Research and reports

This study looks at the feasibility of replacing light fuel oil boilers with wood fuel boilers at ENZAFOODS site in Nelson.  It found that the due to the variable steam demand at the site and the high cost of wood fired boilers per kilowatt, the most cost effective approach to steam supply at the Nelson site would involve utilising a relatively small woodfired boiler as a "Base Load" boiler.

This report has been commissioned by Murray Cowan of Bio-Energy Equipment Ltd to ascertain the viability of using a highly automated purpose-built wood chip type Low Temperature Hot Water (LTHW) boiler to provide hot water heating for a dairy shed wash down along with space heating and Domestic Hot Water (DHW) for nearby farm houses.

Wood used for energy does not fit well with a payment system that works using non-energy (eg. volume or weight).  The energy content of wood is closely related to moisture content, and this can vary substantially, depending on the origin and storage history of the material.  This study looks to determine the effects of moving from a weight-based payment system to a specific energy-content-based payment system at a large industrial site, using woody biomass as a fuel source on a large scale.

Moffatt's Flower Company Limited owns and operates a business engaged in the growing of flowers for supply to commercial markets. Species are grown in glasshouses under a strictly controlled environment, the main species being roses. This report looks at their conversion of their two boilers to run on wood fuel.