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25 May 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There is serious confusion about carbon emissions and wood burning stoves for heating. The CO2 produced when burning wood for heating is biogenic carbon, which comes from a renewable source. This should NOT be confused with CO2 from fossil carbon which is not renewable (gas, oil, coal).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Comparing CO2 emissions from Wood Burning Stoves with other Fuels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Biogenic carbon circulates naturally within the environment, from plants and animals, to the air, the sea. and soil, and then back to plants and animals again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Key examples of carbon facts and wood burning for heating can be found in links to reports and technical documents at the end of this article.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The carbon in wood used for heating is referred to as biogenic carbon. This biogenic CO2 does NOT<\/strong> contribute to climate change. This should not be confused with the CO2 produced when using fossil carbon which is not renewable (gas, oil, etc).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Biogenic carbon circulates naturally in the environment, from plants and animals, to the air, the sea. and soil, and then back to plants and animals again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Example:<\/strong> What\u2019s the difference in CO2 produced from electric heaters and wood stoves<\/strong>? \u2013 Generating 1kW of heat from a modern stove produces 1\/19th of the CO2 emissions of direct electric heating (at current grid carbon intensity and current wood processing and transport carbon intensity). So how does that work? Broadly, a little over 40% of current grid electricity is generated from renewables. So just under 60% of the 1kW of heat from direct electric heating comes from burning fossil fuel, which obviously produces CO2. The CO2 produced from generating 1kW of heat from wood burning relates to the CO2 produced during the processing and transport<\/strong> of the wood and not<\/strong> from burning it. The CO2 released when burning wood for our heating is biogenic and forms part of the natural (non fossil) carbon cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heat pumps are very efficient. But at current grid carbon intensity levels, even a good heat pump produces around 5 times <\/strong>as much CO2 per kW of heat as an efficient wood stove. Of course, the CO2 emitted through using a heat pump will reduce over time as more of our future electricity is generated from renewables. But, by the same token, the CO2 emitted through the processing and transport of wood will reduce to zero over time as all of our industry decarbonises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following documents are useful for understanding some carbon facts when comparing wood to other heating. The technical information has been produced in response to regulation change and potential legislation in Scotland. The \u2018carbon facts\u2019 are equally relevant to the whole of the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Key Facts Scotland 25th April \u201924<\/a> (see carbon facts on page 2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n