2023-12-15 13:25:39
Firewood (logs and pellets) professionals are torn between anger and resignation. From April 1, 2024, aid granted under the MaPrimeRénov’ system for the installation of wood heating, a boiler, a stove or a fireplace will be reduced by 30%. Bad news for households with modest incomes, since subsidies can cover a majority of their purchase.
“We escaped the worst because in September, the government’s objective was to eliminate all aid. The fact remains that this decision is very surprising, the public authorities having asked us in 2021 to put in place a development plan for wood heating aimed at increasing production capacities. says Éric Vial, general director of Propellet, the association of wood pellet professionals, recalling that 7.2 million households use wood for all or part of their heating.
In the sector, accustomed in recent years to double-digit growth, incomprehension dominates. It represents 45,000 jobs and 1 billion euros in turnover. “A lot of effort has been made to train installers. Today, some craftsmen risk having to close their doors and retrain,” assures Patrice Escrieut, president of the Federation of Stove and Chimney Installers (FIPC).
An explosion in sales in 2022
The firewood industry is in some ways a victim of its own success. In 2022, against a backdrop of the energy crisis, the virtual cessation of Russian gas deliveries and the fear of running out of electricity, all sales records have been broken. Some 510,000 stoves, fireplaces and boilers were sold. Almost 100,000 more than in 2021, which was already a record year. “Wood energy alone represented almost a third of MaPrimeRénov’ credits in 2022 and the Ministry of the Economy initially wanted to stop this mechanism for budgetary reasons”, explains Frédéric Coirier, the general director of Poujoulat, now number one in France in the sale of logs and pellets.
Added to this is the government’s clearly stated objective of directing subsidies towards large-scale renovation of housing, which should now mobilize a large part of MaPrimeRénov’, as well as in the development of heat pumps (PAC), of which aid should be increased. “From next year, it will be necessary to present an energy performance diagnosis to benefit from assistance. And in housing classified F and G, major insulation work will have to be undertaken at the same time. This risks being an additional obstacle to purchasing, particularly for those who use wood as supplementary heating. underlines Éric Vial, from the association of wood pellet professionals.
The most economical heating method
However, the sector believes that it does not lack any assets. “It is the most economical energy. It is half the price of electricity and 30% cheaper than gas and fuel oil. recalls the boss of the FIPC. According to him, wood heating is particularly well suited to rural areas, where the heat pump is not necessarily the most relevant heating method. Not to mention that“today, more than 90% of wood boiler installations are done to replace an oil or gas boiler”adds Thomas Perrissin, vice-president of the French Union of Biomass Boiler Makers (SFCB).
The arguments seem to have difficulty convincing. “We saved the furniture for 2024, but everything remains open for the future, because we hear background noises in the ministries which are not going in the right direction”, notes Jules Nyssen, president of the Renewable Energies Union (SER).
Controversy over the level of fine particle emissions
First there is the question of resource availability. Clearly, we should not take too much from the forest in order to preserve its role as a carbon sink. The issue of fine particle emissions linked to wood heating is also highlighted by several experts.
“Contrary to what is said, wood plays a minor role, and we will soon present a study on the subject,” assures the boss of the Poujoulat group, who is also vice-president of the SER. According to him, it is precisely the renewal of installations, with more efficient devices and improved yields, which makes it possible to both consume less wood and significantly reduce emissions.
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7 million equipped homes
Nearly 25% of households, representing around 7 million homes, today use wood heating equipment, according to the various estimates circulating.
According to Ademe, these appliances (stoves, inserts, fireplaces, etc.) operate 89% from logs, 10% from pellets, and 1% from compressed wood or complete logs.
Every year, between 30 to 35 million cubic meters of wood and 2.4 million tonnes of wood pellets are consumed.
According to a Poujoulat study with Ifop, 49% of users of a wood heating system use it as their main heating system.
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