wood pellet experiences

gooner99

I am just wondering with the prices of heating oil increasing vastly over the last few years.How do wood pellets compare in both price and consumption and indeed how the current users are fairing out with their boilers.So this tread is aimed at current pellet users.Please give honest answers (please don't paint a rosey picture to save face).We all know that pellet boilers can have problems and that the quality of pellets can vary,but there may be some very good experiences also.I am currently looking at pellet boilers,so I have an open mind,as I've read as many good reports as bad ones.


1. Has the price risen in line with oil,or stayed static?

2. Has the price come back down as supply has apparently become better?

3. What do you think of the running cost of pellet boilers (leaving out cost of installation) If you had oil previously what do you think your savings are if any?

4. Give reasons why you would install a pellet boiler if starting again,or indeed why you would not.

Hope some users that are running pellet burners over the last couple of years can give their opinions here.

Thanks in advance.

muffler

Moved to RE forum.

gooner99

oops , sorry

muffler

gooner99 wrote: »

oops , sorry

No problem. Your query is more likely to receive better replies here.

No6

gooner99 wrote: »

I am just wondering with the prices of heating oil increasing vastly over the last few years.How do wood pellets compare in both price and consumption and indeed how the current users are fairing out with their boilers.So this tread is aimed at current pellet users.Please give honest answers (please don't paint a rosey picture to save face).We all know that pellet boilers can have problems and that the quality of pellets can vary,but there may be some very good experiences also.I am currently looking at pellet boilers,so I have an open mind,as I've read as many good reports as bad ones.


1. Has the price risen in line with oil,or stayed static?

2. Has the price come back down as supply has apparently become better?

3. What do you think of the running cost of pellet boilers (leaving out cost of installation) If you had oil previously what do you think your savings are if any?

4. Give reasons why you would install a pellet boiler if starting again,or indeed why you would not.

Hope some users that are running pellet burners over the last couple of years can give their opinions here.

Thanks in advance.

Please see my Renewable Honesty Thread

1, Price is static about 200 per tonne incl vat from balcas.
2, Price is static
3, A lot cheaper to run, I've saved 1000 - 1500 last winter from my old oil system
4, Yes I'd definately install one again, there is a bit of work to them but its worth it. Bulk storage only though, anyone selling you bag pellet only systems for whole house heating is ripping you off.

betonit

no6 -- did you get a grant for it? do you ever have problem with the availability of pellets?

No6

betonit wrote: »

no6 -- did you get a grant for it? do you ever have problem with the availability of pellets?

Betonit I did get a grant for it and no I've not had a problem with the availablity of pellets, its not as quick as an oil delivery, it does take a few days to get to you but if your loading your 300ksilo manually like me (ie switching the augur on and waiting untill it's filled) you'll know when your main silo is nearly enpty and you will hopefully will have loaded a few days pellets into your 300kg silo so you'll be grand. I always found with oil it would always run out on Bank holiday weekends or over new years!!

Dr. Nick

No6 wrote: »

Betonit I did get a grant for it and no I've not had a problem with the availablity of pellets, its not as quick as an oil delivery, it does take a few days to get to you but if your loading your 300ksilo manually like me (ie switching the augur on and waiting untill it's filled) you'll know when your main silo is nearly enpty and you will hopefully will have loaded a few days pellets into your 300kg silo so you'll be grand. I always found with oil it would always run out on Bank holiday weekends or over new years!!

How often does it need filling and how many loads/year do you need?

No6

Dr. Nick wrote: »

How often does it need filling and how many loads/year do you need?

It depends on how long you have the heating on for, during the winter I have mine on about 8 hours a day and the 300kg silo needs filling once a week, now I run it for a hour a day just to heat hot water, the rads are off so every four or five weeks, (when i remember!!)

I put my first load of pellets in the 3.5 tonne silo at the end of september and I put another load in at the end of Jan. That last load is just about gone so I'll be refilling in the next few weeks, but I'm happy enough I've got the year moe or less out of two loads about 1200.

Dr. Nick

No6 wrote: »

It depends on how long you have the heating on for, during the winter I have mine on about 8 hours a day and the 300kg silo needs filling once a week, now I run it for a hour a day just to heat hot water, the rads are off so every four or five weeks, (when i remember!!)

I put my first load of pellets in the 3.5 tonne silo at the end of september and I put another load in at the end of Jan. That last load is just about gone so I'll be refilling in the next few weeks, but I'm happy enough I've got the year moe or less out of two loads about 1200.

Great, thanks. I assume the price of pellets has come down?

badolepuddytat

SEI publish a 3 monthly update of fuel costs that are about right - oil deliverd varies across the country due to delivery and local competition (or lack therof) but it is broadly accurate.

I did an analysis on the last one for someone considering boiler change....
oil price/kWh Pellet/kWh % change oil Pellets
Apr 06 4.4 4.2
Apr 07 5.6 3.8 27% -8%
Apr 08 7.5 4.6 33% 20%


further detail: http://www.sei.ie/index.asp?locID=70&docID=-1

basically fuel wise it's (april) 40% less than oil. Industry expects it to stabilise about 20% less than oil. but that is only an estimation....

Disclaiming this: All costs are nationally officially published. Where i live now oil will cost you 8.8c/kWh.... or just under double pellets.

No6

Dr. Nick wrote: »

Great, thanks. I assume the price of pellets has come down?

No it is stable, I expect the price to go up to cover delivery costs, 220 per tonne is the european average price, we're still below it at about 200 a tonne