Grants for eco-efficient wood burning technologies

The Government and the Danish People's Party set aside DKK 7.1 million for technologies to reduce pollution to the air from domestic wood fuelled stoves and boilers, in 2008 and 2009.

Grant scheme
The grant scheme's objective is to support development, testing and demonstration of technologies that reduce air pollution from wood burning stoves and boilers in private homes.

It is part of the Government strategy "Clean air for everyone – Danish efforts" (PDF, 88KB) from June 2008 and contributes to the Government's Action Plan for the advancement of eco-innovation, "Danish solutions to global environmental challenges" (PDF, 1,8MB) from July 2007.

As Government support was involved in the scheme, the European Commission was notified. The Commission approved the scheme on 7 November 2007.

The application deadline was on 1 September 2008. The Environmental Protection Agency received many qualified applications for exciting projects. Ten projects received founding, five of which were initiated in 2008 and additional five in 2009. Below is a short description of the ten projects.

Wood burner with integrated particle filter (project start 2008)
Company: Aduro A/S (in collaboration with Dinex Emmision Technology A/S and Exhausto CDT)

• New wood burners emit particles, depending on how they are operated. The project will demonstrate whether it is possible to construct and operate a wood burner with an integrated particle filter and will also demonstrate practical, economic and safety aspects.

CFD simulation tool (project start 2008)
Company: Scantec ApS

• CFD stands for computational fluid dynamics. Among other things, computer simulation can represent temperatures in a wood burning stove
• The aim of the project is to use computer simulation to optimise the combustion temperature and air supply and thus reduce particle and NO_x emissions.

User survey on wood storage, handling and burning (project start 2008)
Company: Ignéco

• A user survey was conducted to determine why so many people use their wood burning stoves incorrectly.
• Solutions will be sought for any underlying problems, including how to ensure the use of dry wood. Informing the general public on the most eco-efficient use of wood burning stoves.

Automatic ventilation between the wood burning stove and chimney (project start 2008)
Company: Exhausto CDT A/S

• Development of automatically controlled chimney fans in order to reduce pollution from wood burning stoves.
• Assurance of optimal chimney ventilation under all types of stove operating conditions.
• Development of a system to integrate the wood burning stove in 'the intelligent house'.
• Laboratory and field tests of systems.

Wood moisture meters (project start 2009)
Company: Forest and Landscape (Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen)

• The moisture content of wood plays an important part in clean and effective combustion. The drier the wood, the cleaner the combustion is and the lower the emissions of particulate matter are. Rapid moisture meters on the Danish market are tested for accuracy and reliability with regard to the water content of wood. If results are positive, the focus will be on dissemination of information on moisture meters.

Development of the 'Slow Heat Release' wood burning stove using salt hydrate heat storage (project start 2009)
Company: Morsø Jernstøberi A/S and the Danish Technological Institute

• Many wood burning stoves produce too much heat in comparison to the heating requirement of the house. This often leads to a reduction in air supply which in turn results in poor burning. The aim of this project is to develop and test a wood burning stove with in-built heat storage using salt hydrates. This will achieve a constant burn at full effect, whilst heat is released slowly.

Structural design tool for wood burning stoves (project start 2009)
Company: the Danish Technological Institute

• The structural design tool aims to help consumers choose the correct size of stove in relation to the heating needs of their house. A stove with correct dimensions use a high excess air volume, which allows more eco-friendly combustion and lower particle emissions, with a minimum use of wood.

Regulation and monitoring of wood burning using an IR combustion sensor (project start 2009)
Company: Risø DTU (National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Technical University of Denmark)

• Production and testing of low-priced, long lasting infrared sensors for measuring CO and CO₂ from boilers, pellet burners and wood burning stoves to achieve more effective combustion with fewer particle emissions.

Heating of housing using wood burning – energy-efficiency and the environment (project start 2008)
Company: Danish Building Research Institute (Aalborg University)

• Measuring energy efficiency in wood burning and solid fuel stoves.
• Measurement and evaluation of interior climate with regard to particles, harmful substances and thermal comfort.
• Measurement and evaluation of chimneys emissions (particles and harmful substances).
• Improvement of knowledge base to allow incorporation of wood burning systems in new housing.

Tool box for evaluating wood smoke problems (project start 2009)
Company: FORCE Technology and NERI (National Environmental Research Institute, Aalborg University)

• Identification of tools to evaluate whether Building Regulations' (BR08) requirements have been met.
• Tools for identification and description of complaints regarding smoke from wood burning stoves, etc. Measurement options.
• Tools for remedying or removing nuisances in relation to wood burning stoves, etc.
• Collection of samples with regard to dispersion characteristics.