How much does the supply and storage cost of biomass fuel affect the overall operating cost of biomass boilers?
Publish Time: 2024-12-11
As an environmentally friendly and renewable energy-using equipment, the overall operating cost of biomass boilers is affected by a combination of factors, and the supply and storage cost of biomass fuels plays an important role in this.
The supply cost of biomass fuels is directly related to the operating cost of the boiler. On the one hand, the purchase price of biomass fuels fluctuates greatly, which is restricted by factors such as the seasonal supply of raw materials, market supply and demand, and transportation distance. For example, in the harvest season of biomass raw materials, the price may be relatively low, but when the raw materials are scarce, the price will rise sharply. If the boiler operating company cannot establish a long-term cooperative relationship with a stable and reliable supplier or lacks an effective price locking mechanism, the uncertainty of procurement costs will significantly increase the fluctuation range of operating costs.
Transportation costs are also a key component of supply costs. Biomass fuels are usually large in size and low in density, and they take up more space during transportation, resulting in higher unit transportation costs. Especially for some boiler use sites located in remote areas or with inconvenient transportation, transportation costs may account for a large proportion of the total fuel cost. This requires not only reasonable planning of transportation routes and selection of appropriate transportation tools, but also consideration of the balance between centralized distribution and decentralized storage of fuel to reduce the cost expenditure of the transportation link.
The storage cost of biomass fuel cannot be ignored either. In order to ensure the continuous and stable operation of the boiler, a certain amount of biomass fuel needs to be stored. The construction and maintenance of storage facilities require investment, including the construction of warehouses, the purchase of fire and moisture-proof equipment, etc. In addition, fuel loss during storage, such as quality degradation and quantity reduction due to mildew, spontaneous combustion, etc., also indirectly increases storage costs. Moreover, a large amount of fuel inventory will also occupy corporate funds and generate time costs for funds.
Overall, the supply and storage costs of biomass fuel have a significant impact on the overall operating cost of biomass boilers. In some cases, this part of the cost may account for 50% or even more of the total operating cost. Therefore, for users of biomass boilers, reducing the supply and storage costs of biomass fuels by optimizing supply chain management, such as establishing a local fuel supply network and adopting advanced storage technology and management methods, is the key to improving the economic efficiency of boiler operation and enhancing market competitiveness. Only by effectively controlling these two costs can the biomass boiler find a better balance between environmental benefits and economic benefits and achieve sustainable development and operation.
