From the Newsroom
International Fuel Poverty Programs in Upper Austria In Austria over 200,000 persons are facing fuel poverty. Austria has several programs to tackle fuel poverty, including a recent pilot project in which inefficient fossil fuel and electric heating systems were replaced by pellet stoves. This included a monitoring program to ensure that a learning process was taking place. Report Analyzes European Pellet Markets A 2011 report found that in 2009 Europe consumed nearly 10 million metric tons of wood pellets. The North American market grew to 6.2 million tons in 2009, with the U.S. exporting 20%. The majority of the domestic pellet use in the U.S. goes to residential homes. For more Nova Scotia Reduces Forest Biomass Available for Electricity Production The eastern Canadian province of Nova Scotia has lowered by 30 percent its cap on the amount of new forest biomass that can be used to produce power, defending the act as a measure to further protect the sustainability of forests in the province. For more National New Pellet Standards Will Offer Quality Assurance to Residential Customers The Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) is drafting pellet standards including ash content, diameter, durability, fine particles, moisture and chloride content. The standard labeling program will require third-party verification and will allow consumers to purchase guaranteed quality wood pellets. Look for it this fall. For more Pellet Fuel Manufacturers Embrace Pellet Standards Program PFI applauds the manufactures that have pledged to participate in the pellet fuel standards program, which will be implemented later this year. Quality standards have become increasingly important considering that nearly 1 million homeowners use pellets for heating. For more State Wood Energy in the Last Frontier AK: Participants in the 2011 Alaska Wood Energy Conference will explore the role of renewable wood energy in their state. Issues of climate change, local environment, and air quality will also be addressed. For more, and more CO Town Considers Lifting 16 Year Wood Stove Ban CO: The City of Glenwood Springs is considering whether to relax its ban on wood-burning stove, citing technology advances and cleaner burning appliances. For more The Politics of Outdoor Wood Boilers CT: Legislation has been introduced in Connecticut to implement a state-wide ban of outdoor wood boilers. Although 16 towns within the state have already have instituted a ban, lawmakers are having a difficult time gathering support for the state-wide ban. For more Maine Forest Service Calls for Third Round of Wood-to-Energy Project Applications ME: The Main Forest Service is requesting applications for wood to energy projects to be funded with the $2.7 million made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The main criteria is that proposals must come from the public institutions, and that projects encourage job growth and retention. For more Minnesota Town Takes a Stand for Clean Air, Restricts Installation of Outdoor Wood Boilers MN: The ordinance represents the first time outdoor wood boilers were addressed in Crosslake, MN. Obtaining a permit requires a public hearing and notification of resident neighbors. Other restrictions include property acreage, stack height and operation dates. For more New Hampshire School Switches to Pellet Heat NH: A heating system conversion at Mascenic High school from oil to pellets has resulted in a two-thirds reduction of heating bills. For more A Look Back at the 2011 Heating The NE Conference NH: The recent Heating the Northeast with Renewable Biomass conference showed signs that the biomass industry is reaching maturity. Swapping oil for biomass was the focus of the third annual conference. For more | 
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