What is wood pellet fuel?
Pellet fuels (or pellets) are biofuels made from compressed organic matter or biomass. Pellets can be made from any of five general biomass categories: industrial waste and by-products, food waste, agricultural residues, energy crops and untreated wood.
Wood pellets are the most common type of pellet fuel and are typically made from compacted sawdust and related industrial waste from wood processing, wood product and furniture manufacturing, and construction. Other sources of industrial waste include empty fruit bunches, palm kernel husks, coconut husks, and tree tops and branches discarded during logging operations. The so-called “black pellets” are made from biomass, which is refined to resemble hard coal and developed for use in existing coal-fired power plants.
Classification and use of wood pellets
Wood pellets are classified by their calorific value, moisture and ash content, and size. They can be used as fuel for power generation, commercial or residential heating, and for cooking. The pellets are very dense and can be produced with low moisture content (below 10%), allowing them to burn with very high combustion efficiency.
The benefits of wood pellets
- Cost-effectiveness
- Compared to firewood, the emissions are much lower and there is almost no smoke
- Low ash content, no dust in the house
- Good for the environment as they are made from recycled biomass
- CO2 neutral
- Easy to carry and store
- No wood chopping, no debris, spiders or snakes
- No stimulation
- Asthma-friendly alternative to wood heating