The impact of a new emission control act on particulate matter emissions from residential wood energy use in Bavaria, Germany

Abstract The use of wood energy for renewable heat production in private households has grown considerably in central Europe in the past years. Residential wood combustion is Janus-faced with regard to air emissions. Besides yielding lower greenhouse gas emissions than the combustion of fossil fuels, wood combustion is associated with pollutant emissions that are harmful to human health. The heating systems have great potential for emission reduction due to the widespread combustion of wood in installations that are often overage. An emission control act aimed at heating system modernisation and emission load reduction has recently taken effect in Germany. This paper analyses the development of the particulate matter emission load from wood energy combustion in the case study area of Bavaria until 2035. It also evaluates the impact of the legal amendment. The emission load of prevalent heating systems is calculated based on two wood consumption scenarios, and the influence of the emission control act is analysed, taking into account retro-fitting and the replacement rates of old heating systems. The results show that particulate matter emissions could be reduced considerably and there is potential for an increase in the efficiency of resource use in the domestic heating sector.

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