Forestry Commission Scotland logo

Useful Contacts

  • Forestry

    ConFor

    The Confederation of Forest Industries (UK) Ltd (ConFor) has been established to help build the market for timber and timber products, create a supportive policy environment for the forest industries and to help its members become more competitive and successful.

    Forestry Commission Scotland

    Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) serves as the forestry department of the Scottish Executive, advising on and implementing forestry policy and managing the national forest estate.  The website has information on a huge range of forestry related matters.

    Forestry Contracting Association

    The Forestry Contracting Association is the trade association for forestry contractors. The FCA contributes to industry initiatives and assists members with business development and training opportunities.

    Scottish Forest Industries Cluster

    The Scottish Forest Industries Cluster website contains useful information on woodfuel including news, events and publications.

  • Woodfuel

    Wood Energy Business Scheme
    The WEBS project provides capital grants for woodfuel development in Wales. The website contains general information on woodfuel and a toolkit to optimise wood heating systems through appropriate sizing of a boiler and assessment of the benefits.


    Woodfuel Resource
    The Woodfuel Resource website has been developed by Forest Research to provide a database of the potentially available woodfuel resource of Great Britain. The website allows you to search and download information on different areas.


    The Biomass Energy Centre
    A 'one stop shop' able to provide advice to anyone with an interest in biomass derived fuels and associated conversion technologies.


    Bio-Energy Info
    An on-line library of information about bioenergy, developed in the framework of the North Sea BioEnergy Project.


    The British Pellet Club
    The British Pellet Club merged with the Renewable Energy Association in May of 2006


    DEFRA
    The DEFRA website contains information on the growing of crops for energy including policy, grants and a compendium of completed and ongoing research.


    The European Pellet Centre
    The project Pellets for Europe funded by the EC Altener programme ended mid 2005, but due to the start of the new Intellegent Energy Project PELLETS@LAS (start Jan 2007) this website will be further developed and updated with new information about the European pellets market


    Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA)
    Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs) enable a business to claim 100% first-year capital allowances on their spending on energy-saving plant and machinery. The website has a list of equipment which qualifies for the allowance including biomass boilers and heaters.


    Forest Research
    Forest Research is the research agency of the Forestry Commission. One of the key work programmes concerns biomass, and the website contains a range of information on growing, harvesting and using wood energy, including publications guidance and technical information.


    IGNITE
    Woodfuel training courses by Rural Development Initiatives.


    Logpile
    The NEF Logpile project aims to promote aid the use of wood as a source of renewable energy and sustainable heating. The website includes a database of woodfuel suppliers across the UK.


    Marches Wood Energy Network
    MWEN is a non-profit making company dedicated to the development of wood energy in the West Midlands. Their website includes case studies, FAQs and facts and figures across a range of woodfuel usage.


    Northern Wood Heat
    Northern Woodheat is a Northern Periphery Programme project managed by Highland Birchwoods with partners in Scotland, Iceland and Finland. It aims to develop sustainable small and medium scale woodfuel supply chains. The website contains publications and details of events of interest to woodfuel suppliers and users.


    Simply Renewable
    The Simply Renewable website promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services that can be used in domestic applications, or in the construction of new homes and commercial premises. Information and searches for renewables products and services.


    Smoke Control Areas
    Under the Clean Air Act local authorities may a smoke control area in their district of authority. The website lists exempt appliances which have passed tests to confirm that they are capable of burning an fuel, such as wood chip, which is not authorised for a Smoke Control Area without emitting smoke.


    South West Wood Fuels Ltd
    SWWF is a membership organisation promoting and supporting the woodfuel sector in the south west of England. The website contains information on installations in the south west and a regular newsletter on woodfuel activities. It also has useful information on hardware and boiler sizing.


    UNECE/FAO
    European Forestry Commission. The UNECE/FAO Timber Section in cooperation with the International Energy Agency (IEA) decided in June 2006 to develop and launch a "Joint Wood Energy Enquiry".


    UK Microgeneration Certification Scheme
    See this link for information about how to become an accredited installer of biomass systems.


    HETAS
    See this link for details of HETAS Solid Biomass Training.

  • International

    BENET bioenergy network
    BENET is a Finnish network of individuals and firms involved in a number of international bioenergy projects (website under construction).


    Bioheat
    Bioheat is a European project to promote biomass heating in large buildings and blocks. The website has useful reports and tools for people interested in heating with biomass, along with case studies from several European countries.


    EUBIONET
    The European Bioenergy Network promotes, efficient trading of biomass fuels and analysis of fuel supply chains and business models for market actors.


    Tekes
    National Technology Agency of Finland - OPET network reports on bioenergy. The website contains reports on wood energy production and use from several European countries involved in the OPET network.

  • Renewable Energy: General

    AGORES (A global overview of renewable energy sources) 
    A European Commission website, AGORES is an information centre and knowledge gateway for Renewable Energy Sources. The website has information on EC policy, news and events, EU funding programmes and projects. It also has publication and links on a range of renewable technologies including all forms of biomass energy.


    CADDET is a source of information for energy efficiency and renewable energy. The website has information, technical brochures and detailed reports on a wide range of renewables including biomass from across Europe, as well as a database of over 1500 case studies from around the world. (The website has not been maintained since March 2005 but remains live to provide access to the wide range of information collected since 1988).


    The Carbon Trust
    The Carbon Trust is a government funded company providing information, advice and information on low carbon technologies, energy saving and climate change mitigation. The website contains publications and details of grant funding for low carbon technologies.


    Centre for Alternative Technology
    CAT is concerned with globally sustainable, whole and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life. The Centre has its own wood heating systems and runs training courses for installers. The website provides advice and information on renewable energy and sustainable design.


    Combined Heat and Power Association
    CHPA provides information on policy, current activities and funding in the area of CHP and community heating.


    DTI Renewables
    DTI renewables is the government website for information on renewable energy, containing information on all types of renewable energy, policy, planning and information for business. The website lists events, DTI publications and press releases and details of funding and grants.


    National Energy Foundation
    NEF is an independent educational charity encouraging and developing sustainable energy solutions for the UK. The website contains information and links on renewable energy and hosts the British Pellet Club and Logpile websites.


    Renewable Energy Association
    The Renewable Energy Association is a trade association whose membership spans the range of renewable technologies and resources. It was established in 2001 to represent British renewable energy producers and promote the use of sustainable energy in the UK. It has several resource groups including a Biomass Energy Group. The website contains a range of news, events and reports on renewable energy including information transferred from British Biogen.The REA was called the Renewable Power Association until October 2005


    Scottish Executive - Renewables & Consents Policy Unit
    The Executive is responsible for promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency in Scotland, as well as other areas of energy policy such as processing applications to build power stations, for overhead line and major gas pipeline consents, and has a role in emergency planning at civil nuclear power stations, while liaising with the Department of Trade and Industry on wider energy policy.


    Scottish Renewables Forum 
     Scottish Renewables is a forum for the renewable energy industry in Scotland. The website provides information on the forums work and initiatives including newletters, briefings and consultation responses, as well as opportunities for members.


    Enagri
    Enagri is a new electronic magazine and website providing up-to-date information about green and renewable energy, efficiency and diversification, with a particular focus on the agri-food industry and the rural environment, with news and in-depth coverage of the latest trends in Bio-fuels, Biomass crops, Energy efficiency, Environmental management, Novel crops, Solar power, Wind power.


    ELREN
    ELREN is a European LEADER+ rural energy network which facilitates exchange and know how with the aim to create new opportunities in renewable energy among Leader+ groups in the EU. Currently 49 parties from 13 countries have joined the project.