EFM coal burners for hydronic.

[dromader driver]

Thinking about a move to a cold area with lots of good coal available. Does anyone have experience with an EFM coal boiler for hydronic heating?

[simonmelb]

Can't help you with that, but were planning on switching our gas hydronic boiler out for an electric heat pump with quite a few solar panels on the roof. Mainly driven by wanting to reduce our carbon footprint.

Big challenge of course will be making night time usage cost effective.

Heat pumps are now over 4.5 coefficient ( eg Daikin).

Are the coal fired boilers expensive ?

[dromader driver]

Simon,

There are two boilers ex NZ and various ex US. Both around $7000 plus freight. Fuel is hard black coal not the soft brown stuff in Vic
Coal boilers Dunedin, Coal hoppers manufacturers Christchurch (http://www.mckenzieheating.co.nz/coal-boilers-dunedin)


The site we were looking at has unreliable power guaranteed to fail when cold kicks in. Both mains power and gas will come under increasing cost pressue over the next few years as well so looking at various options including biogas. Biogas using waste pine forest residue. :D