Pellet Fire facts

FACT SHEET

What is a pellet fire?

A pellet fire (also known as a pellet stove) is a very efficient heating appliance that burns wood pellets with very little emissions.
Wood pellets are poured into the hopper and then automatically fed by an auger into the firepot.
An electric element lights the wood pellets in the firepot.
The firebox operates at reduced pressure which enables high temperature combustion of the wood pellets.
The hot air from combustion is forced through heat exchanger tubes.
A convection fan blows clean hot air into your living area.

What are pellets?

Pellets are made from pure untreated sawdust, a by-product of the timber processing industry. The sawdust is dried in rotary drum driers, reducing the moisture content to less than 8%. and this consistently ensures very low emissions.
The dried sawdust is compressed into 6mm pellets in a pelleting press at a very high speed and temperature. It is this process which solidifies the pellet using the natural lignin in the wood. There are no additives.
The pellets are clean, smooth and pleasant to touch. They are quality checked and put into bags that weigh 20kg. Pellets are typically sold in one-ton lots (50 bags), which occupy a space of approximately one cubic meter. Wood pellets store in 1/3 of the space of the equivalent firewood.
Pellet fuel will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and from batch to batch from the manufacturers. It is recommended that you purchase fuel in 1 ton purchases to ensure continuity and ease of operation of pellet fires.

Source: Ministry of Environment

Why use pellet fuel?

Provides the cleanest burn of any solid fuel.
Has a neutral effect on the environment
Positively reduces greenhouse gasses.
Allergy free, no dust and debris that can contaminate the air.
Easy to handle and stores in about one third of the space of firewood.
Made from wood-waste from managed forests which are a renewable energy resource.
Reduces dependence on finite supplies of oil, gas and coal.
Not subject to world price variations like imported oil.
Saves our native forestry.

The World of pellet fires

The World's first pellet fire was patented in 1928. Given that there were few environmental issues, and an abundance of fossil fuel available at that time, pellet fires were not then commercially viable. Pellet fires were re-introduced in North America during the early 1970's to help resolve the oil crisis.
The pellet industry has enjoyed spectacular growth in the USA, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom, and today over 1.2 million pellet fires are used throughout the USA and Canada alone. There are over 80 wood pellet mills and over 28 pellet fire manufacturers in the USA and Canada, and there are in excess of 254 pellet mills in Europe.
In 1996, Sweden's consumption of pellets exceeded that of the USA. Sweden now consumes 2 million ton of pellets annually, and has halved its oil consumption. Sweden imports bulk shiploads (60 000 ton) of pellets from Pellet Flame, B.C. Canada to burn and provide utilities to townships.
Schools, hospitals and many industrial companies have long used pellet fuel because it is safe, clean and reliable.