|
|
Stay up to date with all things wood heat. All the cool kids are doing it! To sign up,
click here
|
|
Board member Lily Donge, who works at Rocky Mountain Institute, is heading up a program to get the world's largest companies to purchase renewable electricity. More and more large companies are making a commitment to 100% renewable electricity. Advisory Board member Steve Nadel did an analysis of heat pumps. They note that for high efficiency air source heat pumps to be really effective, they need to draw off a grid with a high percentage of renewable energy.
|
|
|
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]
|
|
|
|
|
AGH Projects & Activities
"Green heat" is part of the name of our organization. But the definition of "green" is getting less clear when it comes to heating and to renewable energy generally.The EPA just updated their list of EPA certified stoves again. Beware of very low efficiency pellet stoves, like the Enviro Chatham, Davenport and Kinderhook, and US Stove model 5660 which are 58% and 62% efficient.
|
|
Stove Design Challenge
Past competitors launch a seed funding campaign for their stove.Spevak competed in the Pellet Stove Design Challenge at Brookhaven National Lab. "To help make the VibraStove 'off-grid' friendly, I designed it to not require an auger," Spevak said.
Jason Stewart, an environmental activist and entrepreneur who competed in our 2013 Stove Design Challenge, shows how his retrofit device was tested. He is an ardent advocate for retrofitting old stoves, instead of recycling them.
|
|
Washington Watch
Funds will stimulate the use of hazardous fuels from National Forest System lands and other forested lands to promote forest health while simultaneously generating rural jobs.
|
International
Australia: In New South Wales, that includes Australia's capital, Canberra and its largest city, Sydney, winter is setting in. Their regional EPA is proposing to give local jurisdictions the power to halt new installations of stoves and fireplaces if that local jurisdictions thinks wood smoke has become too much of a problem.
Sweden: When the plant starts commercial production in the autumn, it will use forest residues and wood waste to produce district heat for nearly 200,000 households. Daily consumption of wood chips will be approximately 12,000 cubic meters.
Ukraine: A Ukrainian official urges citizens to switch from gas imported from Russia to wood heating. "Yes, it's a radical step, an unpopular one," Rozenko said. "It is evident that gas prices will not decline. Thus, one should look for an alternative, a cheaper one. Reduction of gas consumption is a step towards energy independence," he added.
States
AK: Alaska officials are outlining new measures to control pollution in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, as federal regulators plan to upgrade two borough cities from moderate to serious air quality non-attainment areas this summer.
AK: Even with oil prices down, Alaska institutions are looking to cut costs further, use local fuels and invest in their own communities.
ID: A plant announced last spring is still alive and overcoming final hurdles.
ME: Time is running out for Massachusetts residents to take advantage of a rebate program that will save them money on heating costs and help protect the environment, too.
MA: With a state grant already in hand, Sanderson Academy in Ashfield will be getting a wood-pellet boiler system. But Mohawk Trail Regional High School will forgo a similar system, and instead replace its failing propane boiler with a similar new propane system.
ME: Until now, only part of the biomass story has been told and only part of the solution has been considered. But our impact analysis also must consider air pollution, carbon and the health of our children.
MT: The county received a "passing" grade on an annual air quality report, which covers 2012 to 2014, but the county still got an "F" for having 24-hour spikes in air quality, mostly in summer months.
NH: Like most change outs, this one unfortunately does not allow consumers to buy a value stove at a big box store and have it professionally installed. This ends up excluding lower income families who can't afford the stove prices in the specialty hearth shops.
VT: Green building pioneer and educator, Alex Wilson, renovated a farmhouse for his family that is all electric - except for the wood stove. This is Vermont, after all.
WA: The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency will raise fees on local jurisdictions to maintain programs amid state and federal funding cuts.
WI: In May 2015, the city council of Stoughton, Wisconsin adopted an ordinance prohibiting the use of outdoor furnaces in the city. But it "grandfathered" in two existing furnaces as long as they met specific criteria. They didn't meet it.
WV: In addition to the other rules, the WVDEP included a rule adopting by reference a newly promulgated EPA rule affecting the manufacture of wood burning stoves. Controversy ensured.
WV: The Tomblin administration resurrected a broad-ranging environmental rules bill that lawmakers let die earlier this year in a fit of opposition to state adoption of a federal regulation aimed at making wood-burning stoves more efficient.
|
|
Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
Amsterdam, June 6-9, 2016
EUBCE covers the entire value chain of biomass from sustainability to policy to technology of both heat and power sectors.
Canton, NY, June 11
Attendees will learn how to build a solid, basic rocket stove and explore its variations.
Washington, DC, June 12, 2016 The EXPO and Forum will bring together up to 50 organizations showcasing a cross-section of renewable energy (biofuels/biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) and energy efficiency technologies. Belgium, June 15, 2016 Exploring strategies and practicing shaping the policy framework in the "year of delivery."
Asheville, NC, July 24-26, 2016
The PFI Annual Conference highlights the various applications of densified biomass.
Antique Stove Association Annual Show and Conference Save the date: Brainerd, MN, August 14-16, 2016 $100 registration (including brunch and a dinner cruise). Questions? 218-828-1981.
International Training Seminar Biomass Heating
Linz, Austria, September 12-15, 2016
The seminar offers interactive learning in an international group, educational site-visits and presentations by experts in biomass technologies, market development and environment.
Escanaba, MI, October 11-13, 2016
Program, registration and sponsorship/vendor details forthcoming.
|
|
Misleading Advertisement of the Month
 US Stove continues to ship uncertified stoves to homeowners around the country, fulfilling orders from their retailers who advertise them as wood or wood/coal stoves. Here's how it works: online retailers advertise previously exempt stoves as wood or wood and coal stoves. They make the sale, and have US Stove ship the stove to the consumer. How many of these stoves have been illegally sold since Jan. 1? Hundreds? Thousands? AGH has urged the EPA to require US Stove not to ship stoves uncertified that are illegally advertised as wood or wood/coal. Please contact AGH for more info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
