@frustratedfarmer Yes we have a chip boiler. If we were to mix chopped straw with woodchip I think the trouble would be that the fuel receipts would not match the heat output when we claimed the RHI. The boiler is an ETA, the installer was not keen on straw pellets as a fuel.
wheat for biomass?
- Thread starter Grain Buyer
- Start date
frustratedfarmer
Member
Ok.
What made you go for for chip over straw initially?
If straw is not on their certificate you will both void the warranty and RHI.
How much heat do you use?
What made you go for for chip over straw initially?
If straw is not on their certificate you will both void the warranty and RHI.
How much heat do you use?
warksfarmer
Member
Best guess 3750.
frustratedfarmer
Member
Best guess!?
Where is your heat meter relative to boiler?
Between boiler and tank or tank and secondary side?
Surprised you don't know exactly seeing as a) you seem to have a better grasp of figures than most on here and b) you have to give readings with tons of straw used so you must be able to work out the average to the last kWh / kg
Where is your heat meter relative to boiler?
Between boiler and tank or tank and secondary side?
Surprised you don't know exactly seeing as a) you seem to have a better grasp of figures than most on here and b) you have to give readings with tons of straw used so you must be able to work out the average to the last kWh / kg
Dman2
Member
- Location
- Durham, UK
Just done a 4 ton empty to empty trial on our pellet system and 3800 kw per ton
Pellets cost £180 a ton delivered, so quite happy with that
Better than the 50% efficiency we were getting.
Might just add a few oats into the mix and make the pellets go a little further
Pellets cost £180 a ton delivered, so quite happy with that
Better than the 50% efficiency we were getting.
Might just add a few oats into the mix and make the pellets go a little further
warksfarmer
Member
Or ....... It's got nothing to do with you perhaps!
- Location
- SG9
To much info made public may be the wrong way but the powers that be Know exactly what the production is per ton of anything (we now have to tell them what we use and they know what is produced). I would like to think it "nice" that among the users hear there is Knowledge what others are achieving and any reasons for the individual differences.
frustratedfarmer
Member
That's precisely my point.
He won't know it but I helped him out a while back. The purpose of these forums in my opinion is to help others where you can and learn from others if you don't know stuff.
Seeing as he loves his figure so much I thought he would be interested.
Having spoken to lots of others about this point who are running his and other systems it looks like he will be in for a shock which will bugger up his figures.
As you said, the irony is he has to tell OFGEM the figures is I was asking
He won't know it but I helped him out a while back. The purpose of these forums in my opinion is to help others where you can and learn from others if you don't know stuff.
Seeing as he loves his figure so much I thought he would be interested.
Having spoken to lots of others about this point who are running his and other systems it looks like he will be in for a shock which will bugger up his figures.
As you said, the irony is he has to tell OFGEM the figures is I was asking
warksfarmer
Member
Sending info to ofgem is fine but this a public forum so completely different. Also the burn per tonne is altering depending on supply which at the moment we have not got the handle of properly hence asking about straw pellets and straw chopping. Learning every day!
Hopefully thats ok with you! and by the way I do know what your referring to previously.
frustratedfarmer
Member
Guess we will agree to disagree on that point. Whilst it's a public forum it's not like our name and post code is on here. Besides I don't see that heat yields are a particularly sensitive issue, plenty use our systems and relate to our figures.
Someone the other day was working on a project with a uni and was asking about outputs. He got his figures from the net which I think we're up to 50% OTT.
As I have said before, no need to try and be clever with OFGEM, the RHI concept is very generous (granted less so now).
Someone the other day was working on a project with a uni and was asking about outputs. He got his figures from the net which I think we're up to 50% OTT.
As I have said before, no need to try and be clever with OFGEM, the RHI concept is very generous (granted less so now).
- Location
- SG9
Oh Dear @frustratedfarmer my Post code is on my avatar DUUUUUR Weather the figures from the Uni were right I have been unable to establish, or perhaps I had interpreted them wrong never got established if they were right and I was wrong
frustratedfarmer
Member
I choose to stay semi anonymous as I cover a wide area on here.
It's up to you how open you are!
As for researching etc, I did lots before we took the plunge when RHI first came out, everything I read was wildly optimistic which lead to an initial disappoint. Talks of 4000 kWh / ton is totally unrealistic IMHO. I am having all my straws tested to give me an accurate idea of losses I am getting through primary and secondary sides.
Nearly 4 years on and I am chuffed to bits with taking the early plunge. It's the only thing on the farm that makes money and getting paid twice for heating is very satisfying.
It's up to you how open you are!
As for researching etc, I did lots before we took the plunge when RHI first came out, everything I read was wildly optimistic which lead to an initial disappoint. Talks of 4000 kWh / ton is totally unrealistic IMHO. I am having all my straws tested to give me an accurate idea of losses I am getting through primary and secondary sides.
Nearly 4 years on and I am chuffed to bits with taking the early plunge. It's the only thing on the farm that makes money and getting paid twice for heating is very satisfying.
pbg somerset
Member
Some Biomass boilers are quite capable of burning cereal grains with minor mods, others will struggle, however if your installation is registered for wood chip it seem you can't just switch to another fuel such as miscanthus or grain without going through some sort of elaborate bureaucratic sustainability exercise which makes these boilers rather less flexible in terms of switching fuels according to local price and availability which is a shame .
Pieces_of_Eight
Member
Oats (and maize) are much more calorific than wheat or barley.
Oilseed would need crushing (to release the oils) and direct firing, but produces unhelpful residues.
Oilseed would need crushing (to release the oils) and direct firing, but produces unhelpful residues.
warksfarmer
Member
75-85% efficiency seems to be the norm on good quality fuel.
Fendt
Member
I have been burning cereals for 10 years, mostly screenings. wheat is better than barley but oats are very good and produce less ash. It all boils down to the value of what you are feeding into the boiler and the heat output of it. Pellets are excellent but expensive.
Dman2
Member
- Location
- Durham, UK
Do you get any problems with acidity from the oats.
Was told it would burn the flue out on my boiler
Grain Buyer
Member
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- Omnipresent
since looking at costs I've come across "Non certified" pellets which are made from recycled wood, mainly from the furniture industry although one supply was from coffins. At £90 pet tonne for non cert pellets, who would buy them?
warksfarmer
Member
On early Rhi levels fine but on current ones it doesn't stack up.
Grain Buyer
Member
- Location
- Omnipresent
don't think current RHI's warrant the expenditure even if fuel was nearly free. what is it now, sub 4p?