Biomass Use in Scotland

• In 2020 Scotland generated an estimated 6.4% of its non-electrical heat demand from renewable sources, up from 3.8% in 2014, continuing the year on year increases seen since 2008/09.
• This equates to 5,008 GWh of heat produced from renewable sources
• Wood fuel used in biomass heat and CHP installations accounted for 70% of these renewable sources (the remaining 30% came from a mixture of heat pumps, biogas, biomethane and energy to waste plants).

Source: Renewable Heat in Scotland, 2020 (Energy Saving Trust; 2021)

Wood Fuel Usage in Scotland

Forestry Commission Scotland publishes an annual survey of wood fuel use.

The latest published data shows that the total amount of wood fuel used in Scotland in 2021 (published in 2022) was over 1.4 million oven dried tonnes.

Source of chart:  Wood Fuel Demand and Usage in Scotland – 2021

• This is roughly equal to 2.8 million ‘green’ (freshly felled logs) tonnes of wood fuel. UK use of wood fuel is estimated at 4.3 million green tonnes, so Scotland’s role in the market is highly significant.

Biomass is also a significant renewable in the EU and globally, click here for more information.