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Anyone researched wood briquettes?

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  • Presently the Briquette product is not available in the UK. I looked into the demand side (a local distributor who would receive container load shipments) several years ago at the Euro Tier (Hanover) and didn't see much interest in Briquettes, only Pellets, and so didn't pursue any further. Perhaps what I was seeing was more of the big Utility (Drax-scale) as compared to a domestic market represented at the show.
    I could always bring a few Briquette samples for you as "carry-on" next month when I'm in Northern UK but then I'd have to leave my computer at home. Pellets travel so much better!
  • Greenfires
    Greenfires Posts: 635 Forumite
    There are dozens of companies manufacturing briquettes right here in the UK - I see no more need to import them than there is for African firewood for instance. Briquettes are a fantastic product if properly made - but much better (in my opinion) being sold into their home market than shipped all the way around the world. I've never dealt with imported briquettes as I couldn't in all conscience promote them as a "green" product if they'd come from the far side of Europe or even further afield.

    As far as moisture content goes - briquettes of all types are usually less than 8%. The ones we sell are between 3 and 5%. Pellets are normally a little higher. Every pressed briquette I've come across does the expanding and falling to bits thing - extruded ones just don't - they form proper embers which carry on chucking the heat out long after the flames have died down.
  • Funny how my perspective used to be in regards to the global politics of elements. It is not my position to teach anyone about politics or ideologies. My thoughts are to merely talk about things I know and present a position not of opposition but of opportunity.
    So to this discussion and this forum, we're talking about price and cost effectiveness, quality of product etc., all about price and value to the end user??
    Our products and technology stand on their own merits. Good, bad, other. That's how the big Utilities of the UK view us (Canada and USA). Drax and the other players are presently building facilities and collection points in North America.
    Anyway, I trust we are talking about quality / price to the end user and on that basis, i would gladly continue our discussion about saving money, both short term and long term.
    On this basis I am open to continue / expand this discussion or contact me directly at
    outside.the.box@hotmail.com
    Thanks again
  • alleycat`
    alleycat` Posts: 1,901 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 12 March 2013 at 10:39AM
    Drax and the other players are presently building facilities and collection points in North America.
    Anyway, I trust we are talking about quality / price to the end user and on that basis, i would gladly continue our discussion about saving money, both short term and long term.
    On this basis I am open to continue / expand this discussion or contact me directly at
    [EMAIL="outside.the.box@hotmail.com"]outside.the.box@hotmail.com[/EMAIL]
    Thanks again

    Drax are only converting to wood due to some suicidal political decision with regards to carbon emissions.

    Drax, as an example, is coal powered because it was built next to a coal mine.

    To convert it to wood burning, which is where it is going, will cost £720 million and the only reason they are doing so it because, by 2020, the punitive damages they'd have to pay to UK Gov make it no longer worthwhile to burn coal (even though we have 200 years worth of supplies...)

    Drax produces 7% of all the UK electricity supply and god knows how much wood it will have to consume from the US / Canada to power it.

    Drax is not about money saving or the environment or the "quality" of the product.

    It is about playing fast and lose with CO2 emission numbers and pretending it "fixes" something.

    Anyway, off the soap box and back to wood briquettes.
    I've trialled several types and greenfires is correct that the extruded ones don't expand, fall apart and generally last longer than the other types.

    The heat produced isn't massively different but when you factor in the life time of a briquette, 2 hours v's 45 minutes they do work out as better value for money.

    Having said all that, smokeless fuel works out cheaper than either of the above at current market rates.

    So MSE (if not environment) says smokeless is the fuel to use.

    I tend to use a mixture of hardwood, briquettes and smokeless, because i can afford to do so but financially smokeless is cheapest.

    So back on the soap box, as coal is even cheaper than smokeless, Drax converting to wood is only going to hit people in the pocket more....

    It is also, for want of a better expression, a fart in the ocean when you look at the pollution India, China and the USA currently produce.
  • Your analysis of Drax's philisophical position I agree with completely. I also think the UK 2020 BioMass program is about as silly as our wind / solar electrical purchase program.

    I'd also agree with the economics of burning coal vrs. wood composites (coal is around US$ 75 to 125/tonne FOB mine, wood composites US$ 100 to 200/tonne FOB factory). No arguement there. I only mention Drax building facilities and infrastructure in North America to highlight the fact that the bulk of BioMass products to satisfy the 2020 mandate (regardless of the cost or politics that have caused this to occur) will be imported into the UK, a great deal of it from North America.

    You have raised a more interesting question in regards to the viability of Biomass products in general. Are people burning Biomass products (compared to other solid fuels including coal based products) for economics or for green energy (perhap a blended position of both)?

    Thanks for the feedback
  • Greenfires
    Greenfires Posts: 635 Forumite
    The reasons are varied I think. We have quite a few customers who are using briquettes for green reasons, but also many who have been disappointed with the huge variability of traditional logs, always wondering if the next load will be okay, or as big as the previous one etc., who appreciate a product that is always exactly the same from year to year. There are others who need to run their stoves overnight, such as people living on narrowboats - many of them are quite keen on environmental issues, but have been unable to keep their small stoves going all night using normal logs. We sell quite a few to customers who buy them specifically to keep the stove going until they get up in the morning.
    I always advise customers who are thinking of switching from mains gas to wood fired central heating that it's likely to be more expensive - even though in energy terms, briquettes usually work out cheaper than logs. There are many people who love the idea of a woodstove, and either greatly underestimate the amount of fuel they'll use, or just assume that logs will be cheap as there are trees growing all over the place - so there's definitely room for a little customer education!
  • misty2_2
    misty2_2 Posts: 6 Forumite
    HI Greenfires

    Which Briquettes do you reccomend if i cannot obtain yours.
    Please:) hope you don't mind my asking

    misty2
  • Greenfires
    Greenfires Posts: 635 Forumite
    You can obtain ours Misty - I replied to your email a couple of days ago, and tried again last night with another one - but we deliver nationwide pretty much.
  • I have used the same supplier for a long time now, the logs are very good and the company are very reliable. They are branded golden coal and they burn for ages, made in Durham somewhere.
  • muckybutt
    muckybutt Posts: 3,761 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    ^^^ No advertising allowed thank you very much :) ^^^

    The rest of us don't so why should you be any different - read the forum rules ! :mad:
    You may click thanks if you found my advice useful
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