Wood is the way forward for business!

6 Oct 2009

With the cold winter months just around the corner, Northern Ireland Electricity is urging businesses across Northern Ireland to consider a more sustainable form of heating. Grant support is available for businesses of all sizes to install either wood pellet or wood chip heating systems in the form of stand alone room heaters or central heating boilers, sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel central heating systems.

Wood pellet and wood chip heating is widely used throughout North America, Canada and Scandinavia but it is still getting established in the UK. To help stimulate the market in Northern Ireland, the NIE SMART programme has set aside funding to help businesses make the move to a more sustainable form of heating.

NIE Energy’s Gwyneth Compston says the new funding scheme is proving popular but highlighted that grants are available on a ‘first come, first served basis’. Gwyneth says, “This form of sustainable heating is not only good for the local environment, it’s proving beneficial to a company’s long term finances! Many of the businesses we have supported to date have reported a reduction in their energy bills and this is very much an incentive in today’s economic climate.

“Wood fuels have a significant role to play in combating climate change because the CO2 released when the wood is converted to energy has previously been taken out of the atmosphere as the trees were growing. Wood fuel is therefore classed as ‘Carbon Neutral Fuel’ and less pollution is produced compared to burning fossil fuels.

“This new funding programme for biomass heating is open to all businesses across Northern Ireland. In the past we have had successful applications from a range of businesses and now have installations in retailers, outdoor activity centres, hotels and even a funeral directors! This is the ideal time for businesses in Northern Ireland to consider wood heating to help reduce both their energy bills and their carbon footprint.”

This is a limited offer from the NIE Smart programme and is available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. To find out more about how to apply for the scheme go to the NIE Your Energy website www.nie-yourenergy.co.uk .

. . . ENDS . . .

Issued by:
Julia Carson, NIE Communications Manager
Northern Ireland Electricity Corporate Communications
Tel: 028 9068 9308

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