Organic Energy, the official distributor of ÖkoFEN products in the UK, is answering

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why wood pellets? Does burning wood not generate pollution?

A: It is true that the combustion of wood fuel releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, the amount of carbon dioxide released is only equal to the amount which was absorbed as the tree grew prior to felling. Unlike fossil fuels which are not being replaced as we burn them, wood fuel is an infinitely renewable resource: provided we replant as many trees as we fell, there will always be a supply of fuel and it will never provide a net increase in carbon dioxide levels.

Of course, a small amount of additional energy is required to harvest, process and transport wood pellets. At present, electricity is used for the production process and petrol or Diesel for transport. However, being an indigenous fuel the distance which wood pellets are transported is far less than the distance oil travels to reach us, and the amount of energy used in the production of wood pellets is significantly less than that used to refine crude oil.

Overall, when burnt efficiently and cleanly as it is in an Ökofen system, woodfuel is as renewable an energy source as you can get.

Q: Can I replace my gas or oil boiler with a wood pellet boiler?

A: Yes - provided you have enough space. An Okofen wood pellet boiler is as automated and easy to use as a gas or oil boiler, and can supply a similar heat output. However, it is important to realise that these are boiler room machines, not kitchen appliances. A wood pellet boiler and pellet store require a very minimum of 8m2 floorspace, and preferably 10m2 or more. See the Okofen sizes page for more details.

Q: Does the automatic wood pellet boiler have to run continuously?

A: No. The boiler is fully automatic, and indeed has complete electronic control over the entire heating system. It will match the heating requirements by modulating (i.e. running at less than full capacity, something which wood pellet boilers do extremely efficiently unlike many wood chip or log boilers), and by cycling (i.e. running to a timetable or shutting down when there is no demand for heating). Of course, being fully automatic, the boiler re-ignites itself electronically whenever heat is required meaning that the building occupant need know nothing about the boiler and its controls.

Q: Can I use my current radiators and plumbing?

A: Yes, provided they are in good condition and were originally designed to be of a suitable size and specification for your building. And if your current radiators are in poor condition or are unsuitably sized for the heat load, they will prove to be inefficient with whatever heating system you use, so are better replaced in any case.

Q: Can I use other fuels in the automatic wood pellet boiler?

A: No. An Okofen automatic wood pellet heating system supplied by Organic Energy is a piece of precision equipment designed to run most efficiently on a high quality supply of dry, dense wood pellets. For more information on pellets, please see the wood pellet page.

Q: How much will it cost to run? Can I get a grant towards the installation cost?

A: Please see the costs and grants page.

Q: Can solar water heating provide central heating?

A: No. Unfortunately in the UK it does not make any sense to use a solar water heating system to drive the central heating. In the summer when the sun is warm enough to provide sufficient energy there is no need for central heating, and in the winter when the central heating is switched on, there is nowhere near enough energy from the sun to provide the volume of hot water required by a central heating system. In some European countries it is common practice to install a very large array of solar panels and generate sufficient energy to supply a central heating system. This is because, in countries such as Austria and Germany, although the ambient winter temperatures are cold, the sunlight is still strong enough to provide sufficient energy. However, in the UK the sunlight is much weaker in the winter, partly because of cloud cover and partly because we are further north.

Q: Can I use solar water heating and a wood pellet heating system together?

A: Yes, absolutely. Solar water heating and central heating boilers are a perfect match. In the winter, when the sun does not provide sufficient energy to ensure a supply of hot water, it is no problem for the boiler to take on this demand because it is already running and providing central heating. And in the summer months when the boiler is normally switched off because the central heating is not in use, very often the sun will provide sufficient hot water for your shower, bath, washing machine and dish washing needs.

Q: Can I use my existing boiler with a solar water heating system?

A: Yes, normally they will work together very well. In the winter, when the sun does not provide sufficient energy to ensure a supply of hot water, it is no problem for the boiler to take on this demand because it is already running and providing central heating. And in the summer months when the boiler is normally switched off because the central heating is not in use, very often the sun will provide sufficient hot water for your shower, bath, washing machine and dish washing needs.