The growing popularity of biomass as an alternative heating fuel for Scottish businesses is helping to develop a new economic sector that is bringing jobs and wealth to rural communities across the country.
A new report – published by Forestry Commission Scotland– shows that Scotland’s industrial and commercial sectors currently make use of 450,000 oven dried tonnes of woodfuel each year (equivalent to around 900,000 green tonnes of wood).
This level of demand – which has increased by 300% in just four years and is set to increase by another 100% in 2009/10 – is making a substantial contribution to Scotland’s drive to cut emissions and help tackle climate change.
Environment Minister, Roseanna Cunningham says: ‘This phenomenal increase is down to the fact that more and more businesses across Scotland are recognising that – with significant cost savings to be made – switching to biomass makes sound economic sense.
‘And if that were not enough of an incentive, companies can also rely on being able to source supplies locally, which together with the move to biomass offers a major boost to their carbon rating.
‘There is a real sense that the business, biomass and forestry sectors are gathering momentum in the drive to develop biomass to its maximum potential.
‘This is driving the growth of the woodfuel and biomass production sectors and helping to create sustainable, green jobs in rural communities – and that is going to play a big part in Scotland, reaching its emissions and renewable energy targets’.
Wood fuel projects currently operating in Scotland are estimated to save some 381,610 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, a rise of 12% from the carbon saving (47,590 tonnes) in 2007-2008.
The Scottish Government’s renewable energy targets aim to see 50% of Scotland’s electricity consumption – and 11% of heat usage – generated from renewable sources by 2020.
Small-medium sized enterprises in Scotland that are thinking of installing a heat-only biomass boiler can apply to the £3.3 million Scottish Biomass Heat Scheme (SBHS) for grant assistance.
The SBHS is funded by the Scottish Government, Forestry Commission Scotland and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
- For more information about the report visit the Forestry Commission website.
- For advice and assistance on the support available for a switch to biomass visit the Woodfuel website.
Yet another reason newsroom to re-look at the boundary lines being redrawn around the proposed SPA at Loch Fyne. This land will effectively be sterilised and prevented from growing further tree crops. Tree’s are already a major employer in and around our local area and this new proposed SPA will kill any further expansion and future job opportunities in the area. Our youngsters have little choice but to leave the area as we slowly cut our population throat with red tape and political indecision. Soon we will be no more than a visitor destination for the townies.
The area supports only two pairs of Eagles (one of which is ancient) and is only qualifying for SPA status if they lump it in with Loch Etive’s 17 pairs and call it one area. This land is good working land and should not be shut down in this way by SNH who is pis**d off because Argyll & Bute Council rightly rejected their poorly researched advise during a wind farm planning application at Stachian. Now using Euro legislation they are going to teach Argyll & Bute Council a lesson in messing with them. Problem is, it is us that pay the price as the government of the day allows the Highlands and Islands to be cleared yet again. Not an Eagle in the UK has ever been killed by a wind farm. Not one, never, ever, not even a feather on a wing. It is a fact that Eagles range through every wind farm in Argyll but still no deaths or injuries, not ever. We even had Eagle chics born on a wind farm sight in Argyll.
We do however switch on our televisions every night and see the thousands of human deaths as result of global warming around the world with the promise of even more to come but it’s another country and we have plenty of replacements, so its not SNH’s problem.
Check out the SNH website for the new proposed SPA’s and object to the Loch Fyne area being unfairly included by SNH who controls the drawing of the boundary lines. This is not about saving Eagles but about teaching Argyll & Bute Council a lesson and we should be having none of it. I urge everyone to write to the environment minister via the SNH website and ask her to reconsider the boundary around the Loch Fyne SPA and SNH’s horrific handling of this whole affair.
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