Green Heat News
A monthly news service for everyone
interested in renewable wood & pellet heating
April 2022
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Featured Stories
Free online workshop, September 29:
Announcing the Wood Heater Technology Slam! Part shark tank, part science slam, this will give manufacturers a chance to pitch innovative stoves to retailers, the public and expert judges in a fun and lively on-line event. Sept. 29, 10 AM. Free and open to the public.
The third and final workshop for the 5th Design Challenge is on April 26 & 27 and focuses on new wood heater technology and how it can be integrated with other renewable energy. You can also learn more about the Slam and meet experts from other countries. Registration will be open later this week.
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Federal agencies
EPA: The EPA has begun to scrutinize stove certification data and reportedly found seriously deficiencies in seven stoves. One, the England Stove Works Model 50-T, was tested by Intertek, and the wood they used was too dry. It appears that Englander tried to test it again but couldn't get it under 2 grams an hour. Englander had requested a hearing, but they pulled out of the hearing process and the EPA is now finalizing revocation of the model line, which may mean those models will have to be recalled from retailers.
The DOE will again be granting up to $5 million for R&D on advanced wood and pellet stoves in 2022. This will be the 4th year that the DOE has stood up this grant program. Details and dates have not yet been announced, but it will likely be similar to past funding cycles.
The DOE is moving to regulate gas stoves and fireplaces, to develop test procedures and energy conservation standards. Public comments are open until April 7, 2022. AGH supports phased in minimum efficiency standards and believes 60-70% efficiency should be a reasonable minimum. AGH is also urging all change out programs to require eligible gas stoves to be 70% efficient based on the Canadian database.
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Wood and pellet heating policy |
The Ontario provincial government has released an ambitious biomass action plan to expand the use of biomass to offset fossil fuel energy.
AGH testified against a resolution in an International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) that would have excluded wood and pellet stoves and boilers in new residential construction. After a heated debate, a majority of members of the committee voted down the resolution. AGH believes restrictions on wood and pellet heating appliances should be a local or state issue, and that it would severely constrain the renewable energy policies and goals of many European countries and US states.
VT House passes one of nation's first Clean Heat Standards, that includes all low carbon heating pathways. AGH extends its gratitude to colleagues in VT who worked on this.
The US has extensive forest reserves and massive amounts of biomass waste that goes to landfills. Including biomass heat into state renewable policies is an obvious solution. Russia's invasion of Ukraine underscores that we must rapidly expand and diversify our renewable technologies.
French environmental regulations mean that from the beginning of 2022 it is effectively impossible to install a gas boiler in a newly built house. This rule applies to anyone who has made a demand for a permis de construire (building permit) from January 1st 2022 onwards. For the moment this applies only to new buildings, and not to people doing a renovation project or changing the heating system in their homes.
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Integrating wood heat, heat pumps, solar, etc. |
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An emerging trend involves using both a heat pump and a wood burner to keep your home warm. You can effectively use the two heaters independently of each other, or join the two through a hot water buffer tank. That greatly reduces the electricity needed by the heat pump, potentially enabling solar panels to provide enough power.
Integrated energy systems can balance renewable heat options and costs
Europe is leading the way in integrating multiple low carbon technologies in homes and buildings, enabling a computer to switch to a from a heat pump to a pellet stove, for example, based on time-of-day electric cost and availability. Distribution grids for electricity, gas, and heating systems can include pellet stove and boilers. Costs of pellet stoves, for example, along with solar thermal, heat pumps, is now more competitive in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Oil, gas or electricity made predominantly with fossil fuel could increasingly be used as a back-up when on-site renewable heat is not sufficient.
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Wood stoves, energy audits & weatherization |
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An enormous opportunity to have stoves repaired and replaced ...
A massive influx of funding from federal and state governments is coming to make homes more energy efficient and the Alliance for Green Heat is making strides to ensure wood and pellet stoves are part of the mix.
- AGH got the DOE to update their health & safety guidance (WPN-22-7) to better ensure auditors inspect and repair stoves.
- The Building Performance Institute asked AGH to help rewrite the manual for how auditors inspect stoves. Thanks to NFI and CSIA for lending their expertise.
- Training centers for auditors now realize they need stoves to train auditors. Please contact us is you can donate a new stove.
- AGH continues to do training webinars for energy auditors. Our last powerpoint for NH auditors, can be downloaded.
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EPA Educational Materials |
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Do you see smoke coming out of your chimney? This is wasted wood heat. Get tips from a certified chimney sweep on how to achieve a long-lasting, efficient fire in your wood stove.
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Stove Builder International, the largest Canadian stove manufacturer acquired England's Stove Works, one of the top volume US stove manufacturers, marking a continuation of large stove companies buying other companies. Englander has a wide distribution network through Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply and Northern Tool chains. Through this asset purchase, its two Virginian plants will become SBI factories and will continue to build and market Englander products.
An in-depth account of the history of wood pellets on the east coast. The industry began in Canada and mainly served institutional customers, before residential customers began absorbing an increasing volume. Pictured here are early PFI members - Bruce Lisle, Averill Cook, Bob Massengill and Barb Shine.
The Austrian Boiler association and the Wood Pellets Association of Canada are pushing for regulatory acceptance of the CEN EN 303-5 standard in Canada. The item was brought to the RCF for consideration by the European Commission in June 2019.
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State News
Alaska: This funding will support over 400 changeouts of older home heating devices, including approximately 125 solid fuel burning appliances, such as wood stoves and pellet stoves, and 275 conversions from oil heating appliances to gas." AGH-switching from renewables to fossil fuels is an unfortunate necessity in areas with the most wood smoke.
California: The Valley Air District concluded its 2021-22 Residential Smoke Reduction Program season on Feb. 28, recording a drop in violations from last season in the district.
Connecticut: According to David Dillon, most people who use alternative heat sources transition three times, from burning wood to a pellet stove to a gas-fired stove.
Maine: Cumberland Country Maine residents can get generous rebates to turn in an old stove for a new one! We are glad to know that the program requires a minimum of 70% efficiency on gas stoves, if you choose to change out to gas.
Maine: Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is driving up fuel prices and yet another reason to rapidly switch to renewables - including wood pellets.
Minnesota: “I try to add value to everything that comes in here,” owner Jed Hammell said. “The logs we use are high-value logs, and now we can use our sawdust to make pellets.
Montana: Seeley Lake Wood Stove Zone rule implementation is back in the works as the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Board begins to revisit changes to the rules set. The changes were suspended in 2020.
International
Austria: Austrian ski resorts are increasingly using their own wind, solar and micro-hydro installations to produce energy. And some of the main heating systems have been converted from fuel oil to wood pellet biomass systems
Few communities have experienced such acrimony and divisiveness as the Cowachin Valley on the coast of British Columbia. Its refreshing to see essays like this, where reasoned voices respect both sides.
Italy: Italy is a leading European consumer of wood pellets (approximately 3 million metric tons per year),with domestic consumption representing 96 percent of total use.
Sweden: Vattenfall’s new 110 MW biomass heat plant in Sweden has been inaugurated and entered operation.The Carpe Futurum facility in Uppsala can use wood chips, recycled biomass and bark in various combinations.
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Follow AGH on Facebook and Instagram |
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Wels, Austria, April 6-7, 2022
New dates!
Wildacres, April 11-17, 2022
This is a week-long event for MHA members filled with educational opportunities for professionals and non-professional masons and homeowners.
Verona, Italy, May 4-7, 2022
A massive world trade show of pellet heating systems, held every two years.
Penn State, May 15-18, 2022
This joint conference will bring leading energy educators and practitioners together to showcase land grant university Extension and research program successes.
Arlington, Wisconsin, June 15, 2022
A two day business workshop for the split firewood industry.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 21-24, 2022
More information to follow.
Burlington, Vermont, October 27-28, 2022
Celebrating its 22nd year, REV’s Annual Conference and Expo is the leading renewable energy event in northern New England.
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Misleading Advertisement of the Month |
The Bob Villa brand highlighted the "best pellet stoves for 2022" and his brand is just as scammy as almost all the other "best stove" lists. Those lists, no matter who puts them together, seem to identify the same stoves low-cost stoves principally made by one company and their subsidiaries. These best of lists try to wrap themselves in the guise of genuine reviews but we don't think the authors ever try out the stoves, much less test them in any way. Buyer beware, or as they used to say in the markets in ancient Rome, "Caveat Emptor."
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Please support our work and keep this newsletter free of charge |
Thank you to everyone who donated to AGH during 2021! Your support makes a huge difference and helps to keep this newsletter a free source of information for everyone. 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.
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