MARCH 2022 | A NOTE FROM EMANUEL WAGNER
BTU Act and Federal Developments on Wood Heating
Over the last few months, progress on energy tax credits has stalled in D.C. policymaking, as the Build Back Better bill has not received support from two Democratic Senators that are vital to its passage. Since then, efforts to resuscitate a smaller package have surfaced, and it is likely the Democrats will introduce such a bill in the next few weeks, potentially focused on energy and drug prices. This may also be in coordination with a broader energy policy shift in response to the international oil and gas price fluctuations due to Russia’s invasion and war in Ukraine. While the U.S. has already banned Russian fossil fuel imports, other regions like the EU have yet to enact such measures. Even smaller steps, like a reduction in fossil fuel imports, will continue to build pressure on fuel prices.
High natural gas and propane prices generally lead to more interest in alternatives, as evidenced by the strong demand for biomass heating applications in the residential sector. This is a good time to emphasize the price stability of wood fuel and paired with the 26% residential tax credit for biomass appliances, which may help the market to expand significantly.
Meanwhile, the International Code Council considered a change of the building code to remove biomass as an eligible renewable energy for energy efficiency measures, which prompted a forceful response from many biomass industry groups that led to an initial defeat of the proposal in the residential code section, but the commercial code section has already approved this recommended change. Our industry will continue to provide public input on this short-sighted effort. Industry groups also collaborate on the creation of a Good Wood Campaign, which is designed to educate customers and policymakers on the benefits of wood heating.
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AUTHOR:
Emanuel Wagner
Managing Director
Biomass Thermal Energy Council
HTM Steering Committee
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UPCOMING EVENTS
- April 6, 2022 - International Pellet Conference
- April 27-29, 2022 - Argus Biomass Conference
- June 15-16, 2022 - National Firewood Workshop
- June 21-24, 2022 - 2022 PFI Annual Conference
- September 21-23, 2022 - NLHA Annual Convention
CONSERVATION SPOTLIGHT
- Trees and Your Carbon Footprint
BIOMASS CASE STUDY SPOTLIGHT
- Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center
MARCH RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
- USDA Rural Development, Value-Added Producer Grant is now open
- USDA Rural Development, Rural Energy Pilot Program Grant is now open
LOCAL BIOMASS
- Biomass For Sale
- Biomass Wanted
IN THE NEWS...
- In Minnesota - Sustainable wood pellets has Caledonia company stoked
- DOE: In Search of a Later Biomass Expiration Date
- FutureMetrics Interactive "Sankey" Map Updated with Complete 2021 Trade Data on Pellet Flows
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HTM STEERING COMMITTEE
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Jeremy Mortl* - President
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T.J. Morice* - Secretary/Treasurer
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Stacy Cook*
- John Ackerly - National Rep
- Bruno Zagar
- David Neumann
- Joseph Donnell
- Becky Philipp
- Tim Portz - National Rep
- Ben Rose
- Adam Sherman - National Rep
- Emanuel Wagner - National Rep
* Executive Members
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BROUGHT TO YOU BY HEATING THE MIDWEST
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UPCOMING EVENTS
April 6, 2022
April 27-29, 2022
- Argus Biomass Conference, London, England.
June 15-16, 2022
June 21-24, 2022
September 21-23, 2022
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Trees And Offsetting Your Carbon Footprint (Everything You Need To Know)
Are you wondering how deforestation is affecting the health of the planet’s trees?
You’ve come to the right place!
In this Tree Triage guide, we’ll cover:
- What your carbon footprint is
- How trees can reduce your carbon footprint
- How to measure your carbon footprint
And much more!
So, if you want to understand more about how your carbon footprint is impacting the planet and how trees can lower it, keep reading!
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BIOMASS CASE STUDY SPOTLIGHT |
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Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center
Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in environmental education. They’ve heated their campus in Finland, MN with biomass for 34 years. In 2013, they made the switch from cordwood to pellets made from a mix of wood fiber from forest harvests with waste wood. In 2020, they switched to 100% waste stream wood fiber.
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In seeking this 100% waste stream content, they met the most challenging requirement set out by International Living Future Institute (ILFI) to receive full Living Building Certification (LBC) for their renovation of the Margaret A. Cargill Lodge, a student dormitory designed to be a living laboratory of learning. The district energy system fuel source for the building is 100% locally-sourced waste stream wood fiber. This is the first project in the world to be allowed by the ILFI to use combustion as a heat source, all because of the challenges of their local environmental conditions and the very positive move to a carbon positive fuel source for heating.
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USDA Rural Development, Value-Added Producer Grant is now open
Electronic applications are due by April 25, 2022
The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.
You may receive priority if you are a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially-disadvantaged farmer or rancher, a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a family farm, a farmer or rancher cooperative or are proposing a mid-tier value chain.
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USDA Rural Development, Rural Energy Pilot Program Grant is now open
Letter of Intent: On or Before April 19, 2022
The Rural Energy Pilot Program (REPP) grant offers financial assistance for rural communities to further develop renewable energy.
Who may apply?
Eligible applicants to this program are Rural Energy Community Partnerships as defined in the REPP Notice of Funding Opportunity, Federal Register Notice.
REPP partnerships may be comprised of, but are not limited to:
- Non-profit entities;
- State and local entities;
- Tribal entities;
- Municipalities and other public bodies.
How may funds be used?
REPP grant funds can be used to support:
- Community energy planning, capacity building, and technical assistance
- Community efficiency and weatherization
- Installation and equipping of community-scale renewable energy technologies and systems
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In Minnesota - Sustainable wood pellets has Caledonia company stoked
Staggemeyer Stave Company is trying something completely different. The Houston County business has produced top-quality white oak strips for making whiskey and wine aging barrels for well over 50 years. And now, a new product from the mill may be coming to a cookout near you.
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DOE: In Search of a Later Biomass Expiration Date
Renewable biomass is one of the key clean energy resources that will help manifest a low-carbon future. However, the process of developing viable and sustainable bio-based fuels, chemicals, and products from biomass suffers from similar limitations to stored produce—they decay and expire.
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FutureMetrics Interactive "Sankey" Map Updated with Complete 2021 Trade Data on Pellet Flows
This interactive Sankey map by FutureMetrics shows global wood pellet trade in 2021.
Click on any country in the list on the left of the map to see where that country’s pellet exports went or where their imports came from.
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MORE WAYS TO GET BIOMASS NEWS |
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BiomassMagazine.com
- Printed Magazine
- Free digital Magazine
- Free e-Newsletters
- Free Webinars
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Pellet Mill Magazine Free to U.S. Subscribers.
- Printed Magazine
- Free digital Magazine
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