The Spanish Association of Stove Manufacturers (Aefecc) In recent days, the Spanish association has presented data on sales increases of around 30%. “Faced with one of the biggest energy crises in Europe, fireplace and stove manufacturers want to highlight the economic and environmental benefits of a great forgotten product in the Spanish market,” they say from Aefecc. A year ago, this association had a positive sales balance, close to 20%, caused by changes in habits during the pandemic and the greater number of hours that Spaniards spend at home. The need to update household items increased the demand for fireplaces and stoves.
The president of Aefecc, Carlos Olivan: «In a country like Spain, with more than 50% of forest and scrub area, we have a great wasted energy resource, firewood. Its use can be an important alternative to gas and electricity consumption in homes as a source of heat supply for our homes. The technical evolution of wood stoves and boilers allows for more efficient use of wood, reducing the environmental impact of combustion and increasing energy efficiency in the storage and dissemination of heat.
The use of boilers and stoves can even constitute a circular economy practice, reducing the generation of waste and the environmental impact and generating local jobs around the use of non-timber forest products (small wood, pineapples, spikes) and the manufacture of pellets.
Although currently, The consumption of firewood and pellets "is not even contemplated in the energy balances of national energy plans"» (which focus their balances on electric, nuclear, renewable energy, gas, oil and coal), its use has been maintained for decades in the rural world, both in first and second homes. «This is well known in empty Spain», highlights Oliván, who points out that «biomass favors energy independence, both for countries and homes, guaranteeing a renewable, less polluting source of energy, in the case of new equipment that complies with the European Ecodesign regulations». With the new regulations in force there can be a saving of «up to 40% in firewood and emissions close to zero».
You can read the full article at: RENEWABLE ENERGY
