May 2013
Green Heat NewsAGH logo
Issue No. 45

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Price of Oil

April 22, 2013: $88.81

April 22, 2012: $103.58

 

Source:www.ycharts.com  

In Case You Missed it

Top stories in past issues:  

Pellet Stoves Make Huge Gains in Market Share 

 

Victory in Utah   

 Design Challenge Judge Profile
Rod Tinnemore is a recognized wood heating appliance expert, educator, and public speaker, who works for Washington State Department of Ecology's Air Quality Program. Washington State is recognized nationally for its sector leading, conservative approach to regulating the use of wood heating appliances. Rod works closely with federal, state and regional air quality organizations and wood heating appliance manufacturers, on compliance, emissions, and standards initiatives.

People's Choice

 

As of May 1st, 2013, the teams leading the People's Choice voting are:   

Kimberly Stove (26%)

Helbro Stoves(23%)

Travis Industries (16%)  

Woodstock Soapstone (10%)   

Visit the Popular Mechanics polling page to cast your vote for the most innovative stove in the Challenge! (Only one vote allowed per IP address.)

 

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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 credit. Contact: melissa@forgreenheat.org 

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Wood Stove Design Challenge Updates  

  

The National Park Service confirmed the dates of the Wood Stove Decathlon to be held in front of the USDA Whitten Building on the National Mall, right at the Smithsonian metro stop. The award ceremony is scheduled for the afternoon of Tuesday the 19th. The Decathlon will be open to the public. Watch for more details about side events.


New Sponsor (& Opportunities Available)
Myren Consulting, Inc. is the latest sponsor of the Design Challenge and will handle all the fueling at the Wood Stove Decathlon in November. Opportunities for new partners and sponsors are still available. If interested, contact melissa@forgreenheat.org. 

Alliance for Green Heat Projects & Activities 

                 

Innovation and the NSPS Webinar, Thurs. May 9

The Alliance for Green Heat and the Biomass Thermal Energy Coucil are co-hosting a free informational webinar with Gil Wood, EPA compliance lead on the new NSPS, about how the new NSPS can encourage innovative technologies. Submit questions in advance to info@forgreenheat.org by Monday, May 6.  Click here to register. 

 

Do You Know the Efficiency of Your Pellet Stove?

There is little transparency about the efficiency of pellet stoves and it should not require government agency regulations to get us there. European pellet stoves have had to disclose efficiency for years and often meet thresholds to meet a green label standard. It's time we caught up with the Europeans on this. 

 

 

Alliance for Green Heat Seeks Board Members 

The Board of Directors of the Alliance for Green Heat is seeking nominations for additional Board members who can help raise funds, connect with key constituency groups and provide guidance to the organization. Nominations should include a short statement about the candidate's qualifications and sent to info@forgreenheat.org by Friday, June 28.   

 

Summer/Fall Program Fellow Wanted  

The Alliance is looking for a full-time program fellow for 3-6 months. Duties include research, advocacy and event planning. See our job posting for more details or submit a resume and cover letter to melissa@forgreenheat.org. Fellows receive $500/month stipend. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

     

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Most liked posts this month: 

In Memoriam: John DuPree     

   

John DuPree, EPA Wood Stove Expert, Passes Away  

John DuPree, the lead compliance officer at EPA for wood stoves, passed away after a heart attack on Thursday, April 4. He was 48. John had worked on the wood stove program for about 8 years and was widely admired and respected by industry leaders. Click here to visit John's memorial page.       

 

Washington Watch   

 

Obama's Budget Boosts Support for Energy Innovation  

President Obama released his FY2014 budget, showing his commitment to supporting next generation renewable energy technology. The FY2014 request is about 15% more compared to FY2013. The lion's share of budget gains are aimed at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), which would see an increase of 54%.     

 

EIA Numbers Show US Must Retain Renewable Energy Incentive Policies

While it may be easy to find fault with details of government policies that provide the incentives for renewable energy development, the DOE Energy Information Administration's Monthly Energy Review shows that the nation is continuing to rely even more on a sustainable energy sector that needs the support of policy makers.

 

Focus on Life Cycle Analysis     

The authors of this scientific paper investigate the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and associated abatement costs resulting from using densified switchgrass for thermal and electrical energy. They argue that in certain regions it makes cost- (and GHG mitigation-) effective sense to phase out liquid heating fuels with locally produced biomass.    

Focus on Change Out Programs    

         

A wood stove change-out program that ends this year in Seeley Lake, MT can be a model for other smoke-choked winter towns in the West.  That was a main goal behind a competitive $285,000 U.S. Forest Service grant that Missoula County landed last spring.

 

Seely Lake Preliminary Results 

A map and graph showing the locations and particulate emissions of the changeout program mentioned above. Results show a decrease in the number of days the Seely Lake has exceeded the 24 hour PM 2.5 standard since the program. 

 

Enhanced Stove Swap Program Approved in Fairbanks 

The Fairbanks North Star Borough gave its blessing to an enhanced wood stove trade-out program Thursday, one that will specifically target highly polluted areas in West Fairbanks and North Pole. 

 

GAO Examines Home Replacement Programs 

A new report by the Government Accountability Office found that replacing older manufactured homes with newer ones doesn't save enough energy to offset the costs. The cost effectiveness of replacing older units is relevant because there are two million of them in the country but many of them cannot be weatherized.

 

From the Newsroom   
 

State  

 
AK: The American Lung Association's annual report on air quality finds that Alaska's largest city has some of the cleanest air in the nation while the state's second-largest city has some of the worst.

Fewer Bad Air Days in Lorenzo Valley, Air District Finds 
CA: In Lorenzo Valley, air quality violated standards on 20 days, down from 40 days the year before. But is this the result of a wood stove change out or just better weather?
  

Storm Damage Has Its Benefits - Cheaper Firewood 

CT: The sale of wood stoves has gone up this year with more customers taking advantage of the wood left behind by extreme weather.  

 

NH Mulls Changes to Renewable Energy Standards  

NH: Lawmakers grapple with a bill that would cap the state's Renewable Energy Fund at $4.5 million, partly to return funds as rebates to electricity ratepayers and partly so it won't be such an inviting target for lawmakers looking to balance the budget.   

 

Program Promoting Pellet Boilers is a National Model 

NH: The city of Berlin is participating in a Model Neighborhood Project that subsidizes the cost of replacing heating oil boilers with less expensive pellet ones. Berlin now has the highest concentration of bulk pellet boilers in the country.        

 

NJ: The Christie Administration is urging New Jersey residents to consider making simple lifestyle choices to help improve air quality including upgrading to an EPA certified stove.

A Growing Potential for a Heat Source 

NY: Using grasses and hay as fuel for home heating is an emerging green technology that has great potential particularly in farming areas, says Alice Brumbach of the NY Biomass Energy Alliance.

          

Invisible, Unhealthful Toxics in Portland's Air-shed  

OR: Air quality in Portland is far better than it used to be but some 50 toxics are still known to be floating about, some of which come from burning wood and driving cars and trucks.   

 

PA: A local council decided against property set-backs for wood stoves, despite complaints that smoke from neighbors' wood stove has made some residents sick.

 

VT: State forestry officials raised questions about just how sustainable the proposed North Springfield Sustainable Energy Project would be, calling the wood harvesting program inadequate.    
 
Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
            

Innovation and the NSPS Webinar

Thursday, May 9, 2013, 1-2 PM EST  

EPA project lead Gill Wood will speak and take questions on how the new NSPS can impact new technologies. Register here.      

 

Low Income Forum on Energy (LIFE) Regional Meetings Various locations, New York, May 2 - 22, 2013  

Six regional meetings across New York State about the issues that confront low-income energy consumers.   

 

MDE Fuel Burning Equipment Stakeholder Meeting

Baltimore, Maryland, May 20, 2013  

Maryland is developing new regulations for biomass equipment and is holding a stakeholder meeting, 9-11am May 20th at the MDE office in Baltimore. For more information, call 410-537-3240.   

 

Pellet Fuel Institute Annual Conference

Asheville, North Carolina, July 28 - 30, 2013 

PFI's annual event dedicated to the pellet industry.  

   

Renewable Energy: Community Solutions for Vermont   

Burlington, Vermont, October 29 - 30, 2013

Vermont's "90% renewables by 2050" goal requires significant change in how we approach renewable energy. Conference proposals are being accepted through May 20th. 

 

2013 NC Wood Exports Conference

New Bern, North Carolina, November 13 - 15, 2013

This conference highlights the increasing export market.

 

Next Generation Wood Stove Decathlon

Washington, DC, November 15 - 19, 2013

The Alliance for Green Heat hosts technology competition for innovative wood stoves on the National Mall.  

    

Photo of the Month: For Futurama Fans      

UK-based engineer Robert Hall poses with the potbelly style wood stove he made in the shape of Bender, a robot character from the animated series Futurama.



 
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Thanks
to ...
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.
 
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A special thanks to those who have contributed $2,000 or more between June 2009 and May 2013

-- Dr. William & Frances Ackerly
-- American Biomass
-- Arbolito Foundation
-- Constellation Energy
-- Family Alliance Foundation 
-- New York State Energy & Research Development Authority
-- Osprey Foundation
-- Ramsay Merriam Fund
-- Jim & Patty Rouse Foundation 
-- Takoma Foundation
-- University of Maryland Extension Service
-- Wood Education and Resource Center, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, U.S. Forest Service 

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