April 2011
Green Heat NewsAGH logo
Issue No. 21
In This Issue
From the Newsroom
Upcoming Conferences

Quick Links

Current Wood Heat Incentive Programs 


Residential Bulk-Fed Pellet Boilers Rebate Program: 

New Hampshire

click here

Dollar and Energy Saving Loans 

Nebraska

click here

Conservation Grant 

Kalona, IA 

 click here

 

An Alliance for Green Heat Study of these and other incentive program is funded in part by the

Forest Service's Wood Educations Resource Center:

WERC logo

Quote of the Month

"Trees from urban forests should never be land filled. They're too valuable to be wasted." -Stephen M. Bratkovich,

Utilizing Municipal Trees: Ideas from Across the Country


Research Fellowship
The Alliance has an opening for a summer Research Fellow. This Fellowship will provide an excellent opportunity to promote renewable energy and delve into policy research.  We are accepting applications on a rolling basis. Come join a small team of advocates who believe in the clean and efficient use of biomass for heating homes and businesses. For more information, click here
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 deduction. Contact:

keith@forgreenheat.org 

Join Our Mailing List

And stay up to date with all things wood heat. To sign up,

click here 

Dear Friends,  

 

With state legislatures across the country in session over the past few 

months, there are many important battles going on now to further the

responsible use of wood heat.  In Montana, a bill may strip that

state's renewable energy tax credits, including those for biomass

heaters; in Maryland a bill nearly passed that would have set strict

emission limits and provided grater benefits to lower income families

for certain biomass appliance rebates.  Vermont is starting a pellet appliance rebate program. 

 

Southern New England may finally catch up with the rest of New England

and provide badly needed restrictions on traditional outdoor wood

boilers.  Environmental and air quality groups and industry are

battling over set-back and seasonal use restrictions. For the

Alliance's positions, click here.

 

Look forward to seeing many of you at the Heating the Northeast

conference in Manchester next week!

 

The Team at Green Heat


Alliance for Green Heat Projects & Activities

 

Renewable Heat Bill Stalls in Maryland

"The Renewable Energy Act for All," that would have provided grants for wood stoves in rural areas and pellet stoves in more populated areas stalled in the Economic Matters committee of the Maryland House of Delegates. Despite widespread support for the program, some members were not comfortable with the financing. For more


Osprey Foundation to Support Wood Heat Research

The Osprey Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to the Alliance for Green Heat for research into advanced wood heat systems. The Osprey Foundation has provided significant funding for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves that aims to get 100 million homes worldwide to adopt clean and efficient cook stoves.  The public/private partnership will empower poor families, improve livelihoods and combat climate change by creating a thriving market for efficient stoves.  The Alliance will build on these themes and develop partnerships to help lower emissions and improve livelihoods in the US 

 

The Wood Heat Report Card

The April edition of Hearth & Home Magazine gave great coverage to the Alliance's Wood Heat Report Card (p. 66-67).  Check it out, if you get the magazine (unfortunately its not online). Clarification: On p. 68 in a Q &A, Richard Wright asked us... For more 

 

Wood Incentive Survey
The Alliance has developed a survey on wood heat incentives in order to better understand the issues facing homeowners, retailers, government officials, etc. Please take 10 minutes to take this important survey.

Washington Watch

EPA Black Carbon Report: US Wood Heat Accounts for 3% of US Generated Black Carbon

The EPA prepared a 386-page "external peer review draft" on mitigation options for black carbon pollution. Black carbon is fine particulate matter released by combustion of biomass, transportation fuels and other sources. Black carbon is potent contributor to climate change and reductions "can provide near-term climate benefits, particularly for the Arctic region. According to the report, approximately 8% of global black carbon emissions originate in the US and only 3% of that black carbon comes from wood heat appliances. For more

 

From the Newsroom

International

 

UK Renewable Heat Incentive - Model for U.S.

The United Kingdom is using a variety of incentives and subsidies to support the growth of renewable heating systems. They argue this reduces the import of fuels and helps fight climate change by reducing GHG emissions. For more

 

National

 

More Clothing Proposed to Cut Heating Costs
Kris De Decker
of low-tech Magazine has proposed a unique strategy for reducing the energy costs of heating structures.  The most efficient way to keep a body warm is with clothing. For more

 

M.D. Warns of Cardio-Dangers of Air Pollution

Smoke and Other pollutants have long been tied to respiratory disease but people exposed to excessive levels of pollution should also worry about heart disease. Installing HEPA filters has been shown to reduce indoor particulate matter by 60%  and wood smoke by 75%. For more

 

State

 

Bethesda Local Aims to Heat Home Entirely from Urban Wood Waste

MD: Urban Logger Richard Hoye has been collecting waste wood removed by utility crews from his hometown of Bethesda, Maryland. Riding and adult-sized tricycle with a trailer attached to the back; he has collected three to four tons in the last month. For more


Michigan Town Considering OWB Restrictions

MI:  A citizen's Committee in Escanaba has forwarded a proposal that would restrict the use of outdoor wood boilers after recieving numerous complaints about air quality.  The ban would stipulate fuel type, and enforce stack-height and set-back requirements. For more

 

University of North Carolina Tests Pellet Fuel Cogeneration facility

NC: UNC, which has pledged to be free of coal by 2020 and carbon neutral by 2050, has turned to wood pellets as one if its options for future energy needs. A first round of tests has been completed to test the ability of cogeneration with biomass fuel. For more

 

NYSERDA Announces Funding for Innovative Heating 

NY: The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has funding for the research and development of innovative heating, cooling and domestic hot water technologies for residential and commercial buildings. The expected funding is $1,400,00. The maximum project award amount if $300,000. For more 

 

Oregon Bans Phase 2 Outdoor Boilers

OR: Oregon recently adopted a rule that prohibits the sale of any solid fuel burning device that is not certified for sale by the DEQ or by the EPA/ This mainly affects outdoor wood boilers and single burn rate wood stoves. These devices are no longer exempt in Oregon. Pellet stoves, masonry heaters, cook stoves, fireplaces and antique stoves continue to be exempt. This policy, similar to ones in Washington State, has the unfortunate result in also banning the cleanest indoor pellet boilers, including those that have so successfully started replacing fossil fuel boilers in Europe. For more 

  

RI Bill Seeks Summertime Ban on OWBs

RI: A bill in the Rhode Island House, H5783, seeks setback limits and a ban on the use of OWBs in the summer, when residents use them mainly for hot water, leading to smolder fire because very little energy is needed from a huge firebox for summertime hot water use. For more 


Green Heat Helps Needy Families Heat with Wood 

VT: Jim Kane, founder of Project Green heat, has made it his mission to help out military and low-income families in Vermont during the cold winter months.His organization donates wood or pellet stoves to families that cannot afford them. For more

 

Vermont Subsidies Switch from Oil to Wood Pellets

VT: Governor Shumlin signaled his support for wood heat when he ordered the creation of a new incentive program aiming to switch households from oil to pellet heat. For more 

 

 

 

 

Washington Hops to Adopt District Biomass Heating System 

WA: Clark County, Washington is considering switching from natural gas heating to woody biomass in a move that could save the county $175,000 a year. For more 


Upcoming Conferences

Heating the Northeast With Renewable Biomass Conference 

Manchester, NH. April 14th-15th

This year's conference theme is, "Moving Forward, Getting Results." Organized by The Northeast Biomass Thermal Working Group- a coalition of biomass thermal advocates for heating and CHP.  For more 

 

Tools For Developing Community Scale Woody Biomass Energy Projects

Galax, VA. April 19th-20th  

The New River Highlands RC&D Council is hosting a workshop developing biomass energy projects for municipal, commercial and industrial facilities. For more 

 

2011 Alaska Wood Energy Conference "Making Wood Work - Local Energy Solutions"

Fairbanks, AK. April 25th-27th

Since the 2007 Alaska Wood Energy Conference, many biomass projects have moved forward.  To date, over $16 million has been awarded to 21 biomass design and construction projects. This conference will move the ball forward again. For more

 

Small-scale Energy from Forest Biomass

Smelterville, ID. April 29th

Co-sponsored by University of Idaho, this event will introduce individuals to the various applications of biomass at the individual, community and and business level. For more 

 

Wood Biomass Energy Research Symposium for the Northern Forest

University of Vermont, VT. April 29th-30th

This symposium will bring together researchers, advocates, policy makers and industry specialists to explore the benefits a biomass energy economy would have on northern forest regions. For more   

 

International Training Seminar Biomass Heating - Market Development and Technologies

Linz, Austria. May 17th-19th

Join the Energy Academy of the O.Ö. Energiesparverband for a seminar on developing regional biomass markets using the Austrian success story as a model.Topics include; the success factors for developing a regional/local biomass heating market, a technology overview (combustion, emissions), system designs, Fuel standards and logistics (wood pellets, wood chips, log/cord wood), Business and financing models, and marketing. For more

 
Please Support Our Work







Thanks Too...
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 a tax exempt 501 (c)(3) organization.

Alliance for Green Heat is funded in part through a grant by the Wood Education and Resource Center, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, U.S. Forest Service. AGH is an equal opportunity provider.

You can make a secure donation online through paypal here:

www.forgreenheat.org/support/donate

A special thanks to those who have contributed $2,500 or more between June 2009 and February 2011
-- Wood Energy Research Center (USDA)
-- Dr. William & Francis Ackerly
-- American Biomass
-- Arbolito Foundation
-- Family Alliance Foundation
-- Osprey Foundation
-- Ramsay Merriam Fund

Become a Green Heat Founding Member: Make your donation here