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In Case You Missed it
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Top stories in past issues:
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| AGH People | |
Norbert Senf
Joins Advisory Board!
Norbert Senf, a masonry stove building and expert, joined the Advisory Board of the Alliance for Green Heat. Norbert has been an important advisor of ours for years and are happy to formalize the relationship.
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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 Proposed New Heater Regulations An Analysis of Emission Data and the NSPS An Alliance for Green Heat analysis shows cat, non-cat and pellet stoves are most likely to burn dirtiest at Category 4, the high burn rate. Does it really make sense to test them at this rate, as the NSPS proposes, if that is not where consumers use them most? Can EPA Set Cord Wood Emissions Limits?
Alliance for Green Heat - Some in industry say EPA cannot legally set a standard where there is insufficient data to back it up. But what is "sufficient"? There are a number of ways EPA can set a standard based on cordwood within a few years.
In response to a petition, hundreds of people who heat with wood gave a very wide range of reasons why they think stoves need to be cleaner and more efficient. A moving tribute from people committed to renewable and affordable energy.
HPBA Urges Thoughtful Review of NSPS Standards HPBA says the "proposed standards will have the perverse effect of slowing clean air progress." And, the "EPA has failed to provide any data showing that any of our manufacturer members can meet the new regulations as proposed." Petition: Tell EPA We Want Cleaner, More Efficient Stoves
 AGH - We believe the EPA is on the right track and will arrive at reasonable emission targets. Sign the petition and add your name to hundreds of others who believe that industry can meet this challenge and that consumers will benefit from it.
AGH - With more than half the 90-day comment period over, most citizen stakeholders appear to be favorable to the NSPS.
Firewood Association of Australia - The Libby changeout "showed that improving the heater stock can have a modest impact on smoke levels (30%). This experiment shows that heater operation practice has by far the greatest influence on smoke emissions."
EPA Summary of NSPS: |
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Alliance for Green Heat Activities
Ackerly Recognized for Advocacy on Wood Heat
 At the 2014 International Biomass Conference and Expo in Orlando, John Ackerly, president of the Alliance for Green Heat, received the 2014 Excellence in Bioenergy award for advancing the biomass-to-energy industry through education and advocacy.
Charlie Niebling, Scott Nichols, Norbert Senf and John Ackerly
were selected as four key leaders of the biomass thermal sector. Read profiles of their backgrounds, achievements and goals.AGH - The EPA recently released a figure of 40,000 new, uncertified and exempt stoves being sold each year. An estimate on the volume of sales of these stoves had long been sought by the EPA and others, but manufacturers would not supply them. AGH - The Alliance for Green Heat was awarded a grant by the University of Maryland Extension to write a report on "best practices" in wood and pellet stove incentive programs.
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Innovation
After years of development, a company finally produced an EPA certified pellet stove that needs no electricity. The stove, developed by the Oregon company uses natural draft for the air and gravity to feed the pellets into the combustion chamber.
Can NEST Make Power Companies More Innovative?The NEST thermostat will be able to do monthly budgeting, where consumers tell NEST how much they want to spend on energy each month, and the thermostat does the rest. The sticker shock that millions of Americans face when they get their heat bill could be a thing of the past.
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Washington Watch
Increase in Wood as Main Source of Household Heating Most Notable in Northeast
EIA - Wood heat has gained popularity in much of the country in recent years, but the increase is most notable in the Northeast. All nine states in the Northeast saw at least a 50% jump from 2005 to 2012 in the number of homes that rely on wood as the main heat. AGH - You need to use Form 5695. Put $300 in line 22A and then use Line 52 to show that amount on your 1040 form.
The package containing a list of tax credits proposed by the Chairman Wyden (D-OR), did not include extension of 25C that included the stove tax credit. It could still be added.
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Most Liked Stories on Facebook
"Like" the Alliance for Green Heat page on Facebook to get breaking news and analysis from a consumer perspective. Most liked posts in March:
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Pellet News
We heard the same story repeated again and again from our customers - "I thought I had ordered enough wood pellets to get me through this winter, but I came up a ton short".
EU: Imports of Wood Pellets Booming Again in 2013
Three countries mainly use pellets for power plants - UK, Netherlands and Belgium. Conversely, Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Sweden mainly use wood pellets in small-scale private residential and industrial boilers for heating.
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From the Newsroom
States
Funds for Wood Stove Replacement
CA: Here is a change-out program that provides $2,000 to turn in your EPA certified stove and replace it with a pellet stove. This is for homes that use wood as primary heat and are within town limits.
CT: Residential wood smoke emissions will remain exempt from state regulations after regulators on Wednesday denied a petition from three environmental and health advocacy groups.
EPA's Proposed Wood Heater Rules a Hot Issue in Maine
ME: Last week was a very heated week at the State House and around Maine politics. Terms like "cannibalization" and "impeachment" were in the news.
ME: Maine Senators say that EPA's regulations, would create "a very real risk that non-catalytic wood stoves would simply be eliminated from the marketplace." Say what?!
ME: In Maine, burning wood is not just a source of comfort; it is a necessity. With the high cost of oil, many of us use wood as a heating supplement or rely on it as our primary heating source.
Proposed Bill Would Kick EPA Regulations to the Curb
MN: A group of Minnesota lawmakers is proposing a bill that essentially nullifies the EPA's regulations. A significant number of lawmakers agree with this bill, but their reasons are quite varied.
Washoe County Wood Stove Exchange Program Begins
NV: The program provides qualified residents of Washoe County financial incentives up to $1,100 to replace old, dirty-burning wood stoves with new, efficient, cleaner-burning stoves.
Clean Air Activists Give Utah Politicians Mixed Grades
UT: Air pollution was public enemy No. 1 this legislative session - the subject of polls, petitions, protests and more than two dozen proposals for scrubbing Utah's smog-laden skies.
VT: With the launch of a wood-fueled downtown district heating system, officials in Vermont's capital city on Monday set the goal of making Montpelier a "net-zero" user of fossil fuels by 2030.
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Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
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.
Urban Wood Utilization Webcast
April 15, 2014 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern
Join us to learn about urban wood utilization activities, including urban timber measurement protocols. For the audio portion, call toll-free at (888) 844-9904 and use participant passcode 7578516.
Alaska Wood Energy Conference
Fairbanks, Alaska April 15-17, 2014
Sessions will take a look at wood biomass utilization and impacts in rural communities, success stories, current research and new technologies.
Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop
Princeton, WV, April 17, 2014
This educational and networking event will provide the firewood processing industry with the latest knowledge on processing, kiln drying, and marketing firewood. For additional information, contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University at 704-880-5034.
Albany, NY, April 28-29, 2014 The Advanced Energy Conference has solidified its position as the premier energy conference in New York State, and one America's most comprehensive and influential events on the future of energy.
Green Bay, WI, April 29-May 1, 2014 This 3rd Annual Conference features a tour of biomass facilities, key-note presentations and an expo.
Antique Stove Association Convention
Cody, Wyoming, June 1-4, 2014
Plus, visit to the Buffalo Bill museum and attend a stove auction.
Rochester, Minnesota, June 3-5, 2014
The topic is: "Forest Utilization and Management: From Working Woodlands to City Streets".
Lake Placid, NY, June 4-6, 2014
Planning Team is currently requesting abstracts for presentations. Rockville, MD, June 10-11, 2014
Home performance professionals from the Chesapeake region will convene for two days of education, networking, and a trade show. Washington DC, July 14-15, 2014
The EIA Energy Conference has become a premier forum for addressing energy issues in the U.S. and worldwide. Strategies to Reduce Residential Wood Smoke
University of Montana, August 7-8, 2014
Save the date for this wood smoke specialty conference. Various Locations, Vermont June 19-21
Forest Guild National Meeting makes a long-awaited return to New England. Join colleagues and friends in this three-day gathering.
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