September 2023 Green Heat News

Volume 156

Green Heat News

A free monthly news service on renewable,

low carbon heating issues

September 2023

Features

Firewood bank funding open for year 2!

AGH is now accepting year 2 applications to fund firewood banks. Funding typically goes to buy equipment, safety gear, moisture meters, etc. Please make sure to use the right application form depending on whether 1. Your firewood bank has not yet received funding, 2. You are just starting a firewood bank, or 3. You received funding last year and deliver more than 100 cords per year.

AGH recommendations on MA Clean Heat Standard

Some would like to see the exit of advanced wood heating (AWH) from Massachusetts' Clean Heat Standard (CHS). AGH made the case for keeping AWH in the CHS, highlighting it's low-carbon impact, sustainable sourcing, and its fuel price stability.

Wood pellet heating is on the rise in VT schools

In 2017, 60 schools used wood-fired heating systems. Now, 75 school systems have adopted the technology. Now, one-third of Vermont students go to a school with wood heat. 78 cents on the dollar of every dollar spent on fossil fuel goes out of state, whereas, with wood fuel, more like 80% of that dollar stays in the state and gets recirculated in the economy.

Senator Klobuchar helps Lamppa Manufacturer in its struggles with EPA

Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) laughed when Garrett noted that the federal agency reached out to the company to buy two of its wood furnaces to help set the standards for their revised testing program. Klobuchar said that’s good for Lamppa.

AGH webinar: Pellet Heating in the Age of Heat Pumps

Register here. Speakers include Adam Sherman, Frank Kvietok, Karen Harman-Smeltz, Scott Williamson, and Christiane Egger. Next up in AGH's webinar series: State Clean Heat Standards. Vermont recently enacted S. 5, "Affordable Heat Act," and Massachusetts is developing one. Registration will open soon.

In their voices: 2-minute firewood bank video

Meet the people and hear the stories behind the firewood banks that received grants during the first round of funding. For a more in-depth version of our 2-minute promo, click here, and for more information, visit firewoodbanks.org

Agencies

A review of regulatory standard test methods for residential wood heaters and recommendations

DOE funded BNL and LBL to undertake a review of test methods and provide recommendations, many of which will be very useful to the EPA. One recommendation is that outdated equipment used in test methods such as dry gas meters for flow rate measurement, should be dropped. Modern mass flow controllers, digital data loggers, and other modern equipment commonly should be incorporated.

Improved 2023 data on wood heating

The US Government Energy Information Agency collects data on energy consumption vs. the US Census which collects data on heating appliance types. This new EIA dataset is the most robust to date, revealing important wood heating trends. AGH is calling on them to distinguish between cord wood and wood pellets in the future.

Home energy audits are now tax-deductible

The home energy audit tax credit offers 30% of the cost for a home energy audit, up to $150 per year. The combined value of the home energy audit credit and any other credits claimed under 25C are subject to a yearly limit of $1,200 for qualifying expenditures ($3,200 if expenditures are for heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, or biomass stoves or boilers).

Pellets & Cord Wood

Make the switch: Modern wood heat provides affordable alternative

Four state-specific fact sheets provide an overview of residential heating costs across the Northern Forest. From details on the state of the thermal sector to graphics on month-by-month and annual heating costs, these resources are designed for local community leaders, state and federal representatives, as well as homeowners.

Capital of Australia to phase out cord wood by 2045

The city government said its plan to phase out household woodfired heaters would extend to all parts of the capital area, but exclude properties in rural areas. The ban will not affect outdoor fire pits or meat smokers.

Westmount restricts installation, use of wood stoves

Westmount is a densely populated, affluent enclave next to downtown Montreal. As of September 1, 2024, it will prohibit the install or use any solid-fuel heating or cooking appliance or fireplace in all residential buildings unless the appliance has an emission rate of less than 2.5 g/hr. of PM.

Codes and Standards

National Chimney Sweep Guild, Advocacy UL 1390

In an update to UL Standards for stoves installed in masonry fireplaces, the Task Group members decided to remove the list or recommended certifying organizations, and to instead defer to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for any given jurisdiction. See HPBA's response here.

Electrification

Why is electrification first on list for climate action?

"The net of all of this is that as we electrify everything we can using the electricity as directly as possible, rejected energy almost disappears and the primary energy we require plummets. And as we shift to renewables, it drops even further."

Adirondackers are electrifying, and keeping their stoves

In the Adirondacks, a wood-rich and cold part of the US, households getting heat pumps also report a high likelihood of keeping and using wood and pellet stoves.

What is a battery made from? Lithium, water, wood?

Yes, batteries, or energy storage, can be made from any number of materials. Wood from trees is perhaps nature’s most common energy storage system, and can be deployed when electricity is more expensive or the grid is down to heat a home. This article discusses how your water heater can also be a cost effective energy storage system.

Change-outs

Rebates offered to Cowichan residents to switch from wood-burning appliances to heat pumps

A $300 rebate, plus a $50 retailer discount, is available to residents who upgrade old wood stoves with cleaner, EPA-certified wood or pellet appliances. For those households replacing wood-burning appliances with heat pumps, the 2020 program offers a $1,850 rebate, plus a $150 retailer discount.

State News

Fairbanks increases incentive to remove a wood burning heater

Alaska: Under a revision to the program, residents can receive up to $14,000 for the removal of an outdoor hydronic heater and up to $10,000 for the removal of wood stoves.

Heartwood biomass project brings jobs, environmental benefits to Tuolumne County

California: By manufacturing firewood bundles, wood chips and agricultural posts from forest restoration byproducts, the project converts potential wildfire fuel from unnaturally dense forests into valuable products. They also use biomass to generate its own heat and electricity, reducing dependence on non-renewable resources.

Where there's no smoke, there's still fire

Idaho: A new air curtain incinerator is installed at the Shoshone County Transfer Station in Kellogg. Solid Waste Department Director Richard Brenner said that the county is hoping to use the incinerator to burn wood waste about three days a week.

Mt. Bachelor and Prineville plan for future with biomass facilities

Oregon: As a way to help manage forests in Central Oregon, there's a plan to construct two biomass facilities that burn unwanted forest material to create heat and electricity.

International News

District heating cheapest in Narva and Lähte

Estonia: Prices tend to be cheaper in areas where heat is generated using solid fuels, such as wood chips.

If you heat with wood pellets, buy them now

France: Prices spiked last winter to more than €700 but are far lower now. Prior to this, pellet fuelrarely surpassing the €300 threshold even in winter.

Industry warns UK government of "urgent need" for Biomass Strategy to go further

United Kingdom: Seven UK energy trade bodies were pleased that the biomass strategy recognizes the complexity of the sector and has taken a strong evidence-based approach to the development of the strategy. The letter also reiterates industry support for the development of a cross sectoral common sustainability framework.

Best of Facebook

"A great conversation starter if nothing else!"

Misleading Article of the Month

Conferences & Webinars

Maine Energy Systems Pellet Boiler Installation Training

Bethel, Maine (also remote), September 11-12, 2023

Maine Energy Systems offers training for contractors on the installation, adjustment, and maintenance of the AutoPellet wood pellet boilers and furnaces.

Tribal Clean Energy Technology Symposium

Las Vegas, Nevada, September 14, 2023

Agenda includes a technology overview, considerations for forming a tribal utility, finding development partners, financing projects, and cultural considerations.

Wood Pellet Association of Canada Conference and AGM

Ottawa, Canada, September 19-20, 2023

The WPAC Conference and AGM is an opportunity to learn about the most important issues from industry experts around the globe.

2023 Antique Stove Convention

Estes Park, Colorado, September 24-26, 2023

The Antique Stove Association brings amateur and professional collectors, experts and artisans who buy, sell, repair and restore antique wood stoves.

International Training Seminar- Sustainable Bioenergy Heating

Linz, Austria, October 2-5, 2023

The International Training Seminar focuses on small- to mid-scale projects fueled by wood pellets and wood chips: homes, smaller commercial buildings and district heating grids .

Annual Renewable Energy Vermont Conference

South Burlington, Vermont, October 18-19, 2023

The largest comprehensive renewable energy gathering in the region, bringing together a variety of stakeholders that are ready to build a path to a 100% renewable energy future.

Renewable Thermal Collaborative Summit

Washington, D.C., October 19-20, 2023

The Renewable Thermal Collaborative (RTC) is the global coalition for companies, institutions, and governments committed to scaling up renewable heating and cooling.

2023 Local Energy Solutions Conference

Manchester, New Hampshire, November 2, 2023

This Conference is New Hampshire's premier energy event for local energy champions, policymakers, municipal officials, state agencies, and industry representatives.

2023 New England Home Performance Conference & Trade Show

Springfield, Massachusetts, November 7-8, 2023

This two-day conference will deliver the latest region-specific updates and information to home performance and weatherization professionals living and working in New England.

European Bioenergy Future 2023

Schaerbeek, Belgium, November 28-30, 2023

One track at this event will bring together key stakeholders and market actors to discuss the immediate, but also the long-term perspectives, for the premium pellet heat market.

HBPExpo

Nashville, Tennessee, February 13-15, 2024

HPBExpo offers interactive experiences, networking events and forums for conversations with peers and connections with industry colleagues.

World Sustainable Energy Days 2024

Wels, Austria, March 5-8, 2024

The event shows how to achieve the high policy ambitions of the upcoming EU legislation and how to strengthen the clean energy markets.

2024 European Pellet Conference

Wels, Austria, March 6, 2024

The largest annual pellet event worldwide focuses on the role pellets in the clean energy transition and the circular economy.

2024 National Chimney Sweep Guild Convention & Trade Show

Orlando, Florida, March 20-23, 2024

Largest gathering of chimney sweeps in the United States. The event offers a variety of technical & business classes with continuing education units and a trade show.

2024 National Home Performance Conference

Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 8-11, 2024

This conference brings together contractors, weatherization professionals, trainers, program administrators and energy auditors working on residential energy efficiency.

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