Biomass Energy

Biomass is all plant and animal matter on the Earth's surface. Bioenergy is the term given to harvesting biomass such as crops, trees etc. to generate energy.

Indeed, Biomass was the first fuel that mankind learned to use when the first primitive fires were started. Biomass has achieved a significant share of the energy market on the Continent. Ireland has one of the lowest uses of Biomass in Europe but has one of the largest resources. Biomass provides about 1% of the country's energy needs in the form of domestic and industrial wood heating. Wood is a 'carbon neutral' fuel in that it absorbs as much CO2 when it grows as it releases when it is burned.

The main types of wood fuel are chips and pellets. Wood chips are a clean, low moisture fuel made from wood in its natural state. They are a high energy, low-smoke fuel. They are a bulk fuel meaning that they are generally unsuitable for domestic purposes due to storage issues. They are used in larger buildings or to heat clusters of domestic properties through a heating scheme. Wood pellets are a clean, dry fuel made from a mixture of sawdust and wood shavings. The Wood pellets are 6-12mm in diameter and 6-20mm in length. Pellets are easy to ignite and leave little ash. A feeding mechanism such as a hopper can be used to feed the Pellet Burner.

In a similar vein to traditional oil or gas burners, a Wood Pellet boiler will provide full central heating and hot water. Wood Pellet Stoves provide heating for a single room. They produce a small fire that, concentrated in the center of the unit, burns hot.

In a similar vein to traditional oil or gas burners, a Pellet boiler will provide full central heating and hot water. Pellet stoves provide heating for a single room. They produce a small fire that, concentrated in the center of the unit, burns hot.

One important consideration when opting for a Pellet Burner is storage. Pellet are a bulky fuel meaning that more storage space is required than that for oil. The store must also be kept completely dry and free from damp.

Paul O' Connor