Volume 122
Green Heat News
A monthly news service for everyone
interested in renewable wood & pellet heating

October 2019
New EPA Stove & Boiler Regulations
2020 Countdown: 227 days to go
The stricter EPA wood heater emission standards take effect in 227 days, less than 8 months and the EPA has still not announced the results of any modifications to the rule, based on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). According to one reliable source in the government, the “EPA has essentially abandoned the effort to modify the RWH [residential wood heater] NSPS, except for some rulemaking for the pellet fuel standards—likely EPA will remove the specifications for pellet fuels.”


A round robin proficiency testing done in all eight EPA approved labs is complete and the report will be published in a matter of weeks, according to the EPA. Under the NSPS, EPA approved labs must participate in ISO proficiency testing, at their expense, which involved testing a pellet stove Proficiency testing can show that all labs can get repeatable emissions numbers from the same model pellet stove. AGH applauds the round robin proficiency testing as a core quality assurance measure brought about by the 2015 NSPS.

AGH analysis - EPA records show a steady stream of stoves being certified but do not show which models, if any, failed. This blog explains why few models fail the EPA certification test and why that data is important.

Portland Press Herald - A very good story on Jotul, who needs to wean their customer base off of non-cat stoves if they want to stay with the  Jotul  brand. We had urged the reporter to also talk to companies that did not switch to cats and are still making affordable non-cats. While the jury may still be out on Jotul's hybrid design that has a continuously engaged catalyst, we are hopeful that it's a genuine step forward in the evolving process to make cleaner wood stoves.

The Timberjay - Lamppa makes one of the two 2020 certified wood furnaces and is banking on rapid growth. "The company has orders stacked up like cordwood just waiting to be fulfilled as soon as they can get their production ramped up to meet the demand." But finding enough skilled welders and other workers may limit their growth.

The Meridian Star - According to this infomercial, the uncertified outdoor wood boiler saga began in Mississippi in 1976 and steadily commercialized during the 1980s. Hardy now has 25 full-time employees and "six distributors and a nationwide network of 400 independent dealers. That number is growing as Hardy Manufacturing moves into the future of safe and economical heating appliances." However, Hardy only has one 2015 unit that was tested at 61% efficiency and no 2020 certified units.









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Focus on Congress
 A bill being introduced by Senator Maggie Hassan of N.H. would reinstate the tax credit for wood and pellet heaters at $400 for EPA certified heaters that have efficiency listings on the EPA wood heater database of 73% or more in 2020 and 75% or more as of Jan. 1 2021. Based on the current EPA database, limits of either 73% or 75% would include a majority of pellet and catalytic stoves, all stoves labelled “hybrid” and a small minority of non-catalytic stoves. 

Senator Shaheen secured $5 million for the Community Wood Energy Program (CWEP), a competitive Forest Service grant program that aims to assist with the costs of installing high-efficiency, biomass-fueled energy systems. This is the first time this program has received funds since it was first authorized in 2008.  



Focus on Dartmouth
AGH opinion column - Dartmouth has a sound plan to heat its campus with wood chips, replacing carbon rich and dirty #6 fuel oil. But it got caught off guard by biomass opponents. Its my alma mater, and together with other alumni, we are urging the College to tap its wealth of scientific knowledge and keep improving its plan to use wood chips.

The Valley News - Many alternative sources of heating have been suggested for Dartmouth College— solar, wind, gas, heat pumps. All have drawbacks. All raise questions. Wood chips has many benefits but Dartmouth should provide the information it has on air quality after the plant’s emissions pass through an electrostatic precipitator. And the public should understand that there is no comparison between a household wood stove and a modern heating plant.



Focus on Forestry & Firewood
"We created transparent pricing with all our firewood. We sell it by the heat contained – then you have a price per kilowatt and the consumer can make an informed decision. Every bag of our firewood now has a label that indicates the kilowatt within the bag – we are the first in Ireland to do this." Why is no one doing this in the US?

One U.S. utility alone trims and removes more than 1 million trees near its wires across its territory each year to mitigate wildfire risk. Finding novel ways to reduce the cost and/or increase the safety of woody biomass collection could help reduce wildfire risk for tens of thousands of homes and businesses. This foundation has funds for the best ideas.

Firewood is the main source of heating in Romania, used by 3.4 million or 45.7% of households. A shaky economy over the past decade led to a rise in wood heating and in firewood prices to the point that firewood is now more expensive than natural gas. The government's response is to expand the natural gas network which will also reduce illegal wood cutting.



Focus on Health & Air Quality
In Krakow Poland, anyone burning wood or coal in their home will now face a fine. In a country that contains an astonishing 33 of the 50 most polluted cities in the European Union, Krakow’s move could do much to improve its citizens’ public health.


Best of September Facebook
Who knew people still heat with wood? A better question is: why are people who write things like this so out of touch with how millions of Americans heat their homes?

Millions of families live above abandoned coal mines that now are filled with water that is far warmer than winter air. And that should translate into millions of warm homes.






State & International News
States

Alaska: EPA scientists say the death rate in the Fairbanks North Star Borough has fallen because citizens are working to clean the air.

California: As the seasons change from summer to autumn and the Walker Fire edges closer toward complete containment, the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District looks back at air quality during the month of August. .

Maine: In most of the US, except for the warmest places, a wood stove is one of best things to have to get through extended power outages. (Heat and clean, boiled water.) Hurricanes get us thinking about this, but it could be a solar flare or a cyber attack that takes out the grid. A town in Maine has lots of other ways to prepare.

Michigan: Heat-treated wood burns hot and produces minimal smoke, making it ideal to bring to campgrounds. People who bring their own firewood from home pose a risk of also bringing invasive pests.

New Jersey: An important victory for hearth professionals who were almost excluded from their own trade by state licensing requirements. Thanks to the Mid-Atlantic HPBA for taking up this challenge and seeing it through to completion. Now, NJ will be one of few states requiring NFI or equivalent licensing to install stoves.

Washington: Restrictions on natural gas are often opposed by HPBA and stove manufacturers who also represent gas appliances. In Seattle, Travis Industries, who make wood, pellet and gas stoves, wants gas restrictions delayed and have more input in the process.


Canada

The Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) is working on getting European biomass boiler standards accepted in Canada so that we can grow our domestic pellet market. There are no Canadian manufacturers of small scale wood pellet boilers.










Conferences & Webinars
Burlington, Vermont, October 2, 2019
A big day in VT for energy efficiency, but efficiency is all year round.

Burlington, Vermont, October 10-11, 2019
The annual forum brings together business leaders, system operators, architects, builders, manufacturers, engineers, scientists, policy makers, and regulators.

Shakopee, Minnesota, October 23, 2019
How industrial and commercial space heating is achievable utilizing biomass energy.

Nationwide, October 23, 2019
Participating organizations will open their doors to their communities to demonstrate the many benefits that bioenergy provides on the local level.

Ray Brook, New York, October 30, 2019
A NYSERDA-supported event.

Saratoga Springs, NY, February 11-12, 2020
Proposals are currently being solicited.

Verona, Italy, February 19-22, 2020
The largest and most important event for residential pellet and wood heating in Europe.

Wels, Austria, March 4-5, 2020
With more than 450 participants from over 50 countries each year, it is the largest annual pellet event worldwide.

New Orleans, Louisiana, March 11-14, 2020
HPBA's annual gathering of stove, BBQ and patio product manufacturers and retailers.

Orlando, Florida, April 1-4, 2020
The NCSG Annual Trade Show gives industry suppliers and technicians a chance to connect and find out the latest in the industry each year.

New Orleans, Louisiana, April, 27-30, 2020
The Conference is the largest meeting of home performance and weatherization professionals in the country.

Washington DC, July, 2020
Competing teams exhibit and compete at the Build Challenge Event, as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington.
EPA clarifies rule for barrel kit advertisements
The EPA says that photos of assembled barrel stoves in advertisements are not allowed under the NSPS. The EPA said: “Pursuant to 60.538(a), “[n]o person is permitted to advertise for sale, offer for sale, sell or operate an affected wood heater that does not have affixed to it a permanent label pursuant to § 60.536 (b) through (e), as applicable.” Manufacturers of stove kits are subject to the certification requirements as are the manufacturers of fully assembled wood heaters.” Advertisements of images of the kit without the barrel apparently don’t run afoul of these regulations.
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