Bio Mass + Bio Fuel

The terms biomass and bio fuels have become commonplace terms in the last 5 years but there is still quite a lot of confusion about what it actually is and what it can be used for. Biomass in particular can be used as a good energy saving solution for heating your home and it has little or no carbon footprint when burned.

What is biomass?
Biomass is organic material which is carbon based, such as timber, plants, food and industrial products. Usually biomass for domestic applications can be used for boilers and wood stoves. It is created from residues from industries such as timber and crop harvesting. Biomass takes carbon out of the air when grown in its primary form; when the product is burned it releases carbon back into the atmosphere. This process in effect cancels out the carbon impact on the planet, however it is it is imperative that more forests and crops are grown in its place in order to continue the status quo.

If you are energy conscious it is important to remember that there is a carbon footprint for Biomass in terms of its production and transportation so it is not a completely zero carbon product.

There are five classifications of biomass products:

• Energy Crops
• Food Waste
• Industrial Waste,
• Agricultural Residue
• Virgin Wood.

It is virgin wood which is generally used for household applications either in the form of a wood burning stove or biomass boiler heating system.

Four Things to consider

• Have a full assessment of your house and space as biomass boilers tend to be much larger than conventional boilers
• Consider whether you have enough room to store the fuel
• Think about what type of fuel you are going to use
• Do you live near a biomass fuel supplier?

If you need any further information on biomass please contact us on 01789 842898.

Return to Renewable Heating