First of all - what are pellets? Pellets are a type of fuel. Biomass is ground, dried and pressed through small holes. The intense pressure heats up the biomass, and lignin (a natural component of biomass) softens and binds the pellet together. When lignin cools down, it hardens and you get a compact, durable pellet.
We want to make pellets from renewable raw materials that would otherwise be wasted. Branches and roots from the forest industry, bark and cuttings from the wood processing industry and other types of biowaste.
Why do all this extra work? There are several advantages of pellets over untreated biomass. First, the feed process in the cogeneration system can be automated when the fuel has a predictable size and shape. This reduces the work for the customer. Pellets provide less dust formation. The quality of the fuel becomes more predictable - which simplifies the setup of the system. Pellets make it possible to make mixtures consisting of several different types of biomass that provide cheaper electricity and heat for the customer. Not only does pelleting mean that the biofuel takes up less space outside the home, but it also reduces transport costs and associated emissions.
There are many good reasons why we want to use pellets in our system!
