Carbon Footprint of Wood Burning Stoves: The Real Answer (With Graphics)

However, a number of factors impact that amount, including the type of wood, how much of it’s moisture has been released (how dry it is) and other factors.

The following table outlines the measurements for various types of fuel used for heating.

Fuel	Carbon Content	Net CV	Total CO2 Emissions (Annually)  To Heat a Typical House – 20 MWh p.a.			Approximate Life Cycle CO2 Emissions
	%	MJ/kg	kg	kg saved c.f. gas	kg saved c.f. oil	kg/MWh	kg/GJ
Natural gas	75	38	4,040	0	1,160	202	56
Electricity	–	–	3,860	180	1,340	193	54
Oil	85	42	5,200	-1,160	0	260	72
Hard coal	75	29	7,260	-3,220	-2,060	363	101
LPG5	82	46	5,600	-560	600	230	72
Electricity: large-scale woodchip combustion	–	–	1,160	3,380	5,120	58	16
Electricity: large-scale woodchip gasification	–	–	500	4,040	5,780	25	7
Woodchips: 25 percent MC, fuel only	37.5	14	140	4,400	6,140	7	2
Woodchips: 25 percent MC, inc. boiler	37.5	14	360	4,180	5,920	18	5
Wood pellets: 10 percent MC drying from green wood using gas	45	17	1,600	2,940	4,680	80	22
Wood pellets: 10 percent MC starting from dry wood waste	45	17	300	4,240	5,980	15	4
Wood pellets: 10 percent MC drying from green wood using gas, inc. boiler	45	17	1,820	2,720	4,460	91	25
Grass/straw: 15 percent MC	38	14.5	108 to 300	4,240 to 4,432	5,920 to 6,172	5.4 to 15	1.5 to 4
Wood pellets: 10% MC, inc. boiler	45	17	520	4,020	5,760	26	7

CO2 Emissions Per kWh By Fuel Type Analysis Chart

With using the kilowatt hour of primary energy and the megajoules per gram of primary energy (MJPE), fuel type emissions can be compared.

Fuel	Emissions in g CO2/kWhPE	Emissions in g CO2/MJPE
Wood	367.6	102.1
Lignite	398.7	110.8
Hard Coal	338.2	93.9
Gasoline	263.	73.3
Fuel Oil	266.5	74.0
Diesel	266.5	74.0
Crude Oil	263.9	73.3
Kerosene	263.9	73.3
Liquid Petroleum Gas	238.8	66.3
Natural Gas	200.8	55.8

How Does Burning Wood Affect the Environment?

There is a debate as to whether burning wood for energy is good for the environment. While trees are renewable and therefore easily classified as a renewable energy source, burning them produces carbon harmful to the environment.

Some people argue that wood burning should be considered carbon neutral because the CO₂ emitted in the process can be utilized by plants for photosynthesis. Also, because trees can be used to sequester carbon emissions, the CO₂ from wood-burning can be erased using a one month carbon offset.

However, some reasons complicate the whole process and rule out the straightforward classification of wood burning as carbon neutral. Those reasons include;

Trees Emit More CO2 Than Fossil Fuels

When you compare the amount of CO₂ emitted per unit of energy for different fuel types, you realize that wood burning is at the top of the list.

It is 2.5 times higher than natural gas and about 30% more than coal.

Harvesting Trees for Energy Interferes With Carbon Sequestering

Trees are a major contribution to global carbon offset initiatives. The trees can store a lot of carbon by sucking it from the atmosphere and into the soil.

However, that is only applicable when the tree is still growing. If you harvest the tree for energy, it means that all the carbon the tree was holding will be released back into the environment. Also, there is no chance of further carbon sequestering once you cut down the tree.

Re-Sequestration of the Released Carbon Is Not Instant

Once you burn trees for energy and produce carbon from the process, it will take a long time to be reabsorbed back into the soil through sequestering. That is not good for the environment as the more it stays in the air, the more damage it will cause.

Burning Wood vs Coal Emissions

Burning wood is often marketed as clean and renewable energy, which does not have bad environmental implications. However, wood burning produces way more carbon than coal. Drax, the world’s largest wood burner for energy, has way more climatic implications than coal plants.

Compared to other electricity production fuel types, it ranks second after fossil fuels⁶ in emissions. ¹ Due to the low energy density of wood, it has to be burned in higher volumes to produce biomass and generate electricity. That is way lower than the amount of coal needed for the same amount of energy.

For that reason, wood burning emits more CO₂ per kWh of electricity than coal. When you compare large-scale wood burning to all the coal burning, even in steel production, the wood emits more CO₂ into the air.

The biomass industry markets wood-burning for energy as carbon-neutral, but it is not as straightforward as they make it sound. The real answer to whether wood burning has environmental implications is yes. Drax is among the number top CO₂ emitters in the electricity production sector. Also, large-scale wood-burning plants emit more CO₂ than coal plants.

The Truth About Wood-Burning Stoves: The Carbon Footprint of Wood-Burning Stoves

Most people prefer wood-burning stoves for heat and energy because of their many benefits. One of them is that wood is readily available and is, therefore, a renewable energy source.

It is also an affordable heat source because you can find pieces of wood to burn for free. Regarding environmental implications, the carbon footprint of wood-burning stoves is a point of debate between manufacturers and scientists.

While wood is inexpensive, renewable, and comes from trees that can be used to sequester the carbon produced after burning, wood burning is not carbon-neutral. It has major effects on the environment when done on a large scale. Also, the non-EPA-approved wood-burning stoves also produce harmful gases that could lead to future effects on climate change.

Therefore, wood-burning stoves can only pass the environmental protection test if manufactured to the EPA-required standards. Traditional wood-burning stoves are as harmful to the environment as any other pollutant.

Wood Stove Particulate Emissions: Are Wood-Burning Stoves Environmentally Friendly?

Wood burning produces more particle pollution than road transport. While road transport stands at 13% of pollution, wood burning is at 17%.⁷

A single wood-burning stove might not have severe environmental implications. Still, when you combine the emissions from every home with a wood-burning stove over a year, there is a lot of environmental damage.

Below is a table that compares the particle pollution of wood stoves and other pollutants.

Carbon Footprint of Wood-Burning Stoves: Wood Stove Emissions Comparison Table

Source	Emissions (Grams/hour or day)
Pellet Stove	2.4g/hour ( 56.6 g/day)
Gas/Propane Furnace	.001g/hour ( 0.024 g/day)
Cigarette	.4 grams/hour (0.8 g/pack)
Oil furnace	.02g/hour (0.48 g/day)
Certified Wood Stove	8.2g/hour (196.8 g/day)
Single Simulated Log	8 g/hour
Fireplace – hardwood  (36 lbs. or 16 kilograms burned over 3 hrs.)	30 g/hour
Non-certified wood stove	15.6 g/hour
Auto (without Catalytic Converter)	3.5 g/hour.
Fireplace-softwood (31 lbs. or 14 kilograms burned over 3 hrs.)	59 g/hour.
Diesel 14-ton Truck or Bus >1994	36 g/hour
Auto (with Catalytic Converter)	.66 g/hour
Diesel Truck or Bus < 1993	70 g/hour
Auto – smoking	6 g/hour

Carbon Footprint of a Campfire

Burning wood releases a lot of volatile organic compounds like CO₂, carbon monoxide, benzene, and nitrogen oxides.

All these compounds are bad for the environment and therefore make campfires an environmental hazard.

The weight of the wood will help you determine the CO₂ emissions. Wood is cellulose and is about 33% carbon in weight. When the carbon is converted to CO₂, the emissions will be more than the weight of the wood.²

For example, if you have wood weighing 10 kg, 20% is water, and eighty percent cellulose, which makes up 33 percent carbon (2.64 kg). Once you convert it to CO₂, it will be about 9.68 kg, almost the wood’s weight.

Implications of Burning Rotten Wood Outside

Burning rotten wood can make you sick, especially if you have allergies or asthma.

The same way you should not burn painted, treated, or glued wood is the same way you should not burn rotten wood. It produces a pungent smell and can release mildew, mold, and fungus.³

If you inhale that bacteria, you could experience respiratory tract problems. It could also give you a headache or stuffy nose. The rotten wood material also carries many insects, which could end up in your home if you burn the wood in your chimney. Also, rotten wood does not burn effectively, so it won’t be as effective as you want.

Carbon Footprint of Wood-Burning Stoves: How To Reduce Pollution From Wood-Burning Stoves

Wood-burning stoves are an essential part of most homes. They also come in handy because of the reduced costs and ease of use. However, they could also be causing a lot of air pollution that harms you and the environment. Below are tips to help you reduce the carbon footprint of wood-burning stoves.

Burn Dry Wood

A moisture level of twenty percent or less is the best for wood that you use in a stove.⁸ You can buy a moisture meter for that or wood with a ready To Burn logo on it. Alternatively, you can dry the wood before using it on your stove or ask the supplier whether they have pre-dried it.

The drier the wood, the less energy and time it will take to remove any moisture. Therefore, the wood will burn fast enough, and there will be fewer particle emissions. Ensure you check the dryness of your logs before using them on your stove.

Burn With a Flame

The best way to use your stove and ensure there are the least emissions from it is to burn it with a visible flame. Burning it at a lower output will only increase the emissions and will not increase fuel efficiency.

Use Smokeless Fuel

There are types of coal that emit very few smoke particles as they burn. That is the best fuel for your stove, especially if it can use multiple fuel types. It will help reduce the environmental implications of burning these other fuel types.

Keep Your Stove Clean

A well-maintained stove is safe to use and ensures that it lasts as long as it should. Cleaning your stove and the chimney removes all the buildup left after the wood burns, which is good for you and your home. You should also keep the stove as dry as possible to avoid wetting the wood and making it hard to burn.

Use Efficient Fuel

Different tree species have different levels of efficiency when used as firewood. For example, hardwoods take longer to burn because of the density of the wood. The best woods to use as firewood are those that will burn fast and reduce the time they keep burning.

That will, in turn, reduce the number of emissions into the atmosphere. Some of the best trees to use for firewood are Apple,  Hawthorn, Ash, Birch, Horse Chesnut, Beech, Oak, Thorn, and Robinia.

Environmentally Friendly Alternative to Wood-Burning Stove: Wood Fire Alternatives

Wood-burning stoves have a high carbon footprint that could cause climate change in years to come. You should use better alternatives for the environment to keep you and the entire ecological system safe from harmful emissions.

Below are the best alternatives for wood-burning stoves today.⁴

• Gas fire
• Bioethanol fire
• Electric fire

Good Alternative Fuel for Wood-Burning Stoves

• Wood Wax Firelogs
• Coal
• Oil
• Corn
• Wood Pellets

Wood-burning stoves are slowly being replaced by other energy-efficient and safer stoves. That is because of the carbon dioxide released when the wood is burned. Even though most people say that wood burning is carbon neutral, it has a huge impact on the environment.

The large scale wood-burning plants like Drax cause the most damage, but even individual wood stoves at home can contribute to the overall damage. To reduce this, burning energy-efficient fuels in your stove can limit the carbon footprint of wood-burning stoves.

Frequently Asked Questions About Carbon Footprint of Wood-Burning Stoves