Overview

The University of Otago were early adopters of biomass wood fuel, converting their coal boilers to industrial pellet fuel, a carbon-neutral alternative.

Azwood facilitated a trial conversion to ensure switching to pellet fuel was both efficient and compatible with their coal boiler.

Background

From overseeing the design and construction of award-winning buildings, fixing broken light bulbs, booking office space, cutting the grass and trimming hedges, property services help keep the five University of Otago campuses humming.

We spoke with Shane who looks after all of the energy infrastructure and building management systems. It’s his job to make sure all the building's heating is controlled properly so the environment is comfortable for study and research.

“UoO have a net carbon zero goal of 2030. So the university is working very hard to get there. Any carbon reductions we can do on-site means we don't have to offset it. So changing our coal boilers to biomass boilers was a no brainer” - Shane Jenkins, Property Services

Challenges

Looking for consistent, quality fuel that would reduce their carbon emissions without breaking the bank.

Assessment

Sustainability is everything at the moment as NZ works to speed up emissions reductions by removing all coal boilers from hospitals and tertiary institutions by the end of 2025. 

Converting boilers from coal to wood can be a lot easier than some other options on the market. Pellet fuel, in particular, can be fed straight into a coal boiler and typically requires little to no changes making it a cost-effective and sustainable solution.

For the University of Otago, heat pumps were not cost-comparative at the time and would have required a lot more work, at substantially higher costs to replace all the radiators to fit the specifications required for the heat pump installation. Choosing pellet fuel, meant they could keep their current radiators and save on costs.

“From our point of view pellets are a really good option because they are a drop-in solution.” - Shane Jenkins, Property Services

Outcome

The University of Otago found that overall, Azwood’s commercial pellet fuel was a great choice due to its low maintenance requirements, minimal ash residue, and absence of clinker.

They also noticed a reduction in breakdowns resulting in consistent and smooth operation.

In conclusion, converting to pellet fuel has not only offered a consistent quality heat source but has put the University of Otago one step closer to achieving the net-carbon zero 2030 goal.

Azwood’s pellet fuel quality guarantee

The advantage of Azwood’s commercial pellet fuel is its high standards of consistency and quality. Its strict production process guarantees that every batch complies with particular specifications.

Tested specifications:

• Moisture content

• Ash content

• Fines content 

• Energy density

• Optimal length

This ensures a reliable and consistent product giving you the confidence that each supplied batch shall align with your boiler's specific criteria.

“The thing I love about Azwood pellets is the repeatability, I know when I get the fuel, it’s the same every time. I know I can tune the boiler to the pellets and get the output I need” - Shane Jenkins, Property Services