Biomass Heating: Wood chip or pellets?
31st January, 2012 by admin
David Hugh-Smith from Biomass heating installer Dunster Forest Energy discusses the different fuel types available.
For all but the smallest golf clubs which might consider log heating, the continuous demand for heating and the high level of service needed for members generally brings the choice of fuel down to a fully automated chip or pellet system.
Factors to consider when choosing the fuel type include:
Cost: One kWh of heat generated by pellet costs about 4p. Wood chip costs up to 3p/kWh if the chip is bought in or 2p/kWh or less if wood is sourced from a club’s own resources or bought in and chipped on site. This compares to oil and LPG which costs around 6p/kWh and 7p/kWh respectively. These savings are before any RHI income, which for a 200kW system, would generate 7.9p/kWh in income for the first 1,314 hours of full load operation each year.
Handling: Pellets can be delivered by blower lorries much the same as oil and gas. Chips are difficult to handle as they are bulkier and do not flow. Ideally this needs to be tipped directly into the fuel store. Chip systems generally take up more space and can make fuel store design more complicated and costly.
Own resources: As many clubs have woodland, this can provide some or all of the fuel for a woodchip system. If necessary, own resources can be topped up by buying in additional timber. Once seasoned, timber is best chipped by a contractor, though this may necessitate a bulk fuel store and equipment to transfer it to the main fuel store – usually a tractor and front loader which many clubs will already have.
Local suppliers: The wood fuel supply chain is developing fast and both chips and pellets are widely available. It is worth checking that local chip suppliers are able to access sufficient quantities of seasoned timber to guarantee wood chip at 30 per cent moisture content or less during the winter months.
Environmental credentials: Woodchip is the least processed fuel and because of its bulk and low value is usually locally sourced – encouraging local woodland management and bio-diversity. Pellets are subject to a higher level of processing, generally in a few large facilities around the UK.
Contact details
Dunster Forest Energy LLP - Tel: 0844 381 4013