With the rising cost of electric and fossil fuel energy, many have turned to an organic solution to heating their home. Biomass is any material that is produced by nature. This includes wood pellets, corn, manure, and almost any other organic material or by-product. Wood is also biomass, but traditional wood burning stoves are a whole other topic. The most popular types of biomass fuel are wood pellets, corn, and manure. The specifics of each fuel type will be covered in future articles. The type of biomass you choose to heat your home with will depend on many factors that are mostly region specific. Here are a few things to consider when choosing an organic source for your stove;

 

biomass stove

 

Availability

 

Using local sources is a main concept of sustainable living. Using a clean and cheap fuel is not a positive thing if it had to be shipped from the other side of the continent. Some areas have abundant biomass supplies, whereas others have very little. The Midwest and prairie states for example may have a lot of corn and wheat but very little wood. Tropical regions will have a lot of wood products but little agricultural.

 

Price

 

What is the cost to energy ratio of the fuel you are using? Some biomass sources appear to be very cheap but actually contain very little energy density. This means that they will not produce very much heat per volume. Ideally this should not be a concern if you are using free biomass fuels from your home or farm.

 

Pollution

 

Some biomass fuels burn cleaner than others. It is important that you choose a biomass stove that is optimized for your particular fuel. Clean combustion relies heavily on the proper fuel to oxygen ratios. The ideal amount of oxygen is very specific and will vary for each fuel type. If this is done correctly, the energy from your biomass stove will produce much fewer carbon emissions than gas or electric heat. So plan to burn only one type of fuel in your stove, or have systems in place to account for the variable ideal combustion ratios.

 

Odor

 

Some biomass fuels produce a distinct or unpleasant odor in your home (especially manure or corn). A heat exchanger may be needed to isolate the smell of the biomass exhaust. This will negatively affect the efficiency of your stove. Be sure to research the odor effects of your fuel, and isolate the odor if necessary.

 

Keep in mind there are many other things to consider when choosing a biomass heating system. Check in your community and see if anyone else is using biomass fuels for home heating. Be sure to plan your project carefully, if done right, biomass stoves can minimize your dependence on fossil fuels and reduce your monthly utility bill.

 

 

Get Your Own Biomass Stove!

 

For a great complete guide to biomass stove purchasing, installation, and operation

 

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