Mullins Mill, Kells, Thurs July 2nd, 7.30pm

An evening workshop on the economic, social and environmental benefits of planting, harvesting and using timber to heat your home or business. This workshop will appeal to foresters and farmers, fuel merchants and local business, home owners and renewable energy supply companies. The presentations will be followed by an open discussion on the viability of establishing a wood co-operative with the involvement of potential end users and those wishing to get a foot hold in the wood fuel supply chain.

This event is being organised by Future Proof Kilkenny in association with Glas Energy.

Presenters

Martin Ecker, HDG Bavaria

The tradition of heating with wood in Bavaria.
With a long standing tradition of heating homes efficiently and effectively with wood, Martin will give an overview of how its done Bavarian style. From planting to harvesting, seasoning to splitting you will get a first hand view of the tried and tested methods of log wood heating.
http://www.hdg-bavaria.com/

Colm Byrne, Glas Energy

Combustion technology for efficient wood burning
Suppliers and installers of wood burning boilers, Colm from Glas will give an overview of the most efficient methods of converting your wood fuel to useable heat for the home or business. He will also discuss the economics of the equipment and the SEI grants available.
http://www.glas.ie/

Cathy Fitzgerald, Art & Ecology

Cathy will talk about her experiences turning a small monoculture spruce plantation into an ecologically & economically sustainable real forest.
http://ecoartnotebook.com/

Alan Holman, Lightfoot Forestry.

Alan will give an overview of the services his company can provide from, extraction and  harvesting to firewood production, packaging seasoning and storage.
http://lightfootforestry.wordpress.com/

Chris Hayes, Professional Forester

Chris will give an overview of planting and maintaining continuous cover forestry for wood production.

Brian Dillon, Future Proof Kilkenny

Brian will give a short talk about community supported enterprises and why we should consider investing our savings locally, such as in a wood cooperative, rather than in financial institutions.
http://futureproofkilkenny.org/

Martin Rafter, BNS Rural development.

Martin will be available after the presentations to discuss the Nexus project. The Nexus initiative was established by Kilkenny leader partnership, SEI and CRESCO, to establish a local value chain based around the supply of wood fuel for district heating in the callan region.
http://www.bnsrd.com/