Small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Wales are being given the opportunity to convert to wood fuel heating through a new £17 million grant scheme.
The
Wood Energy Business Scheme (WEBS) is being run by the
Forestry Commission Wales and its prime aim is to provide capital grant support to micro-businesses,
SMEs and social enterprises to further develop the sustainable and
renewable wood heat market across Wales.
Up to £7.8 million of new funding is being made available to
SMEs in Wales under the scheme. Businesses can apply for grants to install wood fuelled heating systems or to set up clean wood fuel supply businesses in Wales.
The scheme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government, runs until 2013 and will support up to 41 per cent of the cost of carbon-reducing initiatives. It is expected to cut carbon emissions by 38,000 tonnes per year.
This is a second round of WEBS funding. An earlier round ran between 2004 and 2008 and funded 80 schemes, including heating schemes in small rural
tourism businesses,
manufacturing businesses and public sector sites, including hospitals and schools. It also funded a range of fuel supply businesses producing wood chips and pellets, such as sawmills and wood processing plants like Blazers Fuels at Clifford Jones Timber in Ruthin.
Commenting on the scheme, Mike Pitcher, WEBS manager, Forestry Commission Wales, said: "Modern woodfuel heating is a clean, convenient and sustainable form of renewable energy.
"By creating demand for wood locally, Forestry Commission Wales can encourage more woodland owners to bring their
woodlands into management. Better managed woodlands offer higher financial returns to their owners as well as improving habitats for wildlife and offering opportunities for recreation."
As well as
grants, WEBS also offers businesses advice on how to increases their
energy efficiency and can assist in providing building skills and experience in the installation and maintenance of wood fuel heat and power
technology and help to develop new products, such as new heating boilers or energy supply services.
Wood Energy Business Scheme runs free events
The scheme is running a series of free events this year to give SME owners and community groups an insight into the technologies that use wood to provide renewable heating and generate electricity, along with information on the funding available from Forestry Commission Wales.
The next event is being held on May 27 at Ruthin Castle Hotel in Denbigshire, North Wales. A specialist technical seminar on best practice in wood fuel installations designed for architects, specifiers and engineers, will also take place in Cardiff in September.
Related news:
Renewable energy news
Green SME news
Green grants & funding news
Related links:
www.forestry.gov.uk/woodenergywales