Software

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has developed four software modules to aid the wood for energy community. The four modules have been collated into a single package for ease of use and distribution:

• Woodchip calculator
• Firewood calculator
• Fuel systems cost comparisons
• Wood fuel units converter

The first two modules are for people and companies that sell fuel, and allows them to calculate the cost of the fuel (including profit) as delivered at the customer. The third module is meant for anyone who wants to know if it pays to change from one fuel to another. The final module brings clarity to converting units from the one to the other, and it also enables a cost comparison between wood fuels, because the fuels differ in moisture content and handling characteristics.

The software is freeware. The Wood Energy Toolkit is now available and may be downloaded by navigating to http://www.coford.ie/toolsservices/woodenergy/, clicking on WoodEnergyToolkit Setup and following the instructions therein.