Wood Pellets
Welcome...
Welcome to the BANZ Wood Pellets Interest Group webpage. This page provides information on what's happening in the wood pellet sector in New Zealand. More extensive information is available to BANZ members including discussion forums.
For more detailed information on Wood Pellets, please visit the BANZ Wood Pellets Interest Group website here |
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What Are Wood Pellets?
Wood pellets are a densified wood fuel typically made of shavings and/or sawdust. If the sawdust or shavings are wet they will have to go through a drying process to achieve a final moisture content of 10% after processing. The sawdust or shavings are processed through an extruder to develop a uniform 1 cm long pellet with diameter of 6 mm. The pellets are bagged for residential use or trucked bulk for larger scale consumers.
The wood pellet market in New Zealand is still new but has been taken up by many consumers. The manufacturing capacity is above 100,000 tonnes per year on 4 wood pellet plants, increasing in March 2010 with the opening of the Natures Flame plant in Taupo. The present consumption of pellets is significantly lower – about 20,000 tonnes in 2006. The wood pellets are predominantly used for residential heating, although there are an increasing number of institutions on wood pellets (mostly conversions from coal). Other commercial scale users include prisons, hospitals, swimming pools, rest homes, etc.
Wood pellets are seen as the principal means for institutions and the residential and commercial sectors to use biomass for heat. They are offered as a standardised, easily handled fuel through supply chains. The alternative of utilising hog fuel or chip directly by these users is not expected, mainly due to the inconvenience of these systems compared to wood pellets.
Publications and Articles on Wood Pellets
Information on wood pellets is available from the following sources:
"New Zealand Wood Pellets - making the most of National and International Opportunities", BANZ report, 28 July 2010.
This report is only available on the Members Only section of this website here.
"Rotorua Wood Pellet air emission study" Anna Jonsson and Per Nielsen. click here to download
Bioenergy Knowledge Centre. Click here to go to website
"New Zealand Wood Pellets Market" workshop held in Rotorua, November 2006. Click here to download presentations
"Fuel Pellets in New Zealand" workshop held in Rotorua, November 2002. Click here to download presentations.
BANZ Technical Guides
BANZ Technical Guide 01 - Wood Fuel Classification Guidelines
The sale and purchase of wood fuels has highlighted the need for the seller and the purchaser of wood fuel to be confident with respect to the description and quality of the wood fuel sought or supplied. These guidelines for classification of wood fuel have been prepared to provide a common methodology for classifying, specifying and declaring the quality and properties of the traded wood fuel in New Zealand.
Version 5 of the Classification Guidelines is available here
BANZ Technical Guide 02 - Guidelines for the Conversion of Solid Fuel Boilers from Coal to Wood Pellet Firing
The following Guide has been developed to provide guidance on the conversion of existing coal fired boilers to wood pellet operation. As with all BANZ Technical Guides, this document is issued as a 'version'. As new information comes to light and BANZ received comments from experts, where appropriate, a new version is issued. if you have any comments on the current version, please contact Contact Us.
Guidelines for the Conversion of Solid Fuel Boilers from Coal to Wood Pellet Firing, May 2010
BANZ Technical Guide 03 - Guidance document for Wood Pellet Boiler Operators
After the installation of a new boiler or the conversion from an existing boiler to run on wood pellets, the operator should be provided with training on the new installation and should be provided with a suitable written manual for operation and basic maintenance. A practical training course is recommended for the operator (see BANZ Wood Pellet Operating Training)
Guidance document for Wood Pellet Boiler Operators (Version 1), August 2010
BANZ Technical Guide 04 - Tender Guidelines for Wood Energy Plant
This Technical Guide has been developed by the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand (BANZ) for those seeking to upgrade an existing coal fired boiler or install a new wood fuelled boiler and who have limited experience in such works. It presents guidelines for the specification, supply and installation of wood energy plant and specifically targets organisations going out to tender for the supply and installation of appropriate equipment. .
The use of the guidelines should not substitute for the engagement of professional engineering advice.
Conversion of Coal Boilers to run on Wood Pellets
The number of boilers now running on wood pellets in New Zealand (in particular in schools) continues to rise, as do the number of different parties offering installation and conversion services. There are a number of obvious advantages to using pellets, the most obvious of which is that they are a relatively clean burning and sustainable fuel. Compared to coal, added advantages include ease of use, cleaning and maintenance.
Cost and current condition will always be a factor in anyone's choice of fuel and boiler technology. Many schools for example have funded replacement of their existing boilers and shifted from coal to pellets in the process. Others have been able to convert existing boilers from coal to run on pellets.
Current Conversions and Replacement biomass Boilers in New Zealand Schools
Energy reductions through simple boiler maintenance and tuning - Case Study
Training
For more details on the following training courses:
- Wood Pellet Boiler Operator Training Course and Certification
- Wood Pellet Heater Installer Course
Go to the BANZ Wood Pellets website here
Wood Pellets Information, heater and boiler suppliers and sources of pellet fuel
The most upto date information on wood pellets, heater and boiler suppliers and pellets suppliers is on the website. Click here to access Wood Pellets website.
Wood Pellets Interest Group
The Wood Pellet Interest Group consists of New Zealand’s leading producers of wood pellets and suppliers of pellet fuelled appliances. Pellets have been separated from wood fuel because to some extent their markets are slightly different. New Zealand has a growing residential pellet market with a wide range of pellets fires now available to the householder. Equally pellets are also of interest in the commercial / industrial sector identified as a high quality wood fuel. New Zealand producers also export to European markets. This group works cooperatively to promote the wider benefits of pellets as a high quality, clean, green heating solution in particular to ensure the production and availability of pellet fuel across the sector. The Group is focusing on the promotion of pellets in the heat market and in the accreditation of pellet producers.
- Click on the following links to view Wood Pellets web-site and the Group Convener details.
If you are a member then use your password to access the member's only area to participate in this group.
BANZ activities are organised around its Interest Groups. Please contact us if you wish to join any of these groups.
Wood Pellet Interest Group Meeting Dates
WP Meeting Timetable for 2012
Eduard Ebbinge (Convener)
3.30pm - Wednesday, 15th February
3.30pm - Wednesday, 18th April
3.30pm - Wednesday, 18th July
3.30pm - Wednesday, 19th September
3.30pm - Wednesday, 5th December
Each Interest Group will have at least one Face to Face meeting annually. Ideally the meeting will coincide with an event.
(Note -all Board and IG meetings are by GoToMeeting unless otherwise advised).
BANZ acitivities are organised around its Interest Groups. Please contact us if you wish to join any of these groups.