Biomass Energy: Renewable Heat from Wood

Biomass Boilers

Wood pellets cost more than logs,
but are the more convenient
and consistent form of biofuel

Biomass Boilers use wood as their source of energy. Wood is considered a renewable energy resource because trees absorb CO2 as they grow. Carbon-neutral wood-fuel comes from sustainable, re-planted sources or from clean waste wood.

Domestic-scale biomass boilers come in many shapes and sizes. Your options include:

  • A traditional log-burner with integral water boiler for central heating if required . Log stoves can be one of the most cost effective forms of renewable energy. Installed costs are reasonable at between £1,000 and £2,500. Provided you can obtain a reasonably priced (or free!) good quality wood-fuel supply, then returns can be impressive. But do bear in mind that log stoves are not the lowest maintenance option!
  • An auto-feed wood-pellet boiler is a more convenient and controllable alternative to traditional log stoves. Enough wood pellet fuel can be stored in the stoves for up to 3 days burning.
  • If you live in a smoke control area make sure your biomass burner complies with requirements.
  • Wood chip boilers are not often seen at domestic scale, and as most require a 3-phase electrical power supply are more common in larger applications such as schools, farms or industrial buildings.

    • For biomass, fuel cost, quality and storage issues are all important.

Key factors in choosing Biomass

There are a few things that you should consider with relation to biomass boilers:

  • Can you obtain good quality fuel at a reasonable price? Wood fuel prices range from around £60 per tonne for seasoned logs. Pellets cost around £180 per tonne. Buying in bulk is the cheapest option.
  • For pellets, expect to consume between 3 and 5 tonnes per year.
  • Do you have enough storage space for your fuel? On average, one tonne of fuel will need the same covered space as a typical garden shed.
  • What’s your budget? A typical log burner with boiler costs around £2,500 installed while pellet boilers are available for around £5,000 depending on size.

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