Standards - Wood fuels & appliances

 

Why do we need Standards?

Standards are used by a diverse range of organisations to ensure safe operation. As an industry group Bioenergy Association passionately support the goal to ensure that the products sold and installed in New Zealand and Australia are safe.  We also support the goal of providing a meaningful and relevant framework for consenting authorities to be informed regarding the safety of wood pellet heaters. New Zealand and Australia have joint standards but more and more the international standards are taking precedence over individual country standards.

International ISO standards for solid biofuels are listed in Solid biofuels standards ISO-TC238.

Accredited Wood Fuel Suppliers

The Bioenergy Association Accredited Wood Fuel Supplier Scheme includes suppliers of wood pellets. Wood Pellets should only be purchased from Accredited Wood Fuel Suppliers.

Pellet standards

The Bioenergy Association Solid Biofuel Classification Guidelines sets out the wood pellet standards covering: size, shape, chemical content, water content etc.  Accredited Wood Fuel Suppliers manufacture their pellet fuel to meet these Guidelines.

Within New Zealand and Australia there are three ways of being sure that the pellets you purchase meet the relevant standards;

  • Accredited Wood Fuel Supplier - An independent party has assured the Bioenergy Association that the pellets being sold for residential heating meet the standards claimed on the bag. Accreditation covers all aspects of the fuel supply business.
  • DINPlus - An international certification organisation provides independent inspection and on-going monitoring of the supplier's pellet production and certifies that the pellets meet the relevant standards.
  • ENplus - An international certification organisation provides independent inspection and on-going monitoring of the supplier's pellet production and certifies that the pellets meet the relevant standards

A simple consumer test of fuel quality is available here.

Wood pellet heater manufacturing standards

  • Approved wood pellet burners for installation in new Zealand are listed here.

Wood pellet heater installation standards

Solid wood fires must be installed in New Zealand and Australia to AS/NZS 2918 Domestic solid fuel burning appliances - Installation . This standard excludes wood pellet heaters. A new standard AS/NZS 5148 Domestic
solid fuel burning appliances—Pellet heaters—Installation is under development to cover wood pellet heater installation. 

Bioenergy Association is currently preparing a Technical Guide setting out best practice guidelines for installing residential wood pellet heaters

Emission standards

Wood pellet heaters must meet the air quality standards in New Zealand.

  • More information on the standards relating to residential wood pellet heating is available here.