“This year, the heating season in Ukraine will probably be one of the most difficult. Against the background of attacks on gas infrastructure, one of the options for providing heat is the use of solid biofuel. This is stated in the material of RBC-Ukraine. What are the types of firewood? The main difference between the types of firewood is the hardness of the wood. They are divided into hard-leaved and soft-leaved species, the expert explained”, — write on: ua.news
This year, the heating season in Ukraine will probably be one of the most difficult. Against the background of attacks on gas infrastructure, one of the options for providing heat is the use of solid biofuel.
This is discussed in the material RBC-Ukraine .
What are the types of firewood
The main difference between the types of firewood is the hardness of the wood. They are divided into hard-leaved and soft-leaved breeds, explained Yevhen Oliynyk, an expert of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine.
“Hard-leaved breeds give more energy when burned, while soft-leaved ones burn faster and release less heat,” the specialist added.
Hardwood species include oak, beech, hornbeam, ash, maple, acacia, birch, cherry, sycamore. Soft-leaved trees are pine, aspen, poplar, linden, willow, alder and birch.
The moisture content of the wood is also an important factor. Freshly cut wood has too high humidity – up to 50%, so it burns poorly, smokes and wastes part of its energy on water evaporation, noted Oliinyk. For domestic use, the humidity level should not exceed 35%.
“In order for firewood to burn well, it must be dried. In natural conditions, this lasts from half a year to a year, then the humidity drops to 20-30%,” the expert explained, adding that specially dried firewood, which undergoes heat treatment in drying chambers, gives the most heat.
A specialist of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine also gave some advice to consumers:
- buy firewood in advance and store it under cover for several months;
- if the wood has a large diameter, it should be split to speed up drying;
- remove the bark – this will help the wood to release moisture faster;
- before burning, bring the firewood into a warm room for a few minutes so that it warms up – then the burning will be more efficient.
How much does firewood cost?
You can officially buy firewood in Ukraine through the state online store “DrovaE” or directly at the branches of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”. The price of a cubic meter of wood, which is officially sold by forest farms, ranges from approximately 700 hryvnias to more than 3 thousand hryvnias.
In most cases, the cost is 1–2 thousand hryvnias per cubic meter. It should be taken into account that the indicated amounts refer to unchopped firewood and do not include the payment of delivery.
“The price indicated on the website does not include delivery, quantity or packaging. Sometimes the transportation costs can be equal to the cost of the firewood itself,” Olijnyk explained.
Forest farms usually sell freshly cut wood, while private companies buy it in the spring, dry it, chop it, bag it or put it on pallets, which increases the final cost, the expert added. “Such companies provide a higher-quality product, but the price is also higher – sometimes twice as much as compared to forest farms,” he noted.
In online stores, the price of firewood varies significantly and depends on the type of wood. On one of the websites selling biofuel, the price of firewood ranges from 1,800 to 2,300 hryvnias per cubic meter. On another trading platform, firewood is offered in the range of 2,500–3,100 hryvnias per cubic meter. In addition, there are chopped firewood in boxes on sale – their price varies from 5,400 to 6,900 hryvnias for 2.1 storage meters (a storage meter is approximately 0.7 cubic meters of chopped firewood – ed.).
Before the start of the heating season in 2025, the price of firewood increased by approximately 20%, Oliynyk noted, and added that firewood should be bought in advance – immediately after the end of the season.
“This allows you to get a lower price and dry the wood before autumn,” Olijnyk explained.
What are pellets and their prices
Pellets are an alternative to firewood in the form of small pellets. They are made from products of wood processing or agricultural production, explained the manager of the company Heathub, which specializes in the sale of heating systems.
They are made from sawdust, sunflower husks, straw or other plant residues. Compared to firewood, pellets have a much higher calorific value.
“The pellet gives two and a half times more energy than ordinary wood,” the expert said in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
Another advantage is the possibility of automating the heating process. Pellet boilers are equipped with a special burner that can work autonomously for up to a week without additional intervention.
“You load the pellet, the boiler works for a whole week, then you clean it of ash – and start it again. Everything happens automatically,” – explained the Heathub expert.
As for the cost of this type of solid biofuel, there is a wide range of prices on the market. According to the manager, the average price is from 6 to 10 thousand hryvnias per ton, although on some sites the price reaches 14-15 thousand. It all depends on the type of raw material.
“Wooden pellets are usually more expensive because they have a higher efficiency. Sunflower husk pellets are cheaper, but also less energy efficient,” he clarified.
What are briquettes and how much do they cost
Fuel briquettes are compressed woodworking waste – actually sawdust, which is formed into dense blocks under high pressure, explained a representative of Heathub. “They are denser, burn longer, but the boiler cannot work on them automatically, as in the case of pellets,” the specialist said.
He calls the duration of burning the advantage of briquettes. If firewood burns in an average of 4 hours, then briquettes can maintain heat for up to 8 hours, although at a slightly lower temperature. This type of fuel is convenient for domestic use in small boilers or fireplaces.
Fuel briquettes differ in shape and manufacturing method. The three most common types are NESTRO, RUF and Pini&Kay.
NESTRO – have high density and burn well. Their disadvantage is sensitivity to moisture. In online stores, this type of fuel briquettes is sold for an average of 12,700 hryvnias per ton.
RUF – square or rectangular briquettes that resemble bricks. They have the lowest density among the main types and are also not very resistant to moisture. Such briquettes cost an average of 11,200 hryvnias per ton.
Pini&Kay – cylindrical or multifaceted briquettes with a hole in the middle, which improves air supply during combustion. They are made at a high temperature (up to 350°C), so the surface becomes strong and moisture-resistant. In online stores, Pini&Kay briquettes cost an average of 12,500 hryvnias per ton.
What fuel to choose
Firewood remains the basic option for classic furnace heating and simple solid fuel boilers, noted Yevhen Oliynyk. “Firewood is a traditional fuel for ordinary stoves, stoves and boilers,” he said.
The main advantage of firewood, in his opinion, is its availability and low price. However, such systems require constant attention: when the firewood burns, it must be placed manually.
Pellets, or granules, according to the expert, are suitable first of all for modern boilers with automatic fuel supply. Such systems significantly reduce the need for human intervention: “The automatic boiler supplies pellets by itself, maintains the required temperature throughout the day and requires minimal maintenance,” the specialist explained.
However, if pellets are used in a conventional boiler, they turn into expensive and inconvenient fuel. “In the old boiler, they will have to be thrown in like coal, and it will be very expensive,” he added.
Fuel briquettes are “improved firewood”. They burn better and longer, give a higher temperature, but their price is higher than that of firewood, the expert noted.
Yevhen Oliynyk advises those who plan to install a new boiler to focus not only on fuel efficiency, but also on the realities of the energy system. Although pellet boilers are convenient, they depend on the power supply, because the automated supply system does not work without power. “In modern conditions, outages can stop the operation of a modern boiler,” he noted.
For rural areas and private houses, the expert traditionally recommends classic solid fuel boilers or stoves. “In an ordinary rural area, an ordinary boiler or a rough one is the most reliable option,” Oliynyk concluded.
