The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) and its Wood Fuel Quality Assurance (WFQA) Scheme is organising a series of wood fuel drying demonstrations and workshops over the coming weeks.

Commenting ahead of the first event this week, Seán Finan, IrBEA CEO said: “Wood fuel drying is a pivotal stage in the production of quality wood fuels.

“Various drying methods including polytunnel drying, kiln drying and air drying are employed by our members across the country.

“The techniques used vary depending on wood type, desired moisture content, production scale, and resource availability.”

Wood fuel drying demos

The free events are open to IrBEA and WFQA members, potential new members, firewood suppliers, forest owners and interested stakeholders.

The aim is to enhance the understanding of wood fuel drying techniques and processes while showcasing the work and contribution of the WFQA.

Noel Gavigan, WFQA auditor said: “Through these workshops and site visits, participants will gain practical insights on wood fuel drying, interact with industry experts and exchange knowledge.

“These workshops are designed to assist wood fuel suppliers to meet their moisture content requirements as specified under the Solid Fuel Regulations.

“These workshops are open to all fuel suppliers and all members. Each event will showcase unique learning aspects of wood fuel production and we encourage participants to attend as many of these events as possible.”

IrBEA has said that the solid biomass and wood fuels sector is a crucial handler of forestry thinnings and residues.

As Ireland seeks to decarbonise energy uses and move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, it said that solid biomass has the potential to be a significant driver of this change.

“The raw material used to produce wood fuels including firewood, pellets and chip and briquettes are sourced from sustainable forest thinnings and residues from Irish forests,” Finan said.

“The use of dry woodfuels which are renewable, locally grown and produced are a sustainable form of solid fuel which can aid consumers to move away from fossil fuels.

“Dry wood fuels are critical to reducing air quality issues and maximising energy output.”

Workshops

Thos planning to attend the free wokrshops are urged to register online beforehand.

Details of the workshops are as follows:

Workshop 1: Polytunnel drying, Thursday, May 16 from 10:30a.m to 1:30p.m at, Sherlogs, Gainstown, Navan, Co. Meath.

Industrial scale polytunnels are an excellent tool to accelerate air drying while also providing fuel storage, according to IrBEA.

Properly designed tunnels offer a controlled environment with elevated temperatures conducive to fast wood drying.

Particularly advantageous for smaller-scale operations or regions with unpredictable or adverse weather conditions, polytunnel drying provides an effective alternative to traditional outdoor drying methods.

Workshop 2: Kiln drying, Thursday May 30 from 10:30a.m to 3:30a.m at Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge, followed by a site visit to D. Brennan and Sons, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.

Kilns are used to rapidly dry wood fuels with artificial heat and airflow.

While kilns have an associated capital and operational cost, IrBEA said that they can effectively reduce the drying time from several months to a few days. Fuel drying can be relatively low tech.

At this workshop, there will be kiln expert who will explain the fundamentals of proper kiln drying.

Kiln drying offers faster and more uniform drying compared to air drying, making it a valuable tool for large and small-scale wood fuel production facilities seeking to have more control over fuel production, the association said.

Workshop 3: Air drying, Saturday June 15 from 10:30a.m to 1:30p.m at Cotter Bros Firewood, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick.

This approach involves the correct stacking of wood in open air environments with ample airflow and sunlight exposure.

Air drying, when done correctly is an effective low-cost method of producing wood fuels.

However, it does require care, time, attention and space. Air drying is often a precursor to further drying processes such as kilns and polytunnels, particularly suited for smaller-scale operations.

IrBEA said the site operator for this particular workshop has perfected various air-drying techniques which allow them to consistently produce firewood at under 20% moisture content.

UK tour: UK kiln drying site visits, first week of June 2024

IrBEA will be hosting a two-day study tour to the UK to meet with firewood producers utilising various kiln designs to produce firewood to 20% moisture content.

This excursion is aimed at giving participants invaluable insights into kiln operations.

IrBEA

IrBEA was founded in 1999. Its role is to promote the bioenergy industry and to develop this sector on the island of Ireland.

The membership includes farmers; foresters; fuel suppliers; energy development companies; energy users; equipment manufacturers and suppliers; engineers; financiers and tax advisers; legal firms; consultants; planners; research organisations; local authorities; education; and advisory bodies.

The association has said its main objectives are to influence policy makers to promote the development of bioenergy; to promote the interests of members; to enhance public awareness, networking and information sharing; to liaise with similar interest groups; and to promote bioenergy as an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable energy.

Wood fuel drying demos

Workshops

IrBEA

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Series of workshops start tomorrow on wood fuel drying