. More Wood Pellet Supply Problems in US and…

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More Wood Pellet Supply Problems in US
and a Lesson for Ireland

There is a growing problem of wood pellet shortages in the USA which is causing very real distress to householders there. The problem is international as well as being a US problem. Some producers in the US are exporting pellets to Europe because of the demand here, this is causing greater problems in the States.

A story by Stefanie Knowlton, published in the Statesman Journal, graphically illustrates the situation. I am reproducing some extracts here, with permission.

“Salem resident Wendy Mullin . . . borrowed a truck Tuesday and bundled up her 2-year-old daughter in hopes of getting pellets after six weeks of waiting. But when she arrived at 9:30 a.m., no pellets were left.”

“Enticed by stable heating costs and cleaner fuel, a record number of people nationwide bought pellet stoves. But instead of basking in the environmentally friendly glow of the new stoves, Mullin and other local residents are calling businesses throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho to get their hands on the heating pellets.”

“Part of the problem is a shortage of raw material, Elliot (sales and marketing manager at Bear Mountain Forest Products ) said. The pellets are made from compressed sawdust from lumber mills. With fewer houses being built, he said, there is less sawdust in the mills. Also, British Columbia, a large West Coast supplier, now is selling its pellets in Europe.”

“ … the biggest reason for the shortage, … is a surge in pellet-stove sales. Two years ago, few people outside the “Mother Earth News” crowd knew what they were, . . . but as gas and oil prices increased, people started to discover them. Others were enticed by the stove’s renewable fuel source and the fact that it burns cleaner than wood.”

“Albany resident Margaret Althaus took the day off from her job at Salem Hospital on Tuesday to wait in line for pellets for her son. In November, he replaced the wood stove — the home’s only source of heat — with a pellet stove. Althaus got six 40-pound bags Tuesday, which might last about a week. “We’re going to keep looking,” she said.”

Salutary Lesson for Ireland and Europe

The above story should be a warning to Ireland and the whole of Europe. SEI (Sustainable Energy Ireland) is pumping millions of our money into promoting the sale of wood pellet stoves and boilers by giving very generous grants, but without properly planning the supply of fuel. This is a formula for future problems.

I am seriously worried that there is a lack of “joined up thinking” by SEI and the Irish Government in this matter. If wood pellets are made from the by-product of the building industry and the building industry slows down, there will be a shortage of wood pellets.

We Need Dedicated Forests to Supply Wood Pellets

Wood pellets will have to be manufactured from dedicated forest materials, and not depend on the state of other industries or on the international marketplace.

I wish to thank Stefanie Knowlton for permission to use her material.
The full article can be read at the following link: http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070124/NEWS/701240345

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. . Wood Smoke is almost as Dangerous as Toba…

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Wood Smoke is almost as
Dangerous as Tobacco Smoke!!!

Studies and experience in the USA suggest that inhaling wood smoke is highly dangerous. Wood smoke contains some of the smallest pollutant particles of any smoke. Because these particles are so tiny they can permeate deep into the lungs so deep they can’t be coughed up. The result is frequently permanent lung damage — a particular risk for those with asthma and other ailments.

There are several studies which show that wood smoke is particularly damaging to the lungs. The problem arises in cold weather where high pressure keeps the air trapped near the ground. In these condition people can breath in a lot of wood smoke.

These finding give rise to the question; Is there any really safe way to heat our homes?

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. Ireland’s Energy Policy Illustrated . Ener…

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Ireland’s Energy Policy Illustrated

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Energy Planning for National Security

The Government bio-energy plan was published at IRBEA Bio Energy Conference on 19th Jan 2007 in Portlaoise.

The Government task force was headed by Natural Resources Minister Noel Dempsey. Their job was to deliver a national plan on renewable energy.

Members of the group, which held its first meeting in July of last year, include Finance Minister Brian Cowen, Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan, Environment Minister Dick Roche, Transport Minister Martin Cullen and Enterprise Minister Micheal Martin.

This all sounds great so far with the trumpets and hoo – ha, except for the fact that the targets are miserable and useless targets.

The Government 2010 Targets

The targets to be reached by 2010 are as follows:

To have 15% of electricity generated by sustainable energy by 2010.
To have 5% of heat produced from renewable sources by 2010.
To have 5.75% of cars and trucks etc. using Bio-Diesel by 2010

The reality is just NOT being faced. That the planet will run out of oil in the near future. In the meantime any international crisis could interrupt our supply of oil, coal, and natural gas, and where would that leave us.

Energy Planning Needs to be on the Basis of National Security

This should Government Plan should be addressed on the basis of National Security. The security of this nation is in the hands of the Russians and the Arabs. It is also in the hand of international terrorism. Just a couple of big terror incidents would effectively plunge the world into a crisis and cut off our fuel.

My Tuppence Worth of Suggestions

I would suggest we consider the following targets:

30% Electricity by Wind and Bio-Mass by 2010
20% of heating by wood pellet, geo-thermal, and bio-mass by 2010
20% use of bio-diesel and ethanol in transport by 2010

If we achieved these figures, we might then avert a disaster in our economy and financial security, and in our infrastructural and physical security, when the BIG-DROP happens.

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. More Wood Pellet Supply Woes Wood Pellets, li…

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More Wood Pellet Supply Woes

Wood Pellets, like oil, are now an international commodity with prices being driven on a world wide market.

An estimated 60% of new homes built in Europe are using wood pellet heating instead of electricity, oil, or natural gas heating. In some countries, entire towns and villages are generating electricity and heat with wood pellets. In the USA and estimated 120,000 pellet stoves were sold last year. This is up a massive 76% on the previous year. Problem is that supply of fuel is not catching up fast enough.

Prices of wood pellets in the US went up again recently from about $180 a ton to $195 to $200. Same story in Ireland. Maybe next year supply will be up but you can rest assured that prices will also be up.

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Daily Mail Article

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The Irish Daily Mail published a good article by Helen Bruce on the Wood Pellet cock-up by the government and SEI on last Wednesday 10th January. There was also some razor sharp editorial comment which was very to the point.

I am very happy to see this information getting into the regular media.

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Development of the Wood Pellet Boiler

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The Development of the Wood Pellet Boiler

Today’s Designs are in or about the 1940 ies

I am beginning to arrive at the opinion that wood pellet boilers are where oil-fired-boilers were in 1940 to 1950.

Today you can purchase an oil fired boiler just about anywhere in the world and it will have all of the safety and efficiency features of most any other oil boiler. It will also have a price tag within a fairly tight set of brackets. Most burner units are standard and will fit into most boilers of a given output.

The unit does not have to be purchased as seperate bits, such as; oil pump, ignition unit, control box etc. etc. The burners, for the most part, are fully integrated units, with standard parts by companies like Danfoss etc.

Wood Pellet – Heath Robinson affairs

With Wood-Pellet-Boilers it is a different story altogether. Burner units are very varied in design. Bottom feed, top feed, lateral feed!! There are no standard safety features. All sorts of strange control systems unique to a particular manufacturer, and darn expensive for that very reason.

The fuel delivery systems are nothing short of “Heath Robinson” affairs. The systems, on a whole, are the equivalelt of DIY kits in a lot of cases.

Many of the boilers, in fact I would say most of the boilers, out there are modified lump wood burning boilers that have been modified to accept a pellet burner unit – stuck into the front or a side.

No Agreed Standards

There are no agreed standards yet. Such as a burn back prevention system, or a standard ignition system, a feed system, or even fitting flange systems. In a few years time many of the current clutch of wood-pellet-boilers will be seen as antiques and quaint objects suitable for museums.

A Twelfth Reason for not going Wood Pellet just yet.

Buying a wood pellet boiler now is simply subsidising the costs of development. In a few years there will be standardised units from Danfoss and similar, and the whole thing will cost a half or less of the current crazy prices.

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Wood pellets on Pat Kenny Show

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Wood Pellets Featured on Pat Kenny

Some of the points I have been making on this blog were dealt with on the Pat Kenny Radio show on RTE 1 on last Tuesday January 9th.

Points like:

(1) That SEI and the Irish Government have promoted the installation of wood pellet heaters without considering the supply or price of wood pellets.
(2) That wood pellets are now scarce and over priced.
(3) That SEI did not do their job fully by properly planning supply lines.

Briain Smyth did a very good job of presenting the ludicrous situation that presently exists in wood pellets. Briain is soon opening a very large wood pellet factory in Co. Carlow.

The SEI representative on the show attempted to whitewash the supply cock-up, but Pat Kenny did not let him off the hook.

You can listen to the podcast on http://www.rte.ie. Go to “radio 1”, then “Pat Kenny” and the specific show.

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. Benekov and the Prime Irish Boiler Here is…

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Benekov and the Prime Irish Boiler

Here is the Prime Energy Solutions letter to this blog which is now interspersed with my questions and with Prime Energy’s comprehensive and open answers. This is an example of how a company should respond to questions and criticism. Top marks Derek Madden and Prime Energy Solutions of Co. Cavan for product knowledge and communications.

These guys know what they are doing and offer a substantially modified system including all important back-burn prevention. Their prices are somewhat high by comparison with European prices but taking into account the safety modification and the extra control systems they are not way out.

The original letter is in black italics. My questions are in green and the answers from Prime Energy Solutions are in blue.

To whom it may concern,

A colleague of mine has pointed out an article on the internet regarding Benekov Boilers and I would like to respond with some details for you. I am not sure if this reply will reach you as I am not used to using this format of blogs.

The Benekov Prime boiler is unique to Ireland for a couple of reasons. We do use Lambda controlled combustion as you pointed out as standard on all our machines but there is a different control panel for the boiler here in Ireland compared with Benekov boilers sold in the European market. You will be able to see this by comparing pictures from Benekov boilers in different areas of Europe.

Q: (Apart from the fuel level sensor input, what is the difference and the Benefit of this different panel – and how much does it add to the price?)

A: The control panel or CBC box offers the following additional functions not seen on standard boilers.

The oxygen level sensor on the boiler, which effectively controls the combustion by the adding of fuel or air can be calibrated from the control panel which ensures the boiler continues to run efficiently, when a solid fuel boiler is off it should note the oxygen level at 20.9%).
The control panel allows the user to see the Boiler temp, Smoke-gas temp and oxygen levels of the boiler at a glance and gives control over feed times, modulation of the boiler, type of fuel to be burned, control of Lambda settings and also allows us to control an ash removal device which can be fitted to the boilers.

The CBC box allows us also to wire the thermic valve and integrated pump to the boiler directly so that the pump only operates when the boiler hits a specific temperature. Also I have mentioned the function for the vacuum system as previously outlined whereby we can control the cycles of the vacuum from the boiler itself.

It is also possible to set up remote access to the boiler so that we could diagnose any issues without leaving the office which is a nice feature.

There are a number of other functions too detailed to go into here such as control of boiler output etc but I would like to think that our customers are quite satisfied with the functionality of the boiler.

As regards the price its not that it adds anything to the price it’s more that I wouldn’t sell the boiler without it.

One of the reasons we have our own control panel for the boiler is we can link this control panel to fuel level sensors on a bulk storage hopper for our vacuum system for grain or pellets.

It is called Prime in Ireland as it is unique to Ireland in a number of ways
and we have also been involved directly in design and product modification.
I spent some time living and working in Scandinavia and this where the
boiler controls are sourced

Q: (Would this be the Lambda Unit you refer to – or does it include other control mechanisms)

A: It includes the CBC control panel on the boiler, smokegastemp sensors, the lambda unit, oxygen level sensors ,boiler-temp sensors as well as the twin motors on the 15 k/w boiler here in Ireland.

with the base part of the boiler including the cast iron combustion head coming from Benekov in the Czech Republic.

Q: (How much of the boiler does this refer to exactly – does it mean all of the rest of the unit except the control panel??)

A: This means the attached hopper, combustion chambers, combustion head, retort, auger screw, heat exchangers etc.

Also on our 15 K/W boiler we have designed, here in Ireland, a unique set up which allows us to use automatic ignition effectively on our boilers by employing a twin motor set up on the auger feed, this is a feature not available as of yet elsewhere in Europe.

(Does this mean there is not automatic ignition on Benekov boilers generally??)

Yes this means there is not automatic ignition available generally. Where it may be available it would use only a single motor.

Q: (Does it mean also that you have installed a unique auger unit with a second feed motor – and that this auger unit is not on other Benekov boilers?)

A: That is correct.

This is the boiler which we have installed on a project for Longford County Council. Please see: http://www.primeenergysolutions.ie for further details.

With respect to grain burning we also employ a different combustion technique than is currently available in other parts of Europe.

Q: (How does the combustion technique differ?)

A: Sintering, Flue Corrosion, Dust emissions, Nitrogen oxides and Dioxines are the main issues surrounding burning Cereal grains. If you combust the grain at too low a temperature you run the risk of increasing the amount of sulphuric acid created which can corrode the chimney etc, if you combust the material at too high a temperature you can come close to the ash fusion point of Oats which is circa 1200 degrees which means the oats would “clinker” or form hard lumps which can cause the fire to go out. How these issues are solved and that the boiler works and works efficiently has been the subject of a lot of hard work and research and I would like to think the product now speaks for itself.

We have installed a boiler in Teagasc in Oak Park, Carlow to demonstrate our
ability here in Ireland to efficiently burn Grain. There is a number of
interesting aspects to the combustion of grain here in Ireland that I can
send you further information on if you wish. I would suggest that you can
contact Teagasc directly for feedback.


We currently have a good customer base in Ireland and would point out that we were completing work here in Ireland prior to the “grant” era in Ireland. Our pricing structure is as follows for €5,900 for the 15 k/W with automatic ignition, this also includes sprinkler system and water cut out for burn back protection.


Q: (How do you justify the price difference between a Benekov in Lithuania costing the Irish equivalent including VAT of €3,500 and your at €5,900. €2,400 is a lot to pay for a control panel and a modified auger is it not?)

A: It may seem like a big difference but I am sure that there are a lot of structural differences in terms of the market in Lithuania and Ireland. By this I mean the cost of insurance, transport, Wages and cost of doing business in general, I can assure you we are not profiteering at the expense of the Irish customer as our prices were the same prior to the grant era in Ireland. We also offer a full two year guarantee on all parts and labour and I genuinely think we offer good value for money, do what we say we are going to do and deliver a product the customer can rely on whilst also being exceptionally careful when it comes to safety features, CE compliance and by also adhering to all the building regulations in Ireland. It should also be noted that the price in Ireland includes the burn back temperature controlled system with independent pressurised water tank.

It normally costs in the region of €750 for a twin wall flue using 45 degree bends, €650 for installation; extras include an integrated thermic valve and pump to stop water returning too cold to the boiler,

Q: (Would that be a hot water feed-back loop, commonlu used as good practice in oil boilers, that you refer to?)

A: The integrated thermic valve is an all in one unit which stops the return water to the boiler entering the boiler at less than 61 degrees to avoid “thermic shock” to the boiler. If water consistently returns colder than 61 degrees to a solid fuel boiler it will eventually rust the boiler and can also lead to the boiler burning excessive amounts of fuel. This thermic valve also comes with an integrated six head pump

electrical work for in house thermostatic control and copper for piping etc. When all is taken into account including VAT it normally costs €8,500 with the Prime 27 coming in at approx. €9,000 including chimneys, pipe-work, electrical work, installation and VAT etc as outlined.

This also includes our most recent patented combustion set up for the Prime27 which comes readily equipped to burn pellets, or grain without having to change any hardware or software on the boiler.

Q: (Does this mean that the Benekov15 you sell does not burn grain?)

A: No the 15 is already equipped to burn grain but the new set up for the 27 is to increase the efficiency of the 25 k/W boiler when it is burning grain.

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I hope that this answers some of your questions, if you have any more questions or would like to visit an installation near you then I would be happy to accommodate you.

Prime Energy Solutions

Kind Regards,
Derek Madden
Manager
Prime Energy Solutions

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Benekov Prime

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Benekov – Prime Boilers

In the next few days I will be posting some questions I have formulated in order to glean more details on the Benekov boilers as sold by Prime Energy Solutions of Co. Cavan.

I have written to Prime Energy Solutions with the questions and hope to receive some answers in the next couple of days, so I can hopefully post the questions along with the answers.

Stay Tuned!

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. Benekov and Prime Energy Solutions a Comprehens…

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Benekov and Prime Energy Solutions
a Comprehensive Reply

I had a comprehensive and quite satisfactory reply to the questions I posed on this blog regarding Benekov Boilers from Derek Madden of Prime Energy Solutions Co Cavan. I print this letter in full here for two reasons, 1. to correct the facts and 2. because useful and comprehensive information always deserves to be dispersed.

Irish Benekov comes complete with Water Back-Burn Protection!

The Letter:

To whom it may concern,

A colleague of mine has pointed out an article on the internet regarding Benekov Boilers and I would like to respond with some details for you. I am not sure if this reply will reach you as I am not used to using this format of blogs.

The Benekov Prime boiler is unique to Ireland for a couple of reasons. We do use Lambda controlled combustion as you pointed out as standard on all our machines but there is a different control panel for the boiler here in Ireland compared with Benekov boilers sold in the European market. You will be able to see this by comparing pictures from Benekov boilers in different areas of Europe.

One of the reasons we have our own control panel for the boiler is we can link this control panel to fuel level sensors on a bulk storage hopper for our vacuum system for grain or pellets.

It is called Prime in Ireland as it is unique to Ireland in a number of ways and we have also been involved directly in design and product modification. I spent some time living and working in Scandinavia and this where the boiler controls are sourced with the base part of the boiler including the cast iron combustion head coming from Benekov in the Czech Republic.

Also on our 15 K/W boiler we have designed, here in Ireland, a unique set up which allows us to use automatic ignition effectively on our boilers by employing a twin motor set up on the auger feed, this is a feature not available as of yet elsewhere in Europe.

This is the boiler which we have installed on a project for Longford County Council. Please see http://www.primeenergysolutions.ie for further details. With respect to grain burning we also employ a different combustion technique than is currently available in other parts of Europe. We have installed a boiler in Teagasc in Oak Park, Carlow to demonstrate our ability here in Ireland to efficiently burn Grain.

There is a number of interesting aspects to the combustion of grain here in Ireland that I can send you further information on if you wish. I would suggest that you can contact Teagasc directly for feedback. We currently have a good customer base in Ireland and would point out that we were completing work here in Ireland prior to the “grant” era in Ireland.

Our pricing structure is as follows for €5,900 for the 15 k/W with automatic ignition, this also includes sprinkler system and water cut out for burn back protection. It normally costs in the region of €750 for a twin wall flue using 45 degree bends, €650 for installation; extras include an integrated thermic valve and pump to stop water returning too cold to the boiler, electrical work for in house thermostatic control and copper for piping etc. When all is taken into account including VAT it normally costs €8,500 with the Prime 27 coming in at approx. €9,000 including chimneys, pipe-work, electrical work, installation and VAT etc as outlined. This also includes our most recent patented combustion set up for the Prime 27 which comes readily equipped to burn pellets, or grain without having to change any hardware or software on the boiler.

I hope that this answers some of your questions, if you have any more questions or would like to visit an installation near you then I would be happy to accommodate you.

Kind Regards,
Derek Madden
Manager
Prime Energy Solutions

Good luck with your busiiness Derek. I hope you feel that this blog now adequately corrects the facts. If you would like to send me more information or photos, you can directly e-mail me at: “thenewoil@gmail.com”

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