Fuel – FAQ

>  How much space?  Wood boilers are larger than gas or oil equivalents and you will need space to store the fuel. This area will need to be somewhere that’s handy for deliveries as well as appropriate for feeding the boiler. It can be a utility room, garage, outside shed or a self contained boiler cabin.

>  How much fuel?  As with any heating system the amount of fuel required will depend on the size of boiler and the period for which it is operated. The volume of fuel required also depends on the calorific value of the fuel and its density.

>  Who supplies wood fuel?  Deliveries of pellets are available anywhere in mainland Britain and Northern Ireland, but the supply of logs is more variable. To be eligible for RHI funding the supplier also needs to meet the sustainability criteria mentioned above. You can search for registered suppliers on the Biomass Suppliers List.

>  How much does it cost? If you have room for a large fuel store that will accept several tonnes of pellets at a time, delivered in bulk by tanker, the cost is currently around £180-£200 per tonne in central Scotland, prices will vary elsewhere in the UK. Bulk delivery costs depend on distance from the supplier and volume of the delivery. A one tonne pallet of bagged wood pellets costs about £240 and your location is less critical. Logs can be cheaper than pellets, but costs depend on the wood suppliers in your local area, and how much processing you can do yourself. If you have room to store more than a year’s worth of logs you can save money by buying unseasoned logs and letting them season for a year.

>  Are prices stable?  Wood pellet prices have risen only very gradually over the last 5 years despite major growth in UK pellet consumption. Forward predictions are that bulk pellets prices will remain below £220 per tonne delivered in bulk for the next 3-5 years.