Latest woodfuel statistics show demand on increase

The latest statistics report on woodfuel usage in Scotland shows that the popularity of woodfuel looks set to continue to increase aver the next few years.

Published by Forestry Commission Scotland, the report provides data on existing and potential woodfuel usage in the commercial, industrial heat and electrical generation sectors of the Scottish market.

Detailing information for 2010, the report also forecasts usage for 2011 and 2012.

Key points made in the report include;

• During 2010 wood fuel usage increased by 118k oven dried tonnes (odt) to 618k odt/yr.

• Current wood fuel projects in Scotland save an estimated 902,000 tonnes of C02 emissions annually, almost twice as much as in 2009 (509,000 tonnes)


• The total of wood going directly or indirectly into wood fuel is forecast at some 800k odt in 2011 rising to in excess of one million odt in 2012.

Minister for the Environment & Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson, said:

"Clearly, woodfuel and biomass have an important role to play in Scotland’s journey towards developing a renewable, sustainable energy supply – and this latest update report offers some encouraging evidence of how well woodfuel is being integrated into that process.

"While the Scottish Government is keen to ensure that appropriate support is provided to help further biomass development and that the full potential of biomass is realised, it is vital that in the face of the increasing demand for woodfuel and the growing competition for supply, everyone plays their part to ensure that the most efficient and beneficial use is made of this finite resource."