Almond Shell Fuel Supply
Almond shells — the hard shells left when almonds are cracked and the kernels removed — are a dry, clean biomass fuel with a high calorific value. Biyolink collects shells from almond cracking plants, verifies them with laboratory analysis and delivers them to industrial plants in bulk or in big bags — and buys from producers who have shells to sell.
What Are Almond Shells, and How Do They Differ from Hulls?
An almond has three layers: the green hull, removed at harvest; the hard shell beneath it; and the kernel. The fuel is the hard shell, separated from the kernel at cracking plants. The hull is rich in sugars and higher in ash, so it mostly goes to livestock feed and compost. The share of shell varies widely by variety; in hard-shelled varieties it is more than half the weight of the in-shell almond.
Almond growing in Türkiye has expanded quickly in recent years; the leading provinces are Adıyaman and Mersin, followed by Şanlıurfa and Muğla. The harvest is in August–September; cracking is busiest in the following months but continues through the year, so shells are available for most of it.
Typical Technical Values
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Net calorific value | About 3,600–4,100 kcal/kg depending on moisture |
| Moisture | 8–12% |
| Ash | 1–5% (rises with hull and soil content) |
| Bulk density | About 300–400 kg/m³ |
| Form | Bulk, broken hard shells |
These are typical ranges from published sources; actual values vary by lot, source and moisture. We share a laboratory analysis of every lot with our quote.
What Are Almond Shells Used For?
Almond shells are used as garden mulch and livestock bedding, and as a filler and raw material for activated carbon and composites. As a fuel they are common in boilers in almond-growing countries such as Spain: dry, with small pieces, they feed easily on screw conveyors. Their ash is rich in potassium and can melt at lower temperatures than wood ash, so in boilers that run hot, blending with wood or a suitable grate design is advisable.
- Steam and hot-water boilers (textiles, food, paper)
- Biomass power plants and cement kilns
- Greenhouses, drying plants and central-heating boilers
- Raw material for pellets, briquettes and activated carbon
Transport and Delivery
Almond shells travel in bulk on tipper or walking-floor trailers, or in big bags. Keeping hulls, leaves and soil out of the shells keeps the ash low, so cleanly separated shell from the cracking plant is preferred. They should be covered in transit and stored indoors to keep them dry. Every shipment is recorded with a waybill and a weighbridge ticket.
What Determines the Price of Almond Shells?
The price per tonne is not fixed; it changes with the season and the lot. We build our quote around:
- Moisture and ash (laboratory analysis)
- Hull, leaf and soil content
- Volume and delivery schedule
- Distance to the delivery point and form (bulk or big bags)
Have Almond Shells to Sell?
Biyolink buys the almond shells from your cracking plant or warehouse. Sign up to the marketplace for free and list them; share the volume, location and any analysis values and we will send our price. We plan the haulage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the calorific value of almond shells?
Published sources give a net calorific value of about 3,600–4,100 kcal/kg depending on moisture. Hull or soil in the shells raises the ash and lowers the calorific value; we share a laboratory analysis of every lot with our quote.
What is the difference between almond hulls and shells?
The hull is the soft green outer layer removed at harvest; rich in sugars, it mostly goes to livestock feed and is higher in ash as a fuel. Almond shells are the hard shells separated from the kernel at cracking plants — this is the product Biyolink supplies as fuel.
What can almond shells be used for?
They are used as boiler fuel, and also as garden mulch, livestock bedding and a raw material for activated carbon and pellets. For regular industrial orders we supply them in bulk or big bags.
Can almond shells be burned in a stove or central-heating boiler?
Yes. Almond shells can be burned in stoves and central-heating boilers built for solid fuel; being dry with small pieces, they also move easily on the screw conveyors of automatically fed boilers. Share your boiler manufacturer’s fuel specification and we will assess suitability together.
How can I sell my almond shells?
Sign up to our marketplace for free and create a listing, or message us on WhatsApp. Tell us the volume, the location and any analysis values you have.
How much does a tonne of almond shells cost?
The price per tonne depends on the season, moisture, cleanliness, volume and delivery point, so we do not publish a fixed price. Tell us the volume, delivery location and schedule and we will send a current quote with the analysis values.
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