DEMAND for wood to heat homes and businesses and generate power is surging as people look for cheaper fuels.
Forestry Commission Scotland said yesterday that the use of oven-dried wood fuel, such as chips and pellets, rose 118,000 tonnes last year to 618,000 tonnes.
Usage this year is expected to top 800,000 tonnes. Sales in excess of 1million tonnes are expected in 2012.
Wood is a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
In recent months, the UK Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive has been stimulating domestic and commercial sales of the more expensive boilers that can burn wood and other forms of biomass, such as straw.
But one pioneer of wood pellets said yesterday that, while demand was rising, he had not seen the sixfold increase trumpeted by the commission.
Keith Arbuthnott, of Kincardineshire-based Arbuthnott Wood Pellets, said: “There are more people coming off the fence and switching.”
Scottish Environment and Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said wood fuel and other types of biomass had an important role to play in developing a long-term renewable energy supply for Scotland.
He added: “While the Scottish Government is keen to ensure that appropriate support is provided to help further biomass development and that the full potential of biomass is realised, it is vital that, in the face of the increasing demand for wood fuel and the growing competition for supply, everyone plays their part to ensure that the most efficient and beneficial use is made of this finite resource.”
Oliver Middlemiss, of land agent Savills, at Perth, said woodland owners were also expecting strong demand for firewood this winter from those with fires and wood-burning stoves at home.
He said surging utility prices lay behind that expectation, adding that the firm’s clients with firewood operations had been stockpiling wood through the summer.
Mr Middlemiss added: “Base demand is increasing year on year as more people turn away from the utility companies and instal wood burners in their homes.
“However, another extremely cold winter will push demand to new levels. It will be interesting to see if supply can keep up.”