The grant of £15,000 to Highland Birchwoods in 2002-003
was for the purpose of investigating the use of wood fuel
in domestic and industrial situations and to support the
use of wood in manufacturing and tourism.
Established in 1992 as a partnership initiative,
exclusively funded from the public purse and of limited
duration, to promote and stimulate the development of a
local woodland economy and culture in the Scottish
Highlands, Highland Birchwoods has moved to being a largely
independent organisation. It is located at Munlochy on the
Black Isle.
The Highlands has a large timber resource, much of it
low grade and difficult to market because of the distances
from large scale fibre processors. Wood-fuelled heating
equipment has been developed over several decades in
Scandinavia. Over 40% of Scottish electricity demand is for
heat. Where haulage distances are below 50km wood fuel can
be competitive with most other energy sources, and there
can be considerable savings in energy costs.
The carbon released into the atmosphere when wood is
burnt is no greater than that released if the tree was left
to die and rot away. Also, the carbon released during
combustion is equal to the carbon absorbed from the
atmosphere by the tree as it grows. Therefore wood fuel
produced from sustainably managed forests is carbon
neutral. Sale of forest thinnings for woodfuel would help
improve biodiversity and recreational values of
woodlands.
The project raised the profile of wood fuel and provided
information and support to individuals, businesses and
community groups. The company promoted the project at a
conference in Kinlochleven in May 2002. Among other
promotion, a leaflet was circulated at events, as well as
through Highland Council service points and libraries.
The project identified key potential woodchip/firewood
heating customer groups - e.g. social housing schemes,
buildings with a constant heat demand such as hospitals and
hotels, farms and community centres. With grants launched
through the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Community
Energy Unit for community and household biomass schemes,
the company judged the project emphasis should shift from
the individual householder to broader-based district
heating.
The project played a role in: district heating in Wick
(approx 10MW) using rail to transport woodchips to Wick
town centre, and supply the Caithness Central Hospital and
houses in Pultneytown with heat; and a district heating
scheme in Helmsdale to heat the Timespan Heritage Centre,
the new Helmsdale Community Centre, and possibly
hotels.
The company designed a low-technology chip drying system
for further testing - for climatic reasons, more of a need
in Scotland than in Scandinavia.
The company saw the scope for further work including
greater timber residue utilization for energy in the timber
processing industry, and improvements in log fuel quality
and delivery.
There was discussion with a plantation owner on
integrating wood fuel harvesting with plantation
restructuring - which should be relevant to forest managers
with poor quality crops and distant markets. There was also
discussion with Forest Enterprise on demonstrations at two
sites. The project was involved in assisting a small
sawmill in becoming a fuel supplier. Residue disposal was
found a major cost for sawmills, as is energy for
kilning.
Project success included assisting market development,
researching outstanding technical and forest management
issues, and building up a wide network of wood fuel
contacts. This showed that adoption of wood fuel heating
systems in the Highlands would require a different approach
to that in other parts of the UK and elsewhere in Europe
because of the small population base, the damp climate, the
limited road network and the very remote location of much
of the timber resource. Solutions will need to be
predominantly small-scale, and closely integrated with
management and improvement of the forest resource. This
will need close attention to woodchip quality, moisture
content, careful planning of harvesting and restocking and
continuing information dissemination.
Contact
Highland Birchwoods
Littleburn
Munlochy
Ross-shire
IV18 0LL
Telephone: 01463 811653
www.highlandbirchwoods.co.uk