www.sarahmaguires.com This week’s Climate Friday FAQ is based on discussions I’ve had lately with some family members about the value (and love) of turf as a household fuel in Ireland. On my mother’s side, most of my family come from dairy farms in County Kerry. Like many rural households in Ireland, they’ve grown up with open fires fuelled by turf. In my own case, the smell of a turf fire reminds me of my grandparents’ home, and cutting turf in the bogs of Kerry was a memorable event throughout my childhood.
As a family with a history of farming in Ireland, my relations are generally quite environmentally conscious, so it’s understandable that some may feel conflicted about their dependency on turf and its impact on climate change. This week, as the weather warms up and we stop lighting the home fires, I want to consider whether it’s time to put out those turf fires once and for all for the sake of climate change. This is a contentious question, but I want to examine it from my personal viewpoint as someone who is both concerned about climate change and nostalgic about the use of turf in our rural heritage.
As a family with a history of farming in Ireland, my relations are generally quite environmentally conscious, so it’s understandable that some may feel conflicted about their dependency on turf and its impact on climate change. This week, as the weather warms up and we stop lighting the home fires, I want to consider whether it’s time to put out those turf fires once and for all for the sake of climate change. This is a contentious question, but I want to examine it from my personal viewpoint as someone who is both concerned about climate change and nostalgic about the use of turf in our rural heritage.
Disclaimer: This blog post is based on my own personal opinion and analysis and does not reflect any Green Party policies or non-governmental organisations.
What is turf?
www.askaboutireland.ie For my non-Irish readers, turf (or peat) is partially decomposed organic matter formed in areas of poor drainage and wet, mild climates. Peat is 90-95% water, but when cut into blocks and dried, it becomes a fuel source that burns easily and has a pleasant, smoky odour.
By volume, turf land (also known as bogland or peatland) covers around 2% of global land area but represents 50-70% of the world’s wetlands. In Ireland, bogland comprises 15% of our land area (1.125 million ha) and is mainly located in the midlands and western coastal areas.
By volume, turf land (also known as bogland or peatland) covers around 2% of global land area but represents 50-70% of the world’s wetlands. In Ireland, bogland comprises 15% of our land area (1.125 million ha) and is mainly located in the midlands and western coastal areas.
BordNaMona.ie Turf was the primary fuel source for heating and cooking in Ireland as far back as the 17th century due to a scarcity of trees. Turf extraction accelerated during World War II as the country faced fuel shortages. Over the last 400 years, turf extraction has resulted in the loss of 47% of the original area of peatlands in Ireland. At present, approximately 9% of our nation’s bog land (100,000 ha) is used for mechanical fuel extraction. 80% of this extraction is done on an industrial scale by Bord na Móna. The remaining extraction is done by privately owned companies. Between 20-38% of harvested turf is burned for domestic use in the form of briquettes or sods, while the majority of extracted turf supplies about 6-8% of Ireland’s electricity needs.
The United Nations classifies turf as a non-renewable fossil fuel since its extraction rate far exceeds its slow regrowth rate. However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has begun to classify peat as a "slow-renewable" fuel because, in some cases, peat land can regrow at a rate of 1,000-5,000 years if left undisturbed after extraction. In comparison, coal (non-renewable) takes millions of years to form and wood (renewable) takes 3-70 years to reach maturity.
What does turf have to do with climate change?
Globally, peatlands hold one third of the world’s soil carbon because they accumulate and store dead organic matter from plants in a water-saturated environment. This makes peatland the “most efficient carbon sink on the planet” because it captures carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) and prevents it from being released into the atmosphere and contributing to global warming.
Cutting turf: When we drain peat lands and cut turf (be it for fuel extraction, compost production, or for land use change to agriculture, forestry, or development), we release the carbon that’s been trapped in that land. It is estimated that Irish peat lands store 64% of the total soil organic carbon present in Ireland. Because Ireland has one of the highest percentages of peatlands in Europe, we have a unique, natural carbon sequestration resource to mitigate against climate change and greenhouse gas emissions if we preserve peatlands in their natural state.
Burning turf: When we burn turf, we release further carbon from the turf into the atmosphere. In fact, turf is the worst of all fuel sources with respect to its greenhouse gas emissions and impact on climate. It has higher carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy than any fossil fuel source (e.g. coal, gas). In addition, the calorific value (or heating potential) of milled peat is only one quarter to one sixth that of coal and about one tenth that of oil, so it burns less efficiently than any fossil fuel source. The only advantage peat has over coal as a fuel source is that it produces less smoke and has a lower sulphur content, thus resulting in less air pollution.
Cutting turf: When we drain peat lands and cut turf (be it for fuel extraction, compost production, or for land use change to agriculture, forestry, or development), we release the carbon that’s been trapped in that land. It is estimated that Irish peat lands store 64% of the total soil organic carbon present in Ireland. Because Ireland has one of the highest percentages of peatlands in Europe, we have a unique, natural carbon sequestration resource to mitigate against climate change and greenhouse gas emissions if we preserve peatlands in their natural state.
Burning turf: When we burn turf, we release further carbon from the turf into the atmosphere. In fact, turf is the worst of all fuel sources with respect to its greenhouse gas emissions and impact on climate. It has higher carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy than any fossil fuel source (e.g. coal, gas). In addition, the calorific value (or heating potential) of milled peat is only one quarter to one sixth that of coal and about one tenth that of oil, so it burns less efficiently than any fossil fuel source. The only advantage peat has over coal as a fuel source is that it produces less smoke and has a lower sulphur content, thus resulting in less air pollution.
Carbon dioxide emissions of fuels per unit energy Higher figures = higher levels of carbon dioxide emissions leading to climate change http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Statistics_Publications/Emission_Factors/
Is there a climate-friendly alternative to turf?
Drury Forest 2014. Photo credit: Cara Augustenborg When turf was the primary source of heating fuel in Ireland, the country had been largely deforested due to over exploitation. By World War I, Irish forest cover stood at less than 1%. Peatlands were our only native source of fuel. Times have changed, and thanks to afforestation policies and EU support, our forest area is now over 10% of the nation’s total land area with an ambition to reach 17% by 2030.
The obvious alternative to burning turf in Ireland is wood. While burning wood still releases carbon dioxide, it’s considered carbon-neutral because the rate of tree growth (and the carbon dioxide those growing trees take in) offsets the carbon that’s released upon burning wood. Wood also has almost no sulphur compounds in it and is therefore better for air quality than turf or fossil fuels. The energy density of dried wood (15-18 MJ/kg) is similar to turf (15-17 MJ/kg), so wood can provide similar heating capacity as turf (per unit weight) without the impact on climate and environmentally sensitive boglands.
With respect to price, wood fuel is also cost-competitive. The latest fuel cost comparison from Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (2015) indicates peat costs 6.87 cents per kilowatt hour, while wood ranges from 5.99 to 8.02 cent/kWh depending on how it’s packaged. Wood fuel industries also create long term jobs in Ireland, many of which are in rural communities currently suffering social and economic decline.
The obvious alternative to burning turf in Ireland is wood. While burning wood still releases carbon dioxide, it’s considered carbon-neutral because the rate of tree growth (and the carbon dioxide those growing trees take in) offsets the carbon that’s released upon burning wood. Wood also has almost no sulphur compounds in it and is therefore better for air quality than turf or fossil fuels. The energy density of dried wood (15-18 MJ/kg) is similar to turf (15-17 MJ/kg), so wood can provide similar heating capacity as turf (per unit weight) without the impact on climate and environmentally sensitive boglands.
With respect to price, wood fuel is also cost-competitive. The latest fuel cost comparison from Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (2015) indicates peat costs 6.87 cents per kilowatt hour, while wood ranges from 5.99 to 8.02 cent/kWh depending on how it’s packaged. Wood fuel industries also create long term jobs in Ireland, many of which are in rural communities currently suffering social and economic decline.
Does turf make economic sense?
Photo credit: National Peatlands Strategy The economic viability of peat as a fuel depends on local conditions, including availability of other fuels, labour, material costs, transport distances, climatic conditions and the scale of operation. My analysis does not take into account those individuals with Turbary rights, who inherited the right to extract turf from bogland. In their case, turf is the most economically viable fuel source for their household needs as they have no purchasing cost. It would be unfair and hypocritical to chastise those with Turbary rights for harvesting turf for their own needs as long as we continue to ignore the elephant in the room that is Bord Na Móna’s large-scale, tax-payer subsidised extraction of turf.
It’s worth noting that even Bord Na Móna has found conditions for peat harvest more difficult recently. Their 2013 annual report states:
With this week’s announcement by Oxford University professor, Myles Allen, that the risk of extreme storms on the west coast of Ireland is now up 25% due to climate change, peat harvest may become increasingly difficult and less economically viable for all turf cutters in our future Irish climate.
In the meantime, those of us that have to pay for our household heating fuels have a choice to make with respect to which fuels we burn. The evidence I’ve provided demonstrates that turf makes the least environmental and economic sense of all our household fuel options. You could even argue that turf has both the disadvantages of a fossil fuel and a renewable fuel without any of the benefits of renewable fuels. Like fossil fuels, turf is essentially non-renewable (taking thousands of years to form) and produces larger carbon dioxide emissions while having a much lower heating capacity compared to any fossil fuel. Like many renewable fuels, turf harvesting is a seasonal activity and thus dependent on weather conditions. In fact, its dependency on fair weather is higher than any renewable fuel, making it a risky fuel source to invest in given projections for future climate change.
The National Peatlands Strategy argues that turf extraction provides jobs for the rural economy and is part of our national heritage, but the reality is that turf extraction made economic sense when we had no other choice. Rural jobs can be created just as easily from renewable fuel industries, and our cultural heritage as a once forested nation is as valuable as that of our heritage as turf cutters, who had no better alternative than to drain our natural bogs. A prosperous future for Ireland cannot be based on an inefficient fuel source.
It’s worth noting that even Bord Na Móna has found conditions for peat harvest more difficult recently. Their 2013 annual report states:
With this week’s announcement by Oxford University professor, Myles Allen, that the risk of extreme storms on the west coast of Ireland is now up 25% due to climate change, peat harvest may become increasingly difficult and less economically viable for all turf cutters in our future Irish climate.
In the meantime, those of us that have to pay for our household heating fuels have a choice to make with respect to which fuels we burn. The evidence I’ve provided demonstrates that turf makes the least environmental and economic sense of all our household fuel options. You could even argue that turf has both the disadvantages of a fossil fuel and a renewable fuel without any of the benefits of renewable fuels. Like fossil fuels, turf is essentially non-renewable (taking thousands of years to form) and produces larger carbon dioxide emissions while having a much lower heating capacity compared to any fossil fuel. Like many renewable fuels, turf harvesting is a seasonal activity and thus dependent on weather conditions. In fact, its dependency on fair weather is higher than any renewable fuel, making it a risky fuel source to invest in given projections for future climate change.
The National Peatlands Strategy argues that turf extraction provides jobs for the rural economy and is part of our national heritage, but the reality is that turf extraction made economic sense when we had no other choice. Rural jobs can be created just as easily from renewable fuel industries, and our cultural heritage as a once forested nation is as valuable as that of our heritage as turf cutters, who had no better alternative than to drain our natural bogs. A prosperous future for Ireland cannot be based on an inefficient fuel source.
www.maggieblanck.com
Conclusion: Is it time to quench our turf fires?
My late grandmother, Margaret Lynch (nee Brosnan) of Kilflynn, Co. Kerry My Grandmother, Margaret Lynch, would have been 105 years old this week. Despite being a native of Co. Kerry, she lived in London during the World War II bombings and became a skilled conservationist as a result of rationing and lack of resources. I can’t look at a turf fire without thinking about her and how comfortable she made me in her home, but times have changed from the days when all my granny had to burn was turf. I’m sure that if she had a more efficient fuel alternative, she wouldn’t have hesitated to use it based on her practical, resource-efficient nature.
We’re so fortunate to have the unique natural resource of peatlands in Ireland. If left in their natural state, they could be Ireland’s own climate change heroes. Let’s not squander the carbon storage power of peat for the trickle of heat it provides when we have a better environmental option in wood.
As individuals, we may feel we have limited power to stop the large scale extraction of peat in Ireland despite the fact that it makes no economic or environmental sense. However, we have enormous purchasing power in what type of fuel we use in our homes. As a result of my research for this Climate Friday FAQ, I’ll be using my own purchasing power to quench my turf fire once and for all. I hope some of you are inspired to do the same.
Keep fighting the good fight!
-Cara
As individuals, we may feel we have limited power to stop the large scale extraction of peat in Ireland despite the fact that it makes no economic or environmental sense. However, we have enormous purchasing power in what type of fuel we use in our homes. As a result of my research for this Climate Friday FAQ, I’ll be using my own purchasing power to quench my turf fire once and for all. I hope some of you are inspired to do the same.
Keep fighting the good fight!
-Cara
Special thanks to Irish Peatlands Conservation Council (IPCC) for confirming some of the land use statistics in this blog. As it’s Mother's Day this Sunday, please consider choosing a gift for your mum from IPCC's selection of good natured gifts (adopt a marsh, share a peatland, etc). Visit http://www.ipcc.ie/nature-shop/
Next week’s Climate Friday FAQ will be based on the launch of Climate Gathering’s upcoming Climate Conversations. Join me Wednesday night, March 18th at Liberty Hall, Dublin when a host of internationally-acclaimed speakers and artists will be discussing how we communicate climate change. Tickets are free, but registration is essential as this event is expected to "sell out".
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