Buyers should compare delivered fuel against a written specification, batch report and agreed test method. This guide outlines the information to request and how to document sampling, results and any discrepancy before placing a bulk order.
Key Parameters to Specify
| Parameter | BBI Agro-Pellet Specification | What to Confirm for Any Supplier | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| GCV (Gross Calorific Value) | 3800–4200 Kcal/kg; confirm the basis and batch result | Specification, reporting basis and batch result | Use with delivered price and measured boiler performance to compare useful-heat cost |
| Moisture | Below 10%; confirm the batch result | Specification, reporting basis and test method | Relevant to fuel condition and useful heat |
| Ash | Below 10%, typically 2–8% depending on feedstock | Specification, reporting basis and batch result | Ash quantity and behaviour depend on fuel and equipment |
| Durability and fines | Request the measured result and test method if specified | Agree a sampling and test method relevant to handling | Handling and feeder effects depend on the product and system |
| Sulphur | Below 0.1%; confirm the batch result | Specification, reporting basis and test method | Consider alongside the site's emissions requirements |
What to Check in a Batch Report
Request the available batch lab report and confirm that it identifies the tested material, test method and reporting basis. If the purchase requires independent testing, name the laboratory and procedure in the contract. Depending on the specification, useful reported parameters can include:
- Proximate Analysis: Moisture, Ash, Volatile Matter, Fixed Carbon
- Gross Calorific Value (GCV) — bomb calorimeter method
- Ultimate Analysis: Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Sulphur, Oxygen
- Bulk Density (kg/m³) — affects storage and feeding system design
BBI batch lab reports are available on request. BIS has published standards for solid biofuels (IS 18724:2024 for pellets and IS 18725:2024 for briquettes from agro and herbaceous residues); BIS marking is voluntary and BBI does not claim BIS certification.
Receiving and Sampling Checks
Record the delivery identity and visible condition, and collect samples only using the sampling procedure agreed with the supplier. Visual checks can document a lot but cannot establish GCV, ash, moisture or durability. Use a suitable laboratory method for contractual acceptance and involve the boiler team before any combustion trial.
Questions to Ask Suppliers
- Can the report be linked to the delivered batch?
- What are the GCV reporting basis, test method and sampling procedure?
- Which product dimensions and handling characteristics are specified?
- What is the order minimum, delivery schedule and written process for discrepant results?
Writing a Purchase Specification That Can Be Enforced
Put each parameter in the purchase order with a limit, reporting basis, test method and sampling procedure. Clarify how a result outside the agreed limits will be reviewed and resolved; writing these terms does not eliminate the possibility of a dispute.
- GCV in Kcal/kg on the reporting basis agreed by both parties; BBI's agro-pellet specification is 3800 to 4200 Kcal/kg.
- Moisture below 10% and ash below 10%, typically 2 to 8% depending on feedstock.
- Sulphur below 0.1%.
- Diameter, length range and a limit on fines in the delivered lot.
Sampling Is Where Most Disputes Begin
Agree the sampling points, sample handling, retained portions and any referee-test process before the first delivery. Use the same documented procedure for both parties and identify each sample with the delivery and batch details.
Reading a Lab Report, Line by Line
Check the report header first. Does the batch number match your delivery? Is the date close to dispatch? Then look at moisture and ash together, since both change the useful heat. Look at the sulphur line and the GCV basis. If the report lists ultimate analysis, carbon and hydrogen values help you judge combustion air needs. Treat any report you cannot link to a batch as marketing material, not evidence.
Standards that exist
A BIS standard exists: IS 18724:2024 for pellets and IS 18725:2024 for briquettes made from agro and herbaceous residues. BIS marking is voluntary, so many perfectly usable fuels are sold without it. We do not claim BIS certification; our specification is confirmed by the batch lab report, available on request. Use the standard as a vocabulary and a checklist when drafting your own limits rather than as a badge.
Physical Checks That Complement the Lab
Durability affects feeder behaviour as much as chemistry does. Our guide to the pellet durability index explains how fines form and why they matter on screw feeders and pneumatic lines. For the heating value itself, what GCV means for biomass pellets covers the basis question in more depth.
Matching Fuel Quality to the Boiler
The same pellet behaves differently in a travelling grate, a fixed grate and a fluidised bed. Ash content and its fusion behaviour change with feedstock, so ask which residues went into each batch and report clinker or slagging observations back to the supplier. Over a few deliveries you build a feedstock-by-feedstock performance record for your own furnace, which is worth more than any generic grade label.
Questions to Ask Before the First Order
- Can you show a batch report that matches the lot I will receive?
- What basis is the GCV stated on?
- What is your process if my lab result falls outside the agreed limits?
- Is a 25 MT trial available before a larger agreement?
More on comparing suppliers is in how to choose a biomass pellet supplier in Gujarat.
Contact BBI to request the available batch lab report and discuss the product specification.
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