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January 2014
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Green Heat News 
Issue No. 53
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Join Our Mailing List
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Quote of the Month
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"The world's forests are being cut down and turned into T-shirts. We're seeing brands are taking action not just because it's good for the environment ... but they are doing it because they feel it's the right thing to do." - Nicole Rycroft, Executive Director, Canopy, from the article Clothing Makers to Stop Sourcing from Endangered Forests.
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Office Equipment Needed
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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: [email protected]
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EPA Proposes New Heater Regulations
Pro-Heating Group Says EPA Regulations Reasonable & Will Help Industry Grow 
The Alliance for Green Heat welcomed the release of proposed EPA regulations on residential wood and pellet heating equipment, saying that new, stricter emission standards "will help America embrace wood and pellet heating as a vital renewable energy that can help drastically reduce fossil fuel consumption."
NSPS News Coverage from Biomass Magazine
 EPA said the proposal, which marks the first time that the standards have been updated since 1988, will make the next generation of stoves and heaters up to 80% cleaner than those manufactured today.
 NSPS New Coverage from Washington Post
"Clean air and lung health advocates cheered Friday's proposal." John Crouch of HPBA said "we just want to make sure that this revision delivers some difference in homes, and we're not sure the data shows that."
Editorial: Cleaner Air, Low-Cost Heat Source
"These policies together will mean Mainers won't have to choose between clean air and affordable heat."
EPA Summary of NSPS:
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Wood Stove Decathlon News
 Wood Stoves Compete on National Mall
John Ackerly, President of the Alliance, recaps the achievements and challenges of the Wood Stove Decathlon.
Testing Observations at the Decathlon
Norbert Senf, a judge and masonry heater expert reflects on testing: "It was a historic event. It was the first ever attempt to gather a collection of stoves in the field and test them for particulate matter (PM) emissions.
More pictures from the Wood Stove Decathlon.
The Costs of Running the Wood Stove Design Challenge
A detailed breakdown of expenses for the Wood Stove Design Challenge. The total cost came to about $200,000 over those 2 years, and $157,000 of that was in 2013.
 Innovation Built a Fire in Mukilteo, WA
Good overview of Travis's prizes at the Decathlon and background on the company and its President, Kurt Rumens.
Tulikivi Fireplace Shines at Wood Stove Decathlon
Judges awarded the Hiisi second place in heating efficiency, third place in lowest carbon monoxide emissions and fourth place overall-notable achievements given the caliber of the competition.
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Most Liked Stories on Facebook
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"Like" the Alliance for Green Heat page on Facebook to get breaking news and analysis from a consumer perspective. Most liked posts in December:
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Perspectives on EPA Regulations
Editorial: EPA Inaction and an Industry Faction are Holding Us BackIf EPA had done its job years ago, as it was obligated to do under the Clean Air Act, the stove industry and consumers would be far better off today. Instead, outdoor wood boilers proliferated and key manufacturers fought against many reasonable state regulations.
Manufacturers say new rules will drive up costs and spook buyers who would otherwise upgrade older, dirtier units.
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Washington Watch
Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus on Wednesday proposed consolidating or wiping out scores of tax breaks the government offers to promote clean energy and efficiency - but the tax credits for wood heating appliances are not among his proposals. The proposal would also cut $46 billion in oil breaks.
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Pellet News
Around NH, more institutions, towns and businesses are turning away from oil in favor of heating with wood, viewing it as a renewable resource that helps the region's economy.
Workshop on ENplus Certificate in Berlin
"A unified global certification system for wood pellets is an important prerequisite for comparable quality standards on the international market."
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International
Canada: A new bylaw in Duncan means non-compliant wood stoves must be removed or replaced from a home when it transfers ownership.
Parliament: Increased Support for Renewable Heat
UK: A new publication of DECC's Government response document 'Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive: Improving support, increasing uptake' sets out a range of improvements and increased support under the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
Denmark:Danish engineer Jens Dall Bentzen explains his method of creating more power from biomass in this CNN video.
States
EPA Rules Less Stringent than State Plan for Fairbanks
AK: Proposed pollution limits from new wood stoves announced by the Environmental Protection Agency would be less stringent to begin with than those under review for the Fairbanks area.
CA: The EPA signed-off on a $600,000 wood stove change-out in Butte County, but the program most likely won't begin until next year when the first installment of money arrives.
CT: The gap between what low-income families in Connecticut owe in energy bills and what they can afford has grown again as government assistance has decreased.
IN: Gaps in an Indiana law concerning Outdoor Wood Boiler use in rural areas have allowed an elderly couple to be significantly harmed by wood smoke from their neighbors.
MA: In Massachusetts, where the average cost of heating a home is $1,700 a year, only 1 percent of homes are heated by wood, according to the Department of Energy Resources.
MD: The use of wood heat in Maryland grew by 33 percent from 2000 to 2010. Much of that increase is due to the market - the recent economic downturn, combined with increased prices for oil and propane.
MD: Some commentators described it as a high-profile push to usher an old-fashioned heat source into the modern day quest for clean, renewable heat.
ME: As a woodstove manufacturer, J�tul North America understands the importance of a cleaner air shed, and argues that the pitfalls of regulation could be burdensome.
MT: Yet even knowing that frigid weather was a strong possibility this month, EPM haven't been able to keep their pellets in stock.
NH: As long as demand is high, it looks like firewood will keep warming buyers and sellers alike.
NH: This program offers a rebate payment of 30% of the heating appliance(s) and installation cost, up to a maximum of $50,000.
NH: Wood stoves are the focus of a broad project to research the problem and teach the public how to burn wood in a way that maximizes heat and minimizes pollution.
NH: Five fires led the Fire Chief to issue a warning: if your house was built between 1950 and 1980, stop using the fireplace or wood stove until a certified chimney specialist can conduct an inspection.
NY: Clarkson University wants to install wood pellet boilers. However, this could require an amendment to a 2005 village law that banned outdoor wood boilers.
GreenSpace: Major U.S. Polluters? Wood-burning Stoves
PA: Experts at the Clean Air Council, based in Philadelphia, Jotul Stove, based in Maine, and Alliance for Green Heat, in Maryland, debate pros and cons of wood heat.
VT: A local forestry program in Southwest Vermont is teaching students lifelong skills in lumber and forest management, and how it feels to give back to the community.
VT: Vermont Castings is bringing overseas jobs in manufacturing back to the US.
OR: Oregon and six other states are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, alleging it has failed to limit pollution from wood stoves, a common heating source in Douglas County.
OR: Some background on why we understand that Oregon has joined with other states in suing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for not enforcing its own internal rules.
VA: Who's staying warm this winter and saving money? The director of public utilizes for Southampton County, who lives in the Holland Borough of Suffolk, discovered a few years ago just efficient a pellet stove can be for his family.
WA: Families across the Yakima Valley are firing up the heat in their homes - but thanks to a state grant, fewer will be relying on inefficient, old wood-burning stoves.
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Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
ETHOS Conference
Kirkland, Washington, January 25-26, 2014
This conference expands its reach to include international stove experts and development specialists in the field of cooking technologies.
Progetto Fuoco
Verona, Italy, February 19-24, 2014
High-tech stoves and fireplaces will be on display at Progetto Fuoco, the leading international biennial exhibition of technology for the use of alternative and renewable energy sources.
World Sustainable Energy Days
Wels, Austria, February 26 - 28, 2014
This attracts thousands of participants from all over the world. Great minds discuss what's next in green energy and efficiency.
EPA Public Hearing on Proposed NSPS
Boston, MA, February 26, 2014
EPA will hold a public hearing on the proposed NSPS. The hearing will be in the EPA Regional Office in Boston.
Mid-Atlantic Biomass Heat & Power Conference
Gettysburg, PA, April 23-24, 2014
An opportunity to network with colleagues, attend field trips, review successful Pennsylvania Biomass projects, and hear panel discussions.
HBPA Expo
Salt Lake City, Utah, March 5-8, 2014
The annual Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Expo will be held in Salt Lake City Utah this year.
Northeast Biomass Heating Expo
Portland, Maine, April 9-11, 2014
The Expo unites a diverse audience from fuel, supply chain, developer, manufacturer, non-profit and government sectors to break barriers for biomass thermal and CHP.
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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 a tax exempt 501 (c)(3) organization. You can make a secure donation online through PayPal here: -- Dr. William & Frances Ackerly -- American Biomass -- Arbolito Foundation -- Chimney Safety Institute of America -- 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
-- Maryland Energy Administration
-- DC Dept. of Transportation, Urban Forestry Administration
-- U.S. Forest Service
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