Biomass is organic material derived from plants and animals. Biomass energy is, therefore, produced by burning these biological material to form a renewable and sustainable source of fuel. Of all the biomass material, wood still remains the most commonly used form in biomass boilers.
With the government grants that are available through the Renewable Heat Incentive the install costs can partially or fully re-couped. Finance can also be provided for UK residents as well as interest free loans through the Energy Saving Trust (Scotland Only). P4 Technologies are also happy to offer a FREE system for qualifying customers.
How does it work?
Biomass boilers can replace oil or gas boilers to heat hot water and radiators (or under floor heating). They burn logs, wood chips, wood pellets or other forms of biomass. The most advanced boilers are fully automatic. They control the amount of fuel and air supplied to the combustion chamber. As a result they are highly efficient and emissions are low.
They are fed with wood chips or pellets from a large hopper sited nearby. If you’ve got space, manufacturers recommend a hopper that’s big enough to hold a year’s supply of fuel. This minimises transport and delivery costs for fuel, as well as work for the owner. Maintenance is minimal – although you will need to clean it and remove the ash about once a month. If that isn’t possible due to space or budget, you can get wood pellet delivered on pallets of 10 kg or 15 kg bags, from which you manually fill a smaller hopper.
Where do they work best?
Biomass bolier can work in most properties but typically they work best on larger commercial properties. By installing this form of renewable energy you will also increase the energy efficency of the building and help landlords carry out their obligations under the 2011 Energy Act. See below: