Biomass bummers

In its first year of operation, the biomass boiler system for Kalispell’s Glacier High School has had breakdowns and mechanical failures that sent clouds of black smoke billowing from the school.

These and other troubles were discussed April 8, when Kalispell school district trustees were briefed on the biomass boiler’s debut. According to Angela Farr, who heads the Fuels for Schools program for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), biomass heating is new to Montana schools, which is partly to blame for the problems. Some of the kinks in the program also have to do with the fuel being used, she says.

The Fuels for Schools http://www.fuelsforschools.info/ program offered the solution, helping nine Montana schools build biomass boilers that burn small trees for heat. These types of boilers normally use partially processed wood from mills, not whole trees, Farr notes, and that caused some problems. But with time, Farr believes the system will burn whole trees successfully.

By: Paul Peters

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