Sustainability
Even since it became a statutory requirement in 1998 for all stoves and fireplaces sold in Norway to be clean burn in order to reduce airborne dust, here at Jøtul we have been investing heavily in developing our “Clean burn Technology”. The result is wood stoves and fireplaces with emissions less than half of the requirement imposed by the Norwegian authorities, which have one of the world's strictest requirements regarding emissions from wood stoves and fireplaces. This is good news for the climate!
It has long been known that airborne dust, i.e. small particles in the air originating from combustion processes and other sources, poses a serious health problem. And on cold winter days, wood-firing can be the largest local contributor to poor air quality in towns and cities.
This is of course not a uniquely Norwegian phenomenon, and the challenges that Norway face can be transferred to all towns and cities where wood-firing is extensively used to heat homes. According to the European Environment Agency, a considerable proportion of Europe's population live in areas, particularly towns and cities, where air quality criteria are exceeded – where airborne dust in particular has been identified as a source of air pollution which entails serious health risks.
However, although the media love to come up with dramatic headlines relating to wood firing, there is broad agreement amongst many experts that the solution is obvious: Replacing old stoves with new, clean burn wood stoves and fireplaces and fire correctly.
This also means that anyone who is dreaming of installing a new, clean burn wood stove or fireplace in their apartment or holiday cabin, but having second thoughts because of what they have heard or read about the airborne dust problem, can breathe easily, secure in the knowledge that their stove or fireplace is not polluting the air, either for them or for anyone else.
Wood is also a renewable resource, and wood-firing is considered to be climate-friendly. CO2 which is released during combustion is absorbed by the trees and utilized in the natural CO2 cycle, according to organizations such as ENOVA (which works to convert Norway into a low-emission country) and Norsk Varme, the industry association for environmentally friendly stoves, fireplaces and chimneys in Norway. Friends of the Earth Norway (Norway's oldest nature and environmental protection organization) believes that using the correct wood-firing procedure with a clean burn stove offers many environmental benefits.
The requirement from the Norwegian authorities for modern stoves is that they must emit no more than 10 grams of particulate matter for every kilogram of wood that is burned. However, we have taken the concept of “clean burn” to a far more environmentally friendly level, and now manufacture stoves with emissions less than half the statutory requirement. The reason is a constant focus on product development and innovation, explains Rene Christensen, our Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing.
Yes, this is about our societal mission. That is why the environment and climate are a major part of Jøtul's DNA. Every year, the company spends heavily on research and testing, and, thanks to our Clean burn Technology, we can quote emissions up to 80 % lower than those of older stoves.
Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing at Jøtul, René Christensen
Clean burn Technology essentially means that the stoves have a double combustion chamber, which also burns the finer particles. A Jøtul stove will therefore give you cosiness, warmth and environmentally friendly firing. The fact that clean burn technology produces 40 percent more heat per log than older stoves is yet another bonus!
