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Energy Conservation a National Security Issue!

How do we get the fat rich Irish public out of their comfort zone and into energy awareness?

Irish dependence on oil and other energy imports should not be considered just simply as economic issues; rather they should be looked on as matters of national security.

Ireland could be completely controlled by foriegn interests through our almost 100% dependence on imported fuels. If the fuel was cut off everything would stop working. Everything would stop. We would have no electricity except for a miserable 15% of our needs. We would have no cars, no trains, no working factories, no working farmers, no working, no wages, no money!!!

Two Wood Pellet Deals Compared

Spot the Difference

Boiler Number One a Dor Boiler with a Scotte Burner

Boiler Number Two a Scotte Boiler with a Scotte? Burner

TWO DEALS
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Deal One

SCOTTE 15 combined log wood and pellet boiler

Nominal output 14.8 KW
Including auger 1.6 m
Including Lambda control unit.

Boiler mass: Height: 1040mm
Width: 700 mm plus pellet burners depth: 770
Water Capacity: 46 litre.
Efficiency: 90.3%

Price: €2,815

24 KW €3,427
32 KW €4,095
40 KW €4,612
60 KW €4,978

This price does NOT include a feeder pellet unit. (You could have one made for €200 - 300) All prices exclusive VAT ex factory

Deal Two

Dor timber and pellet boiler

output : 16kW
efficiency : 90.3%
h : 1040mm
w : 826mm
d : 730mm
water content : 45 litres

Dor timber and pellet boiler

Price: €4194 less €300 silo price = €3894

24 Kw €4586 less €300 silo price = €4285
30 Kw €4979 less €300 silo price = €4679
40 Kw €5388 less €300 silo price = €5088
60 Kw €6632 less €300 silo price = €6332

Price includes a pellet feeder silo. I have subtracted €300 to make a comparison.
Prices exclude VAT.

One deal is available in Germany. The other is in Ireland. Guess which is the Irish deal??

More to Follow

Ireland Preparing for the Big Drop?

The BIG Drop or No Drop at all!!

The 2040 Oil Exhibition in Ireland

During September of 2040 old fashioned MineralOil will be on display in the New Retro-Look Irish Museum of Technology. Bring the kids along to smell the oil, even feel oil, and see how it was used in the world of yesterday.

You will not get this close to oil anywhere else in the world today!!

Oil disappeared from our planet in 2025 but the Museum of Technology has secured a quantity of 5000 litres of oil in several of it's previously used states including crude oil, fuel oil, lubricating oil etc. The Oil Age, like the Steam Era before it, is a facinating time for all the family to discover.

Apologies to Bertie and Noel

I apologise to Bertie Ahern and Noel Dempsey for poking fun at them in the last post.


I did have a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to reading the news of the Green Paper dealing with Renewable Energy.



I was really horrified to read that Ireland will only plan to be using a mere 30% renewable energy at a time when there will only be 5 more years of oil left on the planet. What the heck will we do in that 5 years? Get the other 70% changed over to renewables?

Daring Irish Renewable Energy Planning

Daring Renewable Energy Planning!!

Noel Dempsey the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, is to publish a Green Paper on energy policy fairly soon. They (Tweedledum and Tweedledee) have announced that it will include a target of meeting 30% of Ireland's energy needs from renewable resources by the year 2020.

Woop-di-doo and Gee-whiz - how daring, how fantastic.

Wow!! Are we all knocked out or what - by how daring and forward thinking this figure really is? Yea right!

The Titanic

Irish Bucket for Bailing the Titanic

This energy policy is like saying that they will increase the bailing out of the sinking Titanic by 50 bucketfuls a day.

Are they for real? Is this not a script for Fr. Ted?

I have no political affiliation whatsoever, and I usually do not poke fun at individuals BUT this takes the biscuit for an Alice in Wonderland situation.

Bring on the Mad Hatter!

Veggie Oil Burner from the UK

Multi Oil + Vegetable Oil Burner

Kroll is a German company with a UK base specialising in Oil Fired systems that will burn vegetable oil in addition to regular oil. They do a series of burners, boilers, and hot air heaters covering a wide range of applications. Of special interest to many householders, they carry a 25 - 33 Kwatt oil burner unit which is suitable for ordinary domestic heating. This unit can be easily retro-fitted into many, but not into all, existing oil boilers.

The Kroll burner unit will not work in balanced flue units, only in systems which use a standard flue.

I had a nice conversation with Kroll Uk's Jeremy Grove, who was very pleasant and helpful, and had all sorts of interesting information. He told me that you can purchase directly form Kroll UK, and the price of a complete domestic sized burner unit is £761 Sterling plus VAT or about 1126 Euro plus VAT. He guesses the carriage should not be more than 50 Euro at most.

The Kroll publicity blurb goes:

The new Universal oil burners by Kroll are versatile. Through a developed combustion technique this burner is able to burn nearly all vegetable, animal and conventional oil. Adjusting to the Burner to the required fuel is simple to do. All you have to do is turn a dial, without the need of any tools. For all products Kroll meets the requirements of DIN ISO 9001 and DIN EN ISO 9001.


Contact details:

Kroll UK
Unit 49, Azura Close
Woolsbridge Industrial Estate
Three Legged Cross
Wimborne
Dorset
BH21 6SZ

www.krolluk.com
Tel: +44 (0)1202 822221
Fax: +44 (0)1202 822222

Let me know how you get on if you decide to try this approach.

Oil Fired Central Heating Part 2

Oil Fired Central Heating Part 2.

I have learned that there are oil burners available that will burn vegetable oil including used chipper oil and/or other waste oil. These burners can be retrofitted to many existing oil boilers with very little trouble or fitting cost. One such oil burner is illustrated above.

Some farmers are especially growing rapeseed to extract the oil and burn it for heat, while using the cake to feed cattle - a double whammy from the crop. Rapeseed oil burns especially well in these burners leaving very low residue and fumes that are not unpleasant like kerosene or diesel fumes.

Stay tuned for more information. I am researching the cost, delivery charges etc., and will try to get some picture of reliability etc.

If you own a chipper this could save you tons of money on heating your home. If you are a farmer and can grow rapeseed it could be just a brialliant solution to saving on heating.

Burning bulk vegetable oils could still be a viable proposition for the average home owner as the price of heating oil continues to soar.

I am looking for information on the bulk price and availability of various vegetable oils if anyone can point me in the right direction please e-mail me at: thenewoil@gmail.com

Why Not OIL Fired Central Heating?

Oil Fired Central Heating??

With the un-believable, un-satisfactory, un-stable, un-regulated, un-focussed state of the wood -pellet heating market in Ireland, I have decided to NOT go ahead with an installation just yet.

I was thinking of other possible alternatives, WHEN the bulb above my head suddenly illuminated very brightly and even flashed a couple of times. I knew then that I had had an "idea"!!!

Vegetable Oil

The idea struck me that vegetable oil in bulk is a darn site cheaper than heating oil right now. The supply also is most probably more stable. Heating oil is on 70+cent a litre right now and rising - while cooking oil can be purchased in bulk at 55cent a litre. There is the possibility of utilising used oil from chippers and hotels etc.

It would not take rocket science or too much of a re-build to tune an oil burner to burn cooking oil. I would need a pre-heater and possibly some extra filtration, and it would need a different nozzle in the burner unit to vaporise the oil - but I am fairly sure it could be achieved with moderate ease. Maybe there is already such a unit abailable somewhere?

If it were possible to purchase a modified burner unit for existing central heating systems, it would be a very cheap option to convert an existing boiler, grant or no grant. A standard burner unit can be purchased for about 500 - 700 Euro, a modified one should not cost much over 1100 - 1400 Euro?

Would anyone reading this Blog have any ideas, contacts or information along this line??

Willow Trees and the Making of Wood Pellets

The Sally, Sallie or Willow tree (salix viminalis) makes a good Biomass crop grown especially to turn into fuel such as wood pellets. Sallies as a crop are not new to Ireland, historically they were grown in almost every parish in Ireland to provide baskets.

Ireland imports most of its fuel, including oil, coal, and timber products. We need to start growing our own NOW before it is too late, and we become dependent and at the mercy of world trends.

Sally biomass is harvested every three years, usually by contractors, and delivered straight to the nearest biomass fuel facility.

By growning our own biomass crops we will create thousands of jobs, improve the countryside and wild life, help the environment, and save the ecomomy billions over time.

The old turf powered electricity power stations in the Irish midlands could easily be re-tooled to burn sally biomass as a fuel. New power stations could of course be built also for this extremly clean burning fuel.

Why Sallies?

* Sallies are a good crop for farmers, once established take little tending.
* Willows are easily propagated from unrooted cuttings.
* High yields can be harvested in a few years.
* Willows vigorously resprout after each harvest.
* Sallies can be harvested six to seven times before replanting
* The amount of heat in a dry ton of willow is similar to other hardwoods.
* Willow cultivation uses fewer pesticides.
* Willow plantations will encourage wildlife and birds.
* Sallies enhance the landscape and can be visually stunning if wisely managed.
* Willow biomass products reduce the need for fossil fuels.

Investment Opportunity for Ireland.

Ireland has a really great and significant opportunity for investment in its future sitting right on the doorstep NOW. If we do not seize this opportunity it will be diluted and dispersed over time.
What do we need to take advantage of the amazing opportunity ?

1. Some investment both governmental and private. (Not huge money and no high-risk investment)
2. Co-operation and Reciprocity from all sides. (This will be difficult in Ireland with a history of vested interests, gombeen men, over zealous unions, crooked politicians, and greedy capitalists)
3. Ethical and honest approaches from business and investors. (This is the most difficult to achieve)
4. Get the finger out and do something NOW - not next year or when ever. (as Paddy the Irishman said to Paddy the Spaniard about the Spanish word "Manana": there is no word in the Irish vocabulary that suggests such urgency)

What is this investment?

It is investing in alternative power sources. Including: Bio-Mass farming, Bio-diesel oil production, wood pellet fuels, Bio-mass powered ESB PowerStation, changing over our central heating systems to bio-mass fuels.

What is the gain from this investment?

1. We will save billions on oil, gas and coal imports.
2. We will create several new self-sustaining industries.
3. We will create thousands of jobs in these industries.
4. We will become partially independent of rising and ever less dependable imports of oil gas etc.
5. We eventually get cheaper electricity, bio-fuels, and heating.
6. We will greatly help the environment, our wildlife, and the ecology.
7. We will cut down greatly on pollution and help keep our water, soil and air clean.
8. We will gain in pride and stature as a nation.

What stands in the way of this opportunity?

Essentially greed. Individual and big company greed - the green eyed monster. The short-term gain and fast buck merchants will hamper this effort more than any logistic or lack of funds. Greed and one-up-man-ship have always worked diametrically opposed to Co-Operation and Reciprocity. Can we act in the general interest , can we be ethical and honest, can we act with co-operation and reciprocity, can we leave the spectre of the "gombeen men" behind us?

We have done this in helping the third world with our world-leading generosity and selflessness - can we do it to help our own future? It is primarily up to us all each individual and also to our political leaders to engender a national spirit into Ireland once again.

A Look at Some Danish Pellet Burner Units

On the left is a picture of a Pellx Pellet Burner Unit. This is a well tried and tested unit on the Danish market place, and is easily available in heating suppliers. My Danish friend Christian has been using it in his home central heating system for some time and is well satisfied with its performance.

The price is only 11,000 Danish Kroner which equals only €1475.83. If you add 21% VAT you get €1785.75

This next burner unit is an Iwabo brand Pellet Burner, the Iwabo Villa S1.

Again, this is a common unit on the Danish market. And the price?

The price in Danish Kroner 10,950. In Euro €1469 add the VAT gives you €1777.49

But you would be in need of an Auger Unit this will cost you 2900 Dk Kr which equals €389 add VAT at 21% €470.69



NOW! Let's do Some Sums

One only Opop boiler unit at €623.15 incl. VAT.
One only Pellx Burner Unit at €1785.75 incl. VAT.
One only Auger motorised Unit €470.69 incl. VAT

TOTAL Cost €2879.59 Inclusive of VAT

Danish Irish Price Differences Wow!!

On the left is a picture of a Boink 16Kw (Kw means kilo watt, one kilo watt is the equivalent of a single bar electric fire) central heating unit.

It comes complete with: Boiler, Burner Unit with 100 step modulation, and a 1.6 meter Auger Unit. The retail (not wholesale mind you) price in Denmark is Dk Kroner 20,400 excluding tax. Translated to Euro that is €2739 + VAT. €3314 including VAT.

Why dont you check out what the dealers in Ireland are asking for this unit???? And bring a chair to sit on and some Valium with you! So the shock will not kill you!




Next we have the Bio-Comfort Central Heating Unit from Boink. This is a high efficiency unit quoted at 93.3% efficiency. (that is really high). The 16Kw unit is what is being dealt with here.



















The BioComfort 16Kw unit, which includes Boiler, Burner with 100 step modulation, and 1.6 meter Auger Unit, has a Danish retail price of Danish Kr 24,400 not including tax. This translates into €3273 plus VAT.

I will be adding more evidence of the Irish "Greener Homes" Grant Rip-Off by importers and middle-men - so stay tuned!!

Rip-Off Ireland has become a common catch phrase in recent times. There is now a completly new type of Rip-Off going on which is based on the new Government Grant Scheme set up to promote domestic renewable source heating systems.

There are generous government grants for Solar, Geo-Thermal, and Bio-mass wood pellet heating systems. Full details are available at www.sei.ie. This is an excellent site with lots of information. There are grant application forms etc., and the site gives details of approved units and approved installers.

What the site does not detail are some of the major price rip-offs going on in the business. For instance; the cost to install a pellet central heating boiler and commission it, price not including materials, the time amounts to about a half days work, was quoted by one recommended installer at €1000 inclusive of VAT. Materials for plumbing and flue etc. are extra. Now that's price gouging at its worst, and it is just plain sickening!! I have a great dislike of gougers, I consider it nothing less than thievery.

Government "Greener Homes" Grant has spawned green eyed monsters!

Some of the more common makes of wood pellet central heating units being sold in Ireland are the Opop and Dor Boilers with either Boink or Scotte burner mechanisms fitted. The Boilers are made in the Czech Republic and I will have the retail prices posted here soon. But be assured that the Irish price is perhaps 50 - 100% more expensive. I will also publish some retail prices for the burner units from the mainland Europen Continent. Again you can be sure the Irish price is 50% to 100% more expensive.

The single biggest rip-off is in the installation and commissioning prices being charged. Like €1000 one thousand Euro being asked for a single boiler installation. The installation and commissioning time amounts to roughtly a half days work by the admission of two seperate installers. The seller/installers tend to charge less for installation and commissioning, because of the big profit being made on the sale.


Pellet Boiler Prices

On the left is a picture of a "ViaLing" VIADRUS wood pellet central heating boiler.





These boilers are manufactured in the Czech Republic and sell in many stores and hardware outlets. Viadrus is the same maker as the Hercules Eco boiler which sells in Ireland for around €6500. It would seem that the "Vialing" model is perhaps a lesser model boiler than the Hercules Eco which is cast iron in construction. The "ViaLing" appears to be a steel boiler and would therefore be a little cheaper.

Mind you, the price of a pellet boiler unit is mainly made up by the burner unit. The actual stove/oven bit is usually no more than 700 - 800 Euros. Another expensive bit is a control unit called a "Lambda" control. This bit measures the oxygene in the flue gasses and adjusts the burning process accordingly.

What is most interesting to note about the "ViaLing" boiler is the price of this unit in the Czech Republic. It sells for 66,000 Kc and even less than that in some places. Converting Kc to Euro gives you €2335!!

Now can anyone show me a complete wood pellet central heating boiler in Ireland for €2335 or anything remotly close to that price?