AAT is working with the Family Housing Association to install a biomass district heating system for 14 new bungalows in Brynaman. The project will be one of the first schemes using wood fuel in Britain. A feasibility study has also been undertaken for a biomass district heating system in Ystradgynlais.

Construction of the houses in Brynaman is underway. Trenches for the district heating scheme are being dug. Tenants of the new bungalows have given their full support to the project following a presentation by AAT. This project is very important for AAT as it will help demonstrate the enormous potential of biomass to tackle fuel poverty in areas which are off the main gas network. Fuel for the biomass project is coming from a local business which chips pallets. These would otherwise be going to landfill.

Facts about the project

Biomass is classified by the UK government and international bodies as a renewable fuel. The reason for this is that burning wood is 'carbon neutral'. As trees grow, the absorb carbon dioxide. This is then emitted when wood is burnt. There is therefore no net increase in carbon in the atmosphere over the lifetime of the tree. This differs from fossil fuels which have locked carbon in the ground (in the form of coal or oil).

The woodfuel will either be in the form of granules or wood pellets. Pellets are small, cylindrical wood pieces, highlly compressed with a length of about 3cm and a diameter of 0.6-0.8cm. They are generally manufactured from wood waste. The technology for wood pellets is well established, particularly in Scandinavian countries where the scale of production/use is over 1 million tonnes per year. A pellet production plant has been built at Bridgend which absorbs residues from the local wood-using-furniture making undustries.

Wood granules are a form of fine wood-chip which has been produced using a particular chipping technology using clean, dry wood. The specification is tightly controlled, with minimum amounts of dust and oversized pieces. They can be used in boilers designed for wood pellets and therefore capital costs are lower than wood-chip systems. The granules are less dense than pellets and therefore storage bins will need to be larger.

The biomass boiler will provide heating to residents in a disadvantaged village, Brynaman, which has been recognised by the Welsh Assembly as it is one of the most deprived areas in Wales. The scheme will deliver substantial carbon savings.

In terms of financial viability, the scheme will guarantee cheaper fuel costs for the occupants, thereby reducing fuel poverty. The fuel is likely to be accessed from a new local wood granules supply company based five miles from Brynaman which will reduce transport costs and pollution and provide up to a total of 8 new local jobs by the end of 2004. Woodfuel costs are guaranteed to be cheaper than coal or oil .

Community Involvement

Consultation has already taken place with the Coed y Celyn Residents Association, many of whom will be moving to the new estate. They have expressed support and excitement for the development of a biomass scheme. Some of the residents have seen biomass schemes on holiday in Europe. AAT and Family Housing Association organised a half-day presentation about the projects to residents. This helped answer questions about the technology and concerns about emissions and visual impact were addressed. A successful visit to another biomass district heating scheme in Burryport was organised.

Dan McCallum took part in a National Assembly Biomass Study Tour of Austria and Bavaria. It was fascinating to see the number of villages and towns heated by wood supplied by local forests and waste wood sources

Update!

The Biomass District Heating system is now installed and to be commissioned soon.