Does heating with wood have a future? Is it still worth installing a storage heating stove?
Politics is a fickle thing. Until August 2022, the installation of wood-burning pellet heating systems was subsidized by the state and now there is a debate about whether to ban heating with wood altogether. The statements and signals are contradictory, because what is being discussed politically is not in line with current decisions on the subject of wood as an energy source.
Under these circumstances, can you still dare to install a high-quality wood heating system such as a storage heating stove in your own home?
The answer is: absolutely not.
Why is a storage heating stove a contribution to the energy transition?
The Charter for Wood , which was drawn up by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, states:
„Opportunities to increase efficiency also exist in the energy recovery of wood outside the timber industry, […]. Even in private households, efficiency improvements and thus higher efficiencies of individual fireplaces can be achieved. In addition, positive side effects such as the reduction of particulate matter emissions can be achieved through these measures.“ (Source: https://www.charta-fuer-holz.de/charta-handlungsfelder/material-und-energieeffizienz/handlungsbedarf-im-detail)
Furthermore, wood is still considered renewable energy, as was decided in the trilogue negotiations between the EU Commission, Parliament and Council on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) in March 2023.(Source: https://www.wochenblatt-dlv.de/politik/entwarnung-brennholz-gilt-weiterhin-erneuerbar-572743)
This means that heating with wood can be included in the necessary renewable energy mix even after the Building Energy Act comes into force – if it comes into force at all.
What about the fine dust pollution caused by burning wood?
In order to reduce fine dust pollution when burning wood, a standard wood-burning stove, such as those found in DIY stores and normal stove shops, must have a filter installed in the chimney pipe.
Storage heating stoves, on the other hand, are true masters when it comes to low exhaust emissions. Why is that? They are simply efficient when burning and extract the maximum amount of heat energy. Very high temperatures are generated in the combustion chamber so that the wood burns completely and evenly. The result: hardly any ash or dust in the flue gases.
The smoke that is produced during combustion is not simply blown into the air, but passed through a special flue gas system, which stores the heat in the fireclay. The stove releases this heat into the room hours later. Thanks to this clever technology, storage heating stoves not only meet the limit values, but are often well below them.
The new Stove Ordinance expressly exempts storage heating stoves. The storage heating stove may continue to be used today and after 01.01.2025. Anyone who loves heating with wood, wants to set themselves up sustainably and wants to make a contribution to climate protection will not be able to avoid a storage heating stove, especially in 2023.
In addition to the advantages of the technology that a storage heating stove inherently brings with it, there are other arguments in favor of heating with wood in a storage stove:
Local resources: wood is a local resource that is also available in our resource-poor country. In contrast to fossil fuels such as oil and gas, which have to be imported (currently even by diesel tankers from the USA), wood can often be sourced from the immediate vicinity. This not only reduces the carbon footprint from transportation, but also strengthens the local economy and promotes independence from international energy markets. An aspect that is more important than ever in these times.
Sustainable forestry: In Germany and many other countries, forestry is managed according to strict sustainability criteria. This means that only as much wood is felled as can grow back. This ensures that the forest is preserved as a CO2 reservoir and can also be used as a sustainable source of energy.
CO2-neutral heating: When burning wood, only as much CO2 is released as the tree has absorbed during its growth. This makes heating with wood a CO2-neutral energy source. In addition, the CO2 footprint can be further reduced by using waste wood from forestry or wood waste from wood processing. If the wood were left to rot in the forest, it would release just as much CO2 as if it were burned.
Durability and robustness: Storage heating stoves are durable and robust. They are built to last and ensure that they function reliably and almost maintenance-free for many years. This makes them a future-proof investment that pays off over the years.
Independence from the power supply: Unlike many other heating systems, a storage heating stove does not require electricity to function. This makes it independent of the power supply and therefore particularly future-proof, especially in times when power outages may increase due to peak loads or extreme weather events.
In summary, what does this mean for investing in a storage heating stove?
Due to their high efficiency of wood combustion and heat storage, storage heating stoves are a highly efficient and future-proof type of heating. They use local and sustainable energy sources, are arithmetically CO2-neutral, extremely durable and independent of the power supply. As a result, they not only contribute to climate protection and the energy transition, but also offer a high level of supply security and independence in uncertain times.
„The future depends on what we do today.“ Mahatma Gandhi.
