Bioenergy

To increase the production and use of biomass and biofuels in the North East region with the objectives of:

Developing the commercial user market for biofuels
Developing the market for biomass products
Developing the biomass supply chain infrastructure
Contributing to a reduction in climate change.

Felling trees for bioengergy
Felling trees for fuel at Kielder Forest

Example outcomes:

Developing networks to promote an increased use of wood-based bioenergy and to facilitate market growth in areas where fuel poverty can be addressed
Promoting biomass and biofuels through producer groups, networks and shared infrastructure to increase the number of farmers and foresters diversifying
Facilitating access to and increased uptake of technical advice services
Improving the infrastructure to enable increased processing and distribution of biomass and biofuel products such as sawmills and wood pellet production
Facilitating increased knowledge sharing and skills development in the bioenergy sector

Wood is the principal natural resource for bio-energy in the Northumberland Uplands and it exists in abundance. For instance, Kielder Forest and the large privately managed woodland areas offer a huge potential.

The production of bioenergy needs to be both environmentally sensitive and sustainable. It is most cost effective when a local fuel source is used, which results in local investment and employment and also minimises transport costs. In the Northumberland Uplands there are opportunities through the New LEADER approach to link bio-energy production with the forestry sector. This would have environmental benefits in that it would bring un-managed and under managed woodlands and plantations into more efficient use. Northumberland Upwards will seek to support the development of locally sourced sustainable, bio-energy supply chains.

Bioenergy is a developing market and due to increased fuel prices and environmental challenges it is likely to become an increasingly important one. However, there are:

Barriers to supply development because of limited demand
Barriers to demand development because of limited supply
A limited number of intermediaries who have the capacity to develop the market

Wood fuel is an environmentally sound renewable energy source. Compared to fossil fuel heating systems, it can reduce carbon emissions by more than 90%. Wood fuel has the lowest carbon impact of all the existing renewable energy technologies. Much of the work in the development of wood fuel in the North East Region has been carried out by Northwoods through their ‘ignite’ training programme and through Newfuels, the wood fuel producer group established to provide vital supply chain advice.

The New LEADER approach will support the development of the bioenergy (including wood fuel) market in the Northumberland Uplands. This will be achieved by stimulating the growth and building the capacity of: bio-energy supply, demand, market intermediaries, and training to provide the skills and knowledge required to develop the industry.

Potential initiatives to develop the supply of bioenergy include:

Promoting awareness of opportunities to supply among potential suppliers. This may include working with supply chain businesses e.g. boiler makers, wood chippers etc as well as less obvious, non-traditional, suppliers e.g. estates or community woods as a source of wood fuel
Develop an improved supply network in the area including the provision of specific forestry harvesting and business skills to increase the supply of wood especially in areas where woodland and forestry management is weak
Providing funding assistance for feasibility studies to support supply development.
Assistance for supply implementation e.g. the development of access routes to enable wood to be harvested or funding the purchase of equipment to process, transport or store fuels
Advice to enable suppliers to gain access to other business services and grant regimes
Work with other initiatives to establish and promote a quality assurance framework for wood fuel

Potential initiatives to develop the demand for renewable energy include:

Promoting awareness of opportunities to supply to potential consumers. This may include working with communities, businesses and construction professionals
Providing funding assistance for feasibility studies to support demand and consumption development
Addressing localised issues of fuel poverty
Providing assistance for demand implementation e.g. funding the installation of biomass boilers, community heating schemes
Establishing a network of localised demand centres e.g. focussing in particular clusters in the public, community and estate sectors

Potential initiatives to develop the capacity of bioenergy intermediaries include:

Facilitating strategic dialogue. This may include working with relevant local community groups, businesses or energy specialist forums
Identifying opportunities to develop supply chain intermediaries e.g. the need to train boiler fitters
Organising and providing funding towards developing supply chain intermediaries
Conducting appropriate research to support the development of the renewable energy market

The development of New LEADER approach initiatives to exploit wood as a biofuel is likely to be undertaken jointly with the Scottish Borders who have shown an interest in collaborating on this priority area.