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Wood-burning Stoves

Question for Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

UIN 93692, tabled on 15 December 2021

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish a definition of sustainably sourced in relation to wood burning in domestic appliances.

Answered on

13 January 2022

Sustainability in relation to wood burning for domestic appliances varies depending on the appliance. The sustainability requirement for fuel used in the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), which support biomass boilers and pellet stoves used for heating and hot water for domestic properties, includes a greenhouse gas emissions limit and specific land criteria. These requirements are set out in the RHI regulations through the obligation for ‘approved sustainable fuel’ to be used in domestic RHI accredited installations. There is no specific sustainability requirement for fuel for other domestic appliances such as traditional open fires or wood burning stoves.