Biomass heating systems are a great renewable energy solution for heating homes and commercial properties. They also give you more choice in what types of biomass fuels to burn to generate renewable energy to heat your hot water, home or building. And the good news is they can help you reduce your energy bills and ensure you’re less reliant on energy suppliers.
What fuels can I use with a biomass heating system?
A variety of sustainable biomass fuels are available for biomass heating systems. These include organic, agricultural, forestry and sawmill waste such as wood chips, wood pellets, logs, off cuts, grain husks, rice, straw and sawdust, as well as dedicated biomass crops.
Wood chips and pellets
Wood chips and wood pellets are both widely available. Wood pellets are made from waste products such as sawdust generated by sawmills and compacted into small pellets. They can be easily fed into biomass boilers, either manually or automatically. Plus their low moisture content ensures a more efficient burn than some other biomass fuels.
The beauty of using wood chips is that they can be locally sourced from tree surgeons, timber yards, carpentry businesses and other companies who generate waste wood. To reduce costs even further you can even make your own by putting logs, off cuts and waste wood through a chipping machine.
Can I use all types of biomass fuel?
Most biomass heating systems are designed to burn wood chips, pellets and logs, but depending on your system’s specifications, you may be able to burn all most all types of biomass fuel. If you want this kind of flexibility it’s best to opt for a multi-fuel burner, such as a Biokompakt® Biomass Boiler to enable you to burn the vast range of biomass fuels available.
Deciding on which biomass fuel is the most suitable depends on what is available locally, the cost and which fuel is most appropriate for your biomass heating system.
How should I store my biomass fuel?
Given the nature of most biomass fuels, they should be stored in a dry environment. A garage, shed or out-building that is watertight and protects the fuel from moisture makes the perfect storage facility for wood chips, pellets, logs etc. Don’t forget to ensure that the storage area is easy to access if your supplier will be delivering large quantities of biomass fuel to your property.
Get in touch if you’d like more information on biomass heating systems or a free quote and we’ll be happy to advise you on the best renewable energy solution for your home or building.
