Surrey council chiefs have agreed to develop policies in favour of wood fuel, in a countywide effort to promote sustainability and reduce reliance on fossil fuel.
The endorsement of wood fuel by County Council Chief Executive David McNulty at the end of the Surrey Wood Fuel Summit last week delighted Surrey County Councillor Michael Sydney, who as chairman of the Surrey Hills AONB Board has championed wood fuel.
“I am convinced that this is the way forward to create a low cost sustainable energy source for the County. Surrey should be leading the field,”
he said.
After listening to presentations by wood fuel experts and a discussion focusing on cost comparisons, market demand, availability and commercial viability, he said the county needed to think ahead to the medium and longer term.
Decisions had to be made on a commercial basis and he said he was delighted with the business case for wood that had been put forward outlining substantial potential savings to the public purse. Surrey authorities should consider developing a broad policy in favour of wood fuel, with the caveat that in specific cases a business case might be proven that this was not the viable option.
The Surrey Wood Fuel Summit was held in Cranleigh School’s environmental showpiece, the Stephen Owen Studio, on February 24, with the aim of demonstrating to key local authority decision makers how they could achieve carbon reduction through biomass heating solutions using wood from the densely forested Surrey Hills as a sustainable, readily available source of fuel.
The case was put by delegates such as Angela Duignan the Forestry Commission’s expert on wood fuel, who explained that the South East had the potential to supply 1m tonnes of wood fuel a year, with opportunities for cost savings through the Renewable Heat Incentive. The supply side for Surrey wood chip and wood pellet is already in place. Successful examples of wood fuel systems already working in Surrey include Birtley House Nursing Home in Bramley. The Forestry Commission is researching the potential creation of jobs in the wood fuel industry.
Dick Bradford, Consultant in Building Services, Energy and the Environment, with 25 year’s experience as Chief Engineer for Barnsley, described how council policy drove the change to wood fuel in Barnsley involving future savings of £13m, where the onus was on the developer to demonstrate an alternative superior business case for a fossil fuel. Barnsley’s Building Schools for the Future programme uses wood fuel: conversion from coal to wood fuel, increases efficiency from 50% to 90%, he said. A new wood fuel installation in Barnsley costing £150k saved £850,000 over 20 years against the cost of gas. Old gas boilers could be retained for back-up purposes and the small amount of wood fuel ash produced, could be used as fertiliser.
Darren Mepham of MoleValley District Council said that a schedule of future infrastructure requirements for Surrey was being developed as part of the Surrey Community Strategy and all members needed to engage in the process.
Mark Lebus who runs LC Energy Ltd wood chip supply in the Surrey Hills, whose clients include Stansted Airport and the University of Surrey, pointed out that although wood fuel was only emerging in the UK, it was a successful mature industry with a long history in Europe. Laurence Crow, Woodland Management Consultant and Director of Surrey Hills Wood Fuel Group, highlighted the need to bring unmanaged woodlands back into active management; with all the benefits to nature conservation and the rural economy.
Angela Duignan acknowledged problems of engaging with landowners as the cost of woodland management was greater than the return. She highlighted role of woodland officers and the 100% grant available from the Forestry Commission to prepare Forest Plans. This is part of the strategy, she said. It needed a bottom up approach and she stressed the importance of developing the market.