Woodfuel increasing in popularity

To what extent will biofuels be part of our energy future?

Moderator: Peak Moderation

Janco2
Posts: 195
Joined: 21 Feb 2009, 17:16
Location: Mid Cornwall

Post by Janco2 »

We've been planting 200- 400 trees for future coppicing for the last 5 years. The fields are getting smaller on a yearly basis.
We still buy in some wood every year but also cut down an appreciable amount of our own.
We have 2 years supply stored but are working towards increasing that to 3 years asap.
We have foreseen an inevitable increase in price looming and that's if we can still obtain some :!:
Grid connected Proven 6kW Wind Turbine and 3.8kW Solar PV
Horizontal Top Bar Hives
Growing fruit, nuts, vegetables and a variety of trees for coppicing.
User avatar
emordnilap
Posts: 14814
Joined: 05 Sep 2007, 16:36
Location: here

Post by emordnilap »

Janco2 wrote:We've been planting 200- 400 trees for future coppicing for the last 5 years.
Is that per annum? Well done, that's serious work - one a day! <jealous>
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
Janco2
Posts: 195
Joined: 21 Feb 2009, 17:16
Location: Mid Cornwall

Post by Janco2 »

Yes, it has been for 5 years now.
Unfortunately as we are fairly high up, they take a while to establish but they do make it eventually. We've planted a few trees every year for the last 30 years but only in the last 5 years have we decided it is better to have trees than just let the local farmer cut for hay once a year.

We foresaw impending problems in the 70's so moved here in 1980 and ran a smallholding for many years until our old house cow departed and BSE meant it was not worth investing in another.
Grid connected Proven 6kW Wind Turbine and 3.8kW Solar PV
Horizontal Top Bar Hives
Growing fruit, nuts, vegetables and a variety of trees for coppicing.
lurker
Posts: 434
Joined: 17 Jul 2010, 02:55

Post by lurker »

The logs work out at about 30 quid per cubic-yard (loose)
That sounds very expensive a cubic yard is only about one log basket so you would burn that in one day!

Are you sure you don'y mean cubic metre for 30 quid which would be a very good price?

chech you figures on the the arbtalk forum i reckon. :D
Every time you spend money,you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want.

"Religion is what keeps the&#65279; poor from murdering the rich" -Napoleon Bonaparte
Little John

Post by Little John »

lurker wrote:
The logs work out at about 30 quid per cubic-yard (loose)
That sounds very expensive a cubic yard is only about one log basket so you would burn that in one day!

Are you sure you don'y mean cubic metre for 30 quid which would be a very good price?

chech you figures on the the arbtalk forum i reckon. :D
Commercial supplier bought softwood firewood is usually not less than 50 quid a cubic metre and not less than about 80 quid a cubic metre for hard. Prices vary around those figures quite widely, though depending on the source.
Blue Peter
Posts: 1939
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Milton Keynes

Post by Blue Peter »

lurker wrote:
The logs work out at about 30 quid per cubic-yard (loose)
That sounds very expensive a cubic yard is only about one log basket so you would burn that in one day!

Are you sure you don'y mean cubic metre for 30 quid which would be a very good price?

chech you figures on the the arbtalk forum i reckon. :D
Being an oldie, metric's all very confusing for me, but I don't think there's that much difference between a cubic metre and a cubic yard, such that £30 for one would be brilliant whislt £30 for another would be absolutely rubbish,


Peter.
Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the seconds to hours?
extractorfan
Posts: 988
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Ricky
Contact:

Post by extractorfan »

I assumed there was a mix up between feet and yards.
Blue Peter
Posts: 1939
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Milton Keynes

Post by Blue Peter »

extractorfan wrote:I assumed there was a mix up between feet and yards.
I, of course, meant, "Being a youngie, imperial's all very confusing for me..." :D


Peter.
Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the seconds to hours?
User avatar
JohnB
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 May 2006, 17:42
Location: Beautiful sunny West Wales!

Post by JohnB »

A metre is a yard with a bonus 3 inches.
For every several metres I multiply by 3 and add a foot, so I can visualise it.
:D
John

Eco-Hamlets UK - Small sustainable neighbourhoods
User avatar
emordnilap
Posts: 14814
Joined: 05 Sep 2007, 16:36
Location: here

Post by emordnilap »

JohnB wrote:For every several metres I multiply by 3 and add a foot
:D
<strange image>
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
snow hope
Posts: 4101
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: outside Belfast, N Ireland

Post by snow hope »

I have been burning decent quantities of firewood for 3 years now and have yet to have to buy any wood. I intend to keep it that way. 8)

On Saturday I am visiting somebody who wants a Eucalyptus tree cut down. I do this for free as long as I get to take the wood away. :) Anybody know what Eucalyptus is like for burning? Never burnt it before.

Also getting some other trees/logs I have spotted cut down on some unused land a bit out of the way. It will be filling my trailer by Saturday evening and probably on Sunday too. Waste not want not.... :) Keeps me fit and keeps my wife warm.
Real money is gold and silver
User avatar
RenewableCandy
Posts: 12777
Joined: 12 Sep 2007, 12:13
Location: York

Post by RenewableCandy »

I think it's quite pungent and will need a long time seasoning.
Soyez réaliste. Demandez l'impossible.
Stories
The Price of Time
User avatar
adam2
Site Admin
Posts: 10901
Joined: 02 Jul 2007, 17:49
Location: North Somerset, twinned with Atlantis

Post by adam2 »

A cubic meter is bigger than a cubic yard, but not hugely so.
A cubic foot is much smaller. Firewood is not normally sold by the cubic foot.
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
User avatar
mobbsey
Posts: 2243
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Banbury
Contact:

Post by mobbsey »

adam2 wrote:Firewood is not normally sold by the cubic foot.
...or any volumetric quantity, because the energy density is so variable!

E.g., I'd rather have a cubic yard of of oak rather than a cubic yard of eucalyptus!
User avatar
biffvernon
Posts: 18538
Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: Lincolnshire
Contact:

Post by biffvernon »

But there's not much difference in calorific values between different species of wood, measured by mass at the same moisture content.
Post Reply