We enjoy the comfort of home in cold autumn and winter evenings with the cosy warmth and feel-good of a log fire. But we also want to do so in the safe knowledge of the impact on our immediate surroundings. Choose a fireplace from Scan, and you can be confident that we take responsibility for the climate for you, so you can concentrate on the feel-good factor.
Did you know that Scandinavia has the most stringent requirements in the world for particle emissions from residential wood combustion? The regulatory authorities only permit 5 grams of particulate emissions for each kilogram combusted. However, Scan has far higher ambitions than this, and has developed a technical solution called Clean Burn Technology, which results in emissions of less than half of the statutory requirement. In fact, some of our wood stoves emit as little as 1 gram!
The secret lies in the combustion process. When wood is heated, gases and particles that have been stored within the tree since it was growing in the forest are released. Older wood stoves released these particles straight through the chimney along with the heat, resulting in an efficiency of only 40%! However, new wood stoves and fireplaces equipped with Clean Burn technology effectively burn these gases and particles. This leads to minimal emissions through the chimney while doubling the efficiency and providing more heat to the room. The principle is based on improved insulation of the fireplace, which increases the temperature in the combustion chamber.
- In addition, extra heated air (oxygen) is fed in just above the fire, which ensures that what would have been unburned gases and particles in an old stove undergo combustion too. This results in lower emissions through the flue pipe, increases the output efficiency and releases more heat for the home. These are the processes we are constantly working to improve in our research and development.
René Christensen, Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing
Although wood burning is a contributory underlying cause of the challenges associated with suspended particulate matter, there is now wide agreement among experts and environmental organisations in Norway that the solution is simply to replace outdated stoves with new, clean burn wood stoves and fireplaces or install clean burn inserts in open fireplaces/inglenook hearths. It is not the wood burning in itself that is the cause of the pollution, but the old stoves and fireplaces that result in incomplete combustion of particles and gases. By replacing these old fireplaces with new ones, we can significantly improve the problem of pollution caused by burning wood.
From 1 January 2022, the new requirements for emissions from fireplaces came into force in accordance with EU/EEA legislation on the environmental design of stoves, also known as Ecodesign. Under Standards Norway, the requirements will apply to emissions of particulate matter (PM), organic gaseous compounds (OGCs) and carbon monoxide (CO). For the good of the climate, we hope that strict requirements will continue to be applied in order to challenge us to maintain our focus on further enhancing the efficiency of our clean burn technology.
As of 1998, all wood burners sold in Norway were required to be clean burn in order to reduce hazardous particulates. This also applies to any wood-burning stove to be installed, regardless of whether it is new or second-hand.
However, according to the independent research organisation SINTEF, there is colossal improvement potential to be unlocked, as there are However, according to the research institute SINTEF, there is considerable potential for improvement. There are still a significant number of non-clean-burning wood stoves and fireplaces used in many homes and cabins.
To incentivise wood stove replacement, the City of Bergen has blazed a trail by granting citizens NOK 5,000 for trading in their old wood burner with a new one. In addition, from the new year, Bergen introduced a ban on the use of non-clean burn stoves, with excellent results. On the back of these successes, more local authorities in Norway are considering following Bergen’s example.
Using a wood-burning stove that ensures minimal particle emissions is how you can do your bit for the environment and a healthier climate for all of us. Air polluting substances emitted in one country can be transported in the atmosphere, resulting in poor air quality in neighbouring countries, which is why tackling air pollution challenges should be in everyone’s interest.
And what is more: environmental organisations, the Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association (NAAF) and the wood-burning appliance and chimney industry advocate a ban on old stoves, calling on consumers to curb pollution by upgrading their wood burners.
But wood-burning is also energy-economic for you as a private consumer. Fuel costs will be considerably reduced because less heat disappears up the flue pipe, and more is released into your home, meaning lower electricity bills.
According to “Energismart”, mounted by Friends of the Earth Norway under the European TopTen network, which enables consumers to opt for energy-efficient solutions, installing a clean-burn fireplace also means the following household economies:
Achieve great savings by making energy-efficient choices for your home. The benefits are presented in “Energismart”, a project mounted by Friends of the Earth Norway:
And the many benefits don’t stop there. Chimney sweeps report that they remove minimal amounts of soot from chimneys compared with in the past. In other words, cleaner combustion, with emissions reduced by 80 percent compared with using old stoves, has greatly reduced the risk of chimney fires too.
This is based on the Norwegian experience, but will of course also apply in any other country which uses wood as a fuel. In other words, with our Clean Burn Technology, and emissions reduced by up to 80% compared to old stoves, in other words, you contribute to both a much lower particle emission and to saving your heating costs. - A win-win situation!
