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September 2017
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Green Heat News 
Issue No. 97
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| Stay up to date with all things wood heat. All the cool kids are doing it! To sign up, click here 
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| 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: info@forgreenheat.org |
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4th Wood Stove Design Challenge
Aug. 14, DOE press release: "Wood as a main heating source in homes has gained popularity in many areas of the country. Yet the technological innovations that have hit the home appliance market over the past 20 years-think refrigerators that can track contents and expiration dates, incorporate cooking applications, and allow remote operation-have largely missed the wood stove industry. Now a significant opportunity exists."
The Alliance for Green Heat is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for up to $10,000 from teams who have registered their interest to compete in the 2018 Wood Stove Design Challenge. Applications are due on November 1.
Seventeen teams have registered their interest in competing on the National Mall next year. Read about 10 of them here. Others, including a top engineering department, a top stove manufacturer and more are registered but not listed as they are not yet ready to go public with their technology.
This guest blog describes an early effort to build a thermoelectric wood stove in the UK. This is part of a series of blogs leading up to the 2018 Wood Stove Design Challenge.
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AGH Projects & Activities
 AGH - Nine top industry experts speak on the record about many of the most controversial topics in wood stove regulations. These rare interviews with John Crouch, Rick Curkeet, Bob Ferguson, Skip Hayden, Dan Henry, Ben Myren and others cover many policy and technical topics and help us understand how and why the EPA changed stove and boiler regulations.
Correction: US Stove Model 1269 is UL listed
AGH - In the August issue of our newsletter we claimed that the US Stove Model 1269 was not UL listed and could pose a safety threat. We were incorrect. Model 1269 is UL listed. As a small non-profit organization, the main asset of the Alliance for Green Heat is our accuracy, honesty and reliability. However, in this case, we let down our readers and we let down the manufacture, US Stove.
If you would like to receive notices of events and news in your state that may not be in the newsletter, please add your email and state here. (We do not rent, sell, give or share our email list to anyone.)
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Focus on Firewood
 The UK is the newest country where associations have established credible certifications to assure firewood is seasoned. Ultimately, no one has stepped forward in the US yet to take this on.
"This requirement does not limit the sale of unseasoned firewood, it only requires sellers to tell their customers about the moisture of the wood they are buying so customers can make informed decisions about burning." For areas with really bad wood smoke like Fairbanks, this is a great step and possibly the first town in the US to take it.
Great story showing how different sides can interpret the same data. In this case, a clean air group is claiming Worcester, MA is terribly polluted by firewood. But according to MA air quality officials and the EPA, it's not.
People caught breaking firewood collection laws near Bendigo, Australia prompted a reminder from the state's environment department about the need to police our parks.
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Focus on Natural Gas
From a global climate perspective, gas is far worse than modern pellet and wood heating. But from a local health perspective gas is better. Electricity was neither a renewable, nor affordable way to heat. But now, the times they are a changing ...
This district heating system is switching from gas to a combination of wood chips and solar thermal using a new Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) unit.
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Focus on Testing
 In an effort to develop a certification testing protocol, masonry heaters are undergoing a resurgence of innovation, as data starts showing masonry heaters can be even cleaner. Guest blog by Norbert Senf, who is participating in the testing at Mark Champion's lab in VT.
How does Lamppa Manufacturing, a tiny manufacturer, make the only furnace that meets the 2020 EPA standards, surpassing all the bigger manufacturers? "The company is poised to reap the rewards of years of experimentation. Testing shows they've achieved a federal emissions standard that few in the industry thought could be done."
The Biomass Thermal Energy Council will begin validation testing of its biomass boiler efficiency protocol in September at ClearStak LLC, a Connecticut EPA accredited testing laboratory. Consistent calculation and reporting of efficiency commercial wood heaters is just as important as residential heaters.
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Focus on Change-Outs
As part of a fine for violating the Clean Air Act, Harley-Davidson was to pay $3 million toward a wood stove change out program, but the DOJ rolled that back.
"The Trump Administration has made it clear that it favors those breaking the law, over its responsibility to protect Americans' public health. The proposed decree is an unadorned $3 million dollar gift to a company which has violated the Clean Air Act."
When AGH reviewed California plans on criteria for wood stove change outs, we saw that they omitted any reference to eligibility of pellet stoves. We hope that was an unintended oversight. Thanks to BTEC for sharing this opportunity to comment.
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Focus on Health
For this study, researchers tested three types of wood-burning stoves: traditional stoves; natural-draft stoves; and forced-draft stoves, which use battery-powered fans to improve combustion.
They were called "frequent flyers," children flown from their village homes to the hospital in Anchorage for treatment for coughs, wheezes and trouble breathing, then sent back home - only to return again with the same symptoms.
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Most Liked Stories on Facebook
For breaking ne
ws, great photos, stove
innovation and more.
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AK:
EPA approves moderate air quality improvement plan for Fairbanks, Alaska. State and Borough plans include steps to reduce harmful fine particulate air pollution.
Is wood burning as 'clean' as we think?
MA:
Did we miss something or is this group equating emissions from advanced pellet boilers with traditional wood boilers?
Windham Wood Heat Initiative
VT:
The idea is to transition from fossil-fuel systems to modern systems like pellet boilers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and save money. About $270,000 of the $1.6 million will be allocated for a new residential wood heat program for low-income households.
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Misleading Advertisement of the Month
 Beware of "EPA Compliant" appliances that are fireplaces, not stoves. This is clearly labeled a fireplace, but all the attributes sound just like a wood stove. Under the NSPS, if it's advertised as a heater, it should be certified as a stove, and not under the voluntary fireplace program that has weak emissions standards.
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Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
University Park, PA, September 12-14, 2017
The first major mid-Atlantic conference, hosted by the Pennsylvania Biomass Energy Association. (AGH's John Ackerly is a presenter.)
Ottawa, ON, September 18-20, 2017
The largest gathering for the Canadian wood pellet industry. (AGH's John Ackerly is a presenter.)
September 21, 2017, 1:30pm EST
Join this webinar to learn about the incentives available for advanced cordwood boilers, pellet boilers, and pellet stoves.
Fairbanks, AK, September 23, 2017
The State of Alaska is required to submit a serious air quality plan for Fairbanks by December 31, 2017.
Wilmington, NC, September 29, 2017
The Wood Pellet Forum is a public event focusing on the effects of the wood pellet industry on the forests and environment of North Carolina.
October 18, 2017
Uniting organizations across the country that support bioenergy. On this date, organizations will demonstrate the local benefits of bioenergy.
Glens Falls, NY, October 24, 2017
Join us for a full-day design-focused workshop. This is a preconference session for the 2017 Clean Energy Economy Conference.
October 25, 2017, 1:00pm EST
Part of the LIFE Webinar series by NYSERDA.
Glens Falls, NY, October 25-26, 2017
This annual conference provides a forum to share, learn about and discuss clean energy opportunities for northern New York State.
Concord, NH, October 28, 2017
We are here to provide guidance and resources to help local energy groups implement successful energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Saratoga Springs, NY, February 13-14, 2018
Join together with industry leaders working in the residential energy efficiency industry for a cutting edge educational experience.
Wels, Austria, February 28 - March 2, 2018
The World Sustainable Energy Days (WSED) are one of Europe's largest annual conferences in this field.
Wels, Austria, February 28 - March 1, 2018
With more than 500 participants every year, the European Pellet Conference held in Wels is the largest annual pellet event in the world.
Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Expo
Nashville, TN, March 7-10, 2018
HPBExpo is being held at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee with Outdoor Burn Exhibits located across from the center.
Portland, OR, April 18-21, 2018
Over 30 hours of business and tech breakout session, trade show featuring more than 80 booths, and much more.
Denmark, May 14 - 18, 2018
The EUBCE brings together industry, scientists, research labs and agencies, and always has a focus on biomass thermal.
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Please Support Our Work
Thanks
to ...
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The Alliance for Green Heat is an independent non-profit organization working to promote cleaner and more efficient biomass heating. Please consider making a generous contribution. The Alliance is a tax exempt 501 (c)(3) organization.
You can make a secure donation online through PayPal here:
-- William and Frances Ackerly
-- Arbolito Foundation
-- Aprovecho Research Center
-- Chimney Safety Institute of America
-- Classic Heat Source
-- Department of Energy, Bioenergy Technology Office
-- Ann Down
-- Tina and Dave Egan
-- Family Foundation
-- Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
-- Sat Jiwan Khalsa
-- New York State Energy & Research Development Authority
-- Osprey Foundation
-- Jim & Patty Rouse Foundation
-- Schott-Robax
-- Julie Segre and Nick Salafsky
-- Victoria Sujata
-- Takoma Foundation
-- University of Maryland Extension Service
-- DC Dept. of Transportation, Urban Forestry Administration
-- U.S. Forest Service
-- West Penn Power Energy & Sustainability Fund
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