Biofuel Pellet Information

Processing

• Pellet manufacturers take biomass materials and process them into pellets roughly the diameter of a pencil and up to 1 and 1/2 inches long. The pellets are produced under pressure and biofuel content is highly concentrated, providing a predictable, maximum BTU per ton. Purity of pellet composition is standardized for maximum combustion and minimum emissions. Pellets are dried to a moisture content significantly below the raw biomass material from which they were derived to promote easy lighting and even burning. Because of their high density and uniform size, pellets can be mass transported by truck or rail and stored in standard silos.

Types

• Wood is the most common resource for biofuel pellets. It may be sourced in the form of scrap from wood and lumber processing, sawdust, wood chips and waste paper. Another source of wood is undergrowth and brush cleared as part of routine forest management. Increasingly, biofuel pellets are also composed of harvested perennial grasses like sawgrass and switchgrass. This fast-renewable resource is mown, dried and compacted into pellet form with a very high BTU value. These grasses are highly adaptable to different soils and grow readily in many regions. Other types of pellets are derived from tree bark, cornstalks and other forms of previously discarded biomass.

Benefits

• Most wood pellets are considered carbon neutral: The amount of CO2 released during the burning process is equivalent to the amount of CO2 absorbed during the life cycle. One ton of wood biofuel pellets contains energy equivalent to nearly three barrels of #2 fuel oil. Based on 2011 prices, fuel oil or propane would have to be priced below $2.05 per gallon to be competitive with biofuel pellets.

Pellet Appliances

• Home appliances using biofuel pellets include stoves, fireplaces and boilers. Most appliances have built-in fuel hoppers and mechanisms to automatically feed pellets into the combustion area. Heat output is controlled by panel controls or wall-mounted thermostats. The typical quantity of wood pellets for home use is a 40-pound bag costing between $5 and $7. In most appliances, depending upon the amount of heat desired, a single bag provides 24 hours of burn time.