You probably already know the trick of burning coffee to keep mosquitoes away. However, did you know that among the many ways to recycle coffee grounds, it is also possible to use them as cheap natural fuel to heat your house in winter? Indeed, you can transform this food waste into sticks or pellets to throw in the hearth of your fireplace or your stove to feed it. In this article, we explain how to implement this great idea as unusual and crazy as it is ecological, practical and ecological to save firewood. And with these coffee grounds sticks to burn, for sure, you will also make big savings on your heating bill!
Burning coffee grounds sticks: why bother?
The process of integrating coffee grounds into logs, firelighters or pellets is nothing new. However, with nearly 5.4 kg of coffee consumed by French people each year, it can be particularly clever to finally get started thanks to homemade! If you love this beverage, you are not likely to run out of raw material. In addition, the room will smell like coffee.
Moreover, it may seem surprising, but the pomace has an excellent caloric value. It would even be higher than 5000 MWh/ton against 4500 MWh/ton for softwood! And with around €300 for a tonne of coffee compared to €600 to €700 for a tonne of wood pellets, the calculation is quickly done! Finally, in addition to costing less than firewood, which is very expensive at the moment, it releases very little carbon dioxide.
Are there any downsides to burning coffee grounds logs?
First of all, you will have to check if your appliance is compatible with coffee grounds pellets and convert it to hybrid mode if necessary. It is also very important touse very dry coffee grounds for it to work. If it is still damp (with a humidity above 20), it may not burn well and the fire would then have difficulty lighting. Moreover, there are no major drawbacks to note except that you will not be able to not heat the house only with your coffee grounds logs. However, they can intervene in addition to other heating methods (radiator, etc.).
How to make your coffee grounds sticks?
Ingredients and tools needed:
– A good amount of dry coffee grounds
-Empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls
-A manual press and a small wooden wedge
-A funnel (or half a plastic bottle cut by you)
Also keep your used pods or filters. They will serve you!
Recipe :
1) First, plug one side of a roller using a filter or a used pod.
2) On the other side, place the funnel so you can pour the grounds inside.
3) Next, fill the roll to the top and place the wooden wedge on top.
4) You can then use the manual press to tamp the powder down carefully.
5) Once done, cap the second side with a pod or filter. Tamp again, then turn over and do the same. It’s ready !
How to make pellets out of coffee grounds?
When you have a pellet boiler, you cannot use the logs previously presented. This does not mean that there is no alternative! In fact, you may well considerinvest in a pellet machine by contributing with your neighbors or relatives, or even by renting it to make homemade coffee grounds pellets. Given the price of wood pellets, do not hesitate to get started if it seems possible to you.
Once you have the machine in question, the process is very simple. It is enough to provide two large basins and a sieve. Place one of the basins at the exit of the machine to collect the pellets. Then turn it on and pour in the coffee grounds little by little. To optimize the result, place a sieve on the second bowl, slip your pellets into it and collect the coffee grounds that have not been well processed. You will be able to pass it a second time in your device to do not waste a crumb of your precious brown powder ! All you have to do is pour everything into a big bucket when you’re done.
