The UK is due for a major increase in the use of wood fuel, according to Guy Bewick of agent PLS UK.
Addressing the London Softwood Club last week on possible softwood demand and supply trends over the next five years, Mr Bewick said that the biofuel business was set to exert an increasing influence on the wood market. In fact leading plcs, notably power generators and retail conglomerates, plus public bodies such as local authorities, were already spearheading a drive to wood to fuel heat and power plants. And he added, his own company was increasingly involved in sourcing this product.
“One of my customers has an agreement to supply wood pellets as fuel to one of the leading [retail] chains for 100 stores,” he said. “They consume 40 tonnes per month each, a total of 7,000m³.”
He said he had also been contacted by contractor Costain which was tendering to convert 1,600 London schools from oil and gas to woodfuel heating. They would require a total of 30,000m³ of pellets per month.
“And we have been asked to tender to BAA at Heathrow for 38,000 tonnes per annum,” he said.
While for some markets the wood fuel sector was seen as competition, Mr Bewick predicted that it could actually benefit the solid wood trade.
“The yield from logs to make pellets is greater than that for pulp,” he said. “If it frees up the availability of pulp-type logs then it is more likely sawlogs will be harvested and there will be more sawn timber available.”
For more on this, see next week’s issue of TTJ.
