At the 2023 REA Wood Heat Conference, air quality emerged as a key topic of interest for the sector. Whilst the biomass strategy recognised a clear role for biomass boilers in decarbonising the heat sector, it also raised concerns around air quality, emphasising the need for tighter regulations for controlling emissions. Furthermore, the negative press surrounding air quality and biomass can be a limiting factor to the deployment of biomass boilers. The REA’s Wood Heat Forum has therefore developed an air quality workstream focusing on this theme.

We are developing publicly available evidence-backed materials and briefings to share with teams at DESNZ and DEFRA to highlight how modern biomass boilers are a sophisticated, well-regulated, low emission heat source, which can play a valuable role in decarbonising the heat sector.

Air Quality Leaflet

Terence McCracken, Chair of the Wood Heat Forum Steering Group and UK and Ireland Sales Director for Innasol, alongside the WHF Steering Group and REA team, have worked with the marketing agency Nutcracker, to produce an air quality leaflet. Members are welcome to share this material on their websites and social channels.

We would like to thank Innasol for kindly funding this work.

To read the leaflet click here.

Air Quality Presentation

The REA have also produced a presentation on air quality and modern biomass boilers. This expands on some of the information in the leaflet, and includes further statistics including  graphs on the PM and NOX emissions of RHI biomass boilers according to boiler emission certificates.

Members are welcome to use these slides for their own presentations and share with their contacts.

To see the presentation click here.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.