Training

Woodfuel Self Supply Course

Do you want to:

  • Grow your own and use your own woodfuel
  • Maximise the benefits of the Renewable Heat Incentive
  • Find out the right crop for your land
  • Find out the right boiler solution for you and your premises

This course is aimed at farmers, landowners and smallholders who want to grow and use their own woodfuel in order to get the maximum benefit from the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive. The course will look at how to estimate the amount of woodfuel you will need for your premises from a variety of biomass resources (e.g. existing woodland, straw, energy crops and short rotation forestry). The course will also provide insight into the best types and makes of boilers for the different fuels covered. You’ll get all the information you need to DIY.

Energy crops course

Crops for Energy were commissioned by LANTRA Awards to produce a two day accredited course on energy crops. The course is highly interactive and covers all aspects of energy crop growing, processing, supply and end use. Energy crops covered include short rotation coppice (SRC) willow, miscanthus and other energy grasses, broadleaved coppice and short rotation forestry (SRF). It is of particular interest to farmers, estate owners and organisations with farm holdings. The course involves group exercises, flipchart exercises, a crop walk and worksheet, a visit to a biomass boiler and concludes with a short exam. Kevin Lindegaard of Crops for Energy acts as a Technical Standards Verifier for Lantra Awards making sure that the quality of the course and instructors remains at a high level. The maximum number of attendees on the course is 12.

Crops for Energy are currently looking to roll this course out across England with funding through the Rural Development Programme for England. The course will be subsidised for farmers and foresters. Consultants, businesses and local authorities can attend the training but will have to pay the full course fee. Find out course dates here. If you would like Crops for Energy to deliver a course in your area please contact us or call 0844 249 2901.

This course enables farmers and landowners to:

  • make informed decisions about the best energy crop to grow on their land
  • gain up-to-date knowledge on planting, harvesting and processing methods
  • gain knowledge of end-use markets and evaluate the potential financial returns from SRC and Miscanthus cultivation
  • gain knowledge about growing energy crops for their own use.

 

Course Objectives

  • Evaluate the benefits and challenges of farming for energy
  • Establish, manage and harvest SRC and miscanthus
  • Evaluate the potential financial returns from SRC and miscanthus cultivation
  • Understand the environmental aspects of SRC and miscanthus cultivation
  • Understand the end user requirements from SRC and miscanthus cultivation

Find out a detailed breakdown of the course here. Find out more about other courses offered by Lantra Awards here.

Ignite course

This is a three day course produced by Rural Development Initiatives which focuses on the fundamentals of wood fuel production and supply. It is accredited through the Lantra Awards body and won a National Training Award in 2006. It is suitable for anyone interested in becoming a woodfuel supplier or getting a better knowledge of biomass energy. For more details: www.ruraldevelopment.org.uk/ignite.

Crops for Energy are delivering this course on behalf of RDI in the SW of England. Find out course dates here.

Renewable Energy training

Would you like to install a renewable energy technology in your house but feel daunted by your lack of knowledge? Well there’s never been a better time to get informed as Government grants for householders will run out in June 2010. An Introduction to Renewable Energy is a weekend course specifically aimed at homeowners that introduces and explains the standard renewable energy systems, including:

  • Solar water heating
  • Woodfuel heating
  • Heat pumps
  • Solar photovoltaics
  • Small-scale wind

By the end of the weekend, you should know:

  • How each renewable energy technology works
  • Which option (if any) is appropriate to your home
  • Costs and payback times, and CO2 savings for each technology
  • Installation, operation and maintenance
  • Planning issues and sources of grants

The course involves Powerpoint presentations, exercises in pairs, groups and as individuals and a brief visit to one or more renewable energy installations on site. The course will offer time for discussion and exploring certain issues in depth. The courses are non-residential. Find out course dates here. If you would like Crops for Energy to deliver a course in your area please contact us.