Energy from renewable sources

Biomass heating systems

The city council has now installed three biomass boilers and is looking to continue to replace oil and gas boilers at other council owned sites with biomass boilers where feasible.

The installation of biomass boilers has the additional benefits of:

• reducing the energy costs of the council (as wood chip is considerably cheaper than gas);
• benefiting the local economy as money is spent on a local fuel source and not on foreign imports of oil and gas.

The first biomass boiler installation, at Blaise Nursery, won the RegenSW Green Energy Award for 'Best Renewable Energy Project in the South West'. It is also the South West's first wood fuel station, processing wood chip for other biomass boilers installed by the council. As part of the wood fuel station development, a large pole barn was built to store wood chip and a special tipping trailer was purchased for the delivery of wood chip to other council sites.

The Energy Management Unit (EMU) is currently investigating the installation of biomass boilers at The Park, The Museum of Bristol, Ashton Court Mansion House, and Bristol South Pool. Furthermore, four new schools are being built as part of a PFI project for the council. These schools will also be heated by biomass boilers.

The current boilers are utilising wood chip from the council's parks. However, as this is a finite resource, the EMU is investigating both the growing of short-rotation coppice willow on council land and, in conjunction with Bristol Parks, the greater management of the council's own woodland. Both of these actions will have additional beneficial effects for the city's wildlife as the coppicing and management of woodland increases biodiversity.

For more information see the information sheet about the Biomass Boiler now installed at Blaise Nursery

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