Biomass and solid fuel domestic appliances must be tested by an accredited test lab to prove they comply with the standard PD 6434: 1969 before they can be sold, installed or used in a Smoke Control Area.

The scope of the PD 6434 test includes appliance size, type and fuel, as well as testing the design features relating to smoke reduction. Appliances submitted for exemption under the Clean Air Act, 1956 will usually also be submitted to Defra at the same time, for inclusion on the 'Approved Solid Fuel Appliances' list.

This service is for manufacturers, importers and suppliers of biomass and mineral fuelled appliances, often requiring a report to allow their appliance to get exemption under the Clean Air Act for installations in smokeless zones.

We have extensive experience in efficiency and environmental performance assessment of biomass burning domestic appliances. Our staff have hands-on experience of biomass technology, in particular:

• biomass fuel handling, storage, combustion technology and experience of working with manufacturers of such technology

• on-site and in-laboratory performance testing of biomass technologies from domestic scale through to industrial plant using a wide range of appropriate standards

• pertinent legislation and regulations relating to the installation and utilisation of such technology

The Health and Safety in Biomass Boilers document was presented and released at the Combustion Engineering Association / Carbon Trust Biomass health & safety workshop. We have a good appreciation of the issues surrounding biomass utilisation in the UK. Our experience of all parts of the biomass chain ranges from production, handling, processing (especially combustion) and waste handling, to related environmental issues on all levels.

See our reports on the Measurement of in-Situ Performance of Solid Biomass Boilers for BEIS.

Kiwa Energy (formerly Kiwa Gastec) also produced a report for DEFRA "Assessment of particulate and NOx emissions from a range of log and pellet appliances and boilers by a range of measurement techniques -  the effects of method adjustments".