England to boost biomass industry to tackle climate change
A plan to boost the supply of environment-friendly woodfuel to cut greenhouse gases and produce enough energy to power 250,000 homes was unveiled by Britain's Forestry Commission. The commission developed the strategy in response to last April's Biomass Task Force report, taking into account the recommendations of the Stern report.
The Forestry Commission’s Woodfuel Strategy for England, launched by Biodiversity Minister Barry Gardiner, aims to boost the woodfuel market with an extra two million tonnes of wood a year by 2020, saving 400,000 tonnes of carbon annually – the equivalent of taking 550,000 cars off the road.
Carbon released into the atmosphere by burning woodfuel is absorbed by growing more trees. As well as cutting carbon and producing renewable energy, woodfuel benefits biodiversity through sustainable management of neglected woodlands and boosts the rural economy.
Barry Gardiner visited a trailblazing woodfuel scheme in Bristol today. Blaise Plant Nursery's boiler uses clean recovered wood from Bristol’s parks to heat greenhouses, saving £19,000 a year on fuel bills and contributing to climate change targets.
Barry Gardiner said:
biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: climate change :: carbon dioxide :: forestry :: wood :: biomass :: bioenergy :: England ::
Forestry Commission Chairman Lord Clark of Windermere said:
“Bristol City Council is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 3% each year to 2020 and by 60% by 2050.
The Forestry Commission’s Woodfuel Strategy for England, launched by Biodiversity Minister Barry Gardiner, aims to boost the woodfuel market with an extra two million tonnes of wood a year by 2020, saving 400,000 tonnes of carbon annually – the equivalent of taking 550,000 cars off the road.
Carbon released into the atmosphere by burning woodfuel is absorbed by growing more trees. As well as cutting carbon and producing renewable energy, woodfuel benefits biodiversity through sustainable management of neglected woodlands and boosts the rural economy.
Barry Gardiner visited a trailblazing woodfuel scheme in Bristol today. Blaise Plant Nursery's boiler uses clean recovered wood from Bristol’s parks to heat greenhouses, saving £19,000 a year on fuel bills and contributing to climate change targets.
Barry Gardiner said:
Using wood instead of fossil fuels means that sustainably managed woodland can be a significant resource for a low-carbon economy. Producing fuel from timber taken from well-managed woodlands benefits wildlife too.Biomass such as woodfuel currently supplies only three per cent of total UK energy. The strategy recommends provision of capital investment and technical advice and support for the supply chain. It also highlights the need to find new ways to engage with owners of woodlands. There are an estimated 50-80,000 woodland owners in England:
Stimulating the woodfuel market is good for jobs too, and this new strategy gives people the tools to realise the broad range of benefits that woodfuel has to offer. Government, business, communities and local authorities can together make woodfuel work for everyone’s benefit. - Biodiversity Minister Barry Gardiner.
biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: climate change :: carbon dioxide :: forestry :: wood :: biomass :: bioenergy :: England ::
Forestry Commission Chairman Lord Clark of Windermere said:
“Over half of England’s woodlands are currently under-managed. This is a significant and sustainable resource that we want to tap into.Paul Isbell, Bristol City Council Energy Manager, said:
This will also bring additional benefits including biodiversity. Bringing more woodland back into management will benefit a range of flora and fauna including species such as nightingales and woodland butterflies. Using wood to substitute for fossil fuels means that well managed woodland can help to combat climate change. So woodfuel is a winner on many counts.”
“Bristol City Council is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 3% each year to 2020 and by 60% by 2050.
“The Blaise project is the first of its kind in Bristol and it has already encouraged two further biomass projects: at Florence Brown Special Needs School in Knowle and the Netham Sports Pavilion. Four new secondary schools to be built in Bristol will also be installing woodfuel boilers resulting in one of the largest biomass heat clusters in the UK.The Forestry Commission will be working with delivery partners, including Regional Development Agencies, local authorities and private businesses, to produce a detailed implementation plan to support the strategy.
Heating the plant nurseries with woodfuel will save more than 100 tonnes of CO2 per year, making the growing of bedding plants at Blaise virtually carbon neutral.”
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