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Central Scotland Woodfuel Forum

Chair: Dan Gates, Director of Uaine Limited.
Secretariat: Virginia Harden, Rural Development Initiatives Ltd

Introduction

Central Scotland Woodfuel Forum was conceived in April 2010, with its first full meeting in September 2010.

The Central Scotland Woodfuel Forum is facilitated by Rural Development Initiatives Ltd (RDI), under contract to Forestry Commission Scotland. RDI provide the Secretariat for the Forum, arranging meetings and providing information and advice where required.

Aims and objectives

Our aim is to promote the development of wood fuel demand and supply in the Central Scotland area. Our objectives are to:

  • Engage with local media to disseminate positive wood fuel news.
  • Work with training organisations to encourage greater provision of training within the wood fuel sector.
  • Produce a strategy for developing the wood fuel resource within Central Scotland and examine the establishment of a regional or national suppliers association.
  • Establish stronger working ties between the public and private sector.
  • Introduce standardised fuel delivery across Central Scotland, including adoption of the HETAS Solid Biomass Assurance Scheme.
  • Build a reliable supply chain from source to installation within Central Scotland.
  • Play a greater role in persuading planning officers to promote the growth of biomass in the region.
  • Investigate the potential for attracting a boiler manufacturer to set up a factory in the region.

Meetings

We aim to meet three times a year at different locations throughout the region. Where ever possible the meetings will include relevant presentations and site visits to existing biomass projects.

Presentations from past events and meetings will be available here  as soon as possible after the event.

1st Nov 2012 - Shotts

Optimising Value from Urban Woodland

11th Nov 2011 - Queen Margaret University

inc visit to on-site district heating; District Heating Schemes; rural supply chain; Confor Woodfuel Suppliers' Group; ESCOs

13th June 2011 - Glasgow Botanical Gardens

Sustainable Glasgow; Co-operative models for Local Authorities

20th January 2011 - Falkirk

developing regional markets; support for central Scotland Councils

Dates of future meetings will be posted here in due course

Contact details

For further information, or to join the forum, please contact Virginia Harden, Rural Development Initiatives Ltd: [email protected] 

A valuable opportunity to network with wood fuel users and suppliers. You'll get a wealth of local information about the sector. They are open to all and are free.

Whether you're new to woodfuel or a veteran, you can share ideas and discuss issues. They also aim to develop a collective voice for the sector, and encourage members to work together to improve all stages of the wood fuel process, from supply to installation.