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AGH Projects & Activities
Plans, partners and progress for 2018 Wood Stove Design Challenge
Plans for the November 2018 Stove Design Challenge on the National Mall in Washington DC are moving forward. We will begin a series of webinars in May to build a community of innovators and experts working towards the November 2018 event. If your organization, company or agency is interested in being part of these initial stages, please contact info@forgreenheat.org.
Congratulations to Rebecca Trojanowski for her receiving an award in Austria for the "Best Young Researcher in Biomass for the paper "Repeatability in particulate and gaseous emissions from pellet stoves." Rebecca works for Brookhaven National Lab and her paper was on our 2016 Pellet Stove Design Ch
allenge.
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Trends in Incentive Programs
Massachusetts has developed the first wood stove change out program in the country that recognizes the value of automated stoves and stoves that disclose their verified efficiency to consumers. The 2017 program offers Massachusetts residents between $500 and $3,000 for upgrades, depending on the stove and income level of the family.
A Maryland renewable energy rebate program established in 2012 has provided assistance to nearly 3,000 to purchase and install cleaner, modern wood and pellet stoves. The program was designed to help rural families, who were least likely to benefit from solar and other renewable energy programs.
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Washington Watch
This monthly data release includes a new table displaying the average heat, ash, and moisture contents of the densified biomass fuel products.
The wood and pellet stove tax credit expired on Jan. 1, 2017 but is available for purchases in 2016 that can be taken this tax season. The DOE inferred and Consumer Reports erroneously said that the credit is only eligible for stoves that meet 2020 emission standards. There are no emission standards for this tax credit and no effective efficiency requirements either, given the huge loopholes built by industry to allow virtually any stove to claim its 75% efficient.
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Focus on Innovation
Small-scale, pellet-fueled combined-heat-and-power (CHP) has the potential to become a major part of the distributed generation smart grid of the future, according to a new paper by FutureMetrics. They are being imported now from Austria by Maine Energy Systems.
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Featured Video
In this video, viewers will learn how taxpayers in Rockingham County benefit from the investments they've made in renewable energy at their County Complex and insights about NH's Energy Future.
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Focus on Health
A Canadian study found that during the cold season, when pollution from wood stoves is at its highest, the risk of heart attacks among subjects of 65 years and older increased by 19 percent.
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The Public Debate
Adam Sherman of Biomass Energy Resource Center and a member of AGH Board of Advisors lays out how biomass heat can increase, while decreasing emissions
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International
France: The main cause of PM pollution is a renewable energy source with an environmentally-friendly reputation - the humble wood-burning stove. Columns of smoke are rising from many of the houses.
AK: Staff from the EPA are in town this week to meet with state and local air quality regulators and local leaders about how to reduce smoke pollution in Fairbanks and North Pole.
AK:
Targeted Airshed funds will be used to reduce air pollution through a woodstove change-out program in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.
CA:
California adopted air quality regulations that will lower a wide range of pollutants, including black carbon that from fireplaces and wood stoves, especially old ones. The regulations will pump money into stove change outs for the roughly 350,000 stoves in the state that need to be replaced with gas, pellet, or modern wood stoves.
CA: The 14th winter of the San Joaquin Valley's residential wood-burning program ended this week with what air officials are calling a "record improvement in air quality."
CA:
Many people make two assumptions about wood smoke pollution in West Marin: first, that the problem isn't significant, and second, that EPA-certified wood stoves don't pollute. Both assumptions are incorrect.
CO:
To meet EPA requirements for clean air, the City of Aspen stopped allowing wood burning fireplaces in new construction about 35 years ago. Now Aspen's air quality is typically quite good.
ID:
Idaho has been recommended to receive $2.5 million in Clean Air Act Targeted Airshed grant funds to help improve air quality in southeastern Idaho's Cache Valley.
ID:
"For the first time in four years, the City of Pinehurst in Idaho has reached attainment for its air quality. The DEQ will continue to work so that the number continues to go down, by furthering programs like clean burning education and the wood-stove change out."
MI:
The American Lung Association in Michigan has started its Lower Peninsula of Michigan Woodstove Changeout Program. The program will cover all counties in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
MN:
Project Stove Swap provides financial incentives to participants, based on income, to replace older heating appliances with new ones.
NH: If wood is left on a town right-of-way, it is up to the department to pick it up.That wood is often transported to the town's highway department and added to a wood bank in an old shed at the facility.
OR:
The science lesson discusses air quality, particulate matter, air density and temperature and how temperature inversions occur with cold air being trapped under warm air.
UT:
One Tuesday in January, Salt Lake City ranked number one in the nation for the worst air quality levels, according to the EPA's air quality monitoring website. A mandatory action day where wood stove use was banned was put into effect.
WA:
The Kittitas County Public Health Department is about to start a new five-year effort to reduce air pollution in Kittitas County.
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Upcoming Conferences
Minneapolis, MN, April 10, 2017
Heating the Midwest is a network of thermal biomass advocates working to increase awareness and usage of biomass for heat.
Ketchikan, AK, April 11-12, 2017
The fourth annual Alaska wood energy conference, supporting Alaska's growing reliance on modern wood heating.
Minneapolis, MN, April 10-12, 2017
This dynamic event unites industry professionals from all sectors of the world's interconnected biomass utilization industries.
La Spezia, Italy, April 23-May 2, 2017
A theoretical and practical workshop held by Igor Kuznetsov open to everyone.
Burlington, VT, April 25-27, 2017
Speakers, panel discussion, tours, the expo and more mak
e
this the premier thermal biomass event for industry, government, researchers and non-profit
stakeholders.
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.
Watertown, NY, May 16, 2017
Attendees can expect to learn about emerging energy issues, best practices, program updates, and consumer protections.
Warsaw, Poland, May 29-30, 2017
This solutions-oriented conference will examine what we know, and what remains to be learned about addressing coal heating stoves.
Fort Lauderdale, FL, June 26-28, 2017
This conference is for those whose mission is to strengthen the energy safety net of the people they serve.
The annual gathering of antique stove collectors and refurbishers includes a trade show, auction, bus tour, banquet
University Park, PA, September 12-14, 2017
Hosted by the PA Biomass Energy Association.
Ottawa, ON, September 18-20, 2017
The largest gathering for the Canadian wood pellet industry.
Denver, CO, October 5-15, 2017
The annual solar PV competition run by DOE.
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