Saving by using pellets

Economic Comparison of pellets and other types of solid fuels with Fossil Fuels

Let us now compare the calorific value and cost of Solid Biofuels with common Fossil Fuels. The values below represent average calorific value and combustion efficiency values, as well as Chimney & External Burner Technical Losses, in the case of most fossil fuels.  

The calorific values of all fossil fuels and wood are provided by the EU DIRECTIVE: 2006/32/EC ANNEX II: "Energy Content of selected fuels for final use", Journal of the European Union, April 5, 2006. The calorific values values & specific gravity vary depending on the origin of the fuel & their composition as well as the quality of the contained hydrocarbons.
The cost prices of the various fuels are indicative prices for Greece in March 2012.

Average upper scale electricity for domestic use with its charges was used indicatively for comparison. Fuel prices are Retail with VAT including fixed charges and monthly gas or electricity bill fees. Natural gas & fuel oil prices are calculated to follow oil prices proportionally. A 22.5% electricity price increase for the year 2012 has also been announced.

The table below shows us the Cost in €/kWh of various types of Fossil Fuels and Solid Biofuels, as well as (in the last two columns) the Savings (%) in terms of Heating Oil and the Savings (%) in terms of Diesel Driving (in imminent equalization of the price of heating oil with the price of diesel).

As we can see, with a heating oil price of €1.05/lt, the cost amounts to approximately 14.7 €cents/kWh of heating, while correspondingly with pellets as biofuel, and with a price of €0.30/kg, approximately at 6.7 €cents/kWh heating. A huge saving of 54 %!!!
The corresponding savings for heating / driving diesel price at €1.40/lt is of the order of 65 %!!!
 
Conclusion: Biomass (pellet) holds the first place among the Renewable Energy Sources in the European Union of 27 with a percentage of more than 50% of RES!
            The use of Solid Biofuels with the specialized multi-burners offer an ecological, sustainable but also functional Alternative Heating solution with a huge economic benefit... of the order of 54% – 86%!!!