Featured Stories

30% stove tax credit extended for 10 years

President Biden signed into law a bill that got no Republican votes that provides 10-year tax incentives for wood and pellet heaters, heat pumps, solar panels, EVs and many other renewable and energy efficiency measures. For wood heaters, the 75% HHV efficiency remains and there is a $2,000 cap on purchase and installation costs, sufficient for virtually all stove installs, but a major disappointment to the wood and pellet boiler industry.

Useful links that shed light on how credit will work:

• Heat Pumps
• Solar
• Geothermal
• IRS guidance on the EV incentives

How to stay warm without fossil fuels

A leading study from a European policy and university collaboration found that more biomass heating is essential to decarbonize our heating supply.

Is gas more affordable than firewood?

There is a widespread failure in the media and institutions that help consumers compare fuel cost. Articles like this rarely mention the cost and carbon benefits of of space heating vs. central heating. The assumption that we should condition all parts of a home equally is misguided and a major reason that richer families with bigger homes use lots of heating fuel. Whether you heat with wood, pellet, gas or electricity a space heater, not a central one, can usually save a lot of money and carbon.

5th Wood Heater Design Challenge

Registration Open for Technology Slam

Registration is now open for the Wood Heater Technology Slam on Sept. 29 at 10:00 AM EST. The Slam is an online public event where teams pitch their innovative stoves to judges and up to 3 teams will share $120,000 funding to move to the next stage.

Official rules for the Slam and Competition:

https://www.bnl.gov/woodheater/files/pdf/officialrules.pdf

Agencies

Determination clears way for gas appliances to be regulated for emissions and efficiency

The DOE issued a Federal Register notice that miscellaneous gas products (MGPs), which are comprised of decorative hearths and outdoor heaters, qualify as covered products under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, (EPCA). DOE determined that coverage of MGPs is necessary to carry out the purposes of EPCA. DOE responded to many comments from HPBA and others and to several from AGH.

Funding for biofuels and wood stove testing in IRA

The Inflation Reduction Act has $15 million for the EPA for testing and other agency activities to address emissions from wood heaters. The EPA has not said how it will use these fund but we presume it could be used for protocol development and/or enforcement activities. The Act has a slew of other funding for biofuels.

Huge rise in demand for wood stoves as Russia reduces gas supply to Europe

The stove maker Rais, which also exports to North America, can't keep up with demand this year. In 2019 its profit after tax was only 2.4 million kroner, but this year it is forecast to reach 16.1 million.

Viessmann to open €200m heat pump facility in Poland

Viessman will eventually employ around 1,700 people in the Polish plant, to supply heat pumps to central and eastern Europe to help transition from fossil fuels and be independent from Russian gas imports.

AGH News 

AGH applies to run USDA firewood program

Thanks to colleagues and partners in AGH's application to manage the Forest Service's program to disburse small grants to local firewood banks. From top: Clairise Hart, Harvard Forest; Harry Watt, University of North Carolina Extension; Richard Gere; Leigh Greenwood, Nature Conservancy; Bill Wald, CSIA; and Dan Rider, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

State News

Maryland raises efficiency to 75% for stove rebates 

Maryland: On Sept. 15, Maryland's wood and pellet stove rebate program is raising its efficiency minimum to 75% based on the EPA list, up from 70% to correlate to the federal tax credit.

Hot wastewater from biomass plant to melt snow and solve Northern New Hampshire City’s problems

New Hampshire: The federal Department of Transportation awarded Berlin, NH one of the highly sought grants with its innovative proposal to use waste hot water from the Burgess BioPower biomass plant to heat downtown streets and sidewalks during winter months.

High energy costs heating up demand for wood and pellet stoves

New York: Best Fire Hearth and Patio in upstate NY has tripled its purchases of wood and pellet stoves this year, and its manufacturer is struggling to keep up.

Heating costs could make for an expensive winter

Vermont: A Vermont stove retailer says the demand for wood stoves this year has been “manic” due to higher oil prices. “We’ve probably seen a twofold increase in wood stove and pellet stove sales in the past year,” he said.

Lung Association launches woodstove changeout program in Wisconsin

Wisconsin: Vouchers are currently available for a range of criteria, from $2,000 – $6,000 per home. Applications for vouchers are offered in‐store or online. The Program may be combined with the Federal Wood and Pellet Heater Income Tax Credit to maximize savings.

International

Study finds wood-based heat and power can benefit the North

Canada: For Canada’s northern and remote communities, bioenergy represents an opportunity not only for clean, renewable energy, but also for more independence and revenue, according to a new study from Natural Resources Canada.

Open Consultation: Temporary changes to wood pellets quality requirement

UK: We would like your views on the proposed measure to temporarily suspend the fuel quality requirement for Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) participants using wood pellets because pellets are no longer coming from Russia.

Best of Facebook

Yet another reason to clean your pellet stove before heating season.

Misleading Advertisement of the Month

"Heat pumps don't use fossil fuel"????

Heat pumps are a vital way to efficiently heat and cool, but how do major news outlets like CNET print such misleading statements? They make similar errors in multiple articles. Plugging in a heat pump in West Virginia, Kentucky or Indiana will provide you with upwards of 97% fossil fuel energy. They still may make sense - and better fact-checkers at CNET make sense too.