Peat Briquette RIP

Alf Veedersane

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

Ireland's Climate Action Plan which sounded the death knell for the peat harvesting industry was an initiative of the last FG Government. Richard Bruton I believe.

Still, it was a misguided attempt to get a dig in at the Green Party. Always worth a few thanks.

This move is part of a BnM 'Brown to Green' strategy that predates the Climate Action Plan. Was launched in 2018.

whisky_galore

statesaver wrote: »

So what will people who use briquettes use instead ?

A windmill outside their house, you can only heat the house when there's wind.

punisher5112

statesaver wrote: »

So what will people who use briquettes use instead ?

Coal or wood but these are been pushed out too, Gas, kerosene, electric.

The ban on solid fuels is coming....

hammerdub

Rubberchikken wrote:

The green party - a complete and utter waste of effort. Useless morons who never actually think any of their plans through properly.

statesaver wrote:

So what will people who use briquettes use instead ?

Use the polish imports. I'm using them now quiet good.

Parabellum9

statesaver wrote: »

So what will people who use briquettes use instead ?

I’m going to replace them with aeroboard and household plastic

Ginger83

They'll be bought by the pallet load as they are phased out.

Ubbquittious

punisher5112 wrote: »

One of the messiest to clean after, ash everywhere, all over the house.

Take a box of firelighters to get going as previously said, weigh an absolute ton and burn very short and hardly any heat at all imo.

Do see the trucks delivering and they can't even stack them high due to the weight so much space unused.

On the heat pump issues if people have solar battery backup that will be a plus or a small generator for the just in case moments.

As new homes no longer have fires it's a thought one would need to have, also a small gas camping heater or similar as a backup.


Huge huge amount of carbon are stored and water in the bogs and we need them back to what they do best and that's absorbing this.

Big issue now is what works can you give a guy that's at that all their life and I do hear retrofitting etc, a lot will be at the age where this just wouldn't be in them to do anymore as they ain't young and I've heard quite a few stating this.

If you're trying to light turf using only firelighters you are living a life of sin. Shame! Shame!

*rings Game of Thrones shame bell*

um7y1h83ge06nx

No huge loss for me, never really bought them myself - turf, wood and coal for our stoves here.

However I think we as a country should be careful in ensuring we make environmental changes that are sustainable from an economic and quality of life perspective.

Our grid is in a precarious position at the moment. No point back patting ourselves about how environmentally friendly we are if we have issues powering our homes and industries.

gozunda

punisher5112 wrote: »

Coal or wood but these are been pushed out too, Gas, kerosene, electric.

The ban on solid fuels is coming....

Gas & Kerosene = fossil fuels- they're been targeted as well.

Hydroelectric is also now targeted

saabsaab

statesaver wrote: »

So what will people who use briquettes use instead ?

Those with access to woodlands can use fallen trees etc need to cut them up and let dry though so not for everyone.

punisher5112

Ubbquittious wrote: »

If you're trying to light turf using only firelighters you are living a life of sin. Shame! Shame!

*rings Game of Thrones shame bell*

Petrol

punisher5112

gozunda wrote: »

Gas & Kerosene = fossil fuels- they're been targeted as well.

Hydroelectric ditto ...

I know hence why slightly lower down the list.
Kerosene and gas much cleaner then any of the others....

degsie

It's worth repeating but there is no use getting bogged down on this as that wooden help anybody

OldRio

punisher5112 wrote: »

I know hence why slightly lower down the list.
Kerosene and gas much cleaner then any of the others....

Diesel was better than petrol once. Only a matter of time before another source of fuel will be put on the naughty step.

elperello

Before they started baling them with plastic strips they used wire.

Fine strong stuff it was and always saved.

Briquette wire was the the great standby for all bodgers and running repairs merchants.

Exhaust falling down on car - Briquette wire.

Loose mudguard on bike - Briquette wire.

And 101 other uses.

Dravokivich

saabsaab wrote: »

I'll miss them really they gave a nice flame burned well but I won't get too fired up about it like some. Hope new jobs are made in those areas affected, solar farms, carbon capture etc etc.

You don't want solar farms. They can have a bad impact on local ecology.

punisher5112

Dravokivich wrote: »

You don't want solar farms. They can have a bad impact on local ecology.

Plenty of houses and business they could all be fitted to.

Galwayguy35

statesaver wrote: »

So what will people who use briquettes use instead ?

Back to the turf for me, will probably work out cheaper really.

beggars_bush

Even though my parents use briquettes, i agree with this

BnM have basically strip mined the bogs for 70 years.
There's nothing left.

Drive through parts of longford, Westmeath, roscommon and offaly and there are large areas of hollowed out ground either side of roads. They've cleaned it out down to the base

And there are numerous private companies still doing this strip mining to produce peat compost for the uk, dutch and german markets

Butson

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Those BNM briquettes were junk, needed a firelighter to get them going and never a roaring flame. Now turf brought in from the bog was a different matter, once sufficiently dried the heat generated was something else. Even if they burned up in a hurry. Nostalgia from my childhood footing the stuff, different times however I'm sorry to see the peat bogs being phased out.

Even the best dried turf was still half moisture.
A briquette is essentially 4 sods of turf compressed with the moisture squeezed out.

beggars_bush

Also? Surely its time to get more poorer farming land growing timber suitable for pellets or for general household stove burning?

punisher5112

beggars_bush wrote: »

Also? Surely its time to get more poorer farming land growing timber suitable for pellets or for general household stove burning?

Wood burning has been found to cause huge pollutants.

Butson

beggars_bush wrote: »

Even though my parents use briquettes, i agree with this

BnM have basically strip mined the bogs for 70 years.
There's nothing left.

Drive through parts of longford, Westmeath, roscommon and offaly and there are large areas of hollowed out ground either side of roads. They've cleaned it out down to the base

And there are numerous private companies still doing this strip mining to produce peat compost for the uk, dutch and german markets

It's incredible how quickly wildlife takes over though. A bog near me closed at end of November. Was down there last weekend for a walk, full of wildlife. Whooper Swans in particular.
Oweninny Bog up in Mayo closed in the 90s, place has been colonised by animals since.

punisher5112

Butson wrote: »

It's incredible how quickly wildlife takes over though. A bog near me closed at end of November. Was down there last weekend for a walk, full of wildlife. Whooper Swans in particular.
Oweninny Bog up in Mayo closed in the 90s, place has been colonised by animals since.

But it's not just the animals, it needs the water and dead plant matter etc to work.

Huge amount of carbon absorbed which is great for us.

CoBo55

No loss, dirty yokes not worth a fcuk to heat water.

CFlat

Don't worry, some scientist somewhere in the future will say that electricity has a detrimental impact on the environment. And the circle of blame for destroying the earth will continue ad nauseum.

CoBo55

elperello wrote: »

Before they started baling them with plastic strips they used wire.

Fine strong stuff it was and always saved.

Briquette wire was the the great standby for all bodgers and running repairs merchants.

Exhaust falling down on car - Briquette wire.

Loose mudguard on bike - Briquette wire.

And 101 other uses.

No clothes hanger for the aerial on the hunter, Briquette wire.
A quare name but great stuff (cheno unction)

1874

1874 wrote: »

If done correctly, airtightness and insulation (external imo), done correctly, heat pumps are a good way to go, a huge potential saving in cost if done right with Coefficients (COP) of x, lets say 2.5-3.5, you are getting that much (or whatever the COP is) 2-5 to 3-5 times energy usage per per kwh, so possibly 3 times cheaper than what you are paying per unit of electricity charged.

So about the same price as gas but at a massive initial outlay?


I'm all in favour of wind and solar and as electric cars become more widespread and smart-metering/home batteries come online it'll be grand, but as far as heating goes the government need to get their heads out of their arses.

For years they (perhaps correctly pushed gas. I remember 25 years ago all the streets where I lived were dug up for the summer for them to lay the gas lines.
Now they want to ban gas boilers in new houses in 2023. For some reason they want to ban gas burners before oil burners.
New house regulations are a complete and utter joke. Heat pumps are expensive and even if they run perfectly are no cheaper per unit than gas.

My parents rebuilt their house about 25 years ago (just before gas was available) and put in an oil burner. I doubt they've spent 500 quid on maintenance and it's still running perfectly.

Thelonious Monk

_Brian wrote: »

Everything has its day and the day of peat extraction has gone.

We’ve absolutely destroyed a vast natural resource. Something like 80% is beyond returning to its former state.

With work it should again start storing carbon and storing water that it’s supposed to rather than flooding happening.

Great to see a farmer talking sense on this, the others on this site were thanking the posts lamenting the fact we wont be tearing them apart any more.

Capt'n Midnight

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

There should also be a ban on households harvesting turf.

People who have rights to turf should still be allowed harvest it. Themselves. By hand. No resale of turf or right and no help from family or friends.