Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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Biomass Assurance Scheme
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-The Solid Biomass Assurance Scheme
Greetings from the HETAS camp. We have worked in the heating industry since 1936 giving approval to solid fuel appliances. Over the past 18 months we have been developing a government recognised quality standard known as the Solid Biomass Assurance Scheme.
DID YOU KNOW: Air dried logs provide up to twice the Kilowatt Hours per tonne of energy than fresh green logs?
The Vision?
To create a benchmark for quality, which ensures the consumer gets sustainable, economical and reliable solid wood fuels. We make sure that producers are supplying you with the best possible product for your heating appliances.
What We Do?
We assess wood fuel suppliers over a number of key criteria before we offer accreditation. This involves regulating the moisture content of the wood (<25% is our requirement). We also ensure that producers consistently meet this standard. We also regulate assess the quantity of wood offering, to ensure that consumers get a consistent weight every time.
DID YOU KNOW: Unseasoned wood can produce tars that potentially damage Flue's and can even cause fires?
The Logo?
When buying your next batch of firewood, be sure to look out for the mark of assured quality.
If in doubt, ask your local supplier if they are accredited by the Solid Biomass Assurance Scheme.
If you would like to find out more information please find us:
Online: www.hetas.co.uk/fuel-quality
Or alternatively tweet at us: www.twitter.com/hetas_sbas[/b]
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Went
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Welcome and hello from Asturias. 
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Treacodactyl
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Re: The Solid Biomass Assurance SchemeWe assess wood fuel suppliers over a number of key criteria before we offer accreditation. This involves regulating the moisture content of the wood (>25% is our requirement). We also ensure that producers consistently meet this standard. We also regulate assess the quantity of wood offering, to ensure that consumers get a consistent weight every time. |
Don't you mean <25%?
What are the charges a producer has to pay HETAS and will they not mean small producers cannot afford to be part of the scheme or lead to increased prices?
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Biomass Assurance Scheme
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Don't you mean <25%?
Right you are, less than 25% is our target. Duly noted and edited. Thanks.
What are the charges a producer has to pay HETAS?
Producers looking for an accreditation go through a document assessment and a site assessment in order to gain accreditation. There is also an annual registration.
Will they not mean small producers cannot afford to be part of the scheme or lead to increased prices?
the scheme was designed with both smaller and larger producers in mind. Producers pay by the site for inspections and by quantity of wood produced. These certainly aren't large figures and it does mean that small producers end up paying less that larger producers.
The accreditation is also a great way for smaller producers to boost the customer perception of the quality of their product. It gives small producers the oppurtunity to compete with the bigger producers
Hope this helps
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Treacodactyl
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Can you give an idea of the fees, say for a single site small producer?
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dpack
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sensible ,wet wood has issues
hello
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Went
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We have access to wood here from various sources, mainly eucalyptus and apple but also lots of wood (tonnes of the stuff) washed up on the beach from down river and the ocean.
Can anyone advise us on how long this should be air dried before use?
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12Bore
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Definitely not an expert, but I would have thought gather all you can now for next winter?
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dpack
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gather and stack ,use the oldest heap first ,
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Biomass Assurance Scheme
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Can you give an idea of the fees, say for a single site small producer? |
I will track down our price structure and get you a definitive answer for that.
We have access to wood here from various sources, mainly eucalyptus and apple but also lots of wood (tonnes of the stuff) washed up on the beach from down river and the ocean.
Can anyone advise us on how long this should be air dried before use?
We have a guide to drying and storing your own wood you're interested?
http://www.hetas.co.uk/image_uploads/log_consumer-advice-a_guide_to.pdf
As a rule of thumb, the longer you leave wood to dry, the better it will perform as a fuel.
cab
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Do you have anything regarding local sourcing of biomass? Strikes me that transporting wood and charcoal great distances is wasteful.
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Lorrainelovesplants
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Yes, Ive managed to source (within 400yds)perfect joiner offcuts etc.....cant really get more sustainable than that.....
Ive used 5 tons this year - all free.
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dpack
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Do you have anything regarding local sourcing of biomass? Strikes me that transporting wood and charcoal great distances is wasteful. |
if i was trusting a label i would want to know the source ,logs from siberia would sort of be wrong in the uk i recon 
same with pelleted stuff for boilers
RichardW
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Strikes me that transporting wood and charcoal great distances is wasteful. |
Charcoal is wrong. Lost of emission's when made & you end up with LESS usable energy in the product than you started with.
The Solid Biomass Assurance Scheme?
You mean Fire Wood?
(your site does talk about pellet & briquettes but by definition they are dry any way)
I am interested in how much this will cost producers & then how much that will add to the sale price per m3 (dont sell by weight its just wrong).
Oddly your fees are based on weight yet your log selling spec is based on volume. I guess thats cos when the wood is bought in its wet & heavy & sold by weight due the the lorry size limits. But when sold its lighter so the fees would be less.
Lets say I had 1000kg of 25% softwood now if I dry that out to say 15% I will loose money as I now only have 900kg to sell. But if I sell it by volume then I get the same price but the customer gets a better product. Selling by weight encourages wet selling.
I am guessing that this will encourage the big national producers at the cost of the smaller local ones.
For small scale producers.
The lowest first year cost is £803 for doing under 100tonnes. So that £8 per tonne premium.
Second year costs £253 for 100 tonnes so £2.53 per tonne.
Roughly 1 tonne of dry wood should give about 2 m3 ish.
So a £1.25 to £4 per m3 premium.
Oh & a £250 "fee" if any one complains and you appeal.
Larger producers pay £3 per 100 tonnes but all other fees stay the same. Not exactly small producer friendly.
Add in the rise in price of the cord wood & the fuel increases its not looking good for small producers.
All fees plus VAT.
Next I bet stove makers will limit their guarantees unless you can prove you used HETAS approved fuel.
Can you tell I am fed up with this nanny state we all seem to love to live in?
vegplot
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Another bureaucratic system which adds another layer to administrative complexity and increases cost to the consumer?
I'm waiting for an assurance scheme that can guarantee service levels, performance, and consistency from civil servants.
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RichardW
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Another bureaucratic system which adds another layer to administrative complexity and increases cost to the consumer?
I'm waiting for an assurance scheme that can guarantee service levels, performance, and consistency from civil servants. |
That about sums it up. I tried reading all the scheme details but its full of codswalop & mumbo jumbo. Its so obvious that office workers have tried to legislate an industry they know nothing about.
Paper pushers making a living from the backs of manual workers.
If only they were actually civil & servant when you have to deal with them.
Cant we bring back common sense & a can do attitude with responsibility to ones self & mankind?
Do we need yet more rules to save the stupid?
vegplot
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Consumer FAQ is a veritable gold mine of information.
I've taken the courtesy of filling in the missing answers...
Q. Will buying SBAS accredited fuel save me money?
A. If you buy from a certified supplier you will be safe in the knowledge you'll being paying more for the same quality of fuel if the supplier hasn't paid our fees.
Q. Will buying SBAS accredited fuel be better for the environment?
A. We'd like to say yes but as we don't have a definitive answer to what is a very broad and open ended question we won't.
Q. There is no Local Wood chip supplier, what should I do?
A1. Wool blankets are quite warm.
A2. Contact your nearest supplier and ask them what it will cost to deliver. It will be more expensive and incur carbon transport miles but what the heck.
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RichardW
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The rest of the site is the same. Its got the bones but not fully fleshed out.
Had it not been HETAS you would think it was a spammers type copy site for some scam.
I guess as more & more Government & council cut backs start to bite more & more stuff like this will appear to try to show that they are making a difference & are still needed.
Will be interesting to see if this will be self financing long term or yet another drain on limited resources for no real gains.
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