MICROWOOD, Prodotti bioenergetici innovativi: definizione di uno Schema di certificazione per il prodotto Cippatino di legno per uso domestico. Una opportunità di sviluppo per le imprese forestali locali e per la gestione sostenibile del territorio

This report presents the main outcomes of the MICROWOOD project, which aimed to develop a locally sourced woody biofuel able to act as a functional substitute for wood pellets in widely installed domestic pellet stoves and boilers, without requiring equipment replacement. The proposed fuel is Calibrated Micro Wood Chips (CMWC), produced from local hardwoods (notably chestnut) through drying, screening and grading to achieve repeatable physico-chemical properties and controlled particle-size distribution. The project combined (i) laboratory upgrading and analytical characterization of existing A1+ mini wood chips (MWC), (ii) development of a calibrated production process (including a patented screening concept), and (iii) controlled combustion trials on conventional pellet stoves, comparing CMWC with ENplus A1 pellets. Combustion testing (UNI EN 14785:2006) included 15 CMWC settings and one pellet reference, monitoring efficiency, thermal output and emissions; CMWC was operated for >155 hours without blockages, while MWC A1+ proved unsuitable for legacy pellet stoves due to oversized particles causing auger jams. Optimal stove operation with CMWC required specific adjustments of auger load time and draught (best-performing setting around 5.1 s and 9.6 Pa). The report also proposes a quality standard for CMWC aligned with relevant ISO frameworks and compares it with pellet and A1+ chip standards. Finally, a CAWI survey of 126 pellet consumers at Progetto Fuoco (Verona, 2022) indicates strong sensitivity to price and origin and a broad willingness to try a local alternative, provided compatibility and benefits are clearly communicated.