Interesting Panorama Programme "The Green Energy Scandal Exposed"

[User00040]

I'm not against burning wood on a small scale. I believe in Sweden & Finland when the forestry harvest the timber all the stumps and trimmings go to local power stations that provide power to homes in the region. I could have it wrong but I'm sure I watched something on TV years ago and thought it was a good idea, Thetford forest is full of rows of stumps left to rot.

Just look at how much brash is left over on a forestry site that has been harvested with 'modern' methods (i.e diesel powered harvesters/forwarders).

All done under the rational of 'machine stability' with brash mats.

Yet it still looks like the Somme... with ruts sometimes 4-5 feet deep... brash making it nearly impossible to walk over.

Now try stalking on it!

 

[rem284]

Just look at how much brash is left over on a forestry site that has been harvested with 'modern' methods (i.e diesel powered harvesters/forwarders).

All done under the rational of 'machine stability' with brash mats.

Yet it still looks like the Somme... with ruts sometimes 4-5 feet deep... brash making it nearly impossible to walk over.

Now try stalking on it!

Worse still try dragging a few red off a restock site

 

[rem284]

Me tinks all this "green energy" is all smoke and mirrors, especially in this case

 

[NoIDeer]

Now where are all the commenters who think the BBC are biased?

Cheers

Bruce

Interesting timing for the BBC to air this, during the Conservative conference and just before an energy crisis like we've never seen. Tighten your seatbelts chaps.

 

[norcan]

Interesting timing for the BBC to air this, during the Conservative conference and just before an energy crisis like we've never seen. Tighten your seatbelts chaps.

It’s certainly not the first time they’ve concocted a hit piece on Panorama for the benefit of established interests, either.

 

[tattie]

Many Thanks John

 

[Namman]

Just look at how much brash is left over on a forestry site that has been harvested with 'modern' methods (i.e diesel powered harvesters/forwarders).

All done under the rational of 'machine stability' with brash mats.

Yet it still looks like the Somme... with ruts sometimes 4-5 feet deep... brash making it nearly impossible to walk over.

Now try stalking on it!

Absolutely spot on!
It reminds me of images of First World War woodlands.
Really quite dangerous to walk on let alone extract deer.

 

[tattie]

How can there be any environmental benifit in using wood pellets produced in North America and brought across on oil burning ships? With all the Ash being cut due to Ash die back surely it makes more sense to burn that? Almost as environmentally unfriendly as avocados

Nail on the head.

"I'd really like to see the working out for that one" as the teachers used to say many moons ago!!!!!

Bloody joke.

 

[gixer1]

I genuinely hope more people get to see this…

 

[Liveonce]

not sure how factually correct what i was told, but asked the local council tip what happens to all the wood and they said it was chipped and sent to Germany to fuel their power stations.

 

[Smellydog]

I worked for a firm that was making equipment for handling renewables.
They got grants for burning it to dry grain or heat poultry sheds. Or drying wood chips.
The more you burnt the more grant.
It got really bad!
They were having half a forest chipped, drying it and then use it to dry the other half of the forest chips!
Big big money was involved.
I moved on, didn't agree with me.

Its the same with recycled paper. Its been given to farmers or they are paying farmers to use it for cattle bedding then it gets spread on the land. The problem is though it is full of plastic! Tiny pieces. It has totally ruined the fields on one farm. Its disgusting in my opinion.

 

[countrryboy]

Just look at how much brash is left over on a forestry site that has been harvested with 'modern' methods (i.e diesel powered harvesters/forwarders).

All done under the rational of 'machine stability' with brash mats.

Yet it still looks like the Somme... with ruts sometimes 4-5 feet deep... brash making it nearly impossible to walk over.

Now try stalking on it!

To be fair down in s scotland more and more harvesting sites the brash is collected for chipping, generally doesnae pay for itself but makes the ground prep operations a lot cheaper.
And u have a far cleaner site.
Would be very surprised if it carbon nuetral by the time its been collected/dug up, forwarded to roadside and chipped, think some of the big chippers are 500-700hp, which won't run on fresh air. 1 lad was saying some can chip 100T per hour on decent stuff.


Back on to Drax i also heard ( which may not be true) that 1 of the main shippers/importers of the pellets for drax was related to the government minsiter who ok'd it at the time

The whole green energy is almost all 1 big con, a lot of good ideas but just implemented badly with far too much room for dodgyiness in the grant schemes..

 

[jall55]

Just look at how much brash is left over on a forestry site that has been harvested with 'modern' methods (i.e diesel powered harvesters/forwarders).

All done under the rational of 'machine stability' with brash mats.

Yet it still looks like the Somme... with ruts sometimes 4-5 feet deep... brash making it nearly impossible to walk over.

Now try stalking on it!

Makes amazing habitat though and protects the regen if that is what required or the replanting again depending on the situation

 

[jall55]

When we did a clearfell operation on our holding so much of the timber went from Derbyshire to Kent i think it was for the power stations
It was crazy but called carbon neutral

 

[Liveonce]

companies all so buy and sell carbon quotas so a non green energy generation can be green. So just because you are with a 100% green or renewable energy supplier is no guarantee they are not buying non green energy offset with carbon quotas.

not sure exactly how it all works

Carbon emission trading - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[rem284]

All this going on in the name of "green" energy yet the government was wanting to ban wood burning stoves in peoples homes

 

[User00040]

Makes amazing habitat though and protects the regen if that is what required or the replanting again depending on the situation

Not sure about that, if it's a non native tree being grown and felled then surely the debris is a non-native habitat?

And also, once Sitka Spruce goes in, it don't go away... ever!

 

[jall55]

Not sure about that, if it's a non native tree being grown and felled then surely the debris is a non-native habitat?

And also, once Sitka Spruce goes in, it don't go away... ever!

Yes the brash is non native but it does act as a nursery - so many of the commercial plantations if left to regen come back with hardwoods = ours has anyway

 

[jall55]

Yes the brash is non native but it does act as a nursery - so many of the commercial plantations if left to regen come back with hardwoods = ours has anyway

I took out all our spruce and larch

 

[Mick9abf]

Makes amazing habitat though and protects the regen if that is what required or the replanting again depending on the situation

I believe that they are now leaving slightly longer stumps at times as in time a lot of nutrients held within go back into the soil which helps the restock.