Biomass is a renewable energy source that is obtained from living or once living material including wood, grass, wheat or suitable waste materials. Biomass is primarily used in the production of heat and the generation of electricity.

When burnt, biomass sources release CO2, equivalent to the amount that a plant would release when it dies and decomposes. Hence, the carbon released has a limited effect on the environment as it is a part of the natural carbon cycle. This is unlike fossil fuels which continually increase the carbon levels in the environment when burnt.

 

The history of biomass heating is mainly based on basic biomass log stoves which were very high maintenance and not very energy efficient for the amount of warmth that they generated. Technological advancements have seen major improvements to these biomass devices which are now capable of operating at efficiency levels of over 95% which is comparable to modern oil fired and gas fired boilers.

 

If you currently use oil to fire your central heating boiler, biomass is the closest alternative renewable technology as the appliances operate in a very similar way but with lower CO2 emissions and residues, helping to look after our planet and saving you significant amounts of money.

Biomass fuels are a renewable energy source derived from the biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source in a biomass boiler the fuel is burnt to produce heat by direct combustion.

 

An example of various fuels that can be used are:-

 

Logs

 

Wood pellets

 

Grain

 

Wood chips

Wood wastes of all types make excellent biomass fuels and can be used in a wide variety of biomass technologies. Combustion of woody fuels to generate steam or electricity is a proven technology and is the most common "biomass to energy" process.

 

Different types of woody fuels can typically be mixed together as a common fuel, although differing moisture content and chemical makeup can affect the overall conversion rate or efficiency of a biomass project.

 

There are at least six subgroups of woody fuels. The differences between these subgroups mainly have to do with availability and cost.

 

• Forestry residues: In-forest woody debris and slash from logging and forest management activities.
• Mill residues: Byproducts such as sawdust, hog fuel, and wood chips from lumber mills, plywood manufacturing, and other wood processing facilities.
• Agricultural residues: Byproducts of agricultural activities including crop wastes, vineyard and orchard prunings or turnings, and rejected agricultural products.
• Urban wood and yard wastes: Residential organics collected by municipal programs or recycling centers and construction wood wastes.
• Dedicated biomass crops: Trees, corn, rape seed oil and other crops grown as dedicated feedstocks for a biomass project.
• Chemical recovery fuels (black liquor): Woody residues recovered out of the chemicals used to separate fiber for the pulp and paper industry.

Sources for biomass heating are wide and various. If you opt for a multi-fuel boiler system, a Twinheat boiler for example, you can burn any type of fuel you can currently source, including waste material, paper, cardboard, in fact any free sources of fuel available to you. Truly cost effective free energy.

 

Bioheat will be able to advise what the best solution for you will be dependent on your fuel sources, size of building, location of boiler etc.