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If you ask the public what is the most popular renewable energy technology, you are likely to hear solar panels and wind turbines. These technologies probably have the highest profile within the much hyped green energy sector. Solar panels and wind turbines have good credentials and should be viewed as true alternative technologies nevertheless. Still, most people forget a much simpler and humbler technology that has been around for many centuries. Wood burning stoves are not only effective and proven, but are also categorized as green, which makes them attractive yet again.

In order to fairly evaluate biomass boilers, it is important to explain how they work. Biomass boilers burn wood, which is an organic fuel (hence the bio-fuel label), rather than fossil fuels that come from the ground (oil, gas, coal). The boilers burn untreated wood (such as logs, wood chips) and treated wood (most common being wood pallets).

Wood pallets are the most efficient of the wood fuel types. They are made from sawdust which is compressed at high pressure into small pallets (roughly the size of AAA batteries). They are made from by-products of local carpentries, joinery workshops and sawmills. The high pressure compression removes moisture and increases their output to weight ratio, meaning you need less fuel to get the same amount of heat. Another benefit is that they don’t leave as much residue on the burner due to full burning reaction.

Because the boilers burn wood they are considered to be CO2 neutral. When fossil fuels are burned to generate energy and heat, they release CO2 that was trapped under the ground. This gas is widely accepted as one of the main drivers of global warming and climate change. In contrast, when we burn wood, we only release CO2 that the plant has captured during its lifetime, thus not adding more of the harmful gas into the general equilibrium.

Before going ahead and purchasing a biomass boiler, there are several points you should consider:

* Wood supplier - it is much easier to run a biomass boiler if you have a local sawmill or carpentry workshop that can provide you with a reliable source of sawdust, wood chips or even wood pallets.

* Room for the boiler - since biomass boilers are relatively big (especially when compared to modern condensing boilers) it is important to take into account their size and the required space for fuel storage next to them.

* Chimney - biomass boilers require chimneys. And more specifically, chimneys that are lined for wood burning. However, it is a problem that can be solved by adding a lined flue within the chimney.

* Smoke implications - some areas are designated ‘Smoke Free’. If you live in such are, you need to find a unit that is exempted under the Clean Air Act.

* Other considerations - It is wise to check with your local authority’s planning department regarding fitting a flue in the property. This is very important in cases where the property is a listed building, or within a conservation area.

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 28th, 2008 at 8:04 am and is filed under Business.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.