Woodfuel: The Community Choice

Wood Heat SolutionsNew Forest

Keith Richards10th March 2011

www.tvenergy.orgkeith.richards@tvenergy.org

Regional & Local

Government

Industry/ commerceAcademia

Community

Communities• Rural & urban• Large & small• Wealthy & poor• New build &

retrofit

Communities• Country estates –

business is brisk

Supermarket – energy hub?

Community drivers• Save money!• Make money!!• Energy security• Reduce ‘carbon footprint’• Environment, quality of life

benefits• Educational benefits• Business diversification• Retain and also create jobs• Part of market placement.......

Community Energy• Consider total energy needs (electricity and heat) and

pattern of usage• Are there efficiency savings to be made?• How best to satisfy this from a range of renewable

energy options available (hydro, wind, solar, heat pumps, AD …..)

• Consider existing arrangements and retention as ‘back-up’

• Size wood boiler accordingly, buffer tank included, access etc

• Perhaps multiple units used• Local fuel supply including ......

“Renewable energy is for the rich and well to do”

6 Million in Fuel Poverty

Community

Local Authorities

Community

Social Housing

Sheltered housing

Communals

Houses

Prerequisites• Champions• Focus, a school, village

hall, community building• Co-located heat sinks for

a core scheme• Off gas is helpful• Economics ….. RHI to the

rescue?

Hybrid Energy SolutionsAre Best

UK Insolation

Hybrid solutions

• Wood fuel works well with solar thermal and solar PV for example

30 years experience ....well proven, low risk

Technology

Hybrid solutions

• Wood fuel provides all hot water and space heating in winter

• A combination of wood fuel and solar thermal work in the spring and autumn

• Solar thermal provides all hot water in the summer

Technology choice

Technology choice

Meeting Energy Needs• PV generates 60 - 70%

electricity needs (3.06kWp) THERMAL STORE• Solar thermal generates a

third of hot water needed (5.1 kWth)

• Multifuel stove/ back boiler generates remaining space heat needs to a maximum of 19.2kWth

• 4kWe immersion heaters

Feed in Tariff• Introduced 1st April 2010• Marketed as ‘Green Cash Back’ • PV, AD, Hydro, Wind, MicroCHP pilot• Paid on all electrcity generated• Up to 41.3p/ kWh for PV (buy in 13p/ kWh)• A further 3p/ kWh for units exported• Halved the payback for PV• 4.8% increase as from April 2011• Changes anticipated prior to April 2012 for

systems >50kWp (19th July?)

FIT - Massive Impact!

• 21,000 installations registered, of which:• 19,854 PV• 1,132 wind• 178 hydro• 36 micro CHP• 2 Anaerobic digestion

Renewable Heat Incentive

• First fiscal assistance for renewable heat

• Recognises the importance• Biomass, ASHP, GSHP, solar thermal• Will commence Summer 2011?• Up to 9p/ kWhth for small biomass• Up to 18p/ kWhth for solar

Community Energy Solutions

Case Study‘Community Energy’

Small Scale District Energy Scheme

Brightwalton DE Scheme?

SchoolSocial Housing

Village Hall Church

Small Scale District Energy Scheme

Full Scheme

Financial …..ESCo’s?

A ComESCo?• Establish a company to manage

community energy assets• Draw in grants, source financing needed• Local share issue and ‘buy in’• Operate and maintain• Match fossil price per kWth• Partner with local wood fuel suppliers and

SRC growers with extended supply contract

Task 29: Socio-economics

Fuel Poverty Conference

Renewable Energy Solutions Addressing Fuel Poverty

Tuesday 14th June 2011 – 10.00 to 16.00The Oculus Conference Centre, Aylesbury,

Buckinghamshire HP19 8FF