North Yorkshire businesses and developments are already using woodfuel to build up their green credentials.

The Hawk Creative Business Park at Easingwold is heated principally by wood chip which is grown from short rotation coppice willow on its own site and a neighbouring farm.

It has a 110KW boiler, supported by two 2,000 litre hot water tanks to maximise the efficiency of the boiler, which feeds an under-floor heating system.

Coupled with other environmentally-friendly initiatives, such as sensors, the park estimates that it saves about 30 tonnes of carbon per year.

Kirkdale Manor in Nawton near Malton is a former school built in 1894. After redevelopment into 25 apartments, the building is now heated by a £100,000 biomass central heating system and boiler installed in an energy centre partially underground in the grounds of the manor.

The 250KW wood chip boiler, installed by Helmsley-based biomass heating specialists PureGlo, has a peak efficiency of 95 per cent and uses approximately 130 tonnes of wood chip per year, sourced from private estates within a ten mile radius of Kirkdale Manor.

It is estimated to save more than 95 tonnes of carbon per year compared to a gas boiler.