Straw Pellets

Straw pellets are currently a largely un-known pellet fuel, however have great potential. Example of straw residues that could be upgraded into pellets includes, wheat and barley straw. At PelHeat we have successfully produced fuel pellets from both of these materials. Please visit the Home page, to see a video of our pellet boiler burning a collection of biomass pellets. Other similar agricultural wastes which could be processed into pellets include corn cobs and stalks, among many others. All of these resources are currently seen as a waste by-product from the food industry, or in the case of oil seed rape straw the fuel industry. Therefore there is an abundance of these raw materials, that can be utilized locally.

Renewable Energy

For example chicken and pig sheds have to be heated in winter months in some locations, which can be very expensive via oil or gas. Straw pellets could be used for this purpose, and the waste straw used for animal bedding could then be reprocessed into pellets also, to provide heat for the barn. In fact all the heating requirements of the farm could be meet by straw pellets. Therefore straw fuel pellets are a very renewable form of energy. Excess straw fuel pellets could also be sold into the local community to generate additional income for the farm.

Burning straw fuel pellets however does generate a higher ash content than wood pellets, and there is the issue of possible clinker, slag and corrosion. To learn more about these issues please visit the Pellet Stove and Boiler Guide.

Wood Pellets Cost

The cost of straw pellets compared to wood pellets would be substantially lower also. As the raw material is far more abundant, and available at a much lower cost. Also straw pellet production requires a lower energy input, with a higher productivity rate. Therefore the cost of production is much lower. Finally if the pellets are produced and used within the local area, pellet transportation costs are substantially reduced. Not only does this benefit the consumer, it also benefits the environment as there is a lower carbon foot print. 

Pellet Mill

Straw is a low density material, and once it has been processed ready for the pellet mill, it is in a very light powered form. Generally flat die pellet mills perform more adequately and consistently with straw, due to the gravity fed nature of the flat die mill.

Pellet Mill Production Guide

Pellet production can be a tricky process, it is almost never a case of just put material in a pellet mill and pellets emerge by chance. To produce pellets, and particularly quality pellets, several variables have to be controlled and adjusted to achieve the best quality with productivity and minimum energy input. To help individuals and organizations interested in pellet production, we have developed this guide.

The Wood Pellet Production Guide © PelHeat Ltd - Straw Pellets