The technology that is used in biomass boilers has been in existence for many years and has been touted for a long time as a green and renewable energy source.
Whilst biomass boilers can be effective in residential properties, it is in the commercial settings, where large buildings take the most heating, that they have the potential to have the greatest environmental benefit. However, biomass boilers do not come cheap and many businesses and organisations have been put off by the initial outlay.
This barrier has now been removed in the UK thanks to the emergence of free commercial biomass boilers.
Under a free biomass boiler scheme, the boiler is installed in a commercial setting by the provider free of charge. Once connected to the central heating system the boiler will then heat the property, enabling the business or organisation to run a more sustainable operation.
The boiler still belongs to the provider that installs it, who benefit from the fact that they are contracted for 20 years to provide the wood pellet fuel this is burnt to generate heat.
In addition to knowing that they are helping the environment by running a greener operation, businesses can actually save money on their heating costs. In comparison to central heating systems that use LPG or oil, a biomass boiler can reduce heating costs by 30-50%.
This can really add up over the course of the year when you consider just how much it can cost to heat commercial properties.
In comparison to natural gas, the savings are less substantial; at time of writing the UK prices for natural gas are 4.3p/kWh whereas wood pellets cost 4.1p/kWh.
But whilst the savings may not seem worth the hassle of switching over to a biomass boiler, many forwards thinking businesses are looking further down the line, with fossil fuel prices only set to rise.
Current estimates suggest that the cost of fossil fuels will rise 6-15% year on year, with biomass fuel costs set to rise by just 3%. So, with every year that goes by, the savings made by running a biomass boiler rather than one that uses natural gas will increase. With no initial outlay to have the boiler installed, savings to be made on heating costs and the bonus of running a cleaner business, it is easy to see why biomass systems are becoming an increasingly popular choice for commercial settings in the UK.
