Knowledge: Biomass
Busting the biomass myths
Innasol’s 2014 Renewable Heat Report uncovered that the biggest hurdle facing
the biomass industry is a lack of awareness amongst consumers. David Rae,
director and cfo, demonstrates how the company is now working to set the record
straight, one myth at a time
Myth #1: RHI financial incentives are difficult to secure and
payback takes a long time
FALSE
This is understandably a key concern. Firstly, the so-called ‘elusive’
financial incentives are not difficult to secure - the government’s
RHI scheme can be obtained simply by submitting an application to
Ofgem. Quarterly payments will follow according to how much heat
is produced by the biomass boiler. Another worry is that the upfront
costs of installation and equipment are too much to justify switching:
this is also not true. There are quite a few options for homeowners to
consider. Loans can be secured from organisations like the Carbon
Trust or Energy Saving Trust and even some banks. It’s a popular
misconception that the return on investment timescale can be lengthy.
Under the domestic RHI scheme, full payback is normally achieved in
five to seven years.
Myth #2 Biomass heating poses a threat to woodland areas
FALSE
This is the main misconception standing between consumers and
lower energy bills. Wood used in biomass boilers is sustainably sourced:
wood pellets are often made from both recycled waste wood and
sawdust which would otherwise be wasted. Approximately 70 percent
of UK wood residue is not suitable for anything high value other than
wood fuel – this is proven by the fact that sustainable direct felling of
trees for wood fuels is approved by the Forest Stewardship Council and
the Grown in Britain programme. EU legislation deems it compulsory
for companies to guarantee that biofuels are produced sustainably in
terms of biodiversity protection, water pollution, soil degradation and
protection of habitats and species.
Myth #3: Feedstock has to be manually loaded into the boiler
FALSE
The truth is that wood pellets or chips are automatically loaded
into the boiler via the help of a vacuum or auger fuel feed system.
Fuel needs only to be sourced once or twice a year and stored in
a dry environment. Once burned, the ash can easily be disposed
of as domestic waste or used as a fertiliser. Modern systems have
automation features which allow customers to control their systems
via a smart phone/ PC/ tablet, making them convenient and easy to
control.
Wrongful dismissal: Innasol identified that consumers’ chief hang up on
switching to biofuels is the false belief that sourcing fuel is a threat to
natural woodland and tree cover in the UK, says director and cfo David Rae
Myth #4: Biomass boilers are difficult to install and maintain
FALSE
Many believe that biomass systems require huge amounts of
storage space and time. Biomass systems do require space; however
installation is simple and quick. A certified professional will install
the correct size efficiently. For boilers less than 20MW, a license is not
required to operate - this again makes the process quicker and simpler.
Myth #5: Biomass heating systems emit CO 2 and are
environmentally unfriendly
FALSE
The amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emitted into the atmosphere by
biomass systems is the same amount that the plants and trees would
have released during its decomposition, making them carbon neutral
energy systems. On top of that, the efficiency level of biomass boilers is
one of the highest at almost 95 percent. Hence, the amount of carbon
dioxide released is negligible compared to conventional boilers.
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