GEE Propel Boilers/ Boiler Share

[Stihllymok]

Hi All

 

Anyone had any experience with GEE "Propel" Biomass Boilers?

Looking at one via the boiler share scheme.

 

It seems a little bit to good to be true so looking at carefully but fully funded for 7 years under RHI seems attractive to replace a 20 odd year old Oil Burner.

 

Be glad of any advice and if you supply Pellets in Lancashire drop me a message as i may well be needing some if it works out!

 

Thanks in advance.

[Alycidon]

Balcas control the pellet market and move their price depending on the price of oil. They are by far the largest market player in the UK, all the smaller players then follow suit.

 

When I put a pellet boiler in (2009) pellets were 130 a tonne, now they are 230 or there abouts collected.

 

There are some very inferior imported pellets about, suggest especially if you opt for a bulk fill system that your pellets are EN Plus A1 spec. Empting 6 tonnes of crap pellets by hand from a reservoir is nether easy or pleasant.

 

Be aware that the bulk supply blown loads are dearer than 15kg bags.

 

A

[Stihllymok]

Thanks A

 

 

Does looks like its going to be a goer.

 

I'll keep you posted on how it works out but looks pretty good so far.

 

A complete Biomass boiler install for £135 and just the pellet costs for 7 years through RHI.

 

(I'm going through the T+C's with a fine tooth comb and it looks OK)

[sandspider]

Seems too good to be true! What's the catch? Does the installer take most of the RHI payments or something?

[Stihllymok]

Yes that was my first thoughts but have done a fair bit of research and digging.

and yes they take up to 99% of the RHI.

 

you can decide how much,i went for the 99% so i just pay 1% of the install cost and then nothing for 7 years.(they pay servicing etc)

 

maybe worth a look at boilershare.co.uk

(and no its nothing to do with me:001_smile: just thought it would be helpful to other members,im also told it won't lats for ever with RHI dropping...)

[Stihllymok]

I should also add they are picky on your RHI value.

got to fall within certain KW to qualify.from memory was between 20kw to 50kw

[sandspider]

Hmm. Potentially interesting - please let us know how it goes?

 

Do you have to buy pellets from them, or can you use any (RHI certified) supplier? Just wondering if they're going to trap you and increase the charges somehow...

[Stihllymok]

I checked that as that was my thoughts,no they provide the first tonne FOC then they prefer if you buy from them but they don't insist and as long as you use Correct grade etc you should be OK.

 

BUT I'm going to double check this.

[Chalgravesteve]

somewhere in the small print there will be requirement for you to produce a minimum level of heat output. RHI is paid for metered heat output, so you have to be able to consume the heat in an approved manner. If you don't fire up the boiler for the required amount of HEAT OUTPUT/CONSUMPTION then they wont get the RHI level that they need to fund the boiler, every year for seven years, if that is what your contract says. If the boiler is ineffiecient, and does not produce the fully rated output of kWhr, then you will be consuming more fuel in order to reach the target.

 

That is not exclusive to any company doing this type of deal, it is how RHI works. Just becasue your boiler says its output is 50kW it doesn't mean that you can achieve it. If you can only get 25kW out of it then you will use significantly more fuel and will take much longer to achieve the figures. If the boiler heats a water tank, then you still have to use the heat somehow (in an approved manner) to provide more capacity in the water tank so that it can consume some more heat.

 

RHI is not quite as simple as it sounds! Make sure that you speak to someone who has got one on the same deal and has been operating it for a while and that it is meeting the output targets and the consumption targets.

[Stihllymok]

Thanks for that v helpful info.

 

Yes am looking into this as well.

AFAIK there's no meter its calculated from the GD/EPC Requirement.

 

 

I'll confirm this.