More and more local authorities and businesses are likely to follow Bradford Council’s lead and install money saving, wood-fuelled boilers, says the Forestry Commission.

Bradford’s City Hall is being highlighted by the Commission as one of 200 buildings in Yorkshire and the Humber to have an eco-friendly biomass boiler installed.

Biomass boilers were installed at both City Hall and Ilkley Town Hall in 2008 as part of the Council’s pledge to slash 20 per cent off its carbon emissions by 2010/11. They run on woodchips, much of which comes from timber taken from the local authority’s estates and woodlands.

The City Hall boiler is fed four cubic metres of woodchip per working day – double during the recent cold spell – roughly the equivalent of four Christmas trees of similar size to those in Centenary Square.

Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq said: “The Council has agreed a target of 40 per cent carbon reduction by 2020, using low carbon fuels from renewable sources forms part of our approach.”

Two years ago, the Council said it was considering installing similar boilers at other Council buildings.

Coun Khaliq said the current administration had no immediate plans to install more, but added: “We will be reviewing the district’s renewable energy potential over the coming months – including biomass, hydro, solar and wind power.

“In the meantime we are looking at a number of options for establishing a wood fuel store to service the city centre boiler and have implemented numerous energy saving measures like roof insulation, swimming pool covers and energy management systems.”

Rudie Humphrey, wood-fuel officer at the Forestry Commission, said a new renewable heat incentive scheme, to be announced soon, will see the installation of biomass boilers become more commonplace.

He said: “The scheme will provide financial support for those who install renewable heating systems.

“The move is part of a push to reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels and encourage greener low carbon technology.”