Since time immemorial man has always tried to discover new and innovative ways to preserve energy. Right from conventional methods like solar energy to other sources like wind power etc. today the new rage is wood pellets. These small pellets are a viable source of abundant energy. Sweden is one of the first countries to use the plant Salix viminalis in the bioenergy production of these pellets.
What is Salix viminalis?
The plant Salix viminalis is also known by the names of Sally tree, Willow tree or even Sallie. This is considered to be a biomass crop which is used to manufacture wood pellets. The trees usually bend forward in a particular direction and have green plant outgrowths on the branches. It is a very easy plant to cultivate and its usefulness in large scale bioenergy production has only recently been discovered.
Why is it beneficial?
The Salix viminalis crop is extremely useful because of a number of reasons. First and foremost these are extremely low maintenance crops which means that once these are sown you hardly need to take much care of them. You can even cultivate these trees using just the un-rooted cuttings. Within a few short years a large harvest can be reaped which is great for bioenergy production which needs accelerated timelines. Besides this the plant has the ability to harvest atleast 6-7 times before you need to replant it again. You also need a lesser number of pesticides in order to cultivate this amazing crop.
Swedens initial efforts
Sweden has been one of the very first countries to recognize the tremendous potential of this tree. In fact over the last quarter century more than 20% of the primary energy sources came from bioenergy production. This was as per statistics in the year 2001. As far as district heating systems go, in Sweden more than 53% of fuel mix is used. The government of Sweden has been actively involved and supportive about the biomass energy policy. New research as well as innovation has always been encouraged in this segment and various projects have even been funded by the Swedish government. One such case has been the discovery of the plant Salix viminalis in order to manufacture wood pellets.
The way Swedish farmers have used this crop to their advantage is that they have used the plant in short rotations in order to reap more harvests between successive replantations. This way they have managed to extract the most number of wood pellets from a single tree within the shortest time possible. One benefit that Sweden has over other European countries is the presence of relatively untapped rich sources of biomass inside its forests. Besides this, the Swedish government is also very supportive about forestry on a large scale. In fact ever since 2003 a new quota system has been introduced through which the electricity manufacture based on biomass has increased dramatically. While other countries are still waking up to the wonder of wood pellets Sweden seems to have taken the lead and moved far ahead in large scale bioenergy production.
Why store in bulk?
The cost of wood pellets can work out to be quite expensive if you buy them in small quantities. Instead buying in bulk can save you a lot of money. The overall costs when you buy in large quantities go down substantially. Plus there is always the added bonus of having a ready supply of wood pellets whenever you need them! This is why when you buy in bulk quantities you need a large scale storage system too.
Pellet boilers
Some of the most popular storage systems today are the hand fed boilers. These can accommodate as much as 3 tonnes of wood pellets in a single filling. That is what bulk storage capacity is all about. On top of the hand fed boilers you could install a pellet store which has the ability to collect the wood pellets brought in by the tanker. You can construct the pellet store outside your home or inside. If you are keeping the pellet store outside then make sure there is a tube or a feeding system that will transport the wood pellets into the boiler.
Pellets stoves
The pellets stoves are yet another convenient method of storing large quantities of wood pellets. These stoves will not only store the pellets but also burn them in order to provide heat and warmth for your home. One advantage of pellets stoves instead of the wood stoves is their efficiency. They produce no smoke and you do not need a chimney added because the exhaust rarely gets too hot. Installation is also very easy with these pellets stoves. You can place it inside the roof or outwards from a wall as well. You could also have separate pellets stoves placed over legs at a corner or place it within chimney inserts. These stoves are perfect for modernized cities and urban areas as they emanate very little smoke or exhaust. The only possible drawback of these pellets stoves is that they need electricity to function. So if the power is out then these will stop working. However you can always have a backup solution like batteries or generator.
Other solutions
Another probable solution for bulk storage of wood pellets is the usage of bolted silos. This can also be combined with a driveway for the tanker to come and deliver the wood pellets. You could also employ the usage of flat storage mechanisms or even reclaimers which facilitate ease of transportation and use. If you are planning on storage relatively smaller portions of wood pellets then a small bin can be used which is welded at the sides. Otherwise you can use the bolted version if you are planning on large scale storage. You need to reload the pellet storage system just once every day. This is much less of an effort as compared with other mechanisms like solid fuel mechanisms which not only need daily cleaning but also refilling.
Michael Beikircher has sinced written about articles on various topics from Environment, Home Accessories and Politics. For more details please contact Michael Beikircher at michael.beikircher@gruenland.it. The offical website address is .. Michael Beikircher's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.