Biomass boiler manufacturer FARM 2000 is celebrating 40 years of boiler production, with more than 3000 installations to-date.

Established in 1976 and manufactured in Worcestershire, the boiler range has grown from small 50kW hand-fired straw and wood fired boilers, to modern RHI compliant 300kW boilers, which are tractor loaded with big bales and logs. The name FARM 2000 was conceived by its founder Peter Teisen to project the futuristic concept, at that time, of farmers producing their own energy.

As well as producing the boilers, FARM 2000 provides comprehensive advice on their installation and operation, based on a wide experience of domestic and commercial heating, grain drying, heating for glasshouses, piggeries and dairies. Boilers are installed throughout the UK and exports have included Norway and other European countries, the USA, Canada, Papua New Guinea and Kenya.

The company prides itself on its relationship with its many customers who happily provide useful feed-back on fuel types and boiler operation. Peter Teisen said: “Our close contact with customers is extremely important to us, not only so we can ensure everything is working well, but also because most of our customers are kind enough to show their installations to other farmers considering a boiler. We strongly encourage anybody planning to install a biomass boiler, to visit at least one installation to check it is the right model and fuel type for them.”

FARM 2000 boilers are batch loaded, usually once or twice per day, depending on model size, heat demand and fuel type. Control is automated to provide primary and pre-heated secondary air at the appropriate time in the burning cycle and by being connected to a large accumulator tank, they can burn the entire fuel charge through without interruption. This ensures ideal combustion conditions for maximum efficiency (up to 80% nett) with little or no smoke. With few moving parts, the boilers are easy to operate and maintain, and there are many boilers in operation that are well over 35 years old.

A major advantage of FARM 2000 boilers, is that they burn most types of biomass in its readily available form including cord, wood and bales of straw. Other than ensuring it is dry, usually by natural means, and stored under cover, no additional process, such as chipping, pelleting, or bricketting is required. This reduces fuel costs, and is more sustainable, as no additional energy is needed. Although FARM 2000 boilers are RHI compliant on straw and wood-logs, they are not subsidy dependent, making them perfectly viable with or without RHI.

Pictured above right is Peter Teisen with the 3000^th boiler