What are wood pellets? What are the benefits? Are they renewable? How are they delivered?

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Autumn 2010

Local MP opens biomass fuel production facility

Duffield Wood Pellets' state of the art renewable fuel facility located in a North Yorkshire village has been officially opened by Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon. The business partnership located in Melmerby, North Yorkshire, manufacture and supply quality wood pellets produced from virgin timber and sawmill co-products, fulfilling an objective to provide a viable and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.

Over the last year the partnership has established a fully formed wood pellet and wood chip production infrastructure capable of meeting the expectations of informed biomass users. The business currently supplies a growing customer base across the Yorkshire and Humber and adjoining regions with both bagged and bulk loose pellets. Production at the new facility – the first wood pellet plant in production in Yorkshire – began in November 2009, transforming woodchip into pellets that conform to European standards.

Managing Partner, Howard Duffield, states: “We aim to operate an ethical business within the renewable wood fuel sector by offering products and services which will provide value for money and have a positive impact on our environment by reducing carbon emissions.”

Pellets are produced to the CEN/TS 14961: 2005 DD technical standard within a production process which has been developed with reference to the CEN/TS 15324:2006 DD quality standard. Furthermore pellets are covered by Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, providing compliance with the UK Government’s CPET procurement policy for timber.

Up to 20 tonnes of 6mm pellet are currently produced each day via a PTN Progress pellet mill. Interchangeable pressing dies provide for the production of 8mm pellets, as required. Provision has been made for a second pellet mill to be installed in tandem with the first, allowing production to grow with demand.

Mr Duffield added: “Following the successful development of the pellet production facility, further substantial strategic investment has been made by our sister company, Duffield Timber, in additional plant to process virgin timber to produce high grade wood chip fuel; this includes the installation of specialised processing equipment from Morbark, Alvan Blanch and Sprout Matador.

“Duffield Timber already hold a major stockpile of certified/accredited timber for processing. The wood chips subsequently produced will be utilised both as feedstock for our pellet plant and as a commercial product in their own right.”

In addition to MP Julian Smith attending, Caroline Seymour, Chair of North Yorkshire County Council and David Elsey the Mayor of Ripon were also present.

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For further information contact: -

Duffield Wood Pellets, Green Lane, Melmerby, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 5JB. Telephone: 01765 640564 email: info@duffieldwoodpellets.com

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