Global warming and the emission of greenhouse gases is without a doubt a growing concern for the world, yet, when it comes to generating electricity and heat, the first thing that comes to mind is fossil fuels! Did you know that the same energy needed to produce heat and electricity in your home can be generated by using biomass fuels instead!? But, how, you ask? Two words come to mind: Biomass boilers. We'll dig deep on how does a biomass boiler work and more to give you the best tools to save energy.
Why choose a Biomass Boiler?
- Affordable Fuel - Cheaper wood fuel compared to fossil fuels
- Financial Support – Benefits the UK’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)
- Low Carbon Footprint – carbon neutral, as the same amount of wood burnt is the same amount that is absorbed as the plant grows
- Easy Maintenance – requires low cleaning time as ash production is minimal
Are you interested in purchasing or owning a boiler as a home heating solution that’s environmentally friendly? Or perhaps you already own a gas or oil boiler and are looking for a greener alternative, such as biomass boiler but aren’t sure how they work? Well you’ve come to the right place!
Fill out the form on the right to get the best quotes in making your choice for the best biomass boiler!
Information on Biomass Boilers
Biomass boilers (biomass furnaces) burn biomass products derived from waste, food and most commonly tree by products, in the form of wood chips, pellets and logs. Biomass boilers work better as a continual fuel source without interruption. This saves about 70% in output compared to the output of standard fossil fuel boilers.
By switching from the more common fossil fuel boilers to biomass boilers one can considerably reduce the level of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere thereby decreasing the effects caused by carbon dioxide pollution but also sulphur dioxide, which contributes to the production of acid rain. The reason being is the biomass used to power the boiler is carbon neutral – meaning they absorb and expel equal amounts of carbon in the atmosphere – allowing for a closed carbon cycle, thus cancelling out the effects of carbon pollution in the atmosphere.
How does a Biomass Boiler Work?
Biomass boilers most commonly burn wood chips, wood pellets, logs and other products in the form of biomass. The more advanced biomass boilers are automated but some also have to be manually filled, especially those whose main input source are logs.
Automated boilers can control how much fuel and air is supplied into the combustion chamber – where the biomass products are burnt. Thermostats control and monitor the produced heat adjusting the fuel supply and the fan speed. This makes them efficient and environmentally friendly with low carbon emissions. If you have friends questioning,"how do biomass boilers work?", now you can answer them.
Common Biomass Fuel Types
The cheaper of the wood by products are generally wood chips and pellets, typically in the form of sawdust. They are fed into the boiler from a hopper – where the wood is stored. Hoppers can be located on site if you have large enough storage space in your home. Manufacturers recommend storing up to a year’s worth of fuel in order to avoid delivery problems. Storage is easier if you live in a large home or the rural areas as more space is available compared to living in large busy metropolitan areas.
In addition, log-fed boilers are more suited to those living in the rural parts of the UK or those with larger homes, as access to woodland areas is considerably easier and can cut the logs to the suited size.
Cleaning is simple and easy, and can be done every 8 weeks to remove the ash build up from the burning of the wood, especially for wood chip and pellet burners. Log fed burners need more time cleaning out the ash from the burner. This ash can be kept and reused as compost to grow new plants or trees.
Interested in a biomass boiler? Fill out the form to the right and get more information on how do biomass boilers work and more, all you have to do is fill in your personal preferences, it’s fast and easy and with no obligation.