kiln dryer

[Duffryn]

400m3 of processed logs is only 11 fills of the 40ft and 66 days, based on the mentioned 6 day cycle.

Would one really generate enough rhi income in 66 days?

 

Lets assume 500m3 on a 7 day drying cycle. This would generate 16,800 kwh a week and over the 15.6 weeks a total of 262,080 kwh. This more or less uses up your tier 1 RHI on a 210kwh boiler but generates £13,571 in RHI

 

You would be able to sell the logs for a £7K premium (£20 per m3). You could also free up yard space and cash tied up in wood air drying. In rough terms allowing for cost of fuel a 33% ROI. In my personal view, at this level or above you are better off with than without a kiln.

 

If your cost of capital is low, fuel is free or you charge a gate fee then the volume of logs sold to easily justify a kiln would need to be even less.

 

This also assumes that you are around on site to refuel the boiler yourself and the there is no labour charge for this. In most one or two man bands this may well be the case.

 

The next 37 weeks of the year for volume log producers will be a pain because the reduced tier 2 RHI will barely cover the fuel cost and the cost of reloading will be a right pain. Here you may wish to consider a 2nd or third batch fed boiler or a woodchip boiler.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Duffryn

[arboriculturist]

Lets assume 500m3 on a 7 day drying cycle. This would generate 16,800 kwh a week and over the 15.6 weeks a total of 262,080 kwh. This more or less uses up your tier 1 RHI on a 210kwh boiler but generates £13,571 in RHI

 

You would be able to sell the logs for a £7K premium (£20 per m3). You could also free up yard space and cash tied up in wood air drying. In rough terms allowing for cost of fuel a 33% ROI. In my personal view, at this level or above you are better off with than without a kiln.

 

If your cost of capital is low, fuel is free or you charge a gate fee then the volume of logs sold to easily justify a kiln would need to be even less.

 

This also assumes that you are around on site to refuel the boiler yourself and the there is no labour charge for this. In most one or two man bands this may well be the case.

 

The next 37 weeks of the year for volume log producers will be a pain because the reduced tier 2 RHI will barely cover the fuel cost and the cost of reloading will be a right pain. Here you may wish to consider a 2nd or third batch fed boiler or a woodchip boiler.

 

This is all solid quantifiable data.

 

Circa 4 years approx. payback on a GF installation, factoring in the fuel costs

 

For the rest of the year many volume log producers may be better off air drying the rest, as they still need to buy stock wether they Kiln Dry or Air dry. There again once dry the timber could be bulk stockpiled, so perhaps not.

[briquette_seller]

Thanks Duffryn

[Duffryn]

Lets assume 500m3 on a 7 day drying cycle. This would generate 16,800 kwh a week and over the 15.6 weeks a total of 262,080 kwh. This more or less uses up your tier 1 RHI on a 210kwh boiler but generates £13,571 in RHI

 

 

I should also have pointed out that for those wishing to dry more than 500m3 of logs it would be worth considering a larger boiler. For example a 300kwh boiler would generate £20,400 in tier 1 RHI income as opposed to a 200kwh generating £13,600. It would also dry the wood a lot quicker thus giving extra drying capacity within the tier 1 RHI limits. The cost of installing a larger boiler is limited in most cases to the extra cost of the boiler ( not a great deal in the scheme of things) because the installation costs are largely fixed. A larger boiler also permits a longer run time at night because it has a larger fuel chamber, with the kiln fans turned right down to limit energy consumption the temperature can still be maintained in the kiln.

[K66 LOG]

we earn £17600 on teir 1 and my boiler is only 175 kwh if there are more infomation just ask

[arboriculturist]

we earn £17600 on teir 1 and my boiler is only 175 kwh if there are more infomation just ask

 

I think you are on a higher tariff than Jan 2016 levels.

[arboriculturist]

I should also have pointed out that for those wishing to dry more than 500m3 of logs it would be worth considering a larger boiler. For example a 300kwh boiler would generate £20,400 in tier 1 RHI income as opposed to a 200kwh generating £13,600. It would also dry the wood a lot quicker thus giving extra drying capacity within the tier 1 RHI limits. The cost of installing a larger boiler is limited in most cases to the extra cost of the boiler ( not a great deal in the scheme of things) because the installation costs are largely fixed. A larger boiler also permits a longer run time at night because it has a larger fuel chamber, with the kiln fans turned right down to limit energy consumption the temperature can still be maintained in the kiln.

 

Sorry, I am uncertain of the maths if installing a 300 boiler. I understood that at the current rate tier 1 was capped at 250,000 kWh 13,600?

[Duffryn]

Sorry, I am uncertain of the maths if installing a 300 boiler. I understood that at the current rate tier 1 was capped at 250,000 kWh 13,600?

 

The tier is calculated out at 1314 hours times the boilers capacity x .0518p ( current medium tariff). The boiler must have a capacity of between 201 and 499kwh to fall in to this category.

 

so a 250kwh boiler would have a tier 1 level of 250 x 1314 x.0518p = £17K

 

a 450kwh would be £30,600 etc

[Duffryn]

we earn £17600 on teir 1 and my boiler is only 175 kwh if there are more infomation just ask

 

Yes but this is on the old tariff, not the current tariff that would apply to new installations

[K66 LOG]

i would say that. one spending buying a kiln and boiler at the traiff now must think very care full , i was in the right place at the right time 2years ago ,but i do no some one selling a second hand one at the high rate 2 years old..