Firewood banks

Funding for firewood banks going quickly

AGH has received 23 applications for grants for volunteer firewood banks totaling about $300,000 out of the $590,000 fun. Firewood banks should submit applications soon to be assured to getting funding.

Wood For Life for the Hopi

One of America's largest environmental groups, the Nature Conservancy, has been supporting some tribal firewood banks that process big volumes of wood. Wonderful story.

New local nonprofit distributing firewood

As AGH has launched this program, we are finding the network of firewood banks mush larger than anyone knew, especially on tribal lands. Here is another example of a vibrant program.

Agencies

AGH urges the IRS to issue guidance on wood heater eligibility for tax credits. 

IRS asked for comments, and we went into depth: we need IRS to confirm $2,000 stove tax credit is in addition to $1,200 of other 25C measures and is available to renters, not just homeowners.

EPA solicits input on IRA stove funding

The IRA provided a much needed $15 million to the EPA for stove testing and other activities. The EPA is asking for input on how to best spend that money.

CARB solicits input on change out policies Callifornia's program has many positive and innovative features but the GHG calculation and the selection of only 4 eligible non-cat stoves is problematic. AGH's comments will also address population density as a factor in prioritizing change-outs.

Is your old stove certified or uncertified?

This decision tree helps people determine if a stove is certified or uncertified. Thanks to Tim Davis from the Oregon's Washington County Wood Stove Change out Program.

Agency will pay you to lose your wood stove

As Washington state pivots to all electric policies, Puget Sound Air Agency still gives a $1,500 rebate to switch from a wood stove to gas or propane?! Shouldn't they focus on pellet stoves and heat pumps?

Heaters for winter in Kharkiv, Ukraine

This holiday season, please consider a donation of any amount to make more wood stoves in Ukraine. A $23 donation will get a basic rocket stove for cooking and $90 for a vented wood stove. Many of the recipient families have no electricity, gas or water service.

Wood burners needed in ‘pollution alert’ study

Participants will share their knowledge of air pollution, burning behaviour prior to and following use of the Burner Alert, and their experience using the system. Transatlantic cooperation could help the US design better programs.

Reducing wood ash in landfills by enriching soil

“Calcium is the most abundant element in wood ash and gives ash properties similar to agricultural lime. Ash is also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Wood ash contains few elements that pose environmental problems. Heavy metal concentrations are typically low."

Report: Countries need an impossible amount of land to meet climate pledges

More than 45 million dry tonnes of urban tree waste are generated every year in the US. Landfilling these wastes generates greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. One estimate of the potential economic benefits of producing compost, lumber, chips, firewood, and pallets from US urban tree waste is $89–$786 million/year.

Circular utilization of urban tree waste helps mitigate climate change

Sustainable and circular utilization of urban tree waste is essential for urban resource management and environmental impact mitigation. We find that converting urban tree waste to compost, lumber, chips, and biochar substantially reduces the global warming potential and eutrophication potential compared with landfilling.

Court reverses insurer’s pellet stove victory

An appellate court overturned a judgment obtained by American Family Mutual Insurance Co. against Wood Stoves Etc., a retailer that sold a faulty Ravelli pellet stove. The judges found that American Family Mutual did not do enough to show that it could not sue the stove’s manufacturer first before it decided to sue the retailer.

Stove retailers having banner year in VT and elsewhere

For wood and pellet stove sales, "last year was our record year out of 47 years in business, and this year is going to be even better," according to the Chimney Sweep Fireplace Shop.

Dwell, or residence time of gases in a stove

Does opening the door and allowing cold oxygen air increase the dwell time? No. Does reducing the velocity or volume of air through the firebox increase the dwell time. Yes. Understanding this can help you burn cleaner.

What is "Ready to Burn"?

The scheme makes it easy for people to find the cleanest fuels for burning after the sale of unseasoned was banned. It also involves point of sale moisture content testing.

Hungary to provide 10 cubic meters of firewood to each citizen at fixed price

Eastern European countries have taken unprecedented steps to intervene in firewood markets. At the same time, Hungary also instructed public institutions to reduce gas consumption by 25%.

How to convince folks to burn where you buy?

Most people are not aware that the movement of firewood can spread invasive pests. In response, this study pinpoints the most effective strategies for increasing awareness.

CEE releases efficiency tiers for 25C Tax Credit

The Consortium for Energy Efficiency released their 2023 efficiency tiers chosen by Congress as the qualification for Section 25C tax credits for installing energy-efficient heat pumps.

New dwellings in Washington state must be warmed by heat pumps beginning in July 2023

AGH supports aggressive decarbonization measures like this and believes wood and pellet stoves can continue to complement heat pumps in areas that do not have excessive wood smoke problems. One concern is that it could lead to more expensive and inefficient electric resistance heating.

Energy conservation standards for gas products

DOE is exploring regulations of gas stoves and generally, HPBA and several major manufacturers of gas, wood and pellet stoves are opposed to the DOE proposals. However some of the major gas utilities support DOE’s proposals and recommend DOE eliminate standing pilot lights and “ensure the full coverage of all hearth products” so that companies can’t switch products between "decorative" and "heating." 

State News



Pellet mill, rail connection planned in Maine

Maine: Exporting industrial grade pellets to make electricity is a sub-optimal way to use a limited, renewable resource. But when those pellets are used for heat or CHP in Europe, the carbon equation is quite good.

Mt. Bachelor to add a wood energy facility

Oregon: Mt. Bachelor ski area will start construction of a state-of-the-art biomass (wood energy) facility to heat its buildings, to replace propane heat in green fashion while also helping the surrounding forest reduce hazardous wildfire fuels.

People have resorted to turning off their heat as prices surge 

Pennsylvania: You can't go food shopping and get oil. It's one or the other," he said. This winter tens of thousands of people will be turning off their oil and propane furnaces and boilers and relying more on their wood stoves.

International

Italy reinforces ENplus® fraud management

Italy: ENplus, the only wood pellet quality scheme to constantly combat fraud and follow up on quality issues, investigated 52 companies in Italy, and the Italian Fiscal Police seized over five thousand tons of counterfeit wood pellets during the last heating season.

Lithuanian farmer burns grain for heat

Lithuania: In the U.S., we use 40% of our corn crop to make ethanol for fuel. Using corn - or even wheat - for heating is a far more efficient conversion. Wheat fields can provide annual crops of fuel, but if those fields were once forest, carbon impacts are more complicated.

European success stories

• Austria: connecting more wood chip boilers to underground heating grid that had relied on gas boilers
• Croatia: In Croatia, a utility company produces heat in municipal buildings with orchard prunings in the City of Križevci using 100 tons per year of pruning residues.
• Denmark: using straw bale boilers to feed underground heating grid
• Lithuania: From 2000 to 2022, the use of biomass in the district heating sector increased from 2% to 75%, mainly replacing imported gas in district heating.
• Romania: In the 2000s the area had an abundance of sawmill dust, which caused multiple users to develop biomass-based heating systems for greenhouses, bakeries, meat factories, etc.

Consumer Alert

Refund, replacement or national sales stop for Grand Teton Pellet stoves?

Tractor Supply released its own line of pellet stoves under the Grand Teton label, imported by Enerco which appear to be rebranded Cleveland Iron Works stoves. Technical problems have plagued some of the Grand Teton models, leading Tractor Supply to replace many stoves or reimburse purchasers. There are some reports that they are stopping all sales but they are still for sale on the Tractor Supply website. Is a recall in the making? Its unclear if Cleveland Iron Works pellet stoves are having similar problems. This Grand Teton user Facebook group has more details.

Best of Facebook

Stora Enso, a renewable-materials company based in Helsinki, is powering up electric vehicles using batteries made from trees, specifically lignin. Trees are composed of 20 to 30 percent of lignin which is a binder that gives wood its stiffness and a reason it resists rotting.