Wood fuel presentation

DT117/4 Sustainable Build & Design - Class Presentations

1. WOOD FUELWOOD FUEL
David GilloughleyDavid Gilloughley

2. WOOD FUELWOOD FUEL
►RenewableRenewable
►SustainableSustainable
►Carbon-neutral source Carbon-neutral source
of heat, electricity and of heat, electricity and
bio-fuelbio-fuel
►AbundantAbundant
►AccessableAccessable
►CleanClean

3. Fossil FuelsFossil Fuels
►Oil & CoalOil & Coal
►High PricesHigh Prices
►Serious DamageSerious Damage
►Global WarmingGlobal Warming

4. Disadvantages of Wood Fuel Disadvantages of Wood Fuel
►Wood must be dryWood must be dry
►Storage problemsStorage problems
►Chimney fire-hazardChimney fire-hazard
►Inefficiency of heating unitsInefficiency of heating units
►Methods of wood fuel preparationMethods of wood fuel preparation

5. Carbon NeutralCarbon Neutral
►CO2 released when CO2 released when
wood is burned is no wood is burned is no
greater than that of greater than that of
CO2 absorbed by a CO2 absorbed by a
young growing tree.young growing tree.
►Mature tree not a net Mature tree not a net
absorberabsorber
►Harvest & Recycle Harvest & Recycle
carbon from carbon from
young/regenerated young/regenerated
trees(coppice)trees(coppice)

6. SourcesSources
►Conventional ForestryConventional Forestry
►Large amount of forest Large amount of forest
landland
►Openings for farmersOpenings for farmers
►(SRF) Short Rotation (SRF) Short Rotation
ForestryForestry
►3 year cycle3 year cycle
►Willow treeWillow tree

7. How Wood BurnsHow Wood Burns
►Water is removed through evaporationWater is removed through evaporation
►Chemically – wood breaks down into Chemically – wood breaks down into
charcoal, gas and volatile liquids with CO2 charcoal, gas and volatile liquids with CO2
and water being the main end productsand water being the main end products
►Charcoal burns forming CO2 directly or with Charcoal burns forming CO2 directly or with
an intermediate conversion to carbon an intermediate conversion to carbon
monoxidemonoxide

8. Wood FuelWood Fuel
►86% total energy requirement86% total energy requirement
►€€5 billion spent on energy per year5 billion spent on energy per year
►Large outflow of cashLarge outflow of cash
►Help reduce our import dependanceHelp reduce our import dependance
►Improve our trade balanceImprove our trade balance

9. Types of Wood FuelTypes of Wood Fuel
►Firewood (mechanical Firewood (mechanical
processors) processors)
►Wood Pellets – Wood Pellets –
compressed saw dustcompressed saw dust
►Wood Chips – wood Wood Chips – wood
left to dry for 6 monthsleft to dry for 6 months

10. Some Interesting FactsSome Interesting Facts
►1000 litres of home-heating oil = 6 tonnes 1000 litres of home-heating oil = 6 tonnes
of dried chips = 2.5 tonnes wood pelletsof dried chips = 2.5 tonnes wood pellets
►Large detached house (200 sq m) 14 tonnes Large detached house (200 sq m) 14 tonnes
of wood chips per year or 6 tonnes of wood of wood chips per year or 6 tonnes of wood
pelletspellets

11. Wood Heating OptionsWood Heating Options
►Tradition wood heat Tradition wood heat
stove or fireplacestove or fireplace
►Pellet StovePellet Stove
►Wood FurnaceWood Furnace

12. ConclusionConclusion
►Long term alternative heat sourceLong term alternative heat source
►More common in recent yearsMore common in recent years
►A lot of workA lot of work
►Play a big part in heating homes in the Play a big part in heating homes in the
futurefuture

13. Any Questions?Any Questions?

14. ►Thank you for your timeThank you for your time