Biogenic Carbon
Are you confused about carbon (CO2) emissions and wood burning for heating? The CO2 that comes from burning wood for heating is referred to as biogenic carbon. This biogenic CO2 does NOT contribute to climate change. This should not be confused with the CO2 produced when using fossil carbon which is not renewable (gas, oil, etc).
Biogenic carbon circulates naturally in the environment, from plants and animals, to the air, the sea. and soil, and then back to plants and animals again.
Biogenic carbon CO2 cycle
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) in air is absorbed by trees, plants and living things as ‘biogenic carbon’
- Trees store CO2 (biogenic carbon) in the wood’
- Processing wood for fuel currently releases small amounts of CO2. This will fall to zero as all industry decarbonises
- Decomposing wood returns CO2 back to the air. Burning biogenic carbon for heating returns CO2 back to the air. And the cycle begins again.
So whether wood decays naturally or is used for building or making things, or if it’s burned for heating, the carbon (CO2 ) is always biogenic and is returned to the natural cycle.
