Burning wood to fuel power stations can create as many harmful carbon emissions as burning coal, according to a government report. UK taxpayers subsidise energy firms to burn wood to meet EU renewables targets. But the report from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) shows sometimes much bigger carbon savings would be achieved by leaving the wood in the forests. This suggests power firms may be winning subsidies for inadvertently making climate change even worse. The report has caused controversy within DECC as it indicates the initial subsidy rules were much too simplistic. The government has now promised to strengthen the regulations on burning wood, and to make standards mandatory. Environmentalists applauded the move but said they wanted to see details and a timetable for the new rules. They insisted that the proposed new regulations must be based on the new document. Whole trees v wood waste Burning biomass – such as wood – is not a zero-pollution option. It creates greenhouse gases to cut and transport the wood, and when the wood is burned. But supporters say that so long as the burned vegetation is replaced by new plants to absorb CO2 that should confer a significant advantage over using fossil fuels. And it counts as renewable energy because new trees soak up the CO2 emitted by the burned trees. The DECC report says a key error in the government’s previous calculations was a failure to acknowledge the different types of impact that can be created in different types of forests when wood is removed to burn. Burning whole logs from natural forests would be counter-productive, the report says, whilst generating power from wood waste that would otherwise be burned at the roadside could provide benefits for the environment overall.

  Tip 1: If you intend to get an automated wood heating system to replace a your existing boiler and heating system, forget using a log boiler or a woodstove. These won’t be for you. If you don’t object to a little daily loading up with logs and de-ashing, and if your lifestyle permits you to regularly tend to such tasks, then this is a good option for you. Tip 2: If you are lucky enough to have your own healthy supply of logs and you fit the criteria of Tip 1, a log boiler can be a really worthwhile investment with return rates of between 12-20% IRR. Tip 3: An important biomass tip is to always begin with the fuel when looking at getting a wood heating boiler. A key first step is to decide whether you want to use logs, wood pellets, or wood chips. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Pellets are the most convenient and compact of the three, and they are still made and delivered in a carbon-friendly way. They are, however, more expensive than the other two options. Also consider whether you can get your fuel delivered simply and economically. If the only way to get fuel into a storage silo is via a chipper (£35,000 or £250 per day), manually, or via a pallet truck and builder bags, prices can bump up significantly and become quite considerable. Tip 4: Make sure to get advice on wood fuel handling, choice, and design from an independent and experienced person. Around half of wood heating system issues arise because a mistake has been made in relation to the fuel used. Tip 5: Almost all wood boiler systems will operate better if they are linked to an accumulator tank. This aids to balance out the peaks and troughs of demand and to provide a little more gusto during the peak loads.

D-ENERGi from now on offer free fruit and cereals to help support all its staff healthy eating habbits. This provision is for all staff and has been well recieved. As an investors in people organisation D-ENERGi is commiteed to providing creating a modern caring,  productive working enviroment.

  DECC has published the fifth quarterly forecast for the non-domestic scheme along with an updated version of their non-domestic degression factsheet in order to prepare for changes that are being introduced to degression.  Crucially for Scottish Land & Estates’ members the small biomass tariff will be reduced by 5% from 1st July 2014. The total forecast expenditure for the scheme is £106.6 million. The total estimated expenditure represents the amount DECC anticipate they will pay out between 30 April 2014 and 29 April 2015, based on current application data. The total forecast expenditure exceeds the 50% threshold which can and has triggered a tariff reduction (as set out in regulations): The “50% trigger” for the scheme as a whole as at 30 April is £96.4m The “100% trigger”[1] for the scheme as a whole as at 30 April is £192.8m.   Since the last quarterly announcement (published 28 February 2014), the total forecast expenditure estimate has been increasing at a higher rate than previously seen, with the average monthly growth almost tripling. This is due to an increase in applications and load factors. As at 30 April 2014, only one technology tariff has exceeded its individual trigger: Forecast spend over the next 12 months for small commercial biomass is £58.4m. This is £24.4m over its individual technology trigger. Forecast spend for all other tariff categories shows these are below their individual tariff triggers for this quarter.   As small biomass has exceeded its individual trigger and the 50% total scheme trigger has also now been breached.