Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are wood pellets?
A. Wood pellets are a solid biomass energy product made from highly compacted sawmill residues such as sawdust, shavings and wood chips. They are generally characterised by low moisture content, high calorific value and low emission and ash content. Wood pellets represent a realistic renewable fuel solution, available now and sustainable into the future.
Q. How are wood pellets made?
A. Sawdust, shavings and pre-screened wood chips are fed to a press and forced through holes in a die. As the material leaves the die it is cut by a fixed blade creating pellets of the required length. The high pressure involved in the process creates sufficient heat to plastify the lignin content of the wood which binds the pellets as they cool.
Q. What are the benefits of using wood pellets?
A. Wood pellets are a reliable, long-term renewable and carbon neutral fuel which are competitively priced against other fuels such as coal, oil and gas. The volatile pricing of traditional fossil fuels makes the use of wood pellets increasingly attractive. The sustainability of wood pellets gives independence from dwindling fossil fuel resources. Wood pellets are a clean to handle, clean to burn fuel with virtually no emissions or ashThe ability to utilise highly efficient, fully automated, boilers readily available in the UK
Wood pellets can be conveniently delivered in bulk direct to your fuel store or available in handy bags for purchase in smaller quantities. Duffield wood pellets are a locally manufactured, cost effective, fuel providing heat for consumers in the same geographical region, endorsing the UK Goverment's Low Carbon Transport Innovation Strategy. A variety of grants and incentive schemes are available to encourage installation of equipment using, and consumption of, renewable fuels .
Q. What appliances are required to burn wood pellets?
A. Burned correctly wood pellets produce very little emissions. They are best consumed in equipment which is specifically designed to burn them, this could be an efficient and attractive room heater or a central heating boiler. However, wood pellets can be used in an open fire grate or wood burning stove provided that a suitable pellet basket is used. For medium to large scale projects requiring heat and water, a wide range of highly efficient pellet burning appliances are available on the market, which may be automatically fed from a store, self ignite and programme like a conventional fuel boiler.
