Biomass Boilers
- Thread starter wilber
- Start date
Cheers Bennie. I live on a farm so we have plenty of space and around 40 acres of woodland for fuel. Pretty sure it will be a log fueled one rather than chips or pellets, as we currently burn logs in all the properties. It's interesting to hear what other's experiences are with different fuel types though.
They do seem to require quite a bit of investment but if the returns are as good as the sales reps claim, then a 45k investment should be payed off in around 5 years, leaving 15 years of profit on the commercial RHI.
It seems a "no brainer" to me, but obviously I am cautious due to the large figures involved. Saying that though I dont want to be overly cautious and miss out like I did with the solar panel payments.
They do seem to require quite a bit of investment but if the returns are as good as the sales reps claim, then a 45k investment should be payed off in around 5 years, leaving 15 years of profit on the commercial RHI.
It seems a "no brainer" to me, but obviously I am cautious due to the large figures involved. Saying that though I dont want to be overly cautious and miss out like I did with the solar panel payments.
The risk is minimal though. Units are self contained, and we currently run with open fire places so risks of a fire would be reduced with a switch to biomass biolers.
Your also stuck in a rut with pellets where there are limited suppliers and prices can rise fairly quickly.
I'm not sure where i read the info but i think air source heat pumps have been hit by a reduction on RHI payments, making them a lot less favourable investment.
Log would be the way forward for us unless we chipped our own logs, but I do not know of any gain other than an automated system (but with the added wood processing stage). With logs once we have paid off the initial investment we would be looking at roughly 15 years of profit from using our own sourced logs.
So the past few days my farther and I have had a couple of reps out from a few different local based companies. I have also been doing a lot of internet research and I can say my head is thoroughly fried!
We have had estimations from £30k to £45k on systems to power 3 houses.
It seems there are two very different types of log biomass boilers.
Option A Requires:
A biomass boiler
Accumulator tank's up to 6000 litres
This options works by heating tanks at full burn until they hit the required temperature then shut off.
Option B Requires:
An American style biomass boiler
This is a boiler with a built in water jacket.
This options is a complete unit, it works kind of like a combi boiler. It has a 1500 litre water jacket which it heats to a set temp, it will then slow the burn down and restart back up when needed, a type of on demand system.
Strangely option B was hitting the 45k mark and i feel whilst it seems the more efficient type of system in theory. In Winter it will be going flat out all the time to provide 3 families with hot water, then in summer it will be burning on low all the time, waiting for the call to fire up to max.
Option A just seems better suited to our needs I believe.
We're fairly certain we need a 100kw system. There are a lot of makes and models on the market and I am trying to circle out a small group of manufacturers I would like to go with.
Solarbayer - Seem very good systems with high efficiency
HDG - similar to above although lack some info on a 100kw boiler
Lopper - Look a very robust unit, unfortunately cant find a UK dealer
Local dealers/fitters don't use the above makes unfortunately.
I am pretty certain I will be putting in a biomass system, it really does seem a good investment in the long run.
We have had estimations from £30k to £45k on systems to power 3 houses.
It seems there are two very different types of log biomass boilers.
Option A Requires:
A biomass boiler
Accumulator tank's up to 6000 litres
This options works by heating tanks at full burn until they hit the required temperature then shut off.
Option B Requires:
An American style biomass boiler
This is a boiler with a built in water jacket.
This options is a complete unit, it works kind of like a combi boiler. It has a 1500 litre water jacket which it heats to a set temp, it will then slow the burn down and restart back up when needed, a type of on demand system.
Strangely option B was hitting the 45k mark and i feel whilst it seems the more efficient type of system in theory. In Winter it will be going flat out all the time to provide 3 families with hot water, then in summer it will be burning on low all the time, waiting for the call to fire up to max.
Option A just seems better suited to our needs I believe.
We're fairly certain we need a 100kw system. There are a lot of makes and models on the market and I am trying to circle out a small group of manufacturers I would like to go with.
Solarbayer - Seem very good systems with high efficiency
HDG - similar to above although lack some info on a 100kw boiler
Lopper - Look a very robust unit, unfortunately cant find a UK dealer
Local dealers/fitters don't use the above makes unfortunately.
I am pretty certain I will be putting in a biomass system, it really does seem a good investment in the long run.
Yes it was considered (It was original planned as part of a conversion even bought one, water tank fitted to the system has everything for solar too).
But, biomass is a large amount more efficient and after 5 years the system should be payed off and we will start receiving an income from it. I now firmly believe this to be the correct decision as any other log heating system would not be covered under the RHI scheme. If we are to be burning our own logs anyway then why not get paid for it?
*Update*
Since I last posted I have had a roller coaster of a decision time! I have been torn between a log or chip biomass system, the size of the project (4 houses or 2) along with a whole host of other decision, but I have decided to go with a log Biomass system to heat 2 houses and a shed and given the nod for the company to start work.
Work wont start for at least 4 weeks as I have to await for a new batch of boilers to enter the UK from the USA.
I'll try and take pictures and keep this post updated once the build starts.
Since I last posted I have had a roller coaster of a decision time! I have been torn between a log or chip biomass system, the size of the project (4 houses or 2) along with a whole host of other decision, but I have decided to go with a log Biomass system to heat 2 houses and a shed and given the nod for the company to start work.
Work wont start for at least 4 weeks as I have to await for a new batch of boilers to enter the UK from the USA.
I'll try and take pictures and keep this post updated once the build starts.
Minsterley ranges by any chance?
Its definitely a worth while investment for ourselves.
Installation is in the region of £40k exc the VAT.
RHI payments we will receive are estimated to be over £9k a year. The tariff has dropped by 5% so if i had of been quicker with my decision we could have received a bit more!
Timber use is expected to be 32 ton a year
Even if we did not have our own timber I can purchase timber at £30 a ton delivered. Quite excited to get started now.
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Thinks are starting to get into motion. The underground pipe arrives on Wednesday, I have to trench from the boiler location to my house.
On the 18th the engineers will arrive to start works and on the 21st the boiler will turn up to be installed!
I have started clearing the site ready and gutting the inside of shed the boiler will be installed.
A few pics.
The next job is to take the block wall out so you can see into the shed.
Internal floor needs concreting level for the boiler to sit on and a stud wall building to the rear of the boiler.
The outside area has been cleared and will eventually be stoned/concreted but may be left till after installation.
On the 18th the engineers will arrive to start works and on the 21st the boiler will turn up to be installed!
I have started clearing the site ready and gutting the inside of shed the boiler will be installed.
A few pics.
The next job is to take the block wall out so you can see into the shed.
Internal floor needs concreting level for the boiler to sit on and a stud wall building to the rear of the boiler.
The outside area has been cleared and will eventually be stoned/concreted but may be left till after installation.
Ground work was started on Monday managed to cut through the water pipe and two soak away pipes!
And pipes where repaired and trench was back filled today. Mess outside my house so will have to resurface the area at some point.
Engineers have also made a start with the pipe work
And pipes where repaired and trench was back filled today. Mess outside my house so will have to resurface the area at some point.
Engineers have also made a start with the pipe work
Boiler arrives tomorrow along with the pipe, so will be a very hectic day for the engineers.
Fortunately my work is pretty much done besides getting the boiler into the shed with the manitou.
I also broke my toe last night!! Something I could have done without this week. My RHI application is almost done and have ordered two lorry loads of timber (around 50 ton).
Fortunately my work is pretty much done besides getting the boiler into the shed with the manitou.
I also broke my toe last night!! Something I could have done without this week. My RHI application is almost done and have ordered two lorry loads of timber (around 50 ton).
Boiler, fitting and RHI application cost around £40k plus the VAT. I was tempted with a chip system but just did not have the space/setup to have one. I was also afraid of the price of chip/pellets going up (which they will). At least with timber its at the bottom of the process chain and i can harvest my own from our woodland ground.
Its exactly why people are jumping on board. A lad i know has put in 3x199kw boilers, that's a £1.5m payback over 20 years.
Farmer's with chicken sheds are the real winners though, as they where paying to heat the sheds with gas now they get paid to heat them with wood chip!
Farmer's with chicken sheds are the real winners though, as they where paying to heat the sheds with gas now they get paid to heat them with wood chip!
You never see a farmer on a push bike
Anyhow, is the boiler going to be enclosed in that shed or left open to the elements?
Certainly not those arable/dairy farmers that's for sure!
You can set your pellet price fixed for 20 years if need be!
We are in the process of making a pellet making company.
We never had an offer on pellets like that! Best we had was, paying for chip via kwh, which I thought was pretty good as any heat wasted to the ground etc was free as it wasn't passing the meter and therefore not being charged.
A friend was looking at a PTO driven pellet maker. I think your on to an excellent business venture especially in this climate.
The boiler was rated at somewhere around 90%, cant remember the exact figure. Filled the chamber up with about 3 wheel barrow fulls of timber last night. It was still there this morning only in charcoal form. The pipes need to be insulated and a few bits and pieces need finishing off. I will then test how long a full load lasts me.