Currently, and thinking of the protection of the environment, biomass has arisen as a renewable energy which, unlike fossil fuels, generates a scarce amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. Biomass, as a fuel, does not contribute to the greenhouse effect and is classified as CO2 neutral, given that the CO2 emitted in its combustion is equal to the amount absorbed during its growth.
Thermal generation with biomass has undoubted advantages for detached homes, residential buildings and any type of non-residential building both public and private.
Biomass takes different shapes, such as: pellets, bricks, shavings, crushed olive stones and a long etcetera. Perhaps the most evolved form is that of the PELLETS which, despite their recent introduction to Spain, are used extensively in countries such as Austria, Sweden or Germany.
The pellet is a type of elongated granulated fuel made from triturated wood. The manufacturing process is undertaken using a pressing process, with the lignin of the wood itself acting as a binding agent. No glue or any other binding substance is required other than the wood itself.
The pelletization process carries out a continuous compression of the product, reducing the volume of the prime material 3 to 5 times. In the process the material is compressed and transformed into a solid pellet of 6 to 8 mm in diameter and some 20 mm in length at a temperature of around 80ºC. This process gives the pellets a shiny appearance, as if they were varnished.
AMATEX S.A. has its own facilities in Cabrejas del Pinar (Soria) with a pellet manufacturing plant of 4000m2 where, thanks to its three pelletizing machines, it achieves an annual production of 30.000t. AMATEX, with its traditional activity of wood mechanisation and planing, supplies the pellet plant with more than half of its production. This fact together with the proximity of the greatest concentration of sawmills and carpentries in Spain, guarantees our supply of homogenous, high quality pine material with PEFC sustainable forestry chain of custody certification. We have a permanent stock of 2000t of produced pellets and 3000t of prime material.
Advantages of using pellets over other fuels:
- Economical: The price is more stable, as it does not depend on international pricing like gas or petrol.
- Ease of automation: Being a granulated material it behaves like a liquid, permitting heaters and boilers an automatic regulation capability, with it being the machine itself that adds material according to the energy demand.
- Reduction of space: Being of reduced size, the heater or boiler can also reduce in size.
- Safety: Storage does not present an explosion risk, it is not volatile, nor does it cause odours, leaks or spills. Pellets are not toxic themselves and neither are the ashes resulting from their combustion, which can even be used as a fertiliser.
- Environmental benefits: In the manufacture of pellets, shavings from sawmills and carpentries are principally used, this by-product is a residue which would otherwise be burnt or triturated for the production of board.
Information of interest:
- Considering that an average quality pellet has a calorific strength of close to 4.300 Kcal/kg, it can be established that 2 to 2,2 kg of pellets are energetically equal to one litre of gasoil and a cubic metre of natural gas.
- Given that the pellets suffer a certain degree of degradation under certain degrees of humidity, it is important that they be stored in waterproofed areas, both at point of supply and storage in buildings and homes.
- If you are thinking about acquiring pellets, it is important that you ask your manufacturer or distributor for a quality pellet. Poor quality pellets or inadequate storage can cause damage to boilers, be less efficient, produce more fly-away ash and greater aerosol emissions.
AMATEX S.A., as a company that adapts to the market and to all types of clientele, sells wood pellets in different qualities and formats:
- Premium: High quality pellet for use in heaters and boilers. It comes in three presentation formats: Sacks of 15 Kg, Big bags of 1150 Kg and by Bulk.
- Industrial: Low quality pellet and exclusively used for industrial boilers of certain characteristics. It is sold solely in Big Bags and by Bulk.
- Comforta: pellet used exclusively for horse bedding. (SEE SPECIFIC CATALOGUE).
AMATEX S.A., as manufacturing and sales company, is convinced that the quality of the product is our best business card. This is why a rigorous Production Control procedure has been implemented in our Factory to guarantee the quality of the product.
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