In my capacity as Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, with responsibility for forestry, today I launched a new publication called “Wood as a Fuel”.
Wood as a Fuel by Pieter D. Kofman and Eugene Hendrick is a wide ranging, comprehensive publication covering all aspects of woodfuels, based on the latest information and evidence. Its five volumes describe the main woodfuels which are firewood, woodchip and wood pellets. Detailed information on raw material sources, seasoning, drying and production processes, transportation and quality issues are described for each of the fuels. Many examples of ways to improve product quality and efficiency are provided, designed to enable readers to produce and use high quality woodfuels.
Wood is of significant cultural importance in Irish history, and thousands of homes have relied on wood as a fuel to heat their homes for generations. The books explain the importance of seasoning wood properly before burning, and this is something which is particularly important now as our country develops its clean air strategy, and when sustainably sourced and used, forest biomass has an important role in displacing fossil fuel.
You can read the full Press Release and further details on the gov.ie website here