The UK burned more than eight million tonnes of wood pellets in 2018. Let’s take a closer look at forest fuels since this is the subject that is close to our heart.
Did you know that at the end of August 2019 the United Kingdom did not burn coal to produce energy for the first time in 137 years! All this due to increasing efforts in utilising solar, wind and gas power and of course biofuels… which have now made the UK one of the leading countries in replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources.
What Are Forest Fuels?
In most simple terms forest fuels are wood pellets, wood chips, logs and other biomass produced from processing wood. When processed to the highest standard, forest fuels can be efficient sources for generating electricity. And they come with many environmental and financial benefits.
Are Forest Fuels environmentally friendly?
While forest fuels burn less efficiently than coal, they are better for the environment. Companies like Woodyfuel take a responsible approach to the process of obtaining biomass. We employ the best forest fuel practices which involve planting trees for regrowth.
Growth of the Industry
Forest fuels require the regrowth of trees, as mentioned above. For this reason, vast regions of import sites have “working forests.” These regions produce furniture, paper, and construction materials. Timber harvests have increased over the past fifty years. Wood pellet and chips production have been a significant part of that growth, which has risen to 10 million tonnes in 2017.
The industry growth has also benefited local communities. The forest fuel industry creates employment opportunities and revenue for people. While antagonists might be wary of such rapid growth, it has stimulated local economies in many ways.
Creating a Working Forest
To account for the rapid industry growth, fuel producers across the country are replanting and regrowing forests. They’re growing more efficient, too. With every shipment of wood chip and wood pellets, they are cutting down fewer trees and replanting more.
Landowners often receive incentives to replant and grow more trees in place of removed ones which helps with environmental impact. With tree replanting, less environmental adversity occurs than with industrial agriculture or urban development.
Industry-Specific Needs
Unlike the paper industry, wood chip and pellet manufacturing do not require massive trees. Instead, producers can generate forest fuels from forestry residue and smaller-diameter trees. This allows for many large trees to remain untouched.
This type of wood is also easy to obtain by overplanting forests. Landowners do not have to wait for full-size trees. Instead, they can plant smaller trees. As the trees start to grow and crowd, forests are thinned-out and sold to wood chip and pellet plants like Woodyfuel.
High-Quality forest fuels
Once wood fuel supply is completed, Woodyfuel focuses on reducing the moisture content to increase chip and pellet efficiency. If your business runs on green and sustainable forest fuel while profiting from low running costs and logistics, Woodyfuel will be a great partner for any commercial sector representative. Reductions of carbon dioxide, highest RHI payments, and many benefits coming from supporting local communities are guaranteed when trading with Woodyfuel. With many years of presence in the industry and our experience, we can guarantee the best forest fuel supply to your company.
The Future of Renewable Energy
As the UK seeks to rectify years of environmental damage, the conversation of renewable energy becomes more prevalent. Renewable energy, like forest fuels, presents many benefits to the environment and community. Some of those benefits include:
- Fewer greenhouse emissions
- Saving money
- Lower maintenance needs
- Health benefits
- Reduced dependence on imported and limited fuel sources
- Improved air quality
The objective – and future – of renewable energy sources is to find sustainable solutions to everyday needs. Forest fuels use renewable resources to create both energy and economic opportunity. Businesses, foresters, landowners, and citizens everywhere ultimately benefit from this collective objective.
