Safe and Secure – Storing your bagged wood pellets

If you buy bagged wood pellets from us…how do you store them? Throw the bags in the garage, leave them out in the garden, or under a protective shelter that protects them from rain? It is essential that you store your wood pellets in a dry condition to get the best results. Ideally keep your bags indoors in the garage or shed.

 

Storing them in the house/garage can be troublesome. They take up space that you may need; or cause worry in the event of a fire. Here at Balcas Energy want to ensure you get the best results from burning our wood pellets, in safety. We have considered the issue of storing wood pellets in domestic situations and looked at various solutions. We have also created a special page based on wood pellets storage and you can read it here.


We would also like to introduce you a smart innovative way to keep your pellets dry and safe – the SmartBunker™.

What is the SmartBunker™?

The SmartBunker™ is a strong waterproof UV-resistant polyethylene storage bunker. It does not rust or rot. It stands upright, allowing secure dry storage, easy filling, and dispensing for up to 200kg of our pellets. Bending and lifting are reduced to a minimum. And you can throw away the shovel.

It takes up very little floor space and it can be located either indoors or outdoors. Because of its shape, it throws off any rainwater that falls on it. The pellets are stored about 600mm (2’) above ground level, preventing most flood damage events. Wet pellets in our experience do not burn well which is why we want to ensure we offer the best solution for wood pellet storage!


wood pellet storage

 


Standards 

Up to now, no specific technical or safety standards have been developed for this type of equipment. However, SmartBunker™ has just been awarded a unique HETAS listing on consideration of the advantages it offers over other domestic solid fuel bunker systems.

If you are interested in more information on the SmartBunker™, please visit https://www.thesmartbunker.co.uk/product/wood-pellets-storage/ and a member of their sales team will help with any queries you may have based on wood pellet storage.

 

To place an order of bagged wood pellets please click below:


ORDER NOW



To order a smart bunker with £10 OFF, please use the Balcas Energy customer Discount Code directly on their website. Simply copy and paste the following discount code and apply it at the checkout when ordering on www.thesmartbunker.co.uk :

9MWKHM2M


ORDER SMART BUNKER WITH DISCOUNT CODE



If you require more assistance, please contact our team and we will help put through your order or deal with any queries you may have if they cannot be resolved by viewing our Frequently Asked Questions.

Thank You,

Balcas Energy

 

Hello Autumn!


As we enter the cold Autumn temperatures, we have put together our usual checklist to help you maintain optimum performance for your biomass boiler set-up this Autumn:

 

    1. Store is clean – As recommended in our Summer Fuel Store Maintenance Guide.
    2. Annual Service completed – Make sure that your biomass boiler is serviced annually by a certified technician to ensure the appliance is operating safely and correctly.
    3. Thermostat  – Check and adjust your thermostat settings to ensure your heating system is working properly.
    4. Order in advance  – As temperatures start to drop we are seeing an increase in Autumn orders. We strongly recommend you order in advance before winter is here, as lead times can increase at winter peak times.


Make sure your wood pellet fuel is high-quality and certified – Like the wood pellets we supply, which we manufacture locally in our green energy powered plants. Looking for cheap wood pellets is tempting on the short run, but if you check all our certifications and manufacturing accreditations, you will see how important is the complexity of buying high quality wood pellet fuel – both for the lifetime of your biomass boiler and the calorific value you can get. Click here to see the specifications of our pellets.


We’re supporting the Environment & Less CO2 production, for our future – because we’re manufacturing locally with renewable energy and we also supply from our local depots. This means that our carbon footprint is less than any other imported pellets, which can travel half way around the globe.


Are you using bagged or bulk wood pellets?

You can benefit of our 10kg Bagged Wood Pellets. Why not order a full pallet to have them just in case and make sure you won’t run out on fuel? Or maybe if you have a stove, they can be easily handled and stored inside!

IN STOCK BUY BAGGED PELLETS BUY BULK PELLETS

 


Let us know if you need any assistance with any of the above – Our team is here for you! Call us today or drop us an email.

Recycle week 2021

Recycle Week is Recycle Now’s flagship annual event which is a celebration of recycling across the nation. It has now been operating for 18 years and it’s the one week of the year where retailers, brands, waste management companies, trade associations, governments, and the media come together to achieve one goal: to galvanise the public into recycling more of the right things, more often.


This year’s theme: Step It Up This Recycle Week

The Climate Crisis is a tough subject. But we’re a nation of even tougher subjects. The last 15 months have shown that. And while throughout the past year many things have happened over which we’ve had no control, the Climate Crisis is something we can actively do something about. Every one of us, every single day. Most of us already do, through small but powerful habits – like recycling. We know environmental concerns are still on the increase, so we need to do more. We need to do it now. And we need to act together. It’s time to join the fight against climate change and step it up in this year’s recycle week.


How do we do our bit at Balcas Energy…

We pride ourselves on our sustainable manufacturing of wood pellets in two of our plants in Enniskillen and Invergordon. The renewable energy used to manufacture the pellet fuel is generated on-site thanks to the co-products of all Balcas saw-milling activities.

By manufacturing our wood pellets on-site we are ensuring:

  • There is no waste.
  • Maximum capacity of deliveries is happening to reduce traveling.
  • For every tree we harvest, four more are planted as we are focused on sustainability.


Below you can watch a short animation in which we present our sustainable manufacturing process:


If you are interested in moving to renewable energy and doing your part to help the environment, please contact us and a member of our customer support team will help with any queries you may have.


To place an online order please click below:


ORDER NOW




If you require more assistance, place contact the team and we will help put through your order or deal with any queries you may have if they cannot be resolved by viewing our Frequently Asked Questions.

Thank You,

Balcas Energy

 

Renewable energy is the way forward for heating poultry houses

Members of our team attended a webinar recently based on providing a renewable, energy efficient solution for heating poultry houses. This was organized and recorded by Teagasc Poultry. Within the webinar, Paula, Colm and Gerard, provided lots of great information on why moving to renewable energy in this specific sector will be better for the environment as well as for your business energy usage.

The webinar was filled with lots of information around heating poultry houses and energy efficiency, and we thought it would be a good idea to provide you some key info that will be appealing and invite you to take time and watch the recorded webinar below.

Key facts:

  • Here at Balcas Energy, we have been providing wood pellets since 2004. We understand that in the farming industry time is precious and we consider that. To date, Balcas Energy supplied 1,000 poultry houses in NI and GB, using 45,000 tonnes of fuel per annum, generating 200 million kWh of heat, and producing 160 million birds.
  • The Wood pellets we produce are of consistent quality and cannot be matched by any other forms of forest biomass and when being produced there is no waste which is great for the environment.
  • By using Balcas Energy pellets over other biomass fuels such as wood chips, the heat generated is drier, the direct-fired gas heating, and this creates a healthier environment for birds.
  • The stick–carbon tax increases in ROI. IN 2021 carbon tax has increased to 33.50 per tonne and at least 100 per tone by 2030. This will be an increase of 7.50 per tonne for 10 years. However, the ROI government has created a support scheme for renewable heat which allows businesses to claim up to 38.120 per annum.


Full webinar below:

 



If you currently operate a poultry house and are keen on Balcas energy wood pellets as an energy solution after watching the webinar but have some questions, please contact the Balcas Energy support team and we will provide you with the relevant information required to make your change to renewable energy.

To view the webinar please visit 2021 – Let’s Talk Poultry Webinar – Balcas Energy Solution for Heating Poultry Houses – Teagasc | Agriculture and Food Development Authority.

 


If you’re interested in reading more about the RHI, SSRH, or the Carbon Tax being introduced in the Republic of Ireland please click below:

RHI Scheme SSRH

Summer Bank Holiday 30th of August

 

Our Customer Support office will be closed on Monday, 30th of August for the summer bank holiday. We will reopen as normal on Tuesday, 31st of August.


bank holiday
You can still order online 24/7 by visiting our Online Shop:

 

Buy Bagged Wood Pellets Buy Bulk Wood Pellets

 

Balcas Energy Team

5 reasons why you should use wood pellets

use of wood pellets

Many know what wood pellets are but don’t know their benefits. Here at Balcas, we want our consumers to have as much information as possible when considering buying wood pellets from us.

As a reminder, wood pellets are a compressed form of wood biomass and can be used in stoves and boilers for fuel, as an alternative to fossil fuels. Continue to scroll to read the key benefits of using wood pellets in the long run.

These are five key benefits of using wood pellets in the long run:

  1. A cost-effective fuel – Wood pellet prices have been extremely steady over the past decade, while all other energy sources change dramatically within the market.
  2. The carbon footprint of wood pellets – Pellet fuel can produce one-tenth the carbon as heating with oil. If the forest the wood pellet material is sourced from is managed sustainably, the carbon footprint is significantly reduced in comparison with fossil fuel heat. This is why in Balcas Energy we pride ourselves with our sustainability story.
  3. Forests can directly benefit – By using environmentally reliable sources for production, burning pellets releases fewer carbon emissions than if trees were left to decompose in the forest. This allows modern forestry organisations to enhance the rate of carbon elimination from the environment by replanting new trees which absorb CO2.
  4. Wood pellets are natural – When it comes to using pellets, there are no chemicals or dangerous extracts included that could be harmful to you or the environment. Pellet fuel is made from scratch using green energy and high-quality material from trees grown in sustainable forests.
  5. Storing is very easy – Wood pellets can be stored in any dry room. They are not easy to ignite and do not pose a significant fire hazard. Whereas fossil fuels such as fuel oil, gas, diesel fuel, and coal are easily flammable and contain have harmful odours.

Here at Balcas, we want to ensure you have as much information as possible based on our fuel. If you have any queries surrounding this topic, please check out our frequently asked questions section or give us a call on +44 (0) 28 6641 1001 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, you can contact at any time via our Contact Form online – a member of our team will get back to you ASAP.

ORDER NOW

BANK HOLIDAY 12th of July

Our Customer Support office will be closed on Monday, the 12th of July (bank holiday) and will reopen as usual, on Tuesday 13th.


bank holiday
You can still order online 24/7 by visiting our Online Shop:

 

Buy Bagged Wood Pellets Buy Bulk Wood Pellets

 

Balcas Energy Team

Do you know where your wood pellets are coming from?

Wood pellets are now manufactured and sold in many countries around the world. The uses of wood pellets are varied and include:

  1. as a replacement for coal in electricity generation
  2. for home heating in a boiler or stove
  3. commercial space heating
  4. Animal bedding
  5. Animal litter trays
  6. Industrial heat processes
  7. Heating of commercial buildings
  8. Barbeques
  9. Pizza ovens
  10. Heating of public sector buildings such as hospitals.

 

The demand for wood pellets is therefore increasing with all of these different uses. Not all wood pellets are the same. They can have different colours, different diameters and be made of different wood species all of which lead to different characteristics. Depending on the wood fibre used to manufacture them wood pellet ash content, calorific value and other characteristics vary. They can also be made from waste wood (old pallets, doors etc) or virgin timber or sawmill residues. The sustainability of any particular wood pellet depends on the source of the wood fibre and how they are manufactured.

 

Wood pellets are viewed as part of the solution for reaching net zero especially in rural or off grid areas for domestic and commercial space heating and industrial process heating. Wood pellets represent a carbon neutral, eco-friendly alternative to the traditional imported fossil fuels. Unlike heat pumps the high heat available from wood pellets make them suitable as a replacement in many more applications and existing building types without the need for high levels of upgrading and retrofitting of insulation etc to the building fabric.

enplus wood pellets


This is the main reason why, at Balcas, we talk so much about our sustainable manufacturing in our two plants, from wood obtained from our local sustainable forests. Using green energy for manufacturing the pellets is another factor that contributes to the carbon neutral benefit of our pellets. You can read about our entire manufacturing process and timber sourcing here.


Why timber sourcing is important?

 

Without proper sustainable sourcing of the timber used in the process of manufacturing wood pellets, the fight towards climate change gets affected. First, to have a sustainable timber sourcing, trees have to be replanted in place of those used and nothing should be wasted. Secondly, when someone gets imported timber this can travel half way around the globe, which means incredibly higher carbon footprint compared to our local sourcing, plus the risk of cross contamination.

 

We’ve closely followed Preferred by Nature’s latest work in timber sourcing and sustainability and we’re concerned to see how many of the imported wood pellets that are potentially sold on our market are made from timber sourced from Preferred by Nature high risk areas. In our opinion it is therefore important that attention is paid to the certification and traceability for products manufactured from timber from these areas. You want to be sure your products are of good quality and ethically & legally sourced.

In this sense, Preferred by Nature has created an interactive world map to show each country’s risk information when sourcing timber from their national forests. In the picture below, we can see how many of the world’s countries are in the high risk timber score (pictured in red):

 

where your wood pellets are coming from

The countries are colour coded depending on their Timber Risk Score. The lower the score, the more widespread the risks of illegality in the country. The score is based on Preferred by Nature’s assessment of 21 parameters relevant to timber legality. Each indicator deemed a low risk gets one point, while each indicator above low risk gets no point.

The countries are ranked to enable comparison relative to violations of applicable laws.

 

Who is Preferred by Nature?

Preferred by Nature (formerly known as NEPCon) is a non-profit organisation that supports better land management and business practices that benefit people, nature and the climate. You can read more about them and their mission here.

 

Where is our timber sourced from?

Short answer: locally. Our timber used in manufacturing wood pellets is sourced from our sustainably grown forests in the UK and Ireland. Read more here…

 

For each tree we use there are four more planted



Summer Check list for your wood pellet boiler

As is our custom every year, we wrote our recommended summer check list for optimal wood pellet fuel performance.

summer check list
Thanks to the gorgeous weather sweeping across GB and Ireland this month, home owners are powering down their wood pellet boiler and dialling back the heat to enjoy the unseasonably warm temperatures.

Off-peak periods are the perfect time to ensure that your store is clean and your boiler is prepared for the next heating season.  We have devised this four point check to help you maintain optimum performance for your biomass boiler set-up…


Balcas Energy four point check

✅ Store is Clean. 

Vacuum your store annually.  Although our wood pellets has less than 1% fine material, this can build up over time from many loads if a store is not cleaned. Check out our Summer Maintenance Guide

✅ Annual Service. 

Make sure that your wood pellet boiler is serviced annually by a certified technician to ensure the appliance is operating safely and correctly. These contacts can be found depending on your area online or via phone book. Before calling someone, please make sure they have the right certifications. Alternatively, you can give us a quick call so we can look this up for you.

✅ Thermostat. 

Check and adjust your thermostat settings to ensure your heating system is turned down for warm weather, keeping you comfortable and saving energy this summer.

✅ Advance Ordering.  

Check your store to gauge when you will need to re-order and don’t leave it until the last minute to avoid being caught out on cool summer nights.  You can easily order online 24/7 a bulk delivery or 10kg bags online via our Online Shop.

 

CHECK PRICE FOR BAGS CHECK BULK PRICES



Stay safe and warm!

Government announcement: Companies must commit to net zero emissions to win major government contracts

We’re delighted to hear and support the UK government’s announcement that businesses must commit to net zero by 2050 before they can bid for major government contracts.

net zero carbon by 2050

Any firm applying for a public sector contract worth more than £5m a year will have to meet the criteria from September.

From September, firms seeking public sector contracts worth more than £5m a year will also have to publish “clear and credible carbon reduction plans” before being considered, the Cabinet Office said.

It means that all firms bidding for contracts will have to meet the new criteria – not just those who win, a government spokesman said.

Under the new plans, a carbon reduction plan will have to set out where a company’s emissions come from and the environmental management measures it has in place.

For the entire press release which outlines the new criteria please read more on the Government website here.

 

If you have a business and you’re not familiar with these new changes and don’t know how to go carbon neutral, please feel free to contact us via our Contact Us form on our site, sending us an email by clicking the button below, or give us a call at and one of our Account Managers can chat you through everything:

SEND EMAIL CALL NOW


Balcas Energy is the largest manufacturer & distributor of carbon neutral wood pellets, supplying fuel since 2004. We offer heating contracts where you can pay by kWh and help with an energy solution tailored for your business, whatever that is.

You can read more about our heat contracts and about our team here.