Wood Pellet Boiler Benefits Over Log Stoves and Boilers

Most people have a oil or gas providing heat for their home, with a few using electric. However due to the increase cost of using these sources of energy, more people are looking for cheaper alternatives such as pellet stoves and boilers. In the UK 2012 the Renewable Heat Incentive will mean the government will agree to pay for the homeowners pellet fuel each year, with a 20 year commitment. This is a huge change in policy to support renewable energy. This subsidy will not support the use of log stoves and boilers, only pellet and chip biomass solutions. The reasons for this are that log systems cannot provide the same level of efficiency. So what do pellet heating systems bring to the table?

Wood Pellet Boiler Benefits Over Log Stoves and Boilers

Efficiency is obviously a major difference between log heating systems and pellet heating systems. This is partly due to the fuel its self and partly due to the design of the stove or boiler itself. Take logs for example, most of the logs used have a moisture content around 30%, and many people try and use virgin timbre at around 50% moisture. The higher the level of moisture the less efficient the fire and also the more smoke produced. Higher moisture content fuels also produce more ash, as the higher combustion temperatures are not achieved to burn up all the fuel. If you compare this to pellets for instance, all pellets have a moisture content below 10%, with many around 6%. This means once a wood pellet boiler is up to temperature no visible smoke is produced.

Pellet Stove and Grass Pellets

Using Wood Logs For Heat

Wood Pellet Boiler Benefits Over Log Stoves and Boilers

The other major difference between a wood log boiler and a wood pellet boiler is automation. With a log boiler you constantly have to make sure that there is enough fuel in the boiler and that is is burning correctly. Wood pellets flow very much like a liquid, and therefore can be used in hoppers with motorised feed augers which meter the fuel into the fire. This not only means with a large hopper you can leave the fire for days even weeks, but that the temperature of the boiler can be control to a degree. However pellet boilers also offer an opportunity to use various different other fuels, not just wood. Many different biomass materials can be compressed into fuel pellets to be used in your pellet boiler. These include grasses, straws and even hemp. In the US switchgrass is getting particular attention as it can be easily grown on disused ground.

The Wood Pellet Stoves and Wood Boiler Guide © PelHeat Ltd - Wood Pellet Boiler Benefits