Biomass is a collective term for all plant and animal material. It is a very versatile material and can be used to produce heat, electricity and a combination of heat and power.

Wood is the oldest fuel known to man and burning wood is classed as “carbon neutral” because the amount of CO2 released to the atmosphere when wood is burnt will match the amount of CO2 the trees took up from the air when they were growing.

Biomass fired boilers are well suited to buildings without access to mains natural gas that rely on electricity or other fuels for heating.

The heating of homes and commercial premises, schools, colleges and factories using wood as a fuel is perfectly feasible.

There are two main methods of using biomass to heat a domestic property:

• Stand-alone stoves providing space heating for a room, that can be fueled by logs or pellets (only pellets are suitable for automatic feed)

• Boilers connected to central heating and hot water systems, suitable for pellets, logs or chips

The type of heating system you choose has a direct effect on the fuel used and the storage space required. For small-scale domestic applications of biomass, the fuel usually takes the form of wood pellets, wood chips and wood logs.

	Logs are the most easily available and common form of wood fuel in the UK. They are often used in wood burning stoves for direct room heating but can also heat water for central heating systems.
	Pellets are made from compressed sawdust so utilising the waste material from sawmills.
	Wood Chips are basically waste wood, shredded into flakes or chips. The wood is usually a by-product of forestry work, tree maintenance, timber harvesting etc.

The energy content of the fuel is related to its moisture content. High moisture content will slow the combustion process, as the moisture must first boil off before the fuel can burn.

For a biomass boiler or stove it is important to have storage space for the fuel, appropriate access to the boiler for loading and a local fuel supplier.

The vent material must be specifically designed for wood fuel appliances and there must be sufficient air movement for proper operation of the stove. The installation must also comply with all safety and building regulations.

If the building is listed, or in an area of outstanding natural beauty, then you will need to check with your local authority planning department before a flue is fitted.

Costs generally depend on the type and size of system chosen, and unlike other forms of renewable energy biomass systems require you to pay for the fuel. Fuel costs are generally dependant on the distance from your fuel supplier, but in today’s market, wood pellets, woodchip and logs are generally a cheaper way to heat than electricity and LPG and, in many instances, oil.

On a larger scale wood can also be used for the production of electricity. The main method of producing electricity from wood is a combustion plant, where the material is burned to produce steam.

Other source of wood fuel is energy crops. The perennial grasses Miscanthus and Switch grass are typical examples of energy crops as they produce high yield of dry matter. Producing energy from biomass has both environmental and economic advantages. It is most cost-effective when a local fuel source is used, which results in local investment and employment. Furthermore, biomass can contribute to waste management by harnessing energy from products that are often disposed of at landfill sites.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme offer grants for two wood fuelled options:

• Room heaters / Stoves with Automated wood pellet feed - £600 regardless of system size
• Wood Fuelled Boiler Systems comprising the main heating system that can be run on logs, wood chips and wood pellets - £1500 grant regardless of system size. Log burning stoves are excluded. 

Links for Further Information:

http://www.britishbiogen.co.uk/bioenergy/heating/woodasafuel.htm

http://www.greenenergy.org.uk/logpile