Volume 130
Green Heat News
A monthly news service for everyone
interested in renewable wood & pellet heating

June 2020
Featured stories

During the last 4 years, HPBA wasn't able to delay or weaken the 2015 stove regulations in court, in congress or at the EPA, leading to frictions within industry. The very limited sell-through that is likely in the fall didn't help manufacturers, as planned and Englander and US Stove Co, the two highest volume US stove manufacturer are leaving the industry association.

About 400 Step 1 went “out of production” on May 16, including some iconic models that will be missed by wood stove enthusiasts. HPBA initially thought it could get a “direct final rule,” resulting in 6 month sell-through from May 16 – Dec. 31. The return of  Mandy Gunasekara  to a leadership position at EPA may have resulted in at least a 2-month sell-through.

Initial reports of a possible sell-through came in early May, but the EPA did not release details until after close of business, May 15. Many retailers chose to keep their unsold Step 1 heaters for the proposed sell-through. A few donated them to low-income households.
Focus on Congress

Senator Carper supported a one year sell-through and a $75 million federal change-out fund in 2018, in return for codifying the 2015 NSPS and sticking to the May 15 deadline. HPBA opted to try for a 3-year extension, a historic miscalculation. Ultimately, industry didn’t get even a year extension or sell-through, and missed a big opportunity to get the $75 million change-out fund.

Congressman Peterson has emerged as a main Congressional advocate for the wood heater industry. Peterson wanted a sell-through that would help manufacturers, like Central Boiler, and instead the EPA's timing made this likely sell-through more for retailers.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)  introduced a bill  that includes a slew of provisions to improve forest health and create rural jobs, including  $100 million for the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Program that BTEC has worked to establish over the past three years. 

On May 8, Senator Carper (D-DE) urged that the EPA stop any effort to allow a sell-through. "Fortunately, new [Step 2] wood heaters made and sold in the U.S. are dramatically cleaner and more energy efficient than older wood heaters," Carper said. The full text of Carper’s letter is available at  bit.ly/2LkdSDy .
Focus on Federal Agencies

EPA

Anyone can comment on the EPA’s proposed sell through of Step 1 heaters. Comments must be submitted by July 6. A virtual public hearing is likely on June 8, from 9:00 a.m. (EST) and will conclude at 3:00 p.m. EST. Each speaker will get 5 minutes. Speakers and those listening must pre-register by June 4.

EPA Administrator Wheeler testified in the Senate and mistakenly said the March to May stove selling season is a big one. He also mistakenly seems to think manufacturers have to buy back most stranded Step 1 stoves from retailers. He reiterated: “We’re not talking about standards that are 20 or 30 years old." Wrong again. The EPA 2015 standard of 4.5 grams was already met by almost all of industry after Washington state adopted 4.5 gr/hr in 1995. Fast forward to minute 50 in the video.

Janet McCabe, the former head of the EPA air pollution office makes the case against a sell-through. “Now comes COVID-19 to disrupt commerce and throw industry a lifeline — despite five years to transition to the updated standards and the EPA’s own conclusion (not once, but twice) that the May 2020 deadline could be met by manufacturers.

Dept. of Housing

The Department of Housing and Community Development, Rural Community Assistance and Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) announced a new $17 million program to provide loans to increase the use of low-and no-value wood from Tuolumne County forests and provide an alternative to pile burning of forest waste





Innovative Technology
With a combination of heat-pump or solar-thermal installation and a modern stove, both space heating and hot water systems can be fuelled continuously by renewable and CO2 neutral energies. Solid fuel appliances can be operated in parallel to a heat pump or a solar-thermal installation and even combined into a single all-embracing system. Heat pump systems are now installed in one in three new builds in Germany.
State & International News
States

Colorado: A tastefully done infomercial about using beetle kill wood Colorado to heat a home using a Hearthstone stove.

Maine: Congressman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) said the company is slated to use locally sourced wood to cut down on energy cost and fossil fuel use. 

North Carolina: Over the course of Michael's recruitment to UNC, Michael's dad built a woodburning stove for Coach Roy Williams.    “ James Jordan, was such a great builder and man of class that he made a wood-burning stove from scratch and delivered it to Williams' home as a gift and was poised to install it free of charge.” AGH cannot find any photos of the stove or find out what happened to it. Any leads appreciated! 

Oklahoma: Oklahoma is seeking to update its delegation of authority to enforce NSPS regulations, which would include Subparts AAA and QQQQ on wood heaters .

Oregon: An Oregon change out program funds gas stoves, gas fireplace inserts, gas furnaces or electric heat pumps within the Air Quality Zone. It requires the homeowner have an existing uncertified woodstove, uncertified fireplace inserts, or an open fireplace that is the sole source of heat in the home.

Canada

British Columbia : A piece of solid, fair journalism that gives both sides airtime in this ongoing debate about exporting pellets. "If someone tells you that the GHG emissions from burning pellets is higher than coal, I would ask them for clarification."



Best of May Facebook

He started building firewood sheds for friends and family who were battling the excess moisture and subsequent rot by storing wood outdoors under tarps. Soon, more people started to notice his minimalist sheds popping up, and a business was quickly born. Today, he offers over 50 styles and sizes of firewood sheds.
Conferences & Webinars
Online, June 8, 9AM - 3PM EST
EPA holds a virtual public hearing via teleconference on the proposed amendments to the 2015 NSPS. Participants planning to provide oral testimony to a panel of EPA experts as well as those planning to listen must register in advance by June 4.

Lebanon, TN, Cancelled
A two day workshop that goes into detail the business side of the split firewood business. Will have open discussions and equipment demos.

June 2, 9, and 16, 10:30-12 EST
This special Webinar Series examines the impacts and advantages of utilizing wood resources for thermal biomass energy in Maryland.

Postponed until June 22-24, 2021
Canada’s largest and longest-running conference on the bioeconomy will be postponed for one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington, DC, June 29-July 1, 2020
Join us for the largest gathering of energy assistance professionals in the country.

Washington DC, Postponed
Competing teams exhibit and compete at the Build Challenge Event, as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington.

Scranton, PA, August 31-September 1, 2020
Visit the webpage to see photos from previous conferences.

Vancouver, Canada, September 21, 2020
OptiPellet is the only event of its kind focused on current and future state-of-the-art pellet production technology.

South Burlington, Vermont, October 13-14, 2020
Renewable Energy Vermont’s annual conference convenes innovators and policymakers working to advance renewable energy, electricity, heating, and transportation solutions.
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