Pellet Stoves Are Back (and Easier than Ever)
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA 
on 07.27.06
We first got wind of pellet stoves as a heating alternative last year; extremely efficient, producing very little waste, and using inexpensive fuel, they were a huge hit. A new system promises to make it even easier and more TreeHugger-friendly. As we learned before, most pellets are made from a single fuel source, usually wood or corn; commercially available stoves usually burn one or the other, but not both. A company called Bixby Energy Systems has developed a pellet made from various types of biomass and a stove that can burn all of them. The pellet formula can be customized to use local resources as varied as grape waste, olive pits, almond shells, cotton-gin trash and hog waste; this cuts down shipping and distribution costs, and the requisite pollution that comes with it.
Bixby's first generation stove, the 55,000 BTU MaxFire, burns corn, wood or biomass pellets at 99.7 percent combustion efficiency, meaning it gives off little ash. It holds 106 pounds of corn and heats a 3,000-square-foot area at about 45 percent the cost of heating oil and 55 percent the cost of natural gas. Still, this stove, as with all pellet stoves, requires regular upkeep and lots of pellets; this maintenance is too much work for some consumers, according to a Bixby retailer: "Some people just don't want to do anything but turn up the thermostat," says Larry Thompson of LET Energy Systems in Albert Lea, Minnesota. The solution for the lazy pellet enthusiast is about two years down the line; Bixby engineers have designed a biomass furnace that will provide heat, hot water and eventually electricity. The company has also acquired a delivery company that will bring biomass pellets directly to the consumer, depositing them into a storage tank that the furnace can access automatically. ::Bixby Energy Systems via ::Wired News
See also: Thinking of Buying a Pellet Stove? We Can Help!
Update: Check out our guide to Buy Green: Pellet Stoves over on our sister site, Planet Green. You know they're a great green way to heat -- learn where to get one and take action today!
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With woodburning fireplaces in new construction gone, and usage on exisiting fireplaces becoming more and more restricted out here in California, does anyone know if these are legal?
They're more efficient and consequently less polluting than traditional fireplaces; so I would say yes. I know that in Austria they're viewed as a way of getting them off of fossil fuels for good. I spent a week in December in an Austrian house heated by a pellet furnace (as opposed to a pellet stove) and I was plenty toasty despite the foot of snow outside.
Professor Jerry Cherney, at Cornell, is quietly preparing the Northeastern US for grass pellet stoves. His group's research into appropriate grasses, and testing a variety of stoves' ability to handle the additional ash produced by grass, will soon enable this to be a viable and cost effective fuel source in the US. Mobile pelletizing services could quickly become a sustainable community-based industry in rural areas.
See http://www.grassbioenergy.org/
My one quible with pelletized stoves is that although they are extremly efficient, they are not flexible in their fuel source. It sounds like they are creating more flexible versions, but they are still hampered by being limited to pelletized fuel. If you are not able to maintain access to pelletized fuel, due to scarcity or lack of transportation, the stove becomes nothing more than a piece of metal scuplture. If they were sold with a pelletizer machine, able to be powered though a myriad of inputs, that would allow the consumer to create their own pellets from various fuel sources, then it would be a better solutuion.
Until then, I will stick to high efficiency wood stoves. They may not be as efficient as the pellet stove, but I can always harvest fuel localy.
These are great. They've been around for more than 20 years as stoves and furnaces and were quite popular back then in the northwest United States. I can remember my friend's house had a pellet furnace when I was a kid and it was cheap to run.
Thermorossi from Italy have a very good looking set of pellet stoves, including weekly programming and automatic ignition.
And when there's a power cut? What happens then?
My information is that these stoves need a grid connection.
On fuel variability, there are some pellet stoves that can burn both pellets and feed corn. This can be a boon to those in areas where deer hunting is popular, and also in ranching areas. Here's an example of one http://www.countryflame.com/corn.php
The mention of requiring a grid connection is mostly right on. Pellets will not burn on their own, so a fan is required to send air through the combustion chamber so the pellets will burn. This electric powered fan could use power generated by a wind or solar generator though.
I've been excited about pellet stoves for years. Home heating is the area we should first be focusing on to reduce imported fossil fuel use. Rather than figure out ways to convert switch grass on other cellulose to liquid fuel for cars, we already have a way to utilize these biomasses in pellet stoves.
A good percentage of imported fossil fuel is used for heating either directly or indirectly ( electricity production).
I agree that a stove that could work on many different types of pellets would be a great innovation. That would also allow consumers to choose whatever pellet type is cheapest at the time.
Wood waste, agricultural wastes, grasses, even ( sorry) coal.
I work for a company that sells a lot of pellet and Corn stoves. I know last year in October and November they were the only ones in the country with a steady stream of incoming pellet stove product. Pellet stoves and inserts are amazing because they are affordable, efficient and very clean burning. Check them out www.salesunlimited.com
I have an odd question. Everything I've seen so far with grass biofuel has centered on pellets and pellet stoves. But my question is, is it possible or feasible to make grass BRICKS or logs for people to use in standard wood burning stoves as a secondary heat source (complementary to their primary heat source whether oil or gas)?
Let's face it, people aren't going to be able to invest in a pellet mill to churn their grass clippings into pellets, nor do many homes have pellet stoves (while many more have standard wood burning stoves). For people who have regular log-fed wood burning stoves, is there a simple and basic way they can convert grass into bricks or logs they can use in their wood burning stove?
I'm trying to find the answer to that but have been unsuccessful.
An Idaho Company, Lignetics/Presto log manufactures the presto log which is esentially a large pellet that can be burned in a wood stove just like a regular log. It is made from wood waste, but I see no reason that it could not be made of grass or another biomass product.
I'm new to the wood-burning stove fraternity, and saw bags of pellets in my local store this afternoon. I'm wondering if I can burn these in my wood-burning stove? Any reason why not?
If you arre looking to buy a pellet stove, first check out used ones. A lot of people who bought them aren't happy with their purchase, so you can often find them on Craigslist and similar on-line bulletin board classifieds.
I sold mine that way, and there were two others for sale at the same time. These things take a lot of maintenance, espeically with the iffy quality pellets that are around. I bought half a ton of pellets that were crap.
Like the comment above, these stoves need constant attention; the burners need cleaning and ash removed (this is a much bigger problem with certain pellets). Also, depending on your stove, you may experience feeding jams, especially if there are a lot of broken pellets. Also beware, if you are looking for emergency heat during a black out, be sure your stove has a battery backup that self charges, and will run for at least 24 hours.
Price is the problem with pellets. They are too costly. You can buy corn kernels for a lot less, and get more BTUs.
What we need is grass, not pellet, burning stoves. Making pellets uses too much energy. Cutting and drying grass is simple. We need mini bales and a good high mass stove design. The design should be simple enough for anyone to build. Prefab kits would be super.
There is a history of burning grass. Search Nebraska Mennonite grass stoves, Grubka, high mass stoves etc.
Would appreciate help towards this goal. I am thinking Miscanthus or swithgrass is best.
Ron Wagner
Hi Everyone,
Please take a few minutes and respond to this survey: http://surveyshare.com/survey/take/?sid=50442
This survey is strictly for educational purposes to be used in Elmhurst College's Business Management Program. Our project involves to marketing delivery and service of pellets and pellet-burning stoves.
Your input is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I am very interested in pellet producing technology abd the wquipment.
Hope to see more about it.
Wang
sounds favorable but i have a few concerns.
How much energy is used in the production of the pellets?
Anyone?
sounds favorable but i have a few concerns.
How much energy is used in the production of the pellets?
Anyone?
wow this site is so helpfull
I've had a pellet stove for 12 years and can't recommend it highly enough. Yes it needs maintenance, but so what? Do we really want houses where everything is done for us? How much techie stuff would I have to buy to do that?
My pellets are made of sawdust, a manufacturing by-product. The stove emits far less particulate matter into the atmosphere than wood stoves. And the house is a lot cleaner than with a wood stove - after seven years of heating with wood, this is a snap.
I've had a pellet stove for 12 years and can't recommend it highly enough. Yes it needs maintenance, but so what? Do we really want houses where everything is done for us? How much techie stuff would I have to buy to do that?
My pellets are made of sawdust, a manufacturing by-product. The stove emits far less particulate matter into the atmosphere than wood stoves. And the house is a lot cleaner than with a wood stove - after seven years of heating with wood, this is a snap.
Wait what!
99.7 percent combustion efficiency?
This can't be true. If this had that high of an efficiency rating this unit would be giving off virtually no waste. I mean so little waste that you wouldn't have to empty your yearly 3 ton fuel waste for about 10 years.
On top of that, why doesn't this thing have a UL or EPA approval if the rating is so high?
I been researching pellet stoves for about 6 months now and I'm close to making a decision and it looks like I'm getting an Ecoteck pellet stove. At least their figures aren't so astronomically unreal. http://www.ecoteck.us/
But hey, go and buy this 99.7 percent unit from imaginary fairy land, I'm getting a real pellet stove.
I also have been looking at pellet furnaces for some time. I have visited a stove company who is just bringing out a unit named PP3 from www.powerplantworld.net. This unit can burn all biomass pellets and has a patented technology for burning the waste ash. They also have a soon to be released add on that can produce electricity.
I originally came across this unit at the Energy Fair in Custer WI. I had been looking for an alternative to heating my multifamily properties. This unit should be able to heat the units and also supply the domestic hot water heat.
I have some information that I can share from my visit if anyone is interested in this type of unit. The web page also has more information.
Rick
Pellet Stoves are selling like hot cakes this year and I think the trend will continue to increase.
Regards,
Chris
I own a Bixby Max Fire. I burn corn and you get one hockey puck size ash, called a klinker per 50 pound bag. This stove heats my whole houe. Im running it on level 4 out of 8 and it's -10 below where I live. I can say this stove does require some cleaning and ash dumping, but I only spent $300.00 dollars this year for fuel to keep me warm.
A little work to save money is something I will gladly do. Hope this helps you.
From a Vermonter up where it's cold.
How about a cheap wood(pellet) burning closed system stove for the poorest of the poor