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Yes, in much the same manner as any other boiler. However, as many biomass boilers operate at a higher temperature, and hence pressure, than fossil fuelled boilers, with some operating at above 100C, it may be necessary to interpose a plate heat exchanger between the biomass boiler and the existing heating system.

In many respects biomass boilers can be controlled based on heat demand just as with fossil fuelled boilers. However, the much slower response of biomass boilers to changes in load mean that up to three control loops are used to control the fuel feed rate, the primary and secondary air fans, and the delivery of energy to the load including the charging/discharging of the buffer vessel. The minimisation of emissions requires carefully controlled combustion for which a Lambda sensor in the flue monitors the excess oxygen level to enable combustion to be optimised.

Many situations require one or more back-up boilers, especially those involving residential accommodation. A properly designed and installed biomass boiler will be as reliable as a fossil fuelled boiler, and in this respect the usual rules for specifying back-up boilers should be applied. However, as a biomass boiler is rarely sized to meet the peak load, the back-up boiler usually acts as a peak-lopping boiler as well. Hence, it is usual for back-up boilers to be sized to meet the peak load.

Summer hot water loads are usually very small in relation to the size of the boiler, typically 5% - 10% of the boiler rating and, as such, are always less than the minimum output of the boiler. The use of a correctly sized buffer vessel allows the boiler to be operated for short periods once or twice a week to charge the vessel. Hot water is then drawn from the buffer vessel as required to meet the load.

In addition to the boiler itself, a biomass system will require a fuel store (silo) and a mechanism to extract fuel from the store and to feed it into the boiler. The flue gases may require treatment and a cyclone grit arrestor is the most common flue gas cleaning device. Where a cyclone or other flue filtration system is fitted, an induced draught fan will be required on the flue. Finally, a buffer vessel will be required for the majority of boilers in the majority of circumstances.