The UK wood fuel and heating industry has a new trade body, the Wood Fuel and Heating Association (WFHA), which will represent businesses across the supply chain and give the sector a stronger voice with the government and regulators.
The UK Pellet Council (UKPC) has welcomed the formation of the organisation, which brings together wood pellet, waste wood and wood chip suppliers, biomass boiler distributors, installers, maintenance companies and compliance specialists, Bioenergy Insight reported.
The new association is intended to improve coordination across the industry, which has lacked a single organisation representing the wider wood fuel and heating supply chain.
Wood fuel heating provides renewable, low-carbon heat to homes, businesses and industrial sites. It also supports jobs in forestry and rural areas. Biomass heating is particularly important for rural and off-grid properties where heat pumps may not be affordable or technically suitable, making biomass one of the few available alternatives to fossil fuel heating in such locations.
The UKPC will continue to focus on the wood pellet industry and manage the ENplus certification scheme as the National Licenser. The WFHA will focus on the wider heating sector and represent the interests of the full supply chain.
Both organisations plan to work together on government policy and industry issues.
Neil Holland, chair of the UKPC, said biomass heating had an important role in reducing carbon emissions and helping the UK achieve its Net Zero goals, but was often overlooked in policy discussions.
He said biomass was frequently discussed in relation to power generation, while its contribution to heating was given less attention despite its importance to customers, rural communities and local economies.
Holland said having two organisations with different areas of expertise and networks would strengthen the industry’s representation and help deliver a clearer message about the role of biomass heating in reducing emissions.
Terence McCracken, chair of the WFHA, said bringing businesses from across the supply chain together would allow the industry to push for practical solutions and have greater influence in policy discussions.
He said the backing from established industry leaders reflected confidence in the new association and its focus on cooperation, shared expertise and policies based on evidence.
The wood fuel sector has faced limited attention as government discussions on renewable heating have increasingly focused on heat pumps and electrification. Industry representatives say the particular needs of rural and off-grid properties have not received enough attention when heating policies are developed.
