Pellet burning stoves were first introduced in the United States in the 1980’s, with over half a million now installed.

Now available in the UK, pellet stoves have many of the advantages of fossil fuel heating systems but without the associated environmental damage. These include:

• Temperature and timer controls
• Fans that distribute warm air around the room
• Automatic ignition
• High efficiencies (up to 90%)
  

In addition, pellet stoves feature a hopper to hold enough fuel for 1 to 3 days of operation and an ash pan that needs to be emptied no more than once a month to once a year (depending on the model and the frequency of use) so they are much more convenient to use than a traditional open fire or stove.

Pellet stoves look similar to traditional wood burning stoves but use modern microprocessor controls to ensure an efficient and clean burning fire. Because they use thermostatic controls and fans to distribute warm air around the room they are safer than traditional stoves, which rely on radiated heat to warm the room, making the room’s temperature uneven and the body of the stove dangerously hot.

Source: The National Energy Foundation