Sep

Hemp as Alternative to Softwood Pellets for Green Energy

September 19, 2009 – As a cheap renewable green energy, the popularity of premium wood pellets is growing all over the world. Very little ash is produced from burning the pellets. Premium wood pellets also hemp-poster-750 have very low moisture content. The combination of a low ash and moisture content means premium wood pellets produce more heat and less maintenance. The heat and efficiency gained from pellet stoves and boilers can be as high as 99% efficient. And the with an ash content as low as 0.5%, the ash bin only has to be emptied every couple of days at the most. Some pellet stoves and boilers can operate for week’s even months without the need to empty the ashbin. Premium wood pellets are made from both softwood and hardwood waste and by-products from the wood industry. Most if not all bark is removed from the wood to achieve the very low ash content when burnt. Premium wood pellets are no doubt the best possible fuel pellets, however there is a potential future problem.

We need to move away from fossil fuels as with our rate of consumption, current rates of supply are not sustainable. Unlike fossil fuels we can grow softwoods and hardwoods, and so we can replenish resources. However the rate of growth for hardwoods and softwood trees used for pellet production is not sufficient to sustain current demand, and definitely not enough to sustain future demand. Premium wood pellets are made from waste from the wood industry, and there is only so much waste. So once all wood waste resources are allocated, are we going to cut down hardwood and softwood trees for premium pellet production? Hopefully not, as this is a very poor use of valuable resources.

To address this issue, different forms of biomass must be looked at for fuel pellets. This could be in the form of wood pellets made from willow and other fast growing wood species. It could include fuel pellets made from agricultural food crop waste, for example corncobs, wheat and barley straw. This way from growing food crops, you could obtain both food and fuel and the two are never in competition with each other. More foods crops would mean more food and fuel, without the competition for land for food or fuel.

Hemp is an amazing crop; it can used to produce food, clothes, plastics, oils and other resources. Again the waste from Hemp processing could be used for fuel pellets. Hemp pellets do have a huge potential, as unlike straw and grass pellets, Hemp pellets are low corrosion and low ash. Normally crops which are low ash, low corrosion take a long time to grow (softwoods/hardwoods) however Hemp is grown from seed to harvest within a 3 month period, with massive yields. Many people regard and Hemp and cannabis as one and the same, but they are different plants. Quotes have been made that you could smoke a field of hemp, and not feel any effects. Source.