Biomass boiler system

[chrised88]

looking at installing a small scale biomass system to heat a 4/5 bed house and two proposed cottages. any good/bad makes and models which people have used and what system/fuel type people have found works the best?

 

would be interested to know rough installation costs and people who do this type of work too ?

 

Regards chris

[Mintsauce]

Hi I'm making a delivery to a similar size installation on Wednesday, I can find out the make and a few other details if youre interested.

 

They take chip size G30 and in the past dont seem to have had too much trouble with it.

[prd]

Is that green chip or is it seasoned?

[rovers90]

As far as I am aware the chip has to be dry. A friend of mine supplies G30 chip to commercial users and the moisture content has to be below 25% (I think) so he usually seasons soft woods for about 18 months. The cost of installing such a system I believe is quite prohibitive and you may not see any savings for a considerable time.

[Chris Sheppard]

Not used one but have had a good poke and prod round the ETA boilers from Austria - definitely not the lower end of the market pricewise but very wel built and very efficient from what I can gather.

 

The chip boilers have a blade int the auger which helps reduce the chance of anything jamming up the auger and it will handle quite rough chips.

 

As well as teh boiler, it's worth investing in a decent accumulator/storage tank - seen some that are supposed to keep the water hot for something stupid like a week if you don't use it all - think they were called Akvatherm or somethign similar.

[woodlander]

have a look at

Wood Gasification (Log) Boiler Experience?

Discusses all types of down burning gasifying wood heating boilers

 

and [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJaveSG6W28&feature=related]YouTube - Vigas Wood Fuelled Boiler - Part 1 of 2[/ame]

The Vigas is from Eastern Europe not as featured as the ETA but about half the price you must have a accumalator tank and a Laddomat to control heat distribution in the tank .

Hope this helps

[WINTERBOURNE]

I am a supplier Eco Angus Ltd.

Log Boilers must have an accumulator tank based on a 50:1 ration of thermal store to kW output. It maximizes the efficiency of the boiler. There are times that the boiler is producing hot water and you are not using it for central heating or domestic hot water. That is when it goes to your thermal store (the accumulator tank).

The Akvaterm accumulator tanks are the most efficient on the market (they have about 1% heat loss per day).

We have some video clips as well Eco Angus Wood Burning Boilers - Videos

Very important to look for MCS accredited installers with MCS accredited products if you want to receive the imminent grants under the renewable heat incentive.

For products

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme MCS

For installers

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme MCS

[renewablejohn]

Yes dont forget the rip off MCS scheme created by the government to stop people paying a reasonable price for a boiler installation. Instead only MCS (monopoly) "approved" contractors can install at extortionate prices if you want to claim the renewable heat incentive which is still to be announced by the government.

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

There is a German make which takes woodchips/sawdust and logs and needs filling once a week. Will try and find the info and post here. Having seen numerous issues with woodchip systems (expensive/complex system/fuel problems) I would not have a "Chips" only system to keep warm with.

[WINTERBOURNE]

Just to add to renewablejohn comment.

The U K Government have decided to support the RHI and this was announced when they went through the spending review announcements i think around the 20th October 2010.

It is definitely going ahead and there has been £850 million allocate from general taxation for the switch from fossil fuel to sold fuel along with other technologies (Solar, GSHP, ASHP). When this pot of money has been used up the general feeling in the Industry is there will then be some surcharge added to oil or gas bills to fund further switching from oil or gas.

Admittedly we are awaiting the finer details which are being flushed out now and we should hear form the DECC and the REA about this shortly.

 

I agree about the cost of installation for MCS accredited installers and i have added a post on another log boiler thread reference this point.

However it will be critical to use one of these installers if you want to obtain the grant under the RHI.

You can have a plumber of your choice of course but it is extremely difficult to get an MCS accredited Installer to commission off the install.