What is biomass?
Biomass includes all biogenic and non-fossil organic materials such as residual wood, organic waste or manure. Especially wood – in the form of pellets, logs or wood chips – is a popular energy source because it is climate-neutral, environmentally friendly and efficient. Its wide availability and low processing requirements make wood a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
Sustainable
heating with wood
Wood as fuel has proved its worth in the heating sector against other biomass raw materials for various reasons. On the one hand, the energy needed well as the effort required for the further processing and for the transport of the wood are very low - even for pellets. Another reason why wood is an established ful is its chemical composition and the resulting low-emission combustion. Compared to other biomass raw materials, availability and climate neutrality are important factors in the popularity of wood as a fuel.
Resistant
Environmentally friendly and CO2-neutral
Everyone knows by now why burning fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, is not ideal. The procurement of crude oil and gas is very energy-intensive and costly, as is the further processing of the final heating medium. Moreover, fossil fuels are not climate-neutral, which leads to an increased greenhouse effect and global warming. The natural raw material wood is considered CO2-neutral. This means that combustion does not release more CO2 than a tree has absorbed during its growth. The same amount will also be released if the wood rots in the forest. Heating with wood therefore does not harm our climate.
Heating with wood
Strengthens the local economy
Not only does wood keep our homes warm, but it also creates jobs and adds value in the region. From forest management and transport to the production of firewood, wood chips or pellets – people are working on refining wood into valuable fuel along the entire value chain. Not only the production, but also the distribution of heat from biomass district heating plants to multiple households create jobs in the region.
Oil also creates jobs, but mostly in far-off regions. Wood constantly regenerates in our local forests. It is therefore crisis-proof and not subject to the strong fluctuations of international markets.
Across Europe, forest areas are actually increasing. This is because more cubic metres of wood are currently growing annually than are being consumed. This in turn means that potential is not being sufficiently exploited, leaving room for improvement in our economy and for the environment.
Did you know...
… that most trees are not felled to produce firewood, but mainly for sawmill production and industrial timber. The fear that heating with wood will lead to the clearing of our forests is therefore unfounded. The main materials used to produce firewood are residual wood, such as branches and damaged wood, as well as residues from the sawmill industry.
A heating system fuelled by Austrian pellets reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 98% compared to heating oil.
Source: ProPellets
Around 30 million cubic meters of timber grow back in Austria every year – that corresponds to about1 cubic meter per second.
Source: Forest Association
In Austria, forest covers an impressive area of 4 million hectares, which corresponds to a forest cover of 49.7% of the total area.
Source: Forest Association
ETA
Fuel calculator
Fuels in comparison
While the price of fossil fuels such as oil and gas is subject to heavy fluctuations in the international markets and will certainly rise in the long-term, the price of wood and pellets is stable. Calculate your heating costs with our fuel calculator.
Switching systems is worthwhile
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