Work out pellet stove consumption instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Wood pellets hold about 4.8 kWh per kilogram. Fuel input is heat output divided by efficiency, so an 8 kW stove at 88% efficiency consumes roughly 1.9 kg per hour — about 13 kg on a seven hour evening, or 2.4 tonnes over a heating season.
Pellet consumption
input kW = output / efficiency; kg per hour = input kW / 4.8 kWh per kg
A tonne of pellets is about 1.5 cubic metres. Buying by the tonne rather than in bags typically saves 20-30% but needs dry bulk storage.
Pellets are dried to under 10% moisture, which is why their energy content is so consistent. Damp pellets swell, jam the auger and burn poorly.