Facts About Wood Pellets

Advantages of Wood Pellets
 

• Reduces our dependence on oil and gas.
• Pellet fuel cost is not dictated by world events; therefore cost is more affordable and predictable.
• Since pellet stove emissions are so low, they can be burned in most areas, even those with burning restrictions.
• Pellet fuel has been proven to provide the cleanest burn of any solid fuel. See the proof at the EPA site.
• Only minimal clearance is needed for appliance installation. Because of the near total combustion (around 98.5%) pellet stoves produce virtually no creosote. This also allows installation of a pellet stove by direct vent... without a chimney!
• Sustainable source of fuel.
• Reduces waste destined for landfills and the cost of disposing waste is greatly reduced.
• One ton of wood pellets has the heat value of about one and a half cords of wood and stacks easily in one third the space! This makes it possible to easily store fuel for the entire season.
• A 40-pound bag of New England Wood Pellets produces on average approximately 3 ounces of ash.
• An environmentally superior source of heat, CO₂ neutral both in combustion and storage (see information below).
• Wood pellets are a clean, environmentally friendly, natural, renewable fuel resource.

Comparison of Fuel Cost Changes   Wood Pellets are a local fuel with a very stable price. In fact, pellet prices are pretty much the same as they were ten years ago when adjusting for inflation. Not only is pellet heat environmentally stable and renewable -- it is priced reliably low as well. Think ahead -- think pellet! Today we are facing another difficult period with petroleum fuels. Oil and gas prices are soaring in New England. Across the U.S. oil prices have entered record setting territory with no signs of retreat. Pellet heat has had a history of stable pricing; the slight increase has been insignificant compared to other energy sources. Fuel Cost Comparison. This graph represents a comparison of the annual rate of increase in heating oil, propane, and wood pellets prices since 1998.

CO2 Emissions
 

How many lbs. of carbon emissions can be saved by burning one ton of wood pellets

• if you heat with electricity you will save 3323 lbs.
• if you heat with oil you will save 943 lbs.
• if you heat with LPG you will save 709 lbs.
• if you heat with natural gas you will save 549 lbs.

The average household would use 2.67 tons of pellets per heating season, saving 8872 lbs. of carbon emissions if you heat with electricity, 2518 lbs. if you heat with oil, 1893 lbs. if you heat with LPG, and 1466 lbs. if you heat with natural gas.

If every household converted to wood pellet fuel (or equivalent renewable source) for heating, the total carbon emissions of the United States would drop by more than 8%.

Data taken from Dr. Jerry Whitfield's talk "Reduction in Greenhouse Gases Using Biomass Pellets for Residential Space Heating", 6/3/98