 Green Heat News
September 2010
Issue No. 14
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Dear friends,
The Alliance for Green Heat was founded to be an aggressive
advocate for clean, efficient wood and pellet stoves and boilers. We need your support to continue and
expand our work.
I want to invite you - as an individual, an organization or
a company - to become a member of the Alliance for Green Heat. The first 250 members will be entered
into a drawing to win a free wood or pellet stove (first prize), or a ton of
pellets or a cord of wood (second prize). Many thanks to Jotul for donating a wood stove and to Wood pellets.com
for donating a ton of pellets.
Thank you for your support,
Sincerely,
John Ackerly and the Green Heat team
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Alliance for Green Heat projects & activities
Become a member and win a stove or a ton of pellets!
The Alliance is launching its first membership drive to build support for our work and our mission. Please consider becoming a founding member of this exciting non- profit group that is dedicated to promoting clean, high-efficiency and affordable wood heating. The first 250 people to join will be entered into a drawing to win a free wood or pellet stove for first place, or a ton of pellets or a cord of wood for second place! To learn more details and donate, click here.
Maryland: A social justice case study in residential renewable energy incentives
Maryland, like many states, provides generous grants to families who can afford solar, geothermal and wind systems.The
only major renewable left out of Maryland's programs is wood for heat,
despite the existence of modern, clean burning systems like pellet
stoves and advanced wood combustion (AWC) that are popular in Europe. Full article: click here.
Alliance backs progressive wood burning ordinance
The Davis City Council (Davis, California) is considering the most progressive 'No-burn' day ordinance yet proposed in the country. This ordinance recognizes the benefits of clean high-efficiency wood stoves
while controlling unhealthy burning practices. The nuanced approach
Davis may take on the levels of emissions produced by different stoves
is unique and could become a valuable model for other cities. To read the Alliance's letter of support, click here.
Alliance helps form firewood CSA
The Alliance is working with
Seneca Creek Joinery to use the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model to
distribute firewood. CSAs establish a
direct relationship between a farm and customers. Seneca Creek Joinery is offering wood to residents of Takoma Park, MD who use wood stoves to lower their fossil fuel usage,
that comes from the urban wood waste stream. Customers pledge
to keep the the wood covered and dry and burn hot fires in EPA certified stoves. For more info: woodsurgeon.com
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Washington Watch
National wood stove
rebate program still possible
Later this week the House will consider H.R. 4785, the Rural Energy
Savings Program Act, a bill authorizing new energy efficiency loan
programs. A total of $4.25 billion is authorized over five years for the
HOME STAR program. forgreenheat.blogspot.com
PACE programs stalled
The much heralded PACE programs, which
would allow homeowners in many states to finance wood and pellet stoves
and boilers with a long-term loan attached to the home's property
tax bill, have ground to a halt. To read more: forgreenheat.blogspot.com
Washington Post editors question energy subsidies for the rich
A recent editorial in the Washington
Post, "Low Voltage," criticized the DOE's support
for a electric car battery plant on the grounds that "electric cars
will be far too expensive for anyone but upper-income Americans." But why focus on electric car batteries when the exact same phenomena
is occurring with residential solar PV, geothermal and wind energy? To ready more: forgreenheat.blogspot.com
LIHEAP funding to fall short for coming winter
The Alliance for Green Heat is working
with heating assistance groups and trying to expand the opportunities
for low income homes that use wood and pellets for heat. LIHEAP data
provides some extremely interesting insight into low income families
that heat with wood.
For more:forgreenheat.blogspot.com
Playtime is Over: Why September Means Biomass Advocacy or the Consequences of Inaction
Joseph Seymour, a BTEC Program Associate, calls biomass stakeholders to action at the start of the heating season and Congress' return to session.
For more:biomassmagazine.com
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From the Newsroom
National
Bill
Cook, a biologist at the Michigan State University Extension runs
through ten popular wood energy myths gleaned from the mainstream media
and websites.
$147,000 grant to promote biomass energy conservation
The Forest Guild of New Mexico receives grant to
promote innovative logging practices that sustain forests and use
biomass to create energy in nine Northeast states.
Green and clueless
The
most common choices made by people to reduce their carbon footprints
are often the least effective. Home weatherization, investing in
efficient wood stoves and replacing old boiler filters are just some methods that can make a real difference.
Study finds wood heat on rise in Fairbanks
A study commissioned by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has found a 7% increase in the use of wood heat in the borough of North State in Fairbanks since 2006
Eastern Arizona changeout kick-off
The HPBA and the Arizona Chapter of the American
Lung Association kicked-off the Eastern Arizona Wood-stove Changeout in June. Funded with $750,000 from a major settlement
organized by U.S. EPA, this changeout offers cash incentives for low
and middle income families.
County to evaluate energy potential of waste wood for heating and cooling public buildings
Officials in Baltimore County Maryland announced that
the County is working to evaluate the potential to use waste wood as a
renewable source of energy for heating and cooling County buildings.
Connecticut towns move to ban outdoor furnaces
Connecticut is only New England state other than Rhode Island that still allows in the
installation of the polluting traditional outdoor boilers. More towns are now
seeking simply to ban them.
Outdoor wood boiler rules being draftedThe Board of Supervisors for King Georges County, New York agreed by unanimous vote to review rules addressing the use of outdoor wood boilers in the county after complaints surfaced of improperly placed and maintained wood stoves adversely effecting air quality. |
Upcoming conferences
Heating the Northeast April 13, 2011
Heating the Northeast
with Renewable Biomass conference will be April 13-14, 2011 at the Radisson
Hotel in Manchester, NH. Look out for the updated website at www.heatne.com. In the meantime mark your calendars and spread the word about this important event focusing on bringing together diverse interests in biomass heating fuels.
Capitol Hill briefing on renewable thermal energy and waste heat Sept. 16, 2010
On Thursday, September
16 the Environmental and Energy Study Institute is holding a briefing on Capitol Hill on
how district energy systems, local renewable thermal resources
and power plant "waste" heat can reduce fossil fuel use. For more info check out eesi.org
National energy affordability conference
The
National Fuel Funds Network and National Low Income Energy Consortium will host The
National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference in Ft Lauderdale
on June 27 - 29, 2011. This is the largest event of its kind in the US on affordable home energy and other utilities for low-income households.The intent
is to provide valuable information for energy assistance professionals
and build national awareness of energy poverty. energyandutilityconference.org
EPA sustainable biofuels webinar, Sept. 21, 2010
On Tuesday, September 21, 9:30-11:00 AM biofuel stakeholders will discuss sustainability indicators and best practices throughout the biofuel supply chain. In particular, they will look at the guiding principles
of sustainability and examine policy mechanisms for managing biofuel concerns. Issues with forest sustainability will also be addressed. To register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/438027121
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Did you know?
If the U.S. reaches DOE's
target of 20% of U.S. energy demand achieved with combined heat &
power, it would save an estimated 5.3 quadrillion BTUs of fuel annually?
(Equivalent to half of all U.S. household energy). CHP Report 12-2008 |
Quote of the month
"We have 8 beautiful months here
and then we have to endure 4 months of summer."
-Stove Black Richardson,
Owner of Good Time Stove Co.
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Paid Internship
The Alliance for Green Heat is currently looking for a researcher who is passionate about renewable energy policy. To learn more about this position, click here.
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The Alliance welcomes:
 Tatiana Butler
Program Manager
Tatiana is the lead researcher and coordinator for a year long project preparing a toolkit on incentivizing wood heat technologies.
more info
Keith Krosinsky
Researcher
Keith is a senior at American University majoring in political science with a concentration on public policy
more info
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Please Support Our Work!
Thanks To...
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The Alliance for Green Heat is an independent non-profit organization working to promote cleaner and more efficient biomass heating. Please consider making a generous contribution. The Alliance is tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization and all donations are tax-deductible. You can make a secure donation online through PayPal by clicking the button below. Thank you! 
We would like to extend our most sincere thanks to all of our supporters! Your donations help us advocate for policies to help everyday Americans heat their homes sustainably and affordably.
Founders --Dr. William & Frances Ackerly, the Arbolito Foundation, Family Alliance Foundation, the Ramsay Merriam Fund and Woodpellets.com
Founding members--April Bodman, Ann Down, Tina and Dave Egan, Kim Kaston, Steven R. Kaufman & JD Doliner, John Meeker, Nick Salafsky & Julie Segre, Nina Smith & John Ackerly, Tad Welch & Ali Schultheis and Anonymous.
| | Become A Green Heat Founding Member: Make Your Donation Here |
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