biomass", during an event at the APF International Forestry Machinery Exhibition at Ragley Estate, Alcester, Warwickshire.

Aimed at making information available to specialist and non-specialist audiences, the three new information guides are:

* "Woodfuel - Frequently Asked Questions", a Forest Research factsheet with answers in non-technical language to questions about woodfuel. The factsheet is a component of Forest Research's Woodfuel Information Pack, which contains information on a range of woodfuel subjects;

* "The Quest for Sustainable Energy - Woodfuel Meets the Challenge", a 10-page, layperson's guide to woodfuel published by Forest Research with support from the Commission and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). It sets out facts about the benefits of woodfuel, the different types of woodfuel products, information about drying woodfuel, costs, marketing and sources of woodfuel. It also looks at the future for woodfuel; and

* the Biomass Energy Centre (BEC) website, which is a "one-stop shop" information centre hosted by the Commission's Forest Research agency on behalf of the Commission and Defra. It contains a wealth of technical information about all forms of biomass fuels, including woodfuel. Biomass fuels are fuels based on biological sources, such as plants, sewage and even parts of animal carcasses.

Mr Rollinson also announced that the Commission is committing a further £30,000 to support the centre's provision of technical and scientific advice, information and best practice guidance. He said,

"Climate change is the single biggest threat to the sustainability of life on Earth, and sustainably produced woodfuel and other biomass fuels can have an important role to play in mitigating climate change, because they cause very low nett emissions of carbon to the atmosphere.

"Woodfuel, when it is produced in managed forests - which we do in Britain - is a sustainable resource that can be supplied forever, unlike fossil fuels, which, once they have been used, cannot be replaced.

"Over the past few years we have spent a great deal of effort on research into the science and technology of woodfuel and other biomass fuels, and on developing the market and increasing their use.

"We have been moving forward on several fronts - evaluating the fuel resources available, developing the supply side, developing the market side, bringing the two together, and making information available.

"Among the key needs for developing the market are sources of reliable, technically sound information for all interested parties. I'm therefore delighted to launch these three new sources of information, which I'm confident will be invaluable to anyone interested in using or supplying wood fuel and other forms of biomass fuel."

The "Woodfuel - Frequently Asked Questions" factsheet is available as part of the Woodfuel Information Pack. The pack costs £10, and information about it and how to order it can be found at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/fr/infd-66sjac. Alternatively, contact Sally Simpson at Forest Research to buy a copy: sally.simpson@forestry.gsi.gov.uk; tel: 01420 22255. (People who have already bought a Woodfuel Information Pack should automatically receive a complimentary new factsheet to add to their packs - they do not need to order one.)