Carbon Zero Houses

Projects: Haven

Wood as a Fuel

Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) and generate oxygen (O₂). Using the figures from co2balance, which have been validated, a native British tree absorbs approximately one tonne of CO₂ during it life time, the oxygen produced is essential for our planet’s survival. Whether wood is burned as fuel or left to decay in the forest, it will release the same amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, so burning it in a stove is a sustainable approach to energy production. (Wood that is not burnt or allowed to decay can be used for offsetting CO₂.) In the past, stoves contributed to air pollution. However, the modern generation of stoves are highly efficient burners of wood and hence conserve energy and produce minimal particulates.

Fuel with a Future

Sustainable fuel is a very efficient source of energy. Wood from trees is such a source: It can self plant, provide food and shelter throughout its life, and when mature provides timber. Waste products can be burned to provide warmth and flame; during its life it will have provided twenty times more oxygen than is required for combustion, which in turn releases no more CO₂ than would eventual decay.

Management and Harvesting

Healthy trees absorb three times as much CO₂ than will be released during combustion to ensure this efficient and effective management of forests and woodland is essential again due to their expertise co2balance can offer assistance and advice on all aspects relating to this. Forests and woodlands are very important not just to Great Britain but internationally as well. A forest is a huge battery of stored solar energy that can be planted on large areas of low grade land; they are able to absorb much of the Earth’s CO₂ imbalance reducing global warming by either being an offset for CO₂ or providing a sustainable fuel, which stops the release of CO₂ from the burning of fossil fuels. Which implies organised forestation can moderate our need to burn precious reserves of oil and gas, conserving them for more valuable uses, limiting oil spills and minimising our need for increased nuclear power.

Modern Wood Burning Stoves

In the past, stoves contributed to air pollution and global dimming, however the modern generation of stoves are highly efficient burners of wood and hence conserve energy and produce minimal particulates, far less they would be produced by burning many fossil fuels.