Wood Pellet - The New OilWith the price of oil controlled by nut-case nations, and the world supply quickly dwindling, wood pellet fuel is fast becoming the New Oil, at least for heating and power generation.
Ireland has got it the Wrong Way Around
Ireland with the SEI grants for alternative fuel systems seems on the face of it to be doing a good job. However, it essentially has got the "cart before the ass". With more and more people switching over to wood pellets, and industrial power generation also close to moving over, the demand for bio-mass and wood pellets is quickly getting to the point where demand will outstrip supply.
What should have happened is that several years ago the government, reading the signs clearly on the walls, should have introduced a massive incentive to encourage farmers to move over to biomass production. At the same time there should have been investment and education in industry in wood pellet and briquette production. Instead we now have incentives that support the use of mainly imported fuels - Wood Pellets made from imported timber.
While some education and investment in biomass production has been happening, it is on far too small a scale as yet to make any great difference. We are now and will be still be for some time to come dependent on imported fuel, the difference being just more wood and less oil.
Still Time if we move Now
If we get the finger out now and move straight away, we can avert a really big future problem. But somehow my heart is seized with manifold pessimism when I consider the slowness of understanding and the vested interests that stand in the way.
You can help make the difference!
Lobby your politicians and tell your friends and associates. If the word spreads, something could yet be made to happen.
Spread the word: Send some friends a link to this blog please.
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