Dear friends,
Winter is fast approaching and that means lots of work and opportunities in the biomass community. It is vital that we begin national and state programs to help low and middle-income families upgrade to or acquire ultra-clean biomass heating units.
Please get involved with the Alliance for Green Heat. We'd love to hear your feedback about our newsletter, and please enter our drawing for a wood or pellet stove!
Sincerely,
John Ackerly and the Green Heat Team
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Alliance for Green Heat Projects & Activities
Enter the Stove and Fuel Giveaway Contest!
Support the movement to promote clean and efficient wood heat and get a chance to win a free wood or pellet stove, or fuel for your stove! A big thanks to Quadrafire, Blaze King, Jotul, Earth's Flame and WoodPellets.com for donating the prizes. You won't find better odds in a prize drawing than this! Contest ends on Dec. 1.
To enter click here!
Quadrafire: Mt Vernon Pellet Stove. Retail Price: $3899
Emissions Rate: 0.9 gr/hr
Jotul: F3 CB
Retail Price: $1599-$2035
Emissions Rate: 3.8 gr/hr
Blaze King: Princess 1006
Retail Price: $2308-$2402
Emissions Rate: 2.42 gr/hr
Earth Flame: Fireplace Grate
Retail Price: $799.99
Emissions Rate: 2.7 gr/kg
Alliance President Calls for Social Justice In Maryland Renewable Energy Policy
Maryland provides grants to families who can afford wind, solar or geothermal energy leaving households with lower incomes to fend for themselves. AFGH President John Ackerly argues that this ignores the effective and low carbon option of heating with biomass which could help three times as many homes as traditional renewable energies for the same price. For more see page 22 in the Home & Garden Section.
Webinar on Residential Biomass Heating
November 4th, 3pm EST
This webinar will address residential biomass heating, focusing on the market overview, fuels and technologies, emissions considerations, and policy and regulatory outlook for 2010 and 2011. Featured presenters include John Ackerly from the Alliance for Green Heat, and Scott Nichols from Tarm Biomass. Kyle Gibeault from BTEC, will moderate. For More
Google Maps Show Availability of Ultra-Clean Wood Stoves in MD
To demonstrate to Maryland state officials the availability of wood stoves that emit under 2 and 3 grams of particulates per hour, Alliance researchers created this interactive map. Specialty hearth stores that advertised brands that make at least three models under 2 and 3 grams an hour were included. maps.google.com
Alliance in the News
"The Alliance for Green Heat estimates that installing an efficient wood or pellet stove in a single-family home can keep between two and four tons of carbon out of the air every year." Find out what type of stove is perfect for you in this insightful article by EcoHearth. For More
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Washington Watch
Lawsuit Seeks to Restore Clean Energy Programs Nationwide
The Natural Resources Defense Council sued the federal government in an effort to restore funding for programs that offer low-interest financing to homeowners undertaking energy retrofits and other improvements. This financing could have applied to high-efficiency wood heating units.
For More
Snowe - Bingaman Extension of 25C Tax Credit for Residential Energy Property
The Alliance for Green Heat applauds Senators Snowe and Bingaman for this discussion draft which raises the tax credit to $3,000 for heating units. Biomass stoves are a mainstay for helping working families across America reduce their fossil fuel use and affordably heat their homes.
For More |
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From the Newsroom
International Biggest Stove Change-out in History LaunchedThe US Government, with Shell Oil, Ted Turner and others pledged 50 million dollars to launch the largest stove change out program in history with the goals of reducing harmful particulate matter. For More
National Heating Help Requests Rise to Record High "Predictions are for a colder-than-normal winter, and that bodes ill for many low-income area residents. Although heating fuel prices are not expected to rise much, low-income families will end up spending more of their meager budgets to keep warm if the winter is bad." For More
High Country News: In Defense of Wood Heat Why not burn trees where they'll do some good - in your woodstove? Sooner or later, all forests burn; wildfires are part of the natural cycle. And forest fires do not practice clean combustion. Burning a fossil fuel puts carbon in the atmosphere that was sequestered. Burning wood just moves around the carbon that was already in circulation. For More
Northeast Sun: Commerical-scale Biomass Boilers Market Growing in the Northeast"According to the US Department of Energy, currently less than 5% of the thermal energy in the region is provided by renewables and more than 90% of that renewable energy comes from biomass (wood) heating." For More
States
Coast Guard Plans for Wood-pellet heat
AK: "Wood-pellet heat is getting more traction in Southeast Alaska. Coast Guard Air officials have announced plans to install a biomass boiler at their Sitka Air Station within a year. And some other building managers around the region are considering the option." For MoreFairbanks Voters Reject Home Heating Fines for Wood Smoke
AK: "Anyone worried about getting slapped with a home-heating fine can sleep a little easier. Voters on Tuesday blocked the ability of Fairbanks North Star Borough (Alaska) managers to rely partly on fines as they implement a new pollution-prevention program." For More
Clean Air Plan Sets Blueprint for Healthier Air
CA: "The Clean Air Plan, done every three years, calls for the Bay Area District (California) to consider 55 measures, plus study 18 others, to reduce smog, soot and other fine particles, greenhouse gases, and toxic air contaminants such as benzene." For MoreVermont Fuel Assistance Programs in Trouble
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Upcoming Conferences & Webinars
Forest Biomass Harvesting and Retention in Maryland Webinar: October 20th, 3pm EST
Maryland's Climate Action Plan states that "All biomass will be sustainably harvested" and the Pinchot Institute for Conservation is releasing a set of guidelines to help land managers do just that. In this webinar Brian Kittler at the Pinchot Institute discusses the new voluntary guidelines which build upon the state's existing natural resource policies.
To RSVP (May join 20 minutes before schedule start)
Shaping a Low-Carbon World: Lessons from Nordic Countries October 21st, 9-11am EST, Washington, DC
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Nordic Council invite you to a briefing examining how and why Nordic countries have achieved global leadership in low-carbon technologies and strengthened their economic competitiveness. Speakers representing industry and government from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, and Norway will discuss potential lessons for American policymakers.
For More
Release of EHHI's Report, The Dangers From Outdoor Wood Furnaces Oct. 25th, Woodbridge, CT Town Hall
Join Environment and Human Health Inc (EHHI). for the release of their latest report The Dangers From Outdoor Wood Furnaces. Smoke emissions from outdoor wood furnaces are so dense that they enter neighboring houses at all hours of the day and night and contaminate the inside air of these homes. Contact Nancy Alderman for more info.
BTEC Presents New Webinar on Residential Biomass Heating Webinar: November 4th, 3pm EST
This webinar will address residential heating with biomass, focusing on the market overview, available fuels and technologies, emissions considerations, and policy and regulatory outlook for 2010 and 2011. Featured presenters include John Ackerly, President of the Alliance for Green Heat, and Scott Nichols, President of Tarm Biomass. Kyle Gibeault, Deputy Director of BTEC, will moderate the event.
For More
5th North American Passive House Conference
November 4-7, Portland, OR
Soaring energy costs, rapid climate changes due to greenhouse gas emissions, and the demand for high indoor air quality all call for effective solutions from the building sector. Passive House deisgn also provides a soluton that puts true carbon-neutraility within reach today.
Architects and Engineers: The Missing Link in Wood Energy Webinar: November 10th, 1-2pm EST Over the next decade Americans need to renovate, replace, and construct new buildings enclosing some 65 billion square feet of commercial space. Wood combustion equipment can supply heat and cooling for this type of construction but was never seriously considered by design engineers. To participate: Log on to http://www.ustream.tv/dukeuniversity at 1:00 PM ET on November 10, 2010The ACEEE 30th Anniversary Policy and Analysis Conference Dec. 7-8 Washington, DC
ACEEE's 30th Anniversary theme is to assess 30 years of progress in energy efficiency, and build a vision for the next 30 years. The conference will explore energy efficiency policy needs and opportunities in the wake of the Nov. 2nd elections and articulate long-term goals.
For More |
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New Wood Heat Incentive Programs
Neighborhood Energy Efficiency and Wood Smoke Reduction Program: Tacoma, WA
Click Here for Details
South Central Oregon Economic Development District Woodstove Rebate Program: Klamath, OR
Click Here for Details
Residential Bulk-Fed Wood-Pellet Central Boilers and Furnace Rebate Program: New Hampshire
Click Here for Details
Fairbanks/North Star Borough Air Quality Improvement Program: Fairbanks, AK
Click Here for Details
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Poll of the Month
Its election season: cast your vote and see how others cast theirs. Should counties require firewood retailers to only sell wood with under 20% moisture content? Click here to participate
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Did You Know?
Is bundled firewood purchased from a Maryland Home Depot most likely to come from:
1. Maryland, 2. Maine, 3. Georgia, 4. Canada, 5. Estonia
(see bottom of page for answer) |
Info Request
"Only 34% of the households which burn firewood purchase their wood." If anyone has information to support or contradict this statement, please contact us!
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Research Fellowship
The Alliance has an opening for a Research Fellow. This Fellowship will provide an excellent opportunity to promote renewable energy and delve into policy research and creation. We are now accepting applications on a rolling basis for the spring and summer terms. Come join a small team of advocates who believe in the clean and efficient use of wood for heating homes and businesses. The Alliance also promotes solutions and policies that support biomass heating for low-income populations.
For more information: http://www.forgreenheat.org/about/employment.html Or email Tatiana at: tatiana@forgreenheat.org
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Office Equipment Needed!
Have a printer, scanner or computer that is still relatively up to date and in good working order that you don't need? Donate it to the Alliance for Green Heat and get a tax write-off. Contact: Keith@forgreenheat.org |
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