Firms warm to wood power
By Environment Correspondent KELLEY PRICE
A GROWING number of Tees Valley companies are warming to the idea of cost and carbon-cutting wood fuel.
Several companies are planning to install the clean, green alternative to traditional heating, according to NEWHeat, which promotes the system in the North-east. It wants to help 300 businesses make the switch by next March.
But as Energy Saving Week approaches this Monday, eco-advisors are encouraging businesses to look first at ways of saving energy with existing systems.
North East Wood Heat (NEWHeat) is backed by One NorthEast and rural development funds to provide impartial advice to businesses on the benefits of wood heat.
NEWHeat director David Clubb said: “We have carried out 150 site visits to assess whether wood fuel would be suitable. So far, around 15 to 20 businesses have gone ahead to the next stage, several of which are on Teesside. Energy is increasing as a proportion of overall business costs and they can add to their margins significantly with wood fuel.”
Fuel bills from a wood boiler, which can be run alongside traditional fossil fuel heating, are around half that of a standard condensing boiler and the environmental benefits are much greater.
Virgin forestry off-cuts from clearing maintenance work are the main feedstock.
Daniel Ludgate, business development manager at energy advice service TADEA, based at Billingham, said: “Wood heat is carbon neutral in effect and can have a considerable impact on reducing a company’s emissions.
“But businesses looking to cut their overall energy use should first think about low and no-cost ways of saving energy with the systems they’ve got.”
David Clubb added: “The North-east is leading the way in the development of biomass. We are the region that is thinking most strategically about these projects long-term.”
NEWHeat will host the UK’s first dedicated wood fuel expo, Ignition09, to be held at The Sage, Gateshead, in March next year.
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