Switching from oil to wood

[Daniël Bos]

The point I was trying to make is that unless you can sort out your own firewood supply, don't consider shifting to a wood setup on financials alone as I don't think the savings stack up.

 

Eventually wood will always end up being cheaper. It may take a long time though:sneaky2: The simple fact that anyone can grow a tree and burn it and just about nobody can home-produce heating oil will make sure of that.

[hardtop110]

Eventually wood will always end up being cheaper. It may take a long time though:sneaky2: The simple fact that anyone can grow a tree and burn it and just about nobody can home-produce heating oil will make sure of that.

 

I think you're right, but how much cheaper is the issue when you nede to factor in the additional costs of the boiler etc. Add on the (in)convenience factor, and it's not as simple as looking at the prices of the fuel.

 

I think if more film were more involved in the preparation of fuel of whatever kind, then our use would decrease. It's far too easy to flick the mains gas boiler on and forget about it until the bill comes.

[NI Tree]

Hi

 

I'm just considering the same thing, a 60kw eco angus for our big farmhouse. We used to have a farm 2000 wood bolier for 25 years, then when it rotted out and oil was 8p/litre and my father was diagnosed with parkinsons we went to oil burner. Now it cost a fortune to have the heating on for just 4 0r 5 hours a night so i'm looking at doing the same.

 

i know the fealing our passat chimmy fell down and it was starting to leak slightly so we just left it, and whent to the back up grand father kept the old boiler it must be about 40 years old. we never have any hot water. now condering puting a nother wood boiler in i will probaly keep the oil boiler lol.

[StephF]

"somebody on here and i can't remember who said to claim the grant i have to purchase the wood from a 'registered fuelwood supplier' which obviously would never make it worth doing? Anyone else heard this?"

I dont think this has been decided yet, if it is the case in future a lot of wood suppliers will need to get Hetas accredited, I've been told a meter of some type may be needed to measure KW used to get the feed back grants.

by the way, Gas boiler customers use a LOT of wood, (although I dont know how are they running them). Around 3 m every 10 days to 2 weeks on average through the winter but much less in summer, 3m every 4-5 weeks, but big houses to heat, seems a lot to me, also they like seasoned softwood (20%) as it heats the accumilator tanks up faster than hardwood.(thats customer feedback!)

[MikeTM150]

"somebody on here and i can't remember who said to claim the grant i have to purchase the wood from a 'registered fuelwood supplier' which obviously would never make it worth doing? Anyone else heard this?"

I dont think this has been decided yet, if it is the case in future a lot of wood suppliers will need to get Hetas accredited, I've been told a meter of some type may be needed to measure KW used to get the feed back grants.

by the way, Gas boiler customers use a LOT of wood, (although I dont know how are they running them). Around 3 m every 10 days to 2 weeks on average through the winter but much less in summer, 3m every 4-5 weeks, but big houses to heat, seems a lot to me, also they like seasoned softwood (20%) as it heats the accumilator tanks up faster than hardwood.(thats customer feedback!)

 

This is true certaintly on commercial systems (which i'm hoping to get into if i do install it!), somehow it calculates the Kw produced from the temperature difference between the hot outfeed and the cooler infeed to the boiler. You then have to go onto website, input data and they send you the money.

 

I'll be burning whatever i can lay my hands on around the farm, seems ridiculous to have to buy from supplier but i guess their concern is people might not source it from a sustainable or environmentally friendly way.

[Stereo]

I would have thought the next step is to have log pile inspectors. Don't they have these in Sweden or somewhere? They come around and make sure your wood is properly seasoned or you can't burn it!

[firewood]

This is true certaintly on commercial systems (which i'm hoping to get into if i do install it!), somehow it calculates the Kw produced from the temperature difference between the hot outfeed and the cooler infeed to the boiler. You then have to go onto website, input data and they send you the money.

 

 

I think the potential for fraud is massive with such a system.

[firewood]

Are they thinking of excluding log gasifying boilers from the eligible technology I wonder. It’s possible to retro apply for RHI for any approved technology installed after 15 July 2009, but no guarantee until final details of the domestic scheme are announced of what technology will be included.

 

Apart from the convenience factor I’m not too keen on pellets. They cost a fortune and require far more energy to produce than logs, which can also be self produced without the need for expensive equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

i dont think they are excluded its just that both pellet and chip systems lend themselves to self loading. the seminar was aimed at farmers and estate managers who would have the space and equipment to store and load chip or large quantities of pellets. log gasifying boilers require someone to load them every day.

[MikeTM150]

I think the potential for fraud is massive with such a system.

 

i think thats a problem with any system, but i suspect you'll be subject to random inspections so if u have over allowed inputing ur data when they inspect the meter would be 'under reading' but i do agree its a valid problem. For a simple sim card dialer they could make it upload to their system automatically. BUt i guess whatever system one uses there'll always be someone there to defraud it!!

 

Log pile inspectors............. a new job for real wood perverts!!

[Daniël Bos]

log gasifying boilers require someone to load them every day.

 

Not necessarily, I've seen an Austrian (who else but the Austrians) one that has a stack of 1m cordwood in a "magazine" type thing. It then uses a conveyor to pull in one log and chips it straight into the fire when needed:thumbup1: I think it could hold a week's worth.

It was on quite a large system though, heating a small hamlet.