Businesses urged to look at green energy

6:02am Wednesday 4th April 2007

BUSINESSES in the North-East are being encouraged to be greener, by using wood-burning boilers as an alternative to fossil fuels.

Environmental experts claim a switch to burning wood chips could halve a company's fuel bill and significantly reduce its carbon footprint in the long-term.

Such issues were addressed at an event yesterday in Chopwell Woods, on the border of County Durham and Gateshead, organised by NEWHeat (North-East Wood Heat) and regional development agency One NorthEast.

Neil Harrison, of not-for-profit organisation NEWHeat, said the region's woodland provided a serious alternative to fossil fuels.

"Wood heat utilises a crop of carefully harvested trees from the region's managed forests and turns this into wood chip, which can then be used as a clean and efficient fuel for modern heating systems," he said.

"It's important that businesses do not feel like they are being forced into a corner on the issue of renewable energy, and more that we're here to offer impartial advice that this may be an option for their company. Then we can sit down and work out how much they would save and over how long."

He believes that increased use of wood heat would have benefits for the region, both economically and environmentally.

"Sensitive forest management would have beneficial consequences for the levels of biodiversity in woodland habitats, and would also create significant employment opportunities in rural areas," he added.

At yesterday's event, discussions were led by Paul Campbell, chief executive of The Amazing Group, together with eco-columnist Julia Stephenson, managing director of Tanfield Food Company Ltd, Keith Gill, partner of Land Factor, Athole McKillop, and commercial director of Newcastle-based law firm Ward Hadaway, Colin Hewitt.

The group looked at how wood chip boilers could help a wide range of businesses - from hotels to factories - save money and leave a smaller carbon footprint.

Alan Clarke, chief executive of One NorthEast, said: "For the future of the country and planet we, the North-East, are leading the way in renewable energy and we would like to set an example to the rest of the UK to follow us in combating climate change."