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?