Biomass systems cut heating costs at school

[Fledermaus]

KANE - Three and a half years ago, the school board of the Kane Area School District asked its facilities Manager John Rook if it could heat the school with a biomass system.
During a Pennsylvania Fuels for Schools & Beyond public meeting at the school Thursday, Rook said when he was asked that question, he could only tell the board, honestly, "I don't know." Knowing little about biomass over three years ago, Rook is now comfortable and confident operating and maintaining the school's $1.4 million biomass project which has been online since December.
Of the project costs, $655,000 was paid for through grant funding.
Rook said the school used to pay between $105,000 to $125,000 annually in natural gas heating costs. With the biomass system, those heating costs have been reduced to $40,000 annually.....

The system self-operates 24-hours-per-day, seven-days-per-week. An auger feeds the wood chips straight from storage area to a conveyor belt where chips that are too big for the system to handle are sorted out. The chips are then auto fed into the system, and the maintenance crew monitors its functions by a touch screen computer system.
Rook said on the coldest of days, the system will produce about 30 gallons of ash, which is then used on the school's parking lots when it is icy.

http://www.leader-vindicator.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20296543&BRD=2758&PAG=461&dept_id=572984&rfi=6

[comtec]

1. KEWL! However I think it could be improved upon

For example, they have a massive supply of slav...er... I mean interested, and motivated student, they don't need a conveyor belt :) They can lash...er... i mean set up an "exercise wheel" that the student can turn ;)

In all seriousness, that is very kewl, and im pretty sure they can cut down additionally on costs by using trimmings, etc as fuel, etc.

Overall, that is very kewl!

It looks like they'll get their money back in about 8 years, which is nothing to a well built furnace.