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No -- carbon in the form mostly of carbon dioxide is immediately added to the atmosphere. This carbon was locked up in the form of wood and had it not been burned could have stayed that way for a very long time allowing the ecosystem to absorb other carbon dioxide being produced to be removed. Were we to stop burning wood then undoubtedly CO2 levels would fall.
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So long as the wood is being grown sustainably then there is no net co2.
Clearly if we deforested then there would be a net release of co2.
Also most chip and pellet is a by product of timber production.
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I agree Tony.
Burning wood = instant release of CO2
Recapture = years
Result = higher concentration of CO2
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You theory is too simplistic and assumes that all timber can be left standing.
Woodlands need thinning - the thinnings either release co2 through natural decay or by being burnt.
Do we also stop using wood in manufacturing? And what do we do with the by products?- ah yes and we can then use some more petrochemicals.
You are also selectively looking at a short term lifecylce - why is instantaneous co2 so important surely you have to consider emmissions over the longer term.
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The theory is nothing to do with timber left standing or timber used in manufacture. Carbon remains locked up in timber until it rots [which takes time] or until it is burnt [which is instant CO2 release]
Do we therefore stop using wood in manufacture ? No, we grow more and we use more resulting in a lower concentration of CO2.
Regarding short term, that is what we have, so that is what is important
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You are mssing the point that wood burning is not an alternative to locking it up in a building it is a fundamental part of it. Timber isnt grown to burn it is grown to make things with. We just end up with an awful lot of waste (something like 75% of the original tree becomes waste) which buring is a very green thing to do with it.
And as for your short term comment that would imply that when considering embodied energy then one should'nt use any if that means you dont get instant payback?
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