Wood Chip Fuel Calculator
Calculate the volume and weight of wood chips needed for a given heating requirement.
Inputs
Results
Chip Volume
20.66 yd³
≈ 11 hot tubs
Chip Weight
6.4 tons
≈ 12 grand pianos
Est. Fuel Cost$278.40
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your annual heating need in MMBtu.
- Set chip moisture content (%) — green chips run 40–50%, air-dried chips 20–30%.
- Enter boiler efficiency (%) for your system.
- Review Chip Volume (yd³), Chip Weight (tons), and Estimated Fuel Cost ($) for the season.
How the result changes with Boiler Efficiency (%)
| Boiler Efficiency (%) | Chip Volume | Chip Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 55 | 28.17 yd³ | 8.73 tons |
| 66 | 23.48 yd³ | 7.28 tons |
| 79 | 19.61 yd³ | 6.08 tons |
| 91 | 17.03 yd³ | 5.28 tons |
What each input means
- Heating Need (MMBtu)
- Total seasonal or annual heating requirement in millions of BTU
- Chip Moisture (%)
- Wet-basis moisture content of wood chips (green chips: 40-55%, seasoned: 20-30%)
- Boiler Efficiency (%)
- Overall efficiency of the wood chip boiler system (typical: 65-85%)
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input ParametersHeating Need (MMBtu) = 50, Chip Moisture (%) = 35, Boiler Efficiency (%) = 75 = 3 input(s) provided
- Calculate Chip VolumeChip Volume20.66 = 20.66
- Calculate Chip WeightChip Weight6.4 = 6.4
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