Residential Consumer Guide to Wood Pellets by Model Forest of Newfoundland and Labrador

Residential Consumer Guide to

WOOD PELLETS Information for those interested in switching to wood pellets for their home heating needs

Wood Pellet Guide

CONTENTS & TERMINOLOGY Terminology

Pg. 2

Venting

Pg. 9

Introduction

Pg. 3

Pellet Storage & Quality

Pg. 10/11

Stoves & Furnaces

Pg. 4

Benefits and Cost Comparisons

Pg. 12/13

How Do They Work?

Pg. 5/6

Considerations and Pg. 14/15 Maintenance

Appliance Installation

Pg. 7/8

Purchasing and NL Pellet Suppliers

Pg. 15/16

Biomass - A renewable energy source made from plant materials (Ex. wood waste and agricultural waste). Bioenergy - The energy generated from biomass to produce heat and/or electricity. Wood Pellets - A type of wood fuel generally made from compacted sawdust and held together by lignin, a compound naturally found in wood. Primary Heat Source - The main heating system used in a building. Secondary Heat Source - The secondary heating system used in a building, and is often used as a back-up or supplementary system. Central Heating - Provides heat to all rooms in a building from one central location (Ex. Forced hot air or hot water radiant heat from a furnace). Local Heating - Heat is generated at one location and is transferred through a building by conduction or by natural/manmade air movements (Ex. A wood or pellet stove) Pellet Stove - A free standing unit similar in size and appearance as a traditional wood stove, but contains a hopper to hold pellets and only burns pellets. Pellet Furnace - Similar to oil furnaces, but wood pellets are used as the fuel source with a hopper connected to the furnace to store the wood pellets. Pellet furnaces can be hot air furnaces or hot water furnaces. BTU - The â&#x20AC;&#x153;British Thermal Unitâ&#x20AC;? is a measure of energy. 1 BTU is equal to about 1,055 joules.

Wood Pellet Guide 2

INTRODUCTION WHAT ARE WOOD PELLETS? Wood Pellets are a natural and renewable form of energy made from compressed

Did You Know? Wood pellets are an all natural product made from compressed wood fibre.

wood fibre (usually sawmill residue), held together by a naturally occurring compound, lignin. They can be burned in pellet

appliances

primary

secondary heat source for homes and/or industrial buildings. Wood pellets are an economical and environmentally friendly fuel

source

that

are

produced

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), and are sold in many stores across the province.

Did You Know? By 2012 Newfoundland and Labrador will have the capacity to produce approx. 60,000 metric tons of wood pellets per year. Pellets are produced in NL by:

Pellet appliances produce very little air

 Holson Forest Products

pollution and are the most efficient solid

 Cottles Island Lumber

fuel-burning appliance available. Pellet

 Exploits Pelletizing

Pellet press

www.hiwtc.com

appliances produce such a small amount of air pollution that in the USA, they are exempt

from

the

USA

Environmental

Protection Agency’s smoke emission testing requirements (US Dept. of Energy, 2011). Wood Pellet Guide 3

STOVE & FURNACES PELLET STOVES

Pellet stove

Pellet stoves are a free standing unit similar in size and appearance as a traditional wood stove, but contains a hopper to hold pellets and only burns pellets. All pellet stoves require electricity which is needed to operate the auger, the fan, as well as other electrical components on the stove. Pellet stove heating capacities range from 8,000 BTU

www.harmanstoves.com

to 68,000 BTU. The U.S. Department of energy reports â&#x20AC;&#x153;a good rule-ofthumb is that a stove rated at 60,000 BTU can heat a 2,000 sqft space, while a stove rated at 42,000 BTU can heat a 1,300 sqft spaceâ&#x20AC;?. Selecting the correct BTU output that matches your home is very important. Wood pellet fireplace inserts are available, but you must get your existing chimney inspected to ensure it meets all installation requirements.

PELLET FURNACES Pellet furnaces are normally used for central heating and are ideal for larger homes or businesses. This set-up allows for hot water radiant heat or forced hot air systems. Most pellet furnaces are fully automatic, including automatic ash removal, which allows for continuous operation. Pellet furnaces can be used as a primary or secondary heating source and are capable of heating any size of home (US Dept. of Energy, 2011).

Tip! Pellet appliances operate most efficiently near maximum capacity, so make sure you do not buy an appliance that is too large for you heating needs.

Twinning Pellet furnaces can be twinned with existing oil or electric central heating systems. Wood Pellet Guide 4

HOW DO THEY WORK? THE HOPPER

Tip!

The hopper is a storage bin that is filled with

Here’s a good

pellets from the top and emptied from the

rule-of-thumb for

bottom via the auger. Stove hoppers typically

choosing pellet stoves:

hold one to two bags (18 or 36 kg) of pellets, and furnace hoppers can hold four to eleven bags of pellets (70-200 kg).

 60,000 BTU can heat 2,000 sqft  42,000 BTU can

THE AUGER

heat 1,300 sqft

The auger transports and controls the amount

Your heating system

of pellets delivered to the burn pot.

contractor will be able

THE BURN POT

to calculate your

The pellets burn in the burn pot

demands.

annual heating

as a fan blows air across the fire

maintain

even,

bu rn .

h ea t

effi ci en t

exchanger in the combustion chamber transfers the hot air from the burned pellets into clean air that is blown into the home. In a pellet furnace, hot air or water is heated and then distributed through the home using

the

central

heating Pellet stove

system.

www.daviddarling.info

Did You know? Nearly 85 % of Canada’s pellet production is exported partly because the European Union has stated that by 2020, at least 20 % of it’s energy consumption

will

supplied

renewable

energy

sources

(Wood Resources International, 2011). Wood Pellet Guide 5

HOW DO THEY WORK? CHIMNEYS Venting requirements vary with the model of stove being used. You may use

existing

chimneys

providing

they

meet

the

manufacturer’s

requirements and local building codes. Venting the pellet appliance correctly protects the health and safety of occupants, and ensures the appliance operates as efficiently as possible.

BUYING AN APPLIANCE BUYING A STOVE OR FURNACE? Pellet stoves are rated by their heat output (heating capacity) and their combustion efficiency. The higher the efficiency rating, the better when purchasing a pellet appliance. Pellet appliances burn most efficiently when operating near their maximum capacity so take some time to understand your heating demands and then purchase an appliance that matches your heating demands. When matching a pellet appliance for your home heating needs, you should consider the following items:  

Primary or secondary heat source Number of residents in the home



Home size and layout



Insulation quality in home



Age of home

 

Exposure of the home to wind Sun exposure in the winter



Your desired room temperature

Tip! Bring along the above listed details of your home, to discuss with the dealer, when you are considering purchasing a pellet appliance. Wood Pellet Guide 6

APPLIANCE PLACEMENT Tip! Always notify your insurance company when changing your heating system to ensure you meet the installation requirements of the company.

Domestic pellet use

www.unendlich-viel-energie.de

LOCATION Pellet stoves require an electrical outlet. Pellet stoves are commonly used in rooms that provide heat flow to other areas and pellet furnaces may be placed away from

Did You Know? Pellet stoves may be vented horizontally out the side of a building, significantly reducing the installation cost of the exhaust vent (chimney).

the main living area of the home. Pellet furnaces can be placed in the home or in an outside building. Hot air furnaces are normally located in the home, while hot water furnaces may be located inside or outside the home. Storage location of pellets and

placement of pellet hoppers

should be considered when determining the location of all pellet appliances. When locating the appliance, ensure there is adequate space to

operate and ser-

vice .

Wood Pellet Guide 7

APPLIANCE PLACEMENT CLEARANCES There are minimum requirements for clearance space between stove and combustibles that must be followed. Installation of the appliance must follow the manufacturer standards as well as the residential building codes in your area.

ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS The outlet that will be used for the

Sidewall venting

P. Davison

appliance should be checked to make sure it meets proper voltage, ground and polarity requirements, and should have a properly rated circuit breaker. Always refer to the appliance owners manual for requirements.

FOOD FOR THOUHGT

Important

Using wood pellets

When installing your

reduces our demand on

pellet appliance, read

foreign oil imports. When

the owners manual and

you buy NL pellets your

ensure the installation fol-

money stays in NL.

lows local building codes.

Wood Pellet Guide 8

VENTING EXPLAINED EXHAUST Pellet appliances produce little or no visible smoke but they do produce exhaust gases, fine ash and water vapour from the combustion process. It is very important that all joints are properly sealed, as the exhaust products are forced up the vent by a mechanical fan. Venting components

Important! Never install any components that are not approved by the pellet appliance manufacturer!

VENTING OPTIONS

www.discountchimneysupply.com

Exhaust vents do not need to exit through the roof. Sidewall horizontal venting (“through the wall”) is the least expensive venting option as you do not need to extend the venting system above the roof. Pellet fireplace inserts and free standing stoves can be vented through existing fireplace and woodstove chimneys providing they meet the manufacture’s requirements. Existing chimneys must be inspected beforehand, as upgrading the chimney to meet the manufacturers venting requirements may be required.

Tip! Install a vent with a 3-5 foot minimum vertical section will ensure some natural draught exists in your venting system.

Wood Pellet Guide 9

PELLETS STORAGE Pellets are safe to store and pose no environmental risks compared to the results of a break in an oil , propane, or natural gas storage tank or line. Pellets should be stored in a cool, dry environment, out of direct sun light. Where bulk pellet delivery exists, consumers may choose to purchase a large hopper for storage of the pellets.

FILLING THE HOPPER Pellet stoves require filling usually once a day by simply filling the hopper. Pellet furnaces can be equipped with larger hoppers that are usually filled once to twice a week.

STOCKING UP Pellets cost approximately $5-$8 per 40 lb bag and are available at most retail stores that sell wood or pellet stoves. When buying in bulk, pellets can cost around $330 per ton and can be delivered on a pallet to your home. Some stores carry 20Lb bags.

Tip!

Bags of pellets

www.mfnl.ca

An indicator of pellet quality is the amount of dust/dirt (fines) in the bag. A 40 lb bag of high quality pellets should have less than 1/2 cup of fines.

Wood Pellet Guide 10

PELLET QUALITY Quality Well-seasoned fire wood has about 20% moisture content, where as wood pellets have 5-10%. The Pellet Fuel Institute (PFI) has established three pellet quality grades, Premium, Standard and Utility. The table shown below shows the PFI pellet fuel grading requirements. Pellet Fuels Institute - 2010 National Pellet Fuel Standards Wood Pellet Grade

Fuel Characteristic Premium

Standard

Utility1

Bulk Density (lb/cubic foot)

40 - 46

38 - 46

Inorganic Ash (%)

≤1

≤2

≤6

Fines (%)

≤ 0.5

≤1

Length (% greater than 1.5" (3.81 cm))

≤1

Diameter (inches)

0.230 - 0.285 0.230 - 0.285 0.230 - 0.285

Diameter (mm)

5.84 - 7.25

Pellet Durability Index (rating out of 100) ≥ 96.5

≥ 95

Moisture (%)

≤8

≤ 10

Chloride (ppm)

≤ 300

Utility grade pellets are generally limited to industrial bioenergy situations. With an ash content close to 6%, removal of this ash would be a substantial burden on a home owner.

Wood Pellets & Your Carbon Footprint! Wood Pellets contain “biosphere” carbon which regularly cycles between the forest and atmosphere. Burning wood pellets for energy does not introduce new carbon to the atmosphere. Burning fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal, etc) releases “permanently stored” carbon into the atmosphere (B. Alexander, NL Forestry Training Association, personal communication, March 1, 2011). About three-quarters of the human caused emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere in the last couple decades has been due to fossil fuel burning, with the remaining quarter of emissions due to land use change (Houghton et al., 2001, p. 7). Wood Pellet Guide 11

BENEFITS CLEAN BURNING Pellet appliances have high combustion and heating efficiencies (80 - 90%) and produce little air pollution. It is the cleanest solid fuel burning residential heating appliance available (US Dept. of Energy, 2011).

ECONOMICAL AND RELIABLE Pellets are a lower cost fuel source for your home, and costs are more stable than the cost of oil. Pellet cost stability allows the home owner to better predict their heating costs this year and next.

SAFETY Pellet fuelled appliances are generally safer, cleaner and simpler to use compared to most traditional wood burning appliances.  Built-in safety controls  No handling of firewood  No cutting of firewood  Exterior of appliance stays fairly cool (except viewing glass)

ATTRACTIVE & CONVIENENT There are many pellet appliance designs available on the market today. Some pellet furnaces are stylish enough to be installed in the main living area of the house. Many models are fully automated, so all you have to do it set the thermostat, fill the hopper and occasionally empty the ash pan. Wood Pellet Guide 12

COST COMPARISON COST COMPARISON The average Atlantic Canadian home is 1,400 sqft and consumes ≈97,010,000 BTU’s of total heat energy per year (NRCan, 2007). Hot water usage compromise 25% of the total home heating energy demand.

Yearly Fuel Cost (dollars)

Fuel Cost Comparisons 1,2 $4,000

Electricity @ $0.10/kwh

$3,500

Electricity @ $0.11/khw

$3,000

Oil Furnace @ $0.90/L Oil Furnace @ $1.00/L

$2,500

Oil Furnace @ $1.10/L

$2,000

Wood Stove @ $160/Cord

$1,500

Pellet Furnace @ $6.50/40Lb Bag

$1,000

Pellet Furnace @ $6.00/40Lb Bag

$500

Pellet Furnace @ $5.50/40Lb Bag

Pellet Stove @ $6.00/40Lb Bag (+ $682/yr for hot water)

Fuel Type

Fuel Cost Comparison of a 1,400 sqft Home on The Island of Newfoundland 1,2 BTU’s per Unit

Unit

Average Fuel Annual Cost per Total Annual Efficiency Requirement Unit Cost

Electricity @ $0.10/kwh

3,413

kwh

100%

28,424

$0.10

$2,729

Electricity @ $0.11/khw

3,413

Litre

100%

28,424

$0.11

$3,127

Oil Furnace @ $0.90/L

36,300

Litre

85%

3,073

$0.90

$2,766

Oil Furnace @ $1.00/L

36,300

Litre

85%

3,073

$1.00

$3,073

Oil Furnace @ $1.10/L

36,300

Litre

85%

3,073.3

$1.10

$3,381

Wood Stove @ $160/Cord

19,000,000

cord 70%

6.6

$160

$1,062

Pellet Furnace @ $6.50/40Lb 16,400,000 Bag

ton

90%

6.5

$325

$2,115

Pellet Furnace @ $6.00/40Lb 16,400,000 Bag

ton

90%

6.5

$300

$1,952

Pellet Furnace @ $5.50/40Lb 16,400,000 Bag

ton

90%

6.5

$275

$1,789

Pellet Stove @ $6.00/40Lb 16,400,000 Bag (+ $682/yr for hot water)

ton

90%

4.9

$300

$2,146

Heating Method

1 Calculations 2

based on 1,400 sqft home with an annual BTU space heating and hot water demand of 97,010,000 BTU (NRcan, 2011; Gov. of NS, 2011, The Engineering Toolbox, 2011). In this cost calculation the heating system generates 100% of the heating demand which includes domestic hot water with the exception of the Pellet Stove where hot water is heated with electricity.

Wood Pellet Guide 13

CONSIDERATIONS THINGS TO CONSIDER 

Convenient



Push button start



Heat regulated by a thermostat



Pellets are easy to transport and store



Pellets are safe to transport and store



Pellets require less storage space than other fuels



Efficient combustion



Pellets are made from wood—a renewable fuel from our Province



Government incentives may be available



Battery backup system available for use during power outages



Pellet stoves are mechanical and need regular maintenance



Pellet stoves require electricity to run



Pellet appliances generate a constant low hum

REBATES

Power Outage?

From April 1/08 to March 18/11, DNR

Battery backup systems can be

approved 562 wood pellet applica-

purchased to ensure your

tion across the province and paid

appliance continues to function

out $327,415, with an average re-

during a power outage.

bate of $582.59.

Supply?

Tip!

Domestic demand for pellets is

Appliances designed for premium,

close to 3,000 tons and potential

low ash, pellets will not operate as

production is ≈60,000 tons. There is

efficiently when used with lower

no foreseeable shortage of pellets

grade pellets.

in NL. Wood Pellet Guide 14

MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE Always follow the maintenance schedule as described in the owners manual. You may also want to consider a yearly service contract with your appliance provider. If you are properly equipped, you may do the maintenance yourself. In addition to the yearly maintenance requirements, you need to regularly check the following items:  Clean the ash pan  Check the burn pot and air inlets regularly  Flue vents need to be cleaned  Monitor/inspect fans and motors  Check for accumulated sawdust in hopper and auger  Clean the surface of the heat exchanger  Clean the glass of the viewing window

PURCHASING WHERE TO BUY & COSTS Pellet stoves are available at most heating shops, building supply stores, and big box stores. Pellet furnaces are usually purchased from a heating supply store or heating system contractor. Wood pellet BBQs, smokers and grills are also available. Pellet stoves range in price from $1,000 - $4,000, and typically heat an area of 800 - 1400 sqft. and will consume a 40lb bag of pellets every one or two days. Installation costs for pellet stoves are usually around $350 to $550 (B. Alexander, NL Forestry Training Association, personal communication, March 1, 2011). For central heating systems powered by a pellet furnace, purchase and installation costs vary based on the desired system and size of the home. Wood Pellet Guide 15

NL PELLET SUPPLIERS Exploits Pelletizing Inc. A Division of Blanchard’s Cabinet Doors Bishop’s Falls, NL A0H 1C0 Phone: (709) 258-2077 Fax: (709) 258-2087 E-mail: sales@blanchardscabinetdoors.ca Website: http://exploitspelletizing.com

Government Incentives The following indicate what

websites may incentives are

available for switching to a wood pellet appliance:

Cottles Island Lumber Company Ltd.

NRCan—Office of Energy Efficiency

P.O. Box 70 Summerford, NL A0G 4E0 Phone: (709) 629-7565 Fax: (709) 629-7158 E-mail: CottlesDifference@Cottles.ca Website: www.cottles.ca

www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca

Holson Forest Products Ltd. P.O. Box 299 Roddickton, NL A0K 4P0 Phone: (709) 457-2888 Fax: (709) 457-2889 E-mail: info@holson.ca Website: www.holson.ca

NL Department of Natural Resources www.nr.gov.nl.ca

Appliances usually need to be Wood

Ener gy

Technolo gy

Transfer Inc (WETT) certified to qualify

for

incentives.

Visit

www.wetinc.ca to find a certified inspector in your area.

REFERENCES Government of Nova Scotia. (Feb 2011). Space heating Fuel Cost Comparisons. Retrieved June 15, 2011, from http:// www.gov.ns.ca/energy/publications/reports/space-heat-survey.pdf Houghton, J., Ding, Y., Griggs, D., Noguer, N., van der Linden, P., Dai, X., Maskell, K., & Johnson, C. (2001). Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. New York, New York, USA. Cambridge University Press. Natural Resources Canada, Office of Energy Efficiency. (2007). Survey of Household Energy Use 2007: Summary Report. Retrieved July 15, 2011, from http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/Publications/statistics/sheu-summary07/pdf/sheusummary07.pdf Pellet Fuels Institute. (2010, October 25). Pellet Fuels Institute Standard Specification for Residential Commercial Densified Fuel. Retrieved June 20, 2011, from http://pelletheat.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/PFI-Standard -Specification-for-Residential-Commercial-Densified-Fuel-10-25-10.pdf The Engineering Toolbox. (July 2011). Wood and Combustion Heat Values. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http:// www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-combustion-heat-d_372.html US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. (2011, June 20). Energy Savers. Retrieved June 17, 2011, from http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12570 Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. (2011, June 13). Wikipedia. Retrieved June 13, 2011, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

from http://

Wood Resources International. (2010, September). North American Wood Fibre Review. Retrieved June 17, 2011, from http://www.wri-ltd.com/PDFs/NAWFR_sample_report.pdf

Wood Pellet Guide 16