August 2014
Green Heat News AGH logo
Issue No. 60

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Price of Oil

July 21, 2014: $105.34

July 21, 2013: $108.00

 

Source:www.ycharts.com  

AGH People

 

 

Craig Issod who built the largest virtual community for wood heating began learning about community at the legendary Tennessee commune known as "the farm."  He says many of today's virtual communities had their roots in the hippie movement of the 1960s and '70s.
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: info@forgreenheat.org 
EPA Proposed New Heater Regulations

 

AGH - On July 1st, the EPA released a NODA - a Notice of Data Availability - consisting of data from 3 stoves tested with cordwood and 106 stoves tested with crib wood.  

 

AGH - The Alliance for Green Heat and many others submitted formal comments to the data released by the EPA on catalytic and non-cat stoves. Many comments including from HPBA, Rick Kurkeet and EDF said the new data did not change their original positions, but reinforced them. See all comments.  

  

Key NSPS Links: 

Wood Stove Design Challenge  

   

Seven companies with automated wood stoves have been selected to be part of a collaborative workshop at Brookhaven National Lab this November. The goal of the workshop is to explore how automation can be both affordable and effective.


One More Month to Apply for Workshop 
The Collaborative Stove Design Workshop to be held   
November 4 - 7 at Brookhaven Lab has space for about 40 experts from a variety of wood heat related fields. Applicants will be selected based on experience, not on a first come basis.  If you are interested in attending, please apply soon. 

   

The Organizing Committee of the Collaborative Stove Design Workshop welcomes two additional members: Rob Rizzo and Rod Tinnemore. Rob and Rod are key state actors in the wood stove world. The Committee is working on the test and fueling protocol.
 
The steady pace of progress in solar efficiency can be tracked more easily than wood and pellet appliances. Over time, yesterday's record-breakers become today's mass-market products, and a similar chart will be possible for wood and pellet stoves and boilers at some point.

 

Alliance for Green Heat Activities 

   

On Wednesday August 6, from 2 - 3, BTEC hosts a free webinar featuring John Ackerly of the Alliance for Green Heat and Adam Sherman of the Biomass Energy Resource Center. 
For over a year, AGH has been working to get wood heating appliances included in BPI home auditing standards. The new standards are up for public review.

Washington Watch  

  

GSA Study Finds Biomass Boilers are Viable Option for Federal Buildings   

After operating a biomass boiler in the Ketchikan 
Federal Building, the U.S. General Services
Administration (GSA) has concluded that biomass boilers are a viable alternative for hot-water-heated buildings where natural gas is unavailable.

This bill wold extend the $300 tax credit for wood and pellet heaters that manufacturers claim are 75% efficient using LHV. It has extremely little chance of passage. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of more than $2.5 million in grants to develop wood energy teams in 11 states and an additional $1.25 million for nine projects.

BTEC welcomed the USDA's awarding of $2.5 million in grants and provided details of each of the 11 state teams and 9 projects.

The EPA, as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking applications proposing research on empowering communities and individuals to take action to avoid air pollution exposure, using low-cost portable air pollution sensors.  

Focus on Incentive Programs   

   

New York Launches Major Pellet Stove Incentive Program

As part of a $27 million biomass heating program, NY included a major program for pellet stoves that are EPA certified and emit less than 2 g/hr.  Low income families are eligible for $1,000 rebate without trading in an old wood stove and $1,500 with a trade-in.

 

MA Governor Deval Patrick

Massachusetts Adds Thermal to State RPS

The Bay State became the second state after NH to include thermal energy technologies in meeting state renewable energy goals.  This is a significant breakthrough from a key state and will help pave the way for more states to include more renewable energy options.

 

Quebec Offers Generous Tax Credit for Replacements  

Until Nov. 1, 2014, residents of Quebec can get a 20% tax credit up to $10,000 to replace an existing wood or pellet stove, or outdoor boiler, or for a first time installation of a masonry heater. Boilers must be EPA qualified and be equal or smaller to the one they are replacing.

Low Income Focus    

   

Billions Spent on Weatherization Programs; Stoves Left Out in the Cold  

The DOE has spent billions to help low income families reduce their utility bills but wood stoves and pellet stoves are routinely left out of this program because they are not part of the energy audits that direct what work is cost effective. And, the program makes switching to cheaper fuels difficult. 

A report shows that more people die of cold weather than of heat waves, even in the deep south. 
 

Most Liked Stories on Facebook

 

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Fuel News: Firewood & Pellets              

European Union imports of wood pellets are to soar by one-quarter this year, boosted by the region's "surging" adoption of the fuel for heating homes and for small scale power generation plants.       

 

OkoFEN Developing a 6kW CHP Boiler

ÖkoFEN - Europe's specialist in pellet heating, and Qnergy - a global leader in Stirling energy solutions, announced the joint development of a 6kWe electricity-generating pellet boiler system.

From the Newsroom   
 

States 

 

AK: After 4 years, Fairbank's wood stove exchange program is more popular than ever, but still needs work. To date, they replaced or removed 1,400 polluting wood-burning appliances.

CT: Campfires and bonfires are not defined by state statute or regulation but some towns have special requirements to conduct this type of burning. 

MN: In a settlement with the US, Minnesota Power has agreed to install pollution control technology and meet stringent emission rates to reduce air pollution from the company's three coal-fired power plants.

  
NY: The wood boiler is the first in nation to be certified for its emission and efficiency performance using the new Brookhaven National Laboratory Partial Thermal Storage Test Method for Wood Boilers. 

PA: On May 17th, 62 woodstoves were collected in North Park, loaded into trucks, and recycled by Tube City IMS in exchanged for retail gift cards.

Utah Gears Up for New Efforts to Clean Air 

UT: Rep. Becky Edwards, R-North Salt Lake, proposes that Utah allow state regulators to set pollution standards that are stricter than their federal counterparts.

VA: Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are proposing changes that will help protect park forests by further limiting the type of firewood brought into the park. 

 

VT: As world oil prices were on the brink of collapse back in the mid-1980s, Vermont was seeing its first successful wood chip-to-heat school installation come to life.   

 

Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
 
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.

Duluth, MN, August 14-17, 2014
The curriculum is designed as an introductory level 1 course. It teaches the basic functions, designs, sizing, codes and advantages of masonry heaters.

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

Nationwide, September 25
An annual day to promote awareness of the biomass industry. See a recap of last year's events. 

Washington DC, September 23, 2014
The Energy 2030 Summit brings the community together for a discussion on what the federal government can do to help achieve the goal of doubling U.S. energy productivity by 2030.

September 15 - November 21, 2014 

Developed in partnership with BTEC, this 10-week online course in designing and installing heating systems taught by John Siegenthaler is worth 20 AIA credits.

 

Hyattsville, MD, October 14-15, 2014

Jump start the Energy Renaissance, with the dissemination of ideas to transform customers from passive to engaged decision makers and participants in their energy future.

 

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. 

Wels, Austria, February 25-26, 2015
With more than 600 participants every year, the European Pellet Conference is the largest annual pellet event in the world!

Advertisement of the Month           

Periodically we highlight ads that don't make sense:
  • "Wood does not need to be split."
  • "Wood does not need to be seasoned."
  • "Do not make a common mistake and undersize your outdoor furnace": http://www.hampshirefurnace.com

 
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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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www.forgreenheat.org/support/donate

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

-- William Ackerly
-- Arbolito Foundation 
-- Chimney Safety Institute of America 
-- England Stove Works
-- Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
-- New York State Energy & Research Development Authority
-- Osprey Foundation
-- Jim & Patty Rouse Foundation 
-- Schott-Robax
-- University of Maryland Extension Service  
-- DC Dept. of Transportation, Urban Forestry Administration
-- U.S. Forest Service
-- West Penn Power Energy & Sustainability Fund

Become a Green Heat Supporter: Make your donation here  

 

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