Wood Energy

Wood energy is the largest renewable energy sector in the EU providing 66% of all the renewables used. In the UK it is also the single largest sector and provides about 20% of our renewable energy. In Scotland 90% of our renewable heat comes from wood energy.

Scotland currently uses about 1.3 million tonnes of wood for energy. Targets to combat climate change, reduce carbon emissions and increase renewable energy suggest that by 2020 Scotland will be using 3.8 million tonnes of wood for energy.

Wood energy is supplied as 3 main fuel types.

1. Chips 2. Pellets 3. Logs

The feedstock sources used to produce wood fuels are:

Small roundwood.

Recycled wood.

Co-poducts from sawmills.

In addition wood fuels can be produced from brash and lop and top from forestry operations, purpose grown energy crops like short rotation willow coppice and aboricultural arisings. These sources may grow as demand for wood fuels increase.

There are four markets for wood fuels - see wood energy markets for more details:

Wood energy is the largest renewable energy sector in the EU providing 66% of all the renewables used.

In the UK it is also the single largest sector and provides about 20% of our renewable energy.

In Scotland 90% of our renewable heat comes from wood energy.

We currently use about 1.3m tonnes of wood for energy which results in 90% of the total Scottish renewable heat produced.

Targets to combat climate change, reduce carbon emissions and increase renewable energy suggest that by 2020 Scotland will be using 3.8m tonnes of wood for energy.

Wood energy is supplied as 3 main fuel types: chips pellets and logs. Woodfuel can be produced from small roundwood, recycled wood, sawmill co-products and branches and other byproducts from forestry operations. The importance of energy forestry crops such as short rotation forestry and short rotation willow coppice will also grow as demand for woodfuel increases.

The Renewable Heat Incentive will be a strong stimulus to market development for wood-based heat products.

See our wood energy markets page for more information..