Ten arguments for heating with wood

WOOD – Return of a forgotten fuel

A guide to wood fuel in Ireland

 Wood – the return of a forgotten energy source

Wood a CO 2 -neutral energy source

With the recent reports on climate change published by the United Nations IPCC (Spring
2014) it is now widely understood and solidly accepted by science that mankinds usage
of fossil fuels has released vast quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere,
and this is causing alarming changes to the worlds climate. These changes appear evident
in Ireland over the past few years with excessive flooding and other extreme weather
events becoming more frequent.
At the domestic level it is worth noting that for every litre of oil we use to heat our homes
we emit 2.7 kilograms of CO 2.

In contrast, wood is a CO 2-neutral energy source since it only emits as much CO 2 on

burning as it absorbed while growing. With proper sustainable management of our forests
we can ensure the cycle is continued and the CO2 released by burning wood is reabsorbed
into the next crop of timber.

Photo Courtesy of Cotter Bros

 Ten arguments for heating with wood

Wood – The return of a forgotten energy source

Wood has been a fuel for mankind for sold in Ireland.

millennia. However, in recent centuries, wood
has been replaced as the principal fuel by fossil Tom Bruton & Noel Gavigan, Irish
energy sources such as coal, natural gas or Bioenergy Association, 2014
crude oil. Increasing energy costs, the finite
nature of fossil resources, current supply
uncertainties and the climate change effects of
fossil fuels have contributed to a situation in When buying wood fuel, Look for the WFQA label!
which the energy source of wood has moved
into the focus of public interest. Heating with
wood has gained broad acceptance again, and
coupled with modern technology has never
been more convenient!

This guide explains the different wood fuel

types and explains how to identify quality wood
fuels (sadly a skill lost to most of society since
the introduction of coal, oil and gas). This
brochure is intended to help fuel producers and
customers to better understand their options
when considering wood.
The Wood Fuel Quality Assurance scheme is an
all island scheme established to increase
consumer confidence in wood fuel products
How much Energy is in Wood Fuel?
The critical factor in determining how much energy is in wood is the water content. Wet wood
does not burn easily, and when it does a lot of the heat is used to boil off the water. Wood
fuels should contain less than 25% of water, and ideally should be under 20%. Higher
moisture also leads to a drop in the combustion temperature below the ideal range. This leads
to increased smoke formation, higher emissions and damage to the chimney. It is worth
remembering also that dry wood has twice as much calorific value as freshly cut wood from
the forest.

Calorific value of wood depending on water content

Condition of wood Water content (% wet basis) Energy Content

Fresh timber 50 – 60 % 2.0 kWh/kg

Stored for a summer 25 – 35 % 3.4 kWh/kg
Stored several years 15 – 25 % 4.0 kWh/kg

Note
• The Energy Content (kWh/kg) is the maximum usable heating volume released in complete burning
of a specific volume of fuel.

• The moisture content on wet basis (wb) is the ratio between water and total substance.
Moisture on a dry basis (db) specifies the ratio between water and dry substance.

Practical example: A piece of wood fuel weighs 2kg. 1kg is water and 1 kg is dry mass. I t h a s a
m o i s t u r e c o n t e n t ( w b ) o f 50% or a moisture content (db) of 100%

Comparison with other Fuel Types

Energy source Woo Oil Natural gas

d
Condition: Solid, firewood Solid, wood chips solid, pellets liquid

Energy
content in 10
kWh

Weight in kg 2.5 kg (air dried) 2 kg 0.860 kg 0.840 kg

Volume in Liter 5 Liter 12.5 Liter 3.5 Liter 1 Liter 1.000 Liter
10 kWh energy is enough, for example, to make 700 cups of coffee!
Wood types
Understanding the difference
between hard and softwoods
Related to weight all wood types have an Relative Calorific value of wood types by weight
almost the same energy content (assuming
they have the same water content of course!). Poplar
Fir
Softwood tends to have a slightly higher

By weight w = 25 %
Spruce
energy content per kg than hardwood. Pine
Larch
However the differences are small and could Beech
only be measured in a laboratory. Oak
Common
However hardwoods are denser (heavier) than beech
Robinia
softwoods, this is because softwoods contain
more airpockets. So if we look at equal
The calorific value of the common beech is 100.
volumes rather than equal weights then
hardwood has more energy than softwoods.
For these reasons a similar sized container of Relative Calorific value of wood type by volume

hardwood (e.g. bag or trailer) is more valuable

than the same container filled with softwood.
Poplar

Spruce
Pine
larch

Oak
Common
beech
Robinia
0 40 80 100 120

Note
• Only dry wood results in maximum calorific value! If you use just weight and water content, the
The lower the water content, the higher the wood type is negligible, since all wood types have
energy yield! almost an identical calorific value per kg wood.
However, if you calculate by cubic dimensions,
the type of wood is very important.
• Natural raw wood has differing densities and
water contents, and therefore different calorific
values.
• 2.5 kg dried wood equates to 1 liter of liquid fuel.

Firewood
Firewood is the oldest and most recognizable
form of woodfuel. Nowadays it is produced using
firewood processors, and using forestry thinnings
as raw material.
Firewood splitter
Buying Firewood
Firewood can be purchased in small carry bags,
large pallet bags or via the loose trailer/truck
load.
The fairest and most reliable way to sell firewood
is via weight and water content. This is the only
way to ensure that both buyer and seller know
about the quality and energy content, and that
there are no unpleasant surprises.
The Wood Fuel Quality Assurance Scheme makes
sure that all certified suppliers know how to carry
out proper moisture tests and that they ensure
that firewood sold is correctly labeled with
moisture content, species, origin and weight.
Look for the label:
Quality requirements
Providing high quality firewood requires appropriate
storage to ensure the firewood dries correctly. It can take
up to two years for firewood to dry to under 20%
moisture content, however if stored correctly faster
results can be achieved. To ensure fast drying
firewood should be stored as follows:
 On as open and windy a site as possible
 Preferably not shaded from the sun
 Firewood should be processed, as stored forest
logs take a lot longer to dry.
How to store firewood correctly
Correct storage and drying of wood fuel is an important precondition for environment-friendly and low-cost
heating.
• The wood must be split for an efficient drying
process. The smaller it is split, the larger the
surface, the faster the drying. Unsplit wood
requires up to 2 years for appropriate drying.
• Give preference to sunny and wind-exposed
areas as storage area and ensure a dry base
(pallets or roundwood).
• Keep a distance of at least 20 cm to the
ground so that the wood fuel does not absorb
the ground moisture.
• Do not store spilt wood in closed rooms (e.g.
cellar) and do not pack it into plastic covers. It
will not be able to dry out and will stagnate.
• Cover the wood fuel stack with rain protection
immediately after the summer drying period.
• The calorific value of wood may fall by up to 3
% per year (natural depletion process) even if
the wood is stored in a dry place.
Note
• Correctly layering the stack improves
airflow and allows for better measurement.
If buying by volume it is important to
consider if the wood is stacked or loose.
• Buying fuel wood is always a question of
trust.
• Only heat with natural, air-dried wood with
a water content of maximum 25%. If stored
correctly, this water content can be
achieved for beech and for spruce within
one year.
• One cubic meter of wood is the equivalent
of 200 liters of oil fuel, and just one piece
of wood 25cm * 15cm * 15cm provides as
much heat as a litre of fuel oil.
• A detached house with average insulation
requires around 15 cubic meters of
firewood per year.
Perfect storage of firewood
www.biomasstradecentre2.eu
 Wood chips

Energy wood chopped mechanically into wood

pieces of just a few centimeters is referred to
as wood chips. Forest thinning and low quality
wood types as well as crown and branch
material are mostly used to produce wood
chips. The wood chips are burned in
automatically controlled burning plants and
ensure similar comfort to their fossil
competitors, gas and oil.

One disadvantage is their low energy

density. Stored in bulk they require twice as
much space as firewood. Typical areas of
application for wood chip plants are
agricultural and wood processing companies,
commercial companies, public buildings and
local district heating systems.
Comparison of storage requirements
Oil/2,000 l Firewood Wood Pellets
chips

Qualitätshackgut

2 – 3 m3 12 m3 24 m3 6 m3
Cubic volume required for 20,000 kWh stored energy

Energy content of wood

chips
Oi Wood
l chips

1,000 l 10 – 15 m 3
1,000 liters of oil fuel corresponds to
around 10 m3 wood chips
Buying Wood Chips Water content can only be
Wood chips are traded in accurately calculated the
bulk. One cubic meter following day, since a
corresponds to an amount of standardized process (kilning
200 kg to 450 kg, depending oven process is required).
on the respective wood type, An initial estimate of water
size and water content. Heat content can be made using
content per cubic meter measuring instruments
fluctuates between 630 kWh available on the market.
and 1,100 kWh. Wood chips
are normally supplied by Quality
regional suppliers. It is now requirements
also possible to conveniently To ensure good operation in
blow wood chips into the small and medium-sized
storage room, similar to the biomass boiler plants, only
methods applied for pellets. dry, high quality wood chips
must be burned. Rotten,
Wood chips should be trade contaminated and moldy
based on both weight and wood as well as demolition
water content. The delivery wood or shrubs with thin
weight can be simply taken twigs are not suitable for
on a calibrated weigh-bridge. producing high quality wood
chips.

Water content
The water content is the most important quality feature, since it is significant for the
energetic value and the storage properties of the fuel. Fresh wood chips have a water
content of more than 50 % and is not suitable for long-term storage or energetic use in small
and medium-sized biomass heating systems.

In larger district heating plants and industrial combustion plants, application of very wet wood chips
is useful and normal for economic reasons. Low-emission, efficient burning is ensured by their
technical equipment (e.g. flue gas cleaning, flue gas condensation.
 Weight and Calorific Value depending on Weight and Water Content
Water content Bulk density in kg/m3 Calorific value in kWh/m3
in % Beech Oak Pine Spruce Beech Oak Pine Spruce

20 % 277 280 216 188 1.048 1.062 867 759

30 % 316 320 246 216 1.022 1.034 846 740
40 % 369 374 287 251 986 998 818 716
50 % 443 449 345 302 936 948 780 682

1 Liter of fuel oil has a calorific value of 10 kWh. 1 m3 spruce wood chips (water content 30%) has a calorific
value of 74 liters oil fuel, the beech is much higher at 102 liters..

Mean values for quantification

Unit of measure Wood Water content (%) m3 Tonnes Dry tonnes kWh
type
1 m3 w o o d Spruce 15 % 1 0.20 0.17 876
chips 30 % 1 0.25 0.17 847
volume 45 % 1 0.31 0.17 819
Beech 15 % 1 0.32 0.27 1298
30 % 1 0.39 0.27 1252
45 % 1 0.49 0.27 1180
1 t wood chips Spruce 15 % 5 1 0.85 4,380
net weight 30 % 4 1 0.68 3,388
45 % 3,2 1 0.55 2,621
Beech 15 % 3,1 1 0.85 4,024
30 % 2,6 1 0.69 3,255
45 % 2,1 1 0.55 2,478

How to store your quality wood chips correctly

Wood chips burned in small and medium-sized plants must be dried to a water content of under 30
%. The following recommendations apply for the storage of wood chips:

• Store the stem wood planned for

chopping at least one summer long in a
well-aired, sunny place (natural drying).

• Wood chips to be intermediately stored

over the summer should have a water
content of 25% to 30% at the time of
chopping in late summer.

• During summer months with high

rainfall the wood chips should be
covered.
Storage of energy
wood
• Avoid storing wet wood chips >35%
moisture (mold and fungal decay).
700 horsepower wood chipper in operation

Woodchip Boiler in Athenry, Galway

Pellets
Wood pellets are small, cylindrical pressed If the share of fines in the pellet batch is too
items of dried, natural wood. Wood pellets high, this may lead to malfunctions in the
are made at pellet plants often linked to screw conveyor and have a negative
sawmills which enable value-added use of influence on the burning and emission
residual wood at the sawmill and of industrial behavior of pellet heating. Leading pellet
residual wood arising in the processing wood traders screen fines arising from friction at
industry. the final loading place before supplying to
customers.
Pellets offered to private pellet heating
owners normally have a diameter of 6 mm
and a length of approx. 1 cm to 4 cm. Wood
pellets for heating plants and heating power
plants are provided as so-called industrial
pellets and often have larger diameters. We
recommend you buy standardized and
certified wood pellets to ensure smooth
operation of pellet heating systems.

For quality wood pellets it is not only Pellets

important that the correct raw material is www.biomasstradecentre2.eu

selected and that the production process is

properly conducted. It is also vitally
important that the pellets are transported
and handled correctly. Pellets can be broken
up by rough handling in augers and blowers,
broken up pellets create dust and fines that  Pellets contain no chemical additives
can cause problems. Heating operators can
 2 kg of pellets = 1 litre of oil
ensure conditions for smooth transfer by
meana of correct design of the supply tubes  1m3 of pellets weights approx. 650kg
to the silo or pellet storage place.

The quality seal ENplus guarantees the customer

that the quality of the pellets supplied complies
with the values specified in the standard.
Companies bearing this quality seal ENplus are
regularly checked by independent experts and
must observe extensive quality guidelines.
 Stoves / Boilers for pellet heating
There are two types of pellet
heating available on the market:
•Pellet stoves
Pellet stoves are heating devices
designed for location in the living
room. They mainly serve to heat
individual rooms and to heat houses
with low energy consumption.
•Pellet central heating systems
Pellet central heating systems are
installed in the boiler room of a
Pellet Stove
building and serve to heat the entire building
and to heat tap water. In addition to pellet
central heating systems designed exclusively
for operation with wood pellets, some
companies also offer wood boilers which can
be operated using pellets and log wood.
Wood pellets can be stored in any dry cellar.
The pellet boiler is supplied automatically
with fuel via a feeder worm crew or suction
device. Compared to wood chips, pellets
require only a quarter of storage space so
that there is normally enough space to store
a year’s supply in each detached house. An
oil storage room no longer used is ideal as
pellet storage place.
Pellet Boiler
Focus on Customer and Quality

Energy sources such as oil and gas have provided consumers with convenience and comfort never known
before in terms of energy supply. In view of changing conditions such as price increases and the scarcity of
fossil fuels, customers are looking for new, convenient options. Quality-assured wood fuel presents just
such an option.
Some of the consumer-focussed benefits of a quality-assured wood fuel supply chain are listed below:

Simple,convenient buying Local quality provides security

• Concentrated coherent and clear when buying
offer of biomass fuels • Guaranteed quality control
• Improve convenience via additional • Local products from the
services (preparation, delivery, region - the „producer has a
consultancy, wood energy contracting, name“
etc.) • Clear product
differentiation to
Supply reliability foreign wood
• Available all year round Price stability and Transparency
• Continuous supply • Low cost fuel
• Crisis-proof • Stable price development creates trust
• Transparent prices – good
comparability with other energy
sources

Look for the label:

 www.biomasstradecentre2.eu

Contact
Irish Bioenergy Association Wood Fuel Quality Assurance Scheme
Enterprise House www.wfqa.org
O’Brien Road
Carlow
E: membership@irbea.ie
www.irbea.ie