Should the UK government incentivise the use of wood-burning stoves?

Wood-burning stoves, maximising heat output

Whether or not you believe the UK government should further incentivise the use of wood-burning stoves, this is certainly a growing industry. The difference between traditional energy costs and fuel for wood-burning stoves (and multifuel stoves) continues to grow. However, there is a growing opinion that the UK government should do more to incentivise the use of wood-burning stoves.

Wood fuel subsidy

Before we begin to look at potential ways the UK government could help the wood-burning stove industry, it is worth noting that wood for stoves attracts a reduced VAT rate of just 5%. Historically there have also been tax advantages for those maintaining forestry although these are nowhere near as generous today as they were in years gone by. So, the UK government is doing something to assist the wood-burning stove industry but surely more could be done?

Wood-burning stoves
Should the UK government incentivise the use of wood-burning stoves?

Inefficient stoves

The stove technology available today is vastly different from that of a decade ago. Technology has come on in leaps and bounds although the outer surface of the traditional wood-burning stove often remains the same. This may give the impression that the technology has stayed the same but this could not be further from the truth. However, older stoves are nowhere near as efficient as those available today, many of which hit 80% efficiency ratings, so surely there must be scope for a recycling system?

Even if older wood-burning stoves had an efficiency rating of between 60% and 70%, the opportunity to increase this to 80% with a new wood-burning stove must surely have some merit. What if the UK government was to offer an incentive to exchange an old inefficient stove for a modern day stove – what impact would this have?

Environmental benefits

The more efficient the wood-burning stove the greater the environmental benefits – pure and simple. In a worst-case scenario a tree will ingest as much (and probably more) carbon dioxide as it creates when burned. So, again this is a worst-case scenario, the fuel for a wood-burning stove (if treated correctly) is carbon neutral but probably a whole lot better.

The UK government has for many years now been under pressure to deliver challenging environmental benefits by the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. We have seen the cost of traditional energy increase because of investment in more environmentally friendly systems. Bizarrely, by increasing the cost of traditional energy bills, in the name of the environment, this must surely push more people towards wood-burning stoves and their multifuel counterparts. We know this, there is growing evidence and as the cost of living continues to rise at a greater rate than consumer and wage inflation this can only continue.

Incentivise use stoves
Incentivise the use of wood-burning stoves?

A no-brainer

While there are areas where the use of wood-burning and multifuel stoves is strictly controlled, there are many areas of the countryside which would benefit from UK government assistance. The benefits to the environment and there for all to see, many believe the change in climate is down to carbon emissions and, really, how much would it cost to have a stove recycling scheme? The problem is that this type of scheme would probably appeal to a minority of the UK population and therefore not necessarily be a vote winner. Trading in old cars was a winner, allowing people to upgrade, but using taxpayer’s money to subsidise what many still see as a “middle class” product could yet again stir the volatile political pot in the UK.

Conclusion

At some point the UK government must step forward with schemes to assist the take-up of wood-burning stoves and their multifuel counterparts. Statistics shows that in a worst-case scenario, absolute worst-case scenario, a tree will ingest more carbon emissions in its lifetime than it will create when burned. Surely the government could find a few million pounds out of the billions being spent on environmentally friendly energy sources to fund a stove exchange scheme?