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AGH Projects & Activities
The EPA gave a small business grant to Aprovecho, Alliance for Green Heat, Woodstock Soapstone and others to try to build a very low-cost, low emission stove that can heat a small home, cook food and produce enough electricity for a few lights and cell-phone charging. There is a huge need for such a stove in northern China, Russia, Tibet, parts of northern India, Eastern Europe etc.
Thinking about upgrading your wood or pellet stove? These tips can help you make an affordable choice. Our zip code search lets you find stove change-out and incentive programs in your area. If your stove is 20 years old or more, its time to try out a new one.
Wood heating has made a comeback in the United States and has been the fastest growing heating fuel for most years since 2005, according to US Census figures. Currently, 2.36 million homes in the United States use wood as a primary heating fuel (ACS, 2015, 1-year estimates).
 AGH President writes about a Sierra Club green school rating guide, where eight of the top 20 greenest schools use biomass for heating. They include Middlebury, pictured below, Colby, Colgate, Colorado State, Green Mountain College, and Harvard.
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Washington Watch
The US government is starting to track wood pellet production and use, as it tracks oil, gas and other fuels. AGH and others pressed them to do this, to recognize the growth and importance of this emerging renewable fuel and to help the sector move forward. This story covers the significance of it.
In 2016, EPA enforcement actions led to nearly $14 billion in investments by companies in actions and equipment to control pollution. These actions included many investments in wood stove change-out programs. If the new EPA chief backs off violators of pollution regulations, there may be less money for stove change-outs.
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Focus on Testing
The Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC) released a draft of the first US test method for commercial biomass boilers. The method includes boilers that use pellets, chips, briquetts or cord wood.
Accredited EPA test labs for wood and pellet are part of a small, tight-knit club, that just got bigger. ClearStak, a Connecticut company, is the newest lab accredited by the EPA and ISO 17025. It is also the first lab to offer live video streaming and remote data monitoring for "complete transparency of testing."
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International
Australia: This year there were "virtually no complaints about wet or unseasoned wood from Firewood Association of Australia members" which dominates the firewood industry in Australia.
Australia: Metters wood-fired stoves, designed in Australia and first manufactured in the 1890s, were a source of heat, food and hot water for generations of Australian families.
Canada:
Some cities across the country have banned outdoor wood-burning stoves and heaters because of the amount of smoke they pump out. C
ould Cambridge be next?
EU:
Very worthwhile 4-minute video about biomass energy and policy in Europe, focusing on heating and energy independence.
EU: New EU sustainability criteria covers large biomass heat and power plants (above 20 MW). Large-scale biomass electricity plants will need to use high efficient combined heat and power technology. But this does not apply to power plants that are already in operation and receive state aid already approved by the EC.
Int'l: A PhD thesis analyzes particulates from heating stoves worldwide, from the most basic to the most advanced. The author found great potential in automated stoves that use digital devices "that support users in the proper regulation of fuel loads and combustion air inlets."
States
AK: At about minus 20 Fahrenheit - a fairly regular occurrence here in winter - smoke that goes up comes right back down, to linger at ground level and, therefore, lung level.
CO
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Burn ban in Mesa County requires households not to use old wood stoves, but allows the use of EPA certified wood stoves.
ID: Short audio-clip about wood pellet business in Idaho, where pellet stoves are gaining popularity. (It went a little overboard with the "zero emission" comment.)
MD:
The Maryland Energy Administration is announcing a new program in fiscal year 2017 designed to further encourage the use of woody biomass as a thermal and/or energy source.
ME:
Maine regulators on Tuesday approved splitting $13.4 million in subsidies across four biomass facilities, including two shuttered by Covanta in Penobscot and Washington counties.
ME: Heat pumps are taking Maine by storm, said Dana Fischer of Efficiency Maine, which offers $500 rebates for one heat pump, $750 for two.
MN:
17 counties in Minnesota are included in Project Stove Swap, a voluntary program offering financial incentives to residents and businesses that replace old wood heating appliances with new, more efficient, less-polluting ones.
NV:
For the third year in a row, a town in Nevada is giving out free ash cans to reduce house fires from wood stove ashes. Great idea.
NH: An evaluation of the economic and environmental impact of commercial, institutional and business modern wood heating (pellet, chip, modern logwood) in New Hampshire.
NH:
"Heating oil is up around 8 percent compared to last year, electricity is up about 4 percent. Propane is up 17 percent... but wood bulk pellets are down 1 percent".
OR:
Pendleton Oregon extended a zero interest loan program to replace wood stoves with cleaner alternatives to a 3 mile radius beyond the town. The number of older, polluting woodstoves in the city has dropped from about 900 to 400 overall.
SD:
A big thanks to Steven Knapp at Hot Bricks, who donated $5,000 worth of wood bricks to the Native Americans, veterans and others who are protesting a pipeline at the Standing Rock reservation.
VT:
After 15 years, Middlebury College is carbon neutral thanks in part to a groundbreaking biomass facility. The plant allowed the May Boeve, a Middlebury student leader at the time is now executive director of the leading climate activism organization
350.org.
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Upcoming Conferences
Portland, OR, January 23-24, 2017
Join weatherization professionals working in the residential energy efficiency industry for a cutting edge educational experience.
Kirkland, WA, January 27, 2017
The conference aims to expand its reach, encouraging more participation of Southern partners, international stoves experts, and development specialists with field experience.
Las Vegas, NV, January 30-Feburary 1, 2017
A unique forum designed expressly for the HVACR community.
State College, PA, January 31, 2017
Join us in early 2017 to discuss and help plan PBEA's upcoming activities.
Cottage Grove, OR, January 31-February 3, 2017
The Clean Stove Upgrade Seminar is intended to improve the IWA Tier scores of brought stoves.
Washington, DC, February 14, 2017
The training will be interactive and - dare we say it - fun, teaching best practices for presenting your message to policymakers.
Wels, Austria, March 1-2, 2017
This is the largest annual pellet heating event in the world.
Atlanta, GA, March 1-4, 2017
HPBExpo attracts thousands of distributors and retailers that "live and breathe the indoor-outdoor lifestyle."
Louisville, KY, March 15-18, 2017
The NCSG National Convention features the nation's largest trade show focused on the chimney and hearth industry.
Nashville, TN, March 19-22, 2017
Join over 1,000 residential energy efficiency professionals for four days of outstanding educational sessions, networking, and inspiration.
Minneapolis, MN, April 10, 2017
Heating the Midwest is a network of thermal biomass advocates working to increase awareness and usage of renewable biomass for heat.
Minneapolis, MN, April 10-12, 2017
This dynamic event unites industry professionals from all sectors of the world's interconnected biomass utilization industries.
Burlington, VT, April 25-27, 2017
Speakers, panel discussion, tours, the expo and more make this the premier thermal biomass event for industry, government, researchers and non-profit stakeholders.
Save the Date: National Firewood Workshop
Statesville, NC, April 27, 2017
The National Firewood Workshop will be held in Statesville next year. AGH presents on firewood policies at this annual conference.
University Park, PA, September 12-14, 2017
Hosted by the PA Biomass Energy Association.
Denver, CO, October 5-15, 2017
Fourteen college teams will compete in the DOE competition.
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