Over the last couple of years, we have seen a significant increase in the popularity of biomass wood pellets. Wood pellets are an alternative fuel which can be used to heat your home and have a number of benefits.

Fitzpatrick Fuels Premium Wood Pellets:

Wood pellets are a natural product and are created by compressing sawdust at a pellet processing plant. Fitzpatrick Fuels Premium Wood Pellets are made from 100% virgin sawdust, without any chemicals, additives or binding agents.

Wood pellets for biomass boilers should be sourced from an ENPlus manufacturer and be registered on the Biomass Suppliers List. We use the same pellet manufacturer for all our wood pellets, including prepacked, blown deliveries and pellet bulk bags.

The ENPlus ID number for our pellet supplier is: 335, and we have registered these pellets on the Biomass Suppliers List (BSL number: BSL0154329-0006). In addition, our wood pellets are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC NC-COC-022987).

The FSC does not allow for deforestation, degradation or conversion of natural forest areas into plantations. When buying any type of wood product, including pellets, having the FSC certification gives you peace of mind that the product has been sourced responsibly.  

Why are wood pellets a good fuel choice?

Environmentally Friendly:

Providing that trees are planted to replace the trees that have been used to produce biomass fuels, wood pellets are a sustainable fuel source. Unlike fossil fuels, biomass can be obtained quickly in comparison to coal products. As outlined above, wood pellets that are FSC certified are not produced in a harmful manner resulting in deforestation.

As well as being a sustainable fuel source, biomass is widely considered to be a carbon-neutral fuel, with the justification that the same about of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere when burnt, is absorbed by the new trees that have been planted.

Cleaner Fuel:

Wood pellets release less toxins into the environment than traditional fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Providing your biomass boiler is maintained well, wood pellets produce very little smoke when burnt. Studies have shown that replacing your coal heating system with a biomass system can reduce your carbon dioxide output by approx. 9.5 tonnes per year.

RHI Incentive:

One of the well-known benefits of using Biomass fuels is the monetary reward system offered by the Government known as The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI). To encourage both domestic and commercial fuel users switch to using a renewable fuel source, the government makes monetary repayments to customers on the RHI scheme based on their biomass usage. You can find out more on the RHI scheme here.

Cost Effective:

Biomass fuel is considered to be a cheaper heating alternative than gas, oil and electric. Paired with being able to claim money back from the government, wood pellets are a cost-effective fuel.

With the range of boiler systems available on the market, you can heat you home with wood pellets in a similar way to how a gas boiler system works. Biomass boiler systems can heat your whole house, and your water.

Considerations to keep in mind:

Unlike traditional fossil fuels, the quality of wood pellets can vary quite considerably. There are measures in place to try and standardise the wood pellet industry, including the Biomass Suppliers List and the ENPlus certification. However, even wood pellets that have been given the ENPlus certification can vary. Some wood pellets produce significantly more ash and clinker than others, which in turn affects the efficiency of your boiler system.

It is important to make sure that you use a reputable supplier, with a good pellet. We would consider a good wood pellet to have been dust extracted, have a high calorific value, produce little ash and no clinker. Which are all points we stand by with our wood pellets. 

Biomass boiler systems can be significantly bigger than a traditional fossil fuel system or gas boiler, the upfront cost of installing a biomass system is also expensive. If you are thinking about making the switch to a biomass system, it is important to speak to a reputable company to make sure that you have the space for the system, and also have the space for a vehicle to deliver bulk wood pellets.