You can see from the graphic on the right that as much as 40% of timber production is a waste by-product that can't be used for building etc.  It is this "waste" material that can be converted into sustainable heat, either as wood chips or processed into wood pellets. According to Forest Research , 1.4 million hectares of woodland are sustainably managed in the UK. That means there are millions of trees of different ages, harvested at different times, producing a constant supply of wood products.

Using locally grown, locally harvested wood to generate heat is the most efficient and economic use of a sustainable local resource. As well, waste wood is wood that has come to the end of its life – it cannot be reused or recycled. Using it in sustainable wood heating is a great example of the circular economy in action, while also helping divert non-recyclable wood away from landfill.