Biomass
Overview
Biomass heating uses materials that were living relatively recently, such as wood, straw or
Miscanthus, as heating fuels. Although these materials release CO2 when burned, this is
exactly balanced by the amount they take up when growing.
The best overall energy balance is achieved when using biomass local to where it is
available, avoiding the need for transport over long distances. This does not mean that
biomass heating is only an option for rural areas. It is estimated that an additional 1
million tonne of wood per year could be recovered from unmanaged forests in England alone.
7.5 million tonnes of wood per year could be recovered from waste in the UK, 6 million tonnes of
which are currently disposed of in landfill (UK Biomass Strategy 2007).
Our experience in the engineering of biomass district heating systems goes back over 15
years. During that time, we have been responsible for the design and implementation of
over 40 biomass systems in the range 200kW to 5MW.
We cover all stages of design and implementation, from initial concept design to
system hand-over.
From 2009 to 2011, we provided design advice for biomass heating systems as one of 12
UK consultancies under the Carbon Trust Biomass Heat Accelerator project. As part of this
work, we were invited to contribute sections on boiler house design and fuel handling
systems to the Applications Manual written in partnership with CIBSE (expected to be published
in 2012).
Our Biomass Services
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