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Wood Education  and Resource Center Update
 May 21, 2014 |
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U.S. Forest Service Seeks Applications for Wood to Energy Projects
The U.S. Forest Service is seeking proposals that expand wood energy use and support responsible forest management. "USDA, through the Forest Service, is supporting development of wood energy projects that promote sound forest management, expand regional economies, and create new jobs," said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "These efforts, part of the Obama Administration's 'all of the above' energy strategy, create opportunities for wood energy products to enter the marketplace." Read full article.
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Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team
Since the last WERC update, WERC Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team members have participated in several meetings and conferences focused on the expanding the use of wood energy in residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial settings. Heat the Northeast in Portland, ME; the Mid-Atlantic Biomass Energy Conference in Gettysburg, PA; and Heat the Midwest in Green Bay, WI, were conferences dedicated to promoting the use of woody biomass as well as other biomass technologies for thermal and combined heat and power applications. All three conferences were well attended by both system manufacturers and users. Carlton Owen, President of the Endowment for Forests and Communities, provided the keynote speech at Heat the Northeast. Mr. Owen challenged the wood energy industry to increase its collaborative marketing efforts, noting the success of various industry-supported check-off programs that support marketing such as the dairy, pork, and beef industries. Read full article.
For additional information, contact Lew McCreery at 304-285-1538
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Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) Project Highlights
Reduce Energy Consumption through Lean Thinking
VA Tech Department of Sustainable Biomaterials (WERC Award Number 2010-DG-088)
The forest products industry has an opportunity to reduce energy costs by managing the energy it uses, which will boost its global competitiveness. Increasing manufacturing costs have contributed significantly to the decline of the forest products and wood manufacturing industries in the U.S.; these increasing costs limit manufacturers' abilities to compete with their global competitors. U.S. companies are continually improving their products, processes, finances, and business practices to better compete in global marketplaces; however, they may not be seizing the opportunities that are available by using more efficient energy consumption practices. By eliminating activities that do not add value to the product, lean production processes are one tool that may improve performance and reduce costs. Lean thinking focuses on reducing waste and increasing value-added processes to products and services. Examples of value-added steps within the forest products industry include cutting and shaping lumber, drying lumber, reducing lead times, and reducing batch sizes.
View the online presentations about the project.
For additional information, contact Henry Quesada-Pineda at 540-231-0978.
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Workshops
Urban Wood Utilization Webcast
July 8, 2014 -- 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern
Connection Information:
- Connect your computer/mobile device to the Adobe Connect Web meeting:
https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/werc/
- Keep "Enter as a Guest" selected
- Type your name or location (if multiple people are joining together) into the "name" box
- Click "Enter Room"
Dial in to the teleconference for audio: 888-844-9904, access code: 7578516 (you might want to use a phone for the audio)
2014 SmallWood Conference: Forest Utilization and Management: From Working Woodlands to City Streets
June 3-5, 2014
Location: Rochester, MN
Noted experts will unveil the latest information on forest watershed protection, infrastructure protection and forest restoration, landscape stewardship projects, urban forestry, natural disaster response, and emerald ash borer. View more information.
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Update on the Housing Market
From Urs Buehlmann, Virginia Tech, Department of Sustainable Biomaterials. View all housing reports.
On Earth Day, U.S. Forest Service Seeks Applications for Wood to Energy Projects, Announces New Wood Energy Financial App -- Part of the Obama Administration's "All of the Above" Energy Strategy
Building with Wood: Jobs and the Environment
On March 18, 2014, the White House Rural Council hosted a workshop titled Building With Wood: Jobs and the Environment. Participants included architects, builders, designers, wood manufacturers, foresters, State officials, university leaders, and representatives from across the Federal government. View more information.
Hardwood Checkoff Program
The Hardwood Checkoff is an initiative led by a group of U.S. hardwood industry leaders who have developed a proposed Commodity Checkoff program for the hardwood industry.
EPA Proposes Updates to Air Standards for Newly Manufactured Woodstoves and Heaters
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing standards for the amount of air pollution that can be emitted by new woodstoves and heaters. The agency's proposal would make the next generation of stoves and heaters an estimated 80 percent cleaner than those manufactured today, leading to important air quality and public health improvements in communities across the country. The proposal would affect a variety of wood heaters manufactured beginning in 2015 and will not affect heaters and stoves already in use in homes or currently for sale today. View more information.
Wind Wood Utilization
Wind Wood Utilization is the hub for information specifically related to the preparation for, response to, and recovery from major wind events and the utilization of downed and damaged timber and woody debris that can be generated.
Urban Forest Products Alliance LinkedIn Group
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Archived Webinars
Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop
April 17, 2014
Hosted by Wood Products Extension, Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University. View workshop details and slide presentations.
For additional information, contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University at 704-880-5034.
Quarterly Webcast on Urban Wood Utilization
April 15, 2014
Presentation topics include A300 Part 11, Urban Forest Products Standard; Building an Urban Wood Utilization Program via Industry Clusters; Urban Wood Utilization Efforts in Southeast Michigan; Urban Wood Utilization Efforts in Chicago, IL; New Urban Wood Market Place in Madison, WI; and Urban Wood Utilization Study in Virginia. View more information.
View additional WERC webcasts here.
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