Huge interest in wood chip demos

Over 1200 farmers from all over the country attended a series of meetings to show case the latest in wood chip technology. The Forest Energy demonstrations were organised by Teagasc, COFORD and Waterford Institute of Technology.

Three types of wood-chippers were brought in from Denmark to see how they performed under Irish conditions.

Seasoned timber was chipped to produce a variety of categories of wood chip. The moisture content of both the green timber and the seasoned timber were recorded and will be analysed by WIT.

Important message

The message emerging from the demonstrations was that the quality, size and the moisture content of the wood-chips are hugely important and must be suited to the boiler in which they will be burnt.

"The smaller the boiler, the smaller the chip must be and the lower the moisture content'' said Mary Ryan, Acting Head of the Teagasc Forestry Development Unit.

Opportunities for farmers

Steven Meyen, Teagasc forestry adviser in Donegal, said "first thinning is now a more attractive prospect as the emerging wood energy market presents an opportunity for farmers to sell pulpwood from thinnings locally, rather than paying the haulage cost of transporting pulpwood to the panel mills in the South East.''