I'm interested in finding out more about whether a biomass boiler might be a good idea. my heating is currently run on oil and the price of re-filling my storage tank has just gone through the roof. Does anyone know if you can get biomnass boilers that you can put logs and stuff into or whether they all run on this processed "pellet" like fuel I've seen around - which presumably isn't cheap?
Thanks a lot
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Biomass Boiler
There are plenty of Biomass boilers than run on logs, I have just installed a 45kw Vigas boiler from Dunster Wood Fuels with a 2500 litre accumulator tank. The accumulator tank is your heat source which is drawn by your heating system. I have connected mine to the existing heatings system so that the oil boiler will fire if the wood boiler and accumulator tank is not hot enough.
You can burn any wood items in the boiler but mixed with logs otherwise you may stop the airflow. I have used some wood chip mixed with logs. Due to the gasification process there is little smoke and ash when burning. The boiler sounds like a small jet engine when heating the water and you open the bottom door of the boiler. I am only heating hot water (I have 4 water cylinders) at present and only need to light the boiler every other day.
The total system cost around £9500 less the grant of £1500. I have the boiler in a garage with pipes running to the house.
Hope this helps
Biomass Boilers and runnng costs
Thanks for your reply David - its good to hear from someone who's actually got one installed. It sounds like its just the sort of system I need to look at even though I might get away with something a bit smaller. I must admit though, I hadn't realised there was such an up-front investment needed - is that the sort of money that everyone charges or was there something special about your requirements? ............ I need to look into the grants side of things in a bit more detail!!
Thanks for your help