Transcript UK Woodfuel Suppliers Group

Presentation
by
Robert Bland
Chair of The Confor
UK Woodfuel Suppliers Group
“Immediate priorities for the UK
wood fuel supply chain”
At EBEC
Wednesday 5th October
2011
Our Purpose
The UK wood fuel Suppliers Group was formed
earlier this year to represent and coordinate the
views and interests of the many businesses
scattered across the country, actively involved in
the manufacture and distribution of wood fuel
for use in heating to end users across the UK.
Current and Potential Members
• We have 20-25 paid up members in the UK
Manufacturing, storing and delivering in bulk woodchips, wood pellets
and logs to an increasing number and range of end users.
• New industries’
Customers already include district housing schemes, schools and
colleges, public buildings, hospitals, offices, care homes, glasshouses,
poultry farms to name a few.
With the 2nd wave of RHI due in 2012, we will add individual
households.
Before installing your boiler…
Contact your local supplier !
The following aspects of wood fuel supply can have a major impact on
the long term costs of converting to wood fuel:
• Wood fuel being blown, tipped or delivered in hook lift bins.
• Distances from your nearest depot.
• They can help with a cost effective practical designs of the wood
fuel hopper/silo and access to it…..very important!
• You may well need time to ensure that the supplier has sufficient
dry timber to meet your system’s needs. We believe a fixed term
supply contract is in the best interests of both parties.
Talk to him as soon as you can!
You can find a list of wood fuel suppliers in your area on the Biomass Energy Centre website
which is hosted by the Forestry Commission.
Take care in selecting your supplier
This new borne industry’s reputation is very
much at stake. “Doing it right”, is more often
than not “easier said than done” care should be
taken in selecting a supplier who “can do it
right” reliably and regularly.
Ensuring that Wood Chip is Delivered
Consistently
It is vitally important that wood fuel, whatever the format, is
consistently manufactured, handled and delivered to exacting
preset and demanding standards.
For example…
• Chip being delivered at the correct moisture content
depending on the boiler. This has an impact on the boiler
efficiency and running costs.
• Minimizing dust content in blown deliveries.
• What species of defines a hardwood log?
Members of the WSG must be able to demonstrate they are
credible and creditable partners you can rely on.
I am confident we can do it.
Educating the customerIs burning trees bad for the environment?
•
I believe many people outside the industry are afraid that our woodlands will be at
risk from the increase in demand for wood biomass as the RHI is implemented.
•
There remains much work to be done in explaining to the nation the confusing
facts of carbon reduction arising from “burning locally grown trees”.
Suffice to say…
•
The majority of UK woodland and forestry would benefit from much needed
thinning and by law “clear felling licenses” are not granted by the F C unless new
replacement trees (which will absorb carbon unlike older trees) are planted.
•
The Forestry Commision’s new wood fuel Implementation Plan will bring more
woods into financially sustainable management. Members will need to
demonstrate that their wood fuel has been sourced sustainably.
WSG
• The Group is admirably organized and coordinated by
CONFOR (The Confederation of Forest Industry) and
remains affiliated to the REA (The Renewable Energy
Association).
• We are a new Group with much to do and much to achieve.
We read with interest the carbon reduction targets put
forward by the Government, related to the anticipated use
of wood fuel over the coming years following the
introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive. The WSG are
confident the existing infrastructure and pipeline is not only
in position but well bedded in to deliver these volumes.
An example of a WSG member –
Midlands Wood Fuel Ltd
• We are based in Shropshire but operate across the Midlands, Mid Wales
and now the North West supplying bulk wood chip, wood pellet and some
bespoke consultancy.
• We operate from 11 depots strategically located to be as close as possible
to both our customers and our primary sources of green timber. This
minimizes ever escalating transport costs and of course, our carbon
footprint.
• The company has been trading for some 5/6 years and we are pleased to
announce our 130th new customer last month. Early this year, we were
rewarded with the Ashden “Sustainable Energy Business Award” for 2011.
• Next year, our volumes will almost double and assuming a reasonable
uptake from the RHI, we expect these volumes to at least double again the
year after within our operating area. We will be buying timber before
Xmas this year for supply to our customers as dry woodchip in October
2012.
Summary
The wood fuel supply chain is currently well
placed across the UK to supply the growing
requirements of the anticipated surge in
biomass boiler installations, resulting from the
newly announced RHI.
Please find your local supplier at an early stage
and talk to him…..it could save you a great deal.