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This may be a silly question, but I was wondering if anyone knows why pellets can't be made from dead fallen leaves? There must be a reason, but it sure would be nice -- they're free, they grow, they fall, we get rid of them.
There is a process to making pellets, i would think the first problem is getting raw material. I dont think i will see leaf farms anytime soon, and homeowners woulndt like some manufacturing company in there front yard collecting leaves. Paper and wood is a lot easier to harvest.
I live in Maine. Homeowners rake them and haul them off to the nearest landfill or community compost pile as a sort of fall and spring ritual. I'd rather haul them off to a pellet manufacturer. It's such an obvious fuel source and Mother Nature has provided this ongoing source of material. I hope someone knows the answer to why it can't be done. If we can burn switchgrass and corn, why not pelletized leaves?
I think that leaves would require a binder. The sawdust has lignites (I think that's what their called) cellular material that when compressed acts as a natural glue. Maybe the leaves would do the same thing. Look in the members list for a member named Jonas. He owns or works at a pellet mill out west. PM or email him and he can probably explain. You'll have to mail him though as I don't think he'll see this thread he hasn't posted for months now.