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We want to welcome Gabriella McConnel to the staff at the Alliance for Green Heat! Gabriella has a degree in Environmental, Soil, and Water Science from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She will be coordinating the Pellet Stove Design Challenge.
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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: info@forgreenheat.org
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AGH Projects and Activities
The Pellet Stove Design Challenge is almost ready to take applications for high efficiency pellet stoves. The stoves will be tested and assessed at DOE's Brookhaven National Lab in NY. Anyone can submit a prototype: a stove just coming to market, a commercially available stove or an adaptation of a stove. Stoves will be judged primarily on emissions and efficiency. The awards expo and workshop will be held on April 6 - 8, 2016. The application will be available in mid-September. Any inquiries about the process and qualifications can be sent to info@forgreenheat.org.
"Real world" endurance and efficiency testing begins
The next phase of the Pellet Stove Design Challenge i nvolves testing six popular stove in a residential setting for a one month period. The stoves will be run 24/7, without any cleaning or maintenance, to assess efficiency loss and other endurance issues.
NYSERDA approved support for the 2015-2016 Pellet Stove Design Challenge. The Alliance for Green Heat is coordinating project activities and Brookhaven National Lab is conducting testing and hosting the April workshop and stove competition. The Osprey Foundation and the US Forest Service are also providing support.
Alliance calls on EPA to drop default efficiency values
For more than 2 decades, the EPA has used estimated default efficiency values for catalytic, non-catalytic and pellet stoves in the list of EPA certified stoves (pdf). The 78% estimated default efficiency is now known to be far too high for most pellet stoves and the 63% is low for many non-catalytic stoves. These now-discredited values are still used in scores of industry and state government heating calculators.
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Focus on NSPS
The EPA's office of Compliance and Enforcement has been making rare spot checks on retailers, starting in NY this past week. They are monitoring compliance with the new wood stove regulations that took effect in May 2015 and issued some warnings, according to reports, but no fines. In response, HPBA issued its understanding of how retailers must comply with the new rules. The issues involve hangtags and owner's manuals and permanent labels.
A new ASTM cordwood test method has been finalized by the ASTM E06.54.01 Task Group and is going out for balloting this month. This test could be adopted by the EPA for certification testing of wood stoves as of 2020, replacing the current test method that uses 2x4s and 4x4s, known as cribwood. The Alliance participated in the ASTM Task Group and will be voting on the method.
The 2015 NSPS requires manufacturers to start testing and reporting efficiency values. The Alliance is also asking the EPA to release efficiency values reported to the EPA prior to the 2015 NSPS that manufacturers marked as "Confidential Business Information". The EPA is currently giving several companies the opportunity to defend the CBI claim and could still release efficiency values to the public.
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Focus on Innovation
Quadra-Fire Explorer III Wood Stove
This is a stove that we are really excited to see enter the market. It's the first truly automated wood stove from a US manufacturer that may really help ensure that it is clean in the hands of consumers, just as in the lab. No other domestic stove has sensor technology that controls the airflow like this one. We want to extend our appreciation to Quadra-Fire for undertaking the R&D to put out this innovative stove and for attending the 2015 Wood Stove Design Challenge.
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Consumer Corner - Stove Recall Update
Updated on the Mt. Vernon pellet stove recall
Last month, we reported on the recall of 2,000 Mt. Vernon E2 pellet stoves after about 6 experienced explosions that shattered the glass in the front door. No injuries have been reported. The Alliance wrote to HHT asking for clarifications about what caused the malfunction and whether the stove would be 3rd party tested again for safety. Click here for a copy of the HHT response.
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International
Canada: Anyone with a fireplace or wood-burning stove in the city of Montreal has three years to ensure they're up to rigorous new emission standards, or will have to stop using them. New Zealand: A consulting engineer based in Christchurch outlines the issues related to regulating wood heating in New Zealand in this detailed blog post. National
The hearth market is expected to grow at 3.13% between 2015 and 2020. This market is highly influenced by the government policies, says this commercial report which costs $4.650 to $7,150 to purchase.
States
AK: Presidential hopeful Rand Paul told Alaskans that "I'd let people here decide whether or not you have a [air pollution] problem. I don't think anybody in Washington has a clue as to how you should or shouldn't regulate your air or wood stoves."
Bay Area stove regulations
CA: Comments on new Bay Area proposed stove regulations were due on Aug. 31. The Alliance supports most of the proposed regulations, but believes pellet stoves should be allowed to be installed in some cases where wood stoves are not.
MA: The heating and cooling program provides rebates between $750 and $12,500 to home and business owners who install high-efficiency clean heating and coiling systems, including central biomass boilers.
NH: A study from the University of NH found that carbon monoxide levels from indoor bulk pellet storage does not pose a health risk. An early study from Clarkson University found otherwise.
NY: Effective August 2015, NYSERDA is offering new incentive options, determined by income, to assist homeowners in purchasing new pellet stoves in homes without access to natural gas.
NY: New York city has now banned the new installation of fireplaces and wood stoves. The NY law will likely most impact very high end homes and condos that put in fireplaces that rarely get used.
VT: Vermonters now have a great program to switch to a local, renewable heating source!
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Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
September 9, 2015, 12:00-1:00 pm EST
This webinar will discuss a variety of programs, and a few case studies of how entities have approaching finding the money to pay for these systems. Leeds, UK, September 14-15, 2015
The theme of the conference is understanding the formation and consequences of biomass generated emissions.
Linz, Austria, September 14-17, 2015
The International Training Seminar focuses on small and mid-scale projects fueled by wood pellets and wood chips, and offers interactive learning in an internal group. Norwich, VT, September 15, 2015
Experts in modern wood heating will discuss wood pellet heating technology, efficiency, environmental considerations, and financing. The event is free and open to the public. Cherry Hill, NJ, October 20-21, 2015
This conference offers education in home performance and weatherization. Visit the website to view the agenda for the event. October 21, 2015
A nationwide day of advocacy for all kinds of heat and power generated by wood biomass and agricultural waste. 4th NH Biomass Boiler Operations Workshop Glencliff Home, Benton, NH, October 23, 2015
Save the date. Saratoga Springs, NY, February 9-10, 2016
This conference offers education in home performance and weatherization. Agenda proposals are now being accepted. Verona, Italy, February 24-28, 2016
Progetto Fuoco is a global event for wood-fire heating, with an international exhibition of plants and materials. Wels, Austria, February 24-26, 2016
A conference to present the work of young researchers in the field of energy efficiency (English only).
New Orleans, March 17-19, 2016
North America's largest indoor-outdoor living industry showcase. Save the date: Northeast Biomass Heating Expo
Burlington, VT, April 29-May 1, 2016Pellet Stove Design Challenge Upton New York, April 6-8, 2016. Registration info will be available soon for this event that will feature a pellet stove technology competition, workshops, hands-on-learning, roundtables, federal and state policy discussions, and much more.
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