June 2014
Green Heat News AGH logo
Issue No. 58

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Price of Oil

May 27, 2014: $105.01

May 23, 2013: $94.12

 

Source:www.ycharts.com  

In Case You Missed it

Top stories in past issues:  

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 credit. Contact: [email protected] 

EPA Proposed New Heater Regulations

 

Overview of Comments to EPA's NSPS Regulations 

AGH - The Alliance for Green Heat did an initial review of almost all of the comments on the new NSPS filed by manufacturers, states, air districts, non-profit organizations and politicians. We read more than 100 comments and selected a few of the important topics to summarize.    

 

House Bill Seeks to Prevent Strict EPA Regulation

AGH - House Resolution 4407, the Wood Stove Regulatory Relief Act of 2014, would prevent the EPA from establishing strict emission limits for wood and pellet stoves and boilers. The Bill has virtually no chance of passage but serves to send a message to the EPA and states.

 

One Chapter of Polluting Legacy of Outdoor Boilers Coming to Close 

AGH - One chapter of the fight over outdoor wood boilers is on the verge of ending, as EPA regulations are prepared to ban the sale of unregulated boilers in the 38 states that still allow them. But many issues around outdoor boilers are still hotly contested in the NSPS.

 

AGH - In our comments on the NSPS, we focused on some of the important issues for consumers, including efficiency and hang tags. We did not endorse a specific Phase 2 or 3 emission limit for stoves, but believe the EPA can build enough data to do so. 
 

Key NSPS Links: 

Wood Stove Design Challenge  

   

The Collaborative Stove Design Workshop is the next chapter of the Stove Design Challenge that included the 2013 Wood Stove Decathlon. This time it is a competition among automated stoves in a working test lab, at Brookhaven National Lab, from Nov. 4 - 7, 2014.  The Workshop will involve hands-on stove testing, daily review of test data, and a series of presentations by participants and other experts.

The Mulciber Stove was featured in National Geographic, Popular Mechanics, and the New York Times. Last November, the feasibility model competed in the 2013 Wood Stove Decathlon and achieved the lowest particulate emissions measured in the Decathlon - less than half the particulate matter produced by a single cigarette. 
 

Alliance for Green Heat Activities 

   

AGH - We looked at a sample of 19 smaller stoves from 8 different brands with firebox sizes ranging from 1.7 to 2.25 cubic feet and calculated the correlation between stove weight, emissions rate and market price.  
 

Washington Watch  

  

Wood Stove Tax Credit Unlikely to be Extended in 2014 

AGH - There is still a chance that the $300 federal tax credit to purchase a new wood or pellet stove that expired on December 31, 2013 could be revived.  An attempt to extend it in May failed, and we think it is unlikely to be extended in 2014. But after the November elections, the tax credits could still be extended.

A great 3-minute video overview of the historic move by the Obama Administration to boost renewable energy. 
If we are creative and engaged, we believe that states may have enough flexibility to include the electricity avoided from some wood heating systems in their plans and not just biomass to electricity. 

Focus on Change-Out Programs   

   

Best Practices in Change-Out Programs 

AGH - Here are seven strategies that can improve the effectiveness of change out programs.  Virtually none of them that many consider key parts of change out programs can be found on the change out sections of the EPA or HPBA websites. 

 

A Response to "Best Practices in Change-Out Programs"  

Clean Air Fairbanks - This is a response by Sylvia Shultz of the non-profit Clean Air Fairbanks to our Blog Post on Best Practices in Change out Programs. Sylvia takes issue with our assertion that Fairbanks employs a strategy that we consider a "best practice." 

Air quality agencies mostly from the northwest are gathering in Montana in August to delve into regulatory intervention and change out strategies to reduce wood smoke. Its a great line-up of speakers and a great place to be in August.

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 May: 

Firewood News            

This educational and networking workshop for the firewood industry was well attended by a wide range of industry leaders and experts from eleven states. It was held at the Wood Education and Resource Center located in Princeton, West Virginia.     

 

Firewood Ban - Shenandoah National Park 

The ban requires that visitors not bring any firewood (or wood scraps) into the park. Visitors may gather dead and down firewood in the park or purchase wood at park camp stores. The park's vendor's sources have been approved. (We hope its dry too.)

 

Pellet News         

In honor of Earth Day, Woodpellets.com ran a challenge to find out about some uses for empty pellet bags. The contest's winner uses empty bags for sorting recycling.     

 

From the Newsroom   
 

States 

 

A Burning Concern: San Lorenzo Valley Winter Air Quality 

CA:  On 37 days the San Lorenzo Valley air did not meet the federal standard. Richard Stedman, regulator at the Monterey Bay air district, is lobbying for a state and national change out program.

DESix days into spring, Fenwick Hardware sold out of wood pellets once again. In a winter that has long overstayed its welcome, the heating fuel continues to be hard to find around Sussex County. 
 
MA: Massachusetts is considering something, "a heat-loan program for low or no-interest loans" for stoves.  The state awarded $150,000 to help install pellet stoves in 30 low-income homes. 
 
ME: Maine's up and coming pellet heating market is faced with challenges of costly upfront expenses, but brings a range of entrepreneurs from driven companies to reduce fossil-fuel use.

MI: Michigan residents met with members of the Michigan Senate Natural Resources Committee Thursday to discuss the EPA's proposed regulations on wood-burning stoves.

 

NH: Northern Forest Center - Maura Adams gives a deeper look at how the Center is approaching this major shift to heating with a local, renewable resource. 

RI:  The program is spearheaded by the northeast chapter of the American Lung Association as the largest wood stove change out program in the country.

Grass a Good Thermal Option in Vermont, the Northeast  

VTA new report published by Wilson Engineering on behalf of the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative explores the potential of growing and harvesting energy grasses for thermal energy in Vermont.

Biomass Heating Incentives Featured at Conference 

WI: Three biomass heating programs were showcased during an evening session at 2014 Heating the Midwest with Renewable Biomass Conference and Expo in Green Bay, Wis.

 

WI: Get instant rebates when you exchange your old wood-burning hydronic heater or stove with a new, energy-efficient appliance. Exchanging out your old heating appliance will help protect our clean air, and the new appliance will be cheaper to operate.

 

Upcoming Conferences and Webinars

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".   

 

Virginia Boiler Workshop 

Martinsville, VA, June 4, 2014

Join us for a workshop on Enhancing Energy Efficiency of Boilers via Steam System Assessments.   

 

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.

Prince George, Canada, June 11-13, 2014
There will be many opportunities to learn more about the industry in British Columbia as well as the latest global trends in technology, project development, policies and regulations. 

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. 
 
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.

Orlando, FL, July 27-29, 2014
PFI is pleased to announce that the 2014 Annual Conference will be held at the Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate in Orlando, FL.

Washington DC, July 29-30, 2014
The annual DOE conference brings together top government officials, members of Congress and industry.

Missoula, MT, August 7-8, 2014
This wood smoke conference features national and regional experts who will be exploring the impacts of wood smoke and how effective different types of change outs and other interventions are.

Linz, Austria, September 8-11
This focuses on small- and mid-scale projects covering solutions for homes, smaller commercial/public buildings and district heating.

Burlington, VT, October 16-17, 2014
This event highlights current energy challenges, Vermont's leadership role in the energy industry, and moving towards an integrated energy infrastructure.
 
Brookhaven National Lab, Nov. 3 - 7, 2014.  Building on the Wood Stove Decathlon, this event will focus on automated stoves and bring experts together to study, test and improve automated stove designs.
 
Lancaster, PA, February 18-21, 2015
The National Chimney Sweep Guild is now accepting speaker proposals for presentations at the NCSG 2015 National Convention in February.


Sales Pitch of the Month           

 
This month's winner is a stove that "meets or exceeds EPA requirements for exempt stoves." Or, in plain English, that means it doesn't meet EPA emission emission standards.  The manufacturer of the stove changed their language and now uses the more common industry norm "EPA exempt," but many dealers still use the "meets or exceeds" language.


 
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A special thanks to those who have contributed $2,000 or more since Jan. 1, 2013

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