Alcohol burning fireplaces: Warm, green and arty

My favorite backpacking tool is my Jetboil, which boils water faster than my home stove, even at 10,000 feet. That means quick morning coffee and oatmeal, and easy dinners. The same idea has come to home heating — warming up a room with an alcohol-based fire that is also attractive and eco-friendly.

Australia’s EcoSmart (not to be confused with organic pesticides, water heaters or design software marketed under the same name) sells indoor and outdoor fireplaces that double as pieces of modern art and run on denatured alcohol, which is defined as a biomass fuel.

Like most booze, denatured alcohol is ethanol, which can be produced from sugar and a variety of other plants. However, it has poisonous and unpalatable additives to make it undrinkable. This means it is not subject to sin taxes and other premiums added to most drinkable alcohol. To the contrary, it is eligible for up to $1,500 in tax credits under the renewable energy provisions of the 2009 stimulus bill.

EcoSmart fireplaces emit negligible amounts of carbon monoxide, and no other harmful gases. Thus, they don’t need flues, chimneys or other fixed ventilation systems. They also don’t need hookups to natural gas lines. They can be moved around the house for convenience, efficiency or aesthetics.

EcoSmart’s core business is the basic burner, which are sold in five sizes can be inserted into any frame. The last addition is the XL burner, which has a long, thin flame and won an award from Hearth & Home Magazine. The XL burner uses 0.2 gallons per hour to create nearly 10,000 BTU and heat 270 square feet of space.

The company’s frames include a white sphere, a red cube and the Zeta, a red clamshell that won an Australian design award. 

Blog by: Steve Graham