Wood Pellet Hopper
Introduction
In the current climate of the escalating oil and gas prices a number of green heating solutions are becoming very mainstream - wood pellet boilers are one such cost-efficient heating solution.
These boilers burn specially- manufactured wood pellets at very high rates of efficiency (typically 93% and above). To operate, the boiler needs to access a store of wood pellet fuel. As you might expect, this pellet store needs to be kept dry and condensation-free.
Given the demands on space in many urban and suburban areas external wood pellet hoppers that can be sited beside or behind the house are very popular and efficient.
Current SEI Grant Requirements
Since October 2007, the SEI (Sustainable Energy Ireland) has mandated that domestic customers require a minimum bulk storage capacity of 3 tonnes of Wood Pellets, in order to qualify for a grant for the installation of a Wood Pellet Boiler in your home.
From a cost perspective this also makes sense, as the bulk delivery price per tonne is significantly lower than that of bagged pellets.
Products
A properly installed Wood Pellet Hopper system will ensure that the pellets are kept free from damp and condensation while allowing for a simple feed to the boiler. A well designed system will also have a dual coupling system that will allow for vacuum dust extract as pellets are being blown into the hopper - thereby minimising the potential for poor boiler performance.
Enerfina is currently working with a single manufacturer of a dual-coupled, quality tested hopper made from strengthened plastic. We will be adding more to our range in due course.
