DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (News Release ref :
110/08) issued by The Government News Network on 9 April 2008
The huge potential
of reusing waste wood as fuel is being wasted, Environment
Minister Joan Ruddock has warned. The significant carbon and
energy benefits of recovering energy from waste wood are detailed
in a new information report on the sector that surveys the
activities of producers, aggregators and users of waste wood.
Recycling and energy markets for clean, virgin wood have been
growing in recent years; however waste wood has been a largely
overlooked resource. Currently up to 10 million tonnes of waste
wood is being produced in the UK each year, most of which goes to landfill.
Joan Ruddock, Minister for Climate Change and Waste, said:
"It has been estimated that recovering energy from 2 million
tonnes of waste wood could generate 2600GWh electricity and save
1.15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, with
greater benefits available by recovering heat as well as power.
This is a huge potential resource that is being wasted."
With the majority of waste wood arisings being contaminated, the
key to realising this potential is more, geographically dispersed,
Waste Incineration Directive compliant combustion facilities
delivering both energy and heat recovery.
The publication of the Waste Wood Information Report fits well
with the intended convergence of energy and waste policy by
creating greater awareness of this substantial, indigenous and
largely untapped biomass resource available in municipal,
construction and demolition and commercial and industrial waste
streams. This coincides with the banding of the Renewables
Obligation which will significantly increase support for
electricity generated from biomass and combined heat and power (CHP).
Notes to Editors
Further information is available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/woodwaste.htm
The carbon and energy benefits from waste wood have been
highlighted in a number of recent publications, including the
Waste Strategy for England 2007, the UK Biomass Strategy and the
Energy White Paper.
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