Forestry Commission - Surplus equipment for sale Nov 2013

The November 2013 Forestry Commission tender sale catalogue is now available.

The lots range from forwards and harvesters, to four-wheel-drive vehicles and chain saws.  There is also a selection of wood working machinery and workshop tools and equipment.

Bids for items must be received in writing by 11.00 am on the 28th November 2013.








The web page for the sale can be found here.  The catalogue for the sale can be found here.  For further information on sale items contact Tommy Groat on 01786 220250 or 07968 106613 (email tommy.groat@forestry.gsi.gov.uk).

Forestry & Woodfuel - Market Update - FREE evening seminar

The Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder, in partnership with the Forestry Commission and the Deer Initiative, will present an update on the forestry and woodfuel sectors in Kent on November 20th.

This free event will focus on the changes taking place in the forestry sector and provide insights into future opportunities.  

In particular the event will look at how improving markets for chip wood, in part stimulated by a new biomass power station in East Kent, may require  enhanced mechanisation and collaboration among forestry businesses.

The event will take place at the Grasshopper Inn at Moorhouse on the A25 near Westerham.  The event will open at 6:30 pm and will include a free buffet.

More details can be found below.

To book your free tickets please click here.

This event is funded by the EU ERDF Interreg IVa Channel project ADAFOR.

Biomass at Hever Castle - Nextgen Study Tour

Nextgen's current study tour programme include a visit to the biomass heating installation at Hever Castle in Kent.  The tour will take place on Wednesday November 6th.

We have visited the installation already and it is well worth seeing - a very impressive boiler room with a purpose built wood chip shed with a large storage yard.  This is certainly a masterclass in how to get biomass right and how self-supply wood chip can add enormous coherence to estate-level woodland management.

The details of the tour, from the Nextgen website, are as follows:


The stunning Hever Castle in Kent, once the childhood home to Anne Boleyn, is opening its  historic doors to delegates to show you how this iconic 13th century building is utilising its resources to generate sustainable heating solutions from biomass.

With rising fuel prices, the cost of heating buildings is a considerable challenge.  For owners of rural buildings and infrastructure, Biomass boilers offer a significant reduction in these costs.

This study tour will show you:

• How best to achieve heating cost reductions of up to 80%
• How to successfully apply for the Renewable Heat Incentive, to pay off your capital costs and deliver future profits
• How to manage a biomass boiler system efficiently over the long term
• How to ensure secure sustainable supplies for the lifetime of your boiler system
• How to reduce your carbon footprint and boost the local economy

Hear from some of Britain’s foremost experts in Biomass installation and business planning, sourcing sustainable wood supply and RHI applications

Agenda for the day:

• 09.45: Registration, tea & coffee
• 10.00: Welcome and overview of the day’s agenda
• 10.15: Overview of the Biomass and heating network project at Hever Castle: Duncan Leslie, CEO at Hever Castle 
• 10.45: The business case for Biomass / DH in local, rural settings: Toby Douch, Douch Biomass
• 11.15-11:30: Break
• 11.30: A sleeping giant? The UK capacity for biomass - Sourcing and maintaining feedstock supplies: Stewart Boyle, Consultant to South East Wood Fuels 
• 12.00: Getting your RHI application right first time: Speaker tbc, Ofgem
• 12.30: The devil is in the detail: planning and permissions and plant design: Matt Scully, Rural Energy 
• 13.00-13.45: Lunch
• 14.00-16.30: Site visits

Bookings can be made here.

This Tour is in association with Douch Biomass & Rural Energy 

Woodland photography workshops

Timber and Wood Fuel Supply Chains - Kent Survey 2013

Since 2011 the Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder has been working to promote sustainable woodland management, wood fuels and biomass heating.

As we are now half-way through our work programme we would like to turn our attention towards the supply of timber, particularly as the markets for woodfuel continue to improve.


Our main motivations for doing this are related to: 

• The sustained demand for firewood for open fires and log stoves
• The increasing demand for wood chip for use in biomass boilers
• Proposals for a new biomass (wood chip) power station in East Kent

To help us gather up-to-date information on machinery, skills and the demand for new workers and apprentices we have developed an online survey targeted at businesses operating in the forestry sector.

The survey, which can be accessed by clicking here, will be to understand more about the forestry sector in the South East and will help direct our support package over the next two years.

The survey consists of around 20 questions and should take no more than five minutes to complete.

All information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence. It will be used exclusively by the Kent Downs AONB for research purposes only.

The survey will be open for the remainder of 2013 so there is plenty of time to participate.  We will provide a summary of the responses in early 2014.

The survey covers a range of subjects, from machinery needs to skills and training.  It also includes some questions around apprentices, particularly as we are currently looking at how we can support new entrants into the forestry sector.  

If you require any support around the subjects of training or apprentices please don't hesitate to contact us on 01303 815 171 (or email matthew.morris@kentdowns.org.uk).

Free conference - Woodfuel production and grant support for land based and rural businesses

Events in Sussex will highlight progress in wood fuel and biomass heating sectors

South East Wood Fuels, Douch Biomass and the CLA have announced two events to showcase new biomass heating installations in Sussex and to provide an update on the woodfuel and biomass heating sectors.

The first will take place on Friday October 18th at Laughton Lodge in East Sussex.  The district heating system at this site has recently been upgraded and a new boiler installed.  

On hand will be a range of RHI, woodfuel and biomass heating experts who will highlight recent developments in the sector.  The event also offers free 'surgeries' for those interested in undertaking a woodfuel or biomass heating project.

The second event takes place at Bakers Farm in West Sussex on Friday October 25th.  Both events are free.  To register please visit the following sites to book your place:

1. Laughton Lodge - Oct 18th: Click here
2. Bakers Farm - Oct 25th: Click here

 

FUELWOOD OPEN DAYS

Fuelwood are holding two open days to show and demonstrate the full range of wood processing machinery they stock, including:

• AMR heavy duty 9t-28t vertical and horizontal Logsplitters
• AMR SAT 4700 automatic rotary barrel Drum Saw cutting 1m split billets
• Fuelwood Splitta 350 high volume netted logs
• Fuelwood Splitta 400 automatic Logsplitter processing oversize rings and Arb waste
• Fuelwood 4.5m Elevator NEW
• Fuelwood Log Cleaning Device NEW
• Fuelwood X-Frame Bagga for 1m3 log bags
• Fuelwood Kindlet 6” kindling machine
• Fuelwood Kindlet Pro variable length high volume kindling machine
• Japa 355 affordable 14” Firewood Processor
• Japa 700 sawblade Firewood Processor
• Lucas Mill 1030 mobile sawmill

The event will be held at Claywood (Warwick) on Friday 27th & Saturday 28th September (10.00am – 4.00pm).

Please call 01926 484673 or register at www.fuelwood.co.uk

Also on display:

• AMR heavy duty Winches 
• Fuelwood Transaw 350 XL Firewood Processor with 3 Chain Deck
• Japa Grapple
• Japa Saw Dust Extractors NEW
• Japa 305 BE road-towable Firewood Processor
• Japa 385 Expert with Deck
• Heizohack woodfuel Chipper HM4-300 
• Mowi Skog 65 & 85 
• Accessories - log decks, bagging chutes and systems

Biomass sustainability criteria announced by UK Government

DECC has released details of the criteria that will be used to judge Renewables Obligation payments for electricity produced by biomass power stations.

Rather than repeat the press release we have included it below.



This is good news for the biomass industry in the UK.  There has been a lot of negative publicity recently and this new approach appears to set a clear route forward for biomass energy developers.

Of course these new rules are demanding and they will undoubtedly affect  projects >1MW.  However, we welcome these measures which should help ensure the role of biomass electricity in the UK's energy mix (and in meeting the 2020 renewables targets of course).

Press release:

From April 2015 biomass industry must show fuel is sustainable or lose financial support.

Biomass electricity will produce over 70% greenhouse gas savings compared to fossil fuel alternatives, under changes made by the government to ensure the sustainability of wood-fuel used to create energy.

From April 2015, the biomass industry – which is worth over £1bn in new investment and supports over 3,000 jobs – will be required to demonstrate their fuel is sustainable or lose financial support.

Greg Barker, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, said:

“The Coalition is committed to delivering clean, affordable and secure energy for consumers.

“This includes an important role for biomass power as part of the UK’s energy mix.

“The new criteria will provide the necessary investor certainty and, crucially, ensure that the biomass is delivered in a transparent and sustainable way.”

The tough new criteria for sustainable forest management are based on a range of issues such as:

• sustainable harvesting rates,
• biodiversity protection and
• land use rights for indigenous populations.

Organisations who do not comply with the new requirements could see financial support withheld.

All generators of 1 Megawatt (MW) capacity or more using solid biomass or biogas feedstock will be required to demonstrate that they are meeting the criteria in order to claim support under the Renewables Obligation. This would cover around 98% of all biomass power generation in the UK.

We are also today introducing a new requirement for generators of 1MW capacity and above to provide an independent sustainability audit with their annual sustainability report.

Today’s announcement will help bring forward transitional biomass technologies such as coal to biomass conversions which are one of the quickest and most cost effective ways to help decarbonise the UK’s electricity supply.

To provide the certainty that investors and developers need there will be no further unilateral changes to the sustainability criteria before April 2027.

Notes for Editors:

• By 2020 biomass generators of 1MW and above will have to meet a 200 kg CO2eq per MWh annual target (72% saving compared to the EU fossil fuel electricity average). This reduces further to a 180 kg CO2eq per MWh from 2025 (75% saving compared to the EU fossil fuel electricity average).
• A threshold of 1MW and above covers around 98% of biomass power generation. The other 2% (those with a capacity between 50kW and 1MW) will be required to report against the criteria, but not to comply with it. Microgeneration (under 50kW) are not included in the scope.
• Biomass is expected to make a significant contribution to delivering the UK’s 2020 renewable energy target. Around 38% of our renewable electricity comes from bioenergy.
• Sustainable forest management criteria will be based on the Government’s UK Timber Procurement Policy Principles (or CPET - see http://www.cpet.org.uk/).
• Mandatory sustainability criteria have already been introduced to the RO for bioliquids as required by the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED).
• We have introduced a cap of 400MW on the total new-build dedicated biomass capacity (excludes biomass with CHP and coal to biomass conversions) that can expect grandfathered support under the RO. We are using a notification process to allocate places within the cap. This is now open for applications for priority projects (that reached financial close by 20 August). Other projects will be able to apply from 11 September onwards.

Renewable Heat Incentive - latest results

The latest quarterly report on the Renewable Heat Incentive (Apr-Jun 2013) indicates that uptake of the scheme remains steady and total installed capacity under the scheme now exceeds 400 MW.

RHI installed capacity and payments - cumulative

There are now 1,789 accredited installations with a further 600 applications  at various stages of processing.  76% of installations are in England, 18% are in Scotland and the remainder are in Wales.

Biomass boilers remain the dominant technology type and comprise 93% of all accredited installations.  

Proportion of accredited installations by technology type

This latest report also provides some new information on recent audits that have been carries out by Ofgem.  These focused on compliance issues but were also carried out for fraud detection purposes.  The main findings were as follows:

• Rates of non-compliance are high and this has led to payments being suspended in some cases.
• The main issues relate to participants not maintaining fuel records for biomass installations, particularly where harvesting their own fuel, and the incorrect installation of heat meters

As a result of these findings Ofgem has commenced a desktop audit programme to complement site audits in order to verify ongoing obligations.

The advice is, therefore, to check that metering equipment has been installed correctly, primarily by checking meter installation manuals.  For biomass installations participants need to record the quantity and type of fuel used and the date of supply to the boiler (see template here).

Remember the date - 24th September

DECC recently announced important changes to the RHI non domestic

scheme which will be implemented on 24 September.  These include changes to metering and air quality requirements.

Simplifying metering requirements

If you are applying for RHI accreditation on or after the 24 September simplified metering requirements will apply:

• In certain circumstances disregard heat loss from external pipework where the pipework is ‘properly insulated’ to the standards outlined in BS5422 and calculated in line with and EN ISO 12241.
• Submit heat loss calculations in place of installing additional meters in such cases where doing so might be physically or financially overly burdensome
• Only install meters which are necessary to calculate the ‘eligible heat output’ from the installation to enable the RHI payment to be calculated.

Biomass air quality requirement

Again, from September 24th a fully completed RHI emission certificate (or environmental permit) will be required to demonstrate compliance with new air quality requirements. 

For more information, including RHI emission certificate template, see here.

Domestic RHI - summary of scheme proposals

DECC has published its response to the consultation on the domestic version of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).  The response includes a lot of detail on the types of technology that will be supported, their 'performance' and the type of properties and tenure that will be eligible.

To assist readers we have produced a summary of the proposals as they stand.  This can be found here.

The proposals for biomass heating are of particular interest to this blog.  The main points of interest include:

• The tariff for biomass has increased from 8.7 p/kWh (initially proposed in 2012) to 12.2 p/kWh.  Whilst this is slightly below the 13-15 p/kWh we would have liked to see it is clearly an improvement.  The final tariff is yet to be announced but presumably it will be well before the proposed scheme opening date of April 1st 2014.

• The tariff will be paid over seven years according to deemed heat.  This is the heat load as determined by the EPC that is created during a Green Deal assessment which is a mandatory requirement.

• Legacy systems installed since 15th July 2009 will also be eligible providing they were installed by an MCS accredited company.  
• Biomass equipment will need to meet meet air quality standards in relation to particulate matter (PM) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Legacy installations, installed between 15th July 2009 and the launch of the scheme, will not need to meet this requirement.
• A new requirement around fuel sustainability will be introduced for  biomass installations.  To be eligible for and continue to receive RHI support for a biomass system, fuel needs to be sourced from a supplier registered on an approved supplier list. Such a list will be set up ahead of the launch of the scheme and will be the same one that is being established for the non-domestic RHI scheme.

The final point on sustainability is interesting and has important implications for wood fuel suppliers. To be included on the list, DECC intends that fuel suppliers will have to meet two criteria from April 2014:

• Supply fuel which complies with the greenhouse gas (GHG) lifecycle emissions target of achieving 60% GHG savings against the EU fossil fuel heat average, assuming a boiler efficiency of 70%.
• Report their performance against the relevant land criteria from the following list (although compliance with the criteria will not initially be required):
• For wood-fuel: the UK public procurement policy on wood and wood products or its equivalent

Evidence of legality and sustainability can come in two forms:

• Category A evidence is independent certification of the timber/ timber products by any of the forest certification schemes that meet the policy requirements (such as FSC and PEFC).
• Category B evidence is alternative documentary evidence that provides assurance that the source is legal and sustainable.

Category A evidence is the 'belt and braces' approach and undoubtedly involves the procurement of external expertise from Forest Stewardship Council and the accredited certification bodies are authorised to issue FSC certificates.

The alternative is Category B evidence and you will be glad to hear that this includes use of the Forestry Commission's Woodland Planning Grant (WPG) that falls under the English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS).  

However, the WPG Category B option is open to owners with less than 100 hectares of woodland, and more than 3 hectares, and whose woodlands are not certified.  As such it is envisaged that owners with more than 100 hectares will pursue the Category A, full certification option.

As ever we would recommend a good read of the full DECC document to make sure you pick up all of the salient points.

Booking now open for the 2013 Surrey Hills Wood Fuel Conference

Latest results from Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) show steady uptake

Ofgem's latest set of results for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) paint a positive picture about the uptake of the World's first renewable heat incentive.  

Whilst the numbers overall are still small uptake accelerated during the first 15 months of the scheme and installed capacity approximately doubled every quarter.

At the end of March '13 there were 1,238 approved installations and a further 649 being processed.  Only eight applications had been rejected. Total installed capacity was 266 MW and these installations had generated 168 million kWhth.  Cumulative payments were £7.62m.


The technology split is still dominated by biomass (92%) with solar thermal and ground source heat pumps making up the majority of the remainder (3.9% and 3.4%, respectively).

The emergence of solar thermal as the second most installed technology under the RHI is interesting. It is not clear what the split is between stand-alone systems and those integrated with biomass systems. As Jamie Oliver would say biomass boilers and solar panels are "best friends" and the latter can make a useful contribution to the overall efficiency (and no doubt payback) of a biomass system.

The message overall, therefore, appears positive. We of course know that the RHI has already had to return some of its funds due to under-performance, but given the long lead-in time for biomass and its relative high capital cost it is perhaps not surprising that the situation is 'steady'.

In Kent installation activity for biomass boilers is again steady. Of the projects we know about around 2 MW of biomass heating capacity has come on-stream since December '12. These project at a range of scales but most are in the sub-200 kW range at the moment. Most are chip systems with local fuel supply.

RHI Developments

Whilst the policy overall is very much intact there have been one or two changes that are of interest:

• Medium tariff (200-999 kW): This tariff was inflated on April 1st 2013 and then promptly deflated by 5% (which effectively brought the tariff back to its pre-April 1st level). This only has a minor impact on the attractiveness of the tariff which, in our opinion, remains very good.
• Large tariff (1 MW+): This was doubled to 2.0p.

These tariff adjustments are fairly straightforward and only to represent some fine-tuning rather than a radical re-think or withdrawal of support.  The small tariff has remained unchanged to date.  The current tariff is shown below and can be found here. 

The Ofgem website indicates that the next tariff table will be published on September 15th. It is not known at this stage whether more changes are planned...we will keep an eye out.

Other developments include:

Degression

On 30 April 2013 the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2013 came into effect. These regulations introduced:

• A long term cost control mechanism, otherwise referred to as the degression mechanism.
• removal of the provisions relating to the scheme suspension mechanism (Stand-by Budget Mechanism) introduced in the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

The degression mechanism enables reductions to be made to an individual tariff, or all tariffs, if certain requirements set out in the RHI (Amendment) Regulations are met. It aims to ensure that the non-domestic RHI does not exceed its fixed annual budgets by lowering tariffs to bring deployment down

in line with affordable levels.

Simplification of metering requirements

DECC is addressing issues raised by stakeholders about the complexity of metering requirements and the proportion of complex systems. DECC is addressing this by requiring that the installation only installs meters necessary for the RHI payment formula. This will allow heat loss from external

pipework to be disregarded in specific circumstances (ie if properly insulated). If it is either physically or financially problematic to install a heat meter, we will allow applicants to instead submit a heat loss calculation.

A number of industry associations are taking steps to develop RHI specific training and assessment programmes for those that wish to provide Independent Reports on Metering Arrangements (IRMA). In the interim the Building and Engineering Services Association has published a Guide to Good Practice for Heat Metering in the RHI.

Air quality (AQ) compliance

DECC is introducing requirements for all biomass burning installations to submit a valid certificate or an environmental permit with their application. This will need to show that the boiler complies with the required AQ limits. All applicants with biomass burning installations will now need to submit an RHI emission certificate or a valid environmental permit with their application. If an applicant is submitting an RHI emission certificate it will need to show that the boiler complies with the specified air quality limits.

Calling all owners & managers of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (“PAWS”)

If you own or manage “PAWS” woodland (Planted Ancient Woodland Site), the England Woodland Biodiversity Group (EWBG) would like to hear from you.

EWBG want to find out if you are considering restoring your woods (i.e. removing the plantation) to a native tree cover (or have already done so), as this is a great way to help woodland wildlife. 

They want to ask you about your approach to woodland restoration and what additional support you would find helpful. 

If you have any views please complete this online survey, the results from which will help identify future support (policy and practical) and the scale of the opportunity and challenges. 

The deadline for completed responses is 31st July 2013.

If you are unsure whether your woodland is a “PAWS” you can check here.  Use the Ancient Woodland dataset and search for your woodland. 

The EWBG comprises representatives from Government, NGO and private sector woodland interests, and aims to identify, explore and escalate issues of national concern to woodland & forest biodiversity.

Good Woods – Free Woodland Advice for Landowners and Managers

There are more than 3 million hectares of woodland in the UK, however in England alone it is estimated that more than 45% of our woodlands are either unmanaged or under-managed.

This has contributed to a decline in biodiversity, loss of amenity and skills, and poor routes to market for wood products. 

The Good Woods project will tackle these issues. This project is being delivered in Kent by the Kent Downs AONB Unit (except the High Weald area where the project is being delivered by the High Weald AONB Unit).

Woodland owners will receive a free visit from an experienced woodland management advisor who will help them understand the opportunities for their woodland, the steps they need to go through to get it into management and establish the first steps on the ‘myForest’ management system.

The ‘myForest’ website has been developed by The Sylva Foundation and helps to produce a Forestry Commission approved management plan simply and easily.

All advice is free and provided by experienced officers from the Countryside Partnerships in Kent.

If you would like to make the most of the woodland on your land, whether it is by selling timber, logs or chipwood to the local market, increasing its biodiversity or even investigating the potential for claiming Renewable Heat Incentive by installing a biomass boiler on your property then this could be the perfect first step. 

To find out more and whether you are eligible for a visit please contact:

Mike Phillips
01303 815170
mike.phillips@kentdowns.org.uk 

Good Woods is a groundbreaking project aiming to breathe new life into UK woodlands. B&Q has teamed up with sustainability charity BioRegional and forestry charity The Sylva Foundation to revive woodlands to provide environmental, social and economic benefits. 

For more information please visit the Sylva foundation website. 

New report available: A comparison of the woodfuel markets in Northern France and South East England

The Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder has released a new report that looks at the current woodfuel situation in northern France and south east England.

The report is the culmination of the Pathfinder's involvement in the ERDF funded Interreg project MULTIFOR (or Multi-Functional Forestry).  It aims to highlight the similarities and differences in the woodland and woodfuel sectors in northern France and south east England and summarises information gathered during a series of cross-border activities involving French and English project partners (namely the Kent Downs AONB Unit in Kent and La Maison Du Bois and CRPF in Nord Pas De Calais and Picardie).

The report highlights a number of interesting details about the woodfuel sectors in Nord pas de Calais and Kent and provides a number of conclusions that should be of interest to a wide range of readers.

A key finding is the fact that over 80% of the privately owned woodland in northern France is actively managed.  This compares to only around 46% in Kent.  Also, the report found that silvicultural practice is far better developed in France.

In contrast the report found that the woodfuel supply chain and biomass heating sectors are much better developed in the UK where there is a far higher uptake of modern wood heating systems.  This is caused by the UK's adoption of a tariff-based subsidy for renewable heat generation (via the Renewable Heat Incentive) in contrast to France where a low-level grants-based approach is still used.

The forestry training facility, or 'marteloscope', at
Bois de la Belle Epine (Somme)

Astrid de Sainte Maresville (Maison Du Bois)
speaking at the MULTIFOR conference

Overall the reports provides a good summary of the woodfuel situation on both sides of the English Channel.

We thank partners at La Maison Du Bois and CRPF for their help in producing this report without whom some of the more insightful findings would have been missed.

The report can be viewed and downloaded here.  Any feedback on the report would be welcomed.

Woodfuel (bois energie) project partners at the MULTIFOR conference in Rouen in April 2013

Job opportunity at KWES

The Kent Woodland Employment Scheme (KWES) is looking for an experienced project leader to manage the day-to-day activities of the charity.  

KWES is a new charity set up to provide training and employment for ex-Service personnel, young people and ex-offenders in Kent’s ancient woodlands.  

KWES will work closely with landowners and environmental organisations like the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Kent Wildlife Trust and the Kent Agricultural Society to regenerate under-managed woodlands with the help of people trained by KWES. At the end of their three year training period our trainees will have obtained the qualifications needed to work in woodland management in Kent or elsewhere in the UK. 

Details on the position are below - please send all enquiries to KWES and not this blog.

Free National Trust botanical course: Identifying Plants on Chalk Grassland

Biomass CHP takes off in Kent (...and other news)

Many apologies for the lack of blogging of late.  We have been busy with various projects following the MULTIFOR conference in April (more on this soon) and are busy preparing for a new phase of activity.  We hope to get back up-to-speed over the next few weeks.  In the meantime here is a quick round up of recent events.


Firstly, more good news from Berties Woodfuel at Hadlow.  Not content with winning 'Start up Business of the Year in the 2012' from Kent Excellence in Business Award Berties is now in the final stages of the Business Accelerators scheme.  Our congratulations go to Peter and his team.  More details can be found here.


Estover Energy, has confirmed its plans to build a 10 MW biomass CHP (combined heat and power) on the former Pfizer site at Sandwich.  The project at Discovery Park will provide around 10 MW of electricity and 20 MW of heat and will supply all of the heat and electricity needed on-site.  It will also export power to the grid.  Estover has already gained approval for two plants in Scotland and one in North East England.  

Estover's supply manager, Ben Heathcoat Amory, has provided us with a briefing on the Sandwich project and its likely implications for  wood chip supply chains in Kent and Sussex.  

Discovery Park - Sandwich

Public exhibitions are taking place this week (w/c June 17th) and the planning application with be submitted soon afterwards.  More details can be found here.






Biomass plants are a bit like buses - they all arrive at the same time!  In the same week that Estover announced their plans, STEAG New Energies announced that they have been given planning permission for a waste wood biomass CHP plant at Ridham Dock in Sittingbourne.  The plant will  produce 25MW of power and up to 10MW of heat.

The implications for biomass supply chains as a result of these new developments is potentially significant. The Estover plant will require around 100,000 tonnes of low-grade wood chip a year and the STEAG plant will burn approximately 160,000 tonnes of waste wood a year.  

STEAG biomass CHP plant

Given that only 46% of Kent's woods are actively 'worked' the Estover plant should create sufficient new demand to stimulate management in many under-utilised woods.  

The Pathfinder project will maintain contact with Estover with the aim of developing a programme of support for the supply-chain focusing on topics including sustainability, harvesting best practice, deer management and bio-security.

Finally, we would like to remind readers about Ash dieback (Chalara Fraxinea).  On various site visits recently we have noticed that many of the Ash woods are infected with Chalara, particularly those we have visited in the East Kent Downs. 

 In addition to weak foliage in the canopy there is clear evidence of the disease in coppice re-growth, natural regeneration and recently planted sites (<10 years).  

The latest information and guidance from the Forestry Commission can be found here.

MULTIFOR woodfuel conference - free places available for selected delegates

The final conference for the MULTIFOR (Multi-Functional Forestry) project will take place in Amiens in France on April 10th and 11th.

This EU ERDF funded project has been active since 2010 and has explored a range of topics ranging from woodfuel (hence the Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder), adaptation of forestry management in a changing climate and  improving public access in private woodlands.

The conference will include speakers from a range French and English organisations involved in both research and the practical application of new approaches that promote multi-functional woodland management.

Interreg IV A Eligible Area

The Pathfinder project can fund a limited number of delegates (maximum 15).  

This includes travel (by coach) to and from Amiens and overnight accommodation and breakfast (lunches will be provided by the conference organiser).

If you are interested in attending please call Matthew Morris on 01303 815 171 as soon as possible to discuss.





To qualify for a funded place it is preferable that you:

• Have a demonstrable connection with woodland management, woodfuel, climate change in forest ecosystems, public access in woodland or multi-functional woodland management in general.
• Work in the eligible area for the Interreg IV A 'two seas' programme (see map above)
• Can commit to attending the conference on April 10th and 11th.

Full details of the conference are below.  Please do note hesitate to call to discuss attending the conference (01303 815 171).