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Blog on Informative Insights for Sustainable Living

wood briquettes vs fossil fuels intro

Wood briquettes are new renewable source of heat for home heating, alternatrive to firewood and fossil fuels, used in open fires, wood burning stoves, wood fired cookers and other enclosed appliances. As a renewable - eco fuel and green source of heat the wood briquettes are not liable to carbon tax. The new carbon tax at a rate of €15 per tonne has been introduced on all fossil fuels. The tax will apply to petrol and auto-diesel with effect from midnight, 9 December 2009; and from 1 May 2010 to Kerosene, Marked Gas Oil, Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), Fuel Oil and Natural Gas. The application of the tax to coal and commercial peat is subject to a Commencement Order. Further information on the carbon tax is set out at Annex E which is available on www.budget.gov.ie.

The above changes will lead to higher expenses for most common solid fuels in Ireland as they become more expensive and the price of peat briquettes and coal will be driven up respectively with 39 cents per bale and €1.79 per 40kg bag. The impact of the changes as per the budget unveiled by the Minister for Finance on Wednesday, 9 th December 2009 is illustrated in the table below.

As the new carbon tax, introduced in May 2010 hit the fossil fuels' prices up, home heating bills are set to rise as well, leading to increases of 8.4% in the household heating bills. The carbon tax was imposed on fossil fuels such as petrol, diesel, home heating oil, coal and peat briquettes. Mr Eamon Ryan, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources explained that energy from renewable sources and better energy efficiency would reduce Ireland's dependence on fossil fuels and stimulate the Economy.

The extensive use of bituminous or smoky coal for home heating, which causes high levels of air pollution and formation of thick layers of fog during the winter season also known as winter smog, causing health problems according to health experts, led to the ban of bituminous (smoky) coal and its marketing, distribution and sale in certain areas, with the introduction of The Air Pollution Act from 1987.

eco logs vs firewood intro

The eco logs are an Eco fuel that produces more energy per weight than regular firewood. This renewable wood fuel has less moisture content and thus is a more efficient home heating source than firewood. The compressed heat logs have moisture content less than 10% which is at least 3 times less than the moisture content in seasoned firewood (20% - 30%).

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