
3DUNSTER BIOMASS HEATING SCOTLAND |
BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE
The RHI has resulted in numerous heat
users switching from fossil fuels to
low-carbon biomass. Unfortunately,
the incentive rates have now fallen so
far that new deployment has almost
ceased and the scheme is to end in
2021. No replacement scheme has yet
been proposed and it seems unlikely
that the obvious path, which would
be to learn from its shortcomings and
implement a revised scheme, is going
to be followed. Despite warnings from
environmentalists across the world that
everyone needs to act now, not rely
on a silver bullet in 30 years’ time, the
policy dreamers in Whitehall seem to
have the upper hand. Their preferred
route is to generate heat from biogas
and hydrogen for those buildings on
the gas grid and green electricity for
those off it. They wish to reserve the
biomass to be burnt in large power
stations where the, as yet unproven,
technology of carbon capture and
storage can remove the carbon
dioxide emissions thus creating carbon
negative electricity generation.
Since none of the technology for this is
currently available, this is precisely the
approach that environmentalists are
warning against. Through membership
of the board of the Wood Heat
Association, I am actively involved
in trying to get this point across and
to influence government policy. We
can reduce carbon dioxide emissions
from heating, and we can do it with
technology which is available now and
is affordable. Biomass heating is not
the answer for all buildings, but it can
address a significant proportion of the
problem and if one of the silver bullets
comes good in 30 years, then it can
be replaced within the normal cycle of
renewal without any great cost.
Creating a sustainable future
In the meantime, I find it difficult to
predict where we will be in five years’
time. We have a loyal client base
and an enviable reputation for the
quality of our work and service, so, at
worst, we will remain a maintenance
company that is capable of providing
design and installation services to those
environmentally responsible companies
and individuals who wish to switch to
biomass heating.
My wish is that government policy
recognises that biomass heating is
a fundamentally good thing and it
provides an incentive to persuade
people to move away from high-
carbon dioxide forms of heating. This
is not about paying people to generate
heat; it is compensating them for the
additional costs they are incurring
in order to be environmentally
responsible. Currently, emitting carbon
dioxide costs the country, but that cost
is not passed on to the emitter. Unless
we tax carbon dioxide emissions, and
you only have to look at the chaos
caused by proposals to do that in
France to see that it is unlikely to be
politically acceptable, then we should
incentivise those who move away
from emitting carbon dioxide. Doing
nothing is not an option.
Emitting
carbon dioxide
costs the
country but
not the
emitter... we
should
incentivise
those who
move away
from emitting
carbon
dioxide. Doing
nothing is not
an option
“
“
Converted single garage
housing the boiler and
pellet store for five
dwellings; low-cost, low-
carbon heat