Volume 133
Green Heat News
A monthly news service for everyone
interested in renewable wood & pellet heating

September 2020
Focus on the EPA and the NSPS


The EPA proposal to extend the compliance deadline for wood heater emissions has caused some confusion in the industry, with some dealers apparently believing they can continue to sell non-2020 certified stoves until EPA sorts it out. They cannot do so in Minnesota or anywhere in the US. The 2 or 2.5 gram an hour standard is now the law in all states for stoves.

Many certification test reports submitted to the EPA have omissions and errors that may or may not have impacted emission results. But rarely does an industry member go public, like Garrett Lamppa has (he is not an HPBA member). His efforts led to a March 25, 2020 memo, by Steffan Johnson, Measurement Technology Group leader with the EPA’s Air Quality Assessment Division, who recommended that three of the four required tests that Hy-C claims met the 2020 EPA standard be invalidated due to those irregularities. Five months later, it is unclear what the EPA is doing anything to follow up.

The EPA finally updated their certified wood heater database so that when you land on it, it just shows 2020 compliant heaters, and not all the models that were 2015 compliant. You can still find models previously certified to the 1988 standards or the 2015 standards by checking other boxes.
Focus on DOE

The DOE issued a Request for Information (RFI) that could lead to funding opportunities for more stakeholders than just stove manufacturers. Previous grant cycles awarded more than $7 million. Among options being explored are continuous field performance data, integrated hybrid systems, rapid performance measurement, access to performance testing facilities, modeling and simulation tools, etc. Anyone can respond. Due date is Sept. 21.
Focus on Congress
Bernnie Sanders gave a speech during the Democratic National Convention, backing former Vice President Joe Biden. The chosen backdrop - a rather striking pile of logs – caught the attention of many. Said one viewer, I knew Bernie wood give a good stump speech. People think he is all bark but I knew he could be a little sappy too.” Another astute viewer thinks he secured the Canadian vote for Biden. AGH thinks he should get to work on a federal stove change out program and change out the presumably uncertified stove in his own home in Montpelier, VT.
Focus on Policies
Very fair, balanced and in-depth coverage of the electric vs. gas heat dilemma. Again, wood/pellet heating is ignored. Biomass heating isn't a national solution on a major scale, but if it can take 5 - 10% of the residential and/or institutional load in colder states, that is significant and should be part of policy discussions.

In New Zealand, some of the big firewood sellers want government regulation to make the sale of unseasoned wood illegal. The United Kingdom already passed similar legislation. Both the UK and New Zealand have had voluntary programs, as part of the Heatsmart programmes. They allow firewood merchants to voluntarily sign up and agree to random testing ensure wood is seasoned.

We understand banning new installs of wood stoves in areas that have strong and frequent inversions leading to excessive build-up of wood smoke. But we urge communities not to ban the new install of pellet stoves.
Focus on Change-Outs
Auditors in Utah found many “operational and environmental issues “at the Department of Environmental Quality including with the state’s popular wood stove change-out program because it is questionable how effective it has been in reducing residential woodsmoke. “This research seems to indicate that less expensive efforts (such as communications, partial bans and federally funded conversion programs) to reduce woodsmoke have been successful,” it said.

A Vermont homeowner that changes-out a coal stove or boiler with an eligible pellet stove or central wood heating system can receive up to 50% of the cost (or $10,000, whichever is less) as an incentive. The cash incentive is in addition to the existing $3,000 available for a pellet boiler/furnace.
Focus on Traditional Technology
Tall wood stoves flourished both in the United States and Europe, driven by smaller spaces and the need for stoves in many rooms of the house or apartment in the 1800 and 1900s. They provided more thermal mass and slower heat transfer. But we feature them in this photo essay in part as a reminder of the artistry and elegance of older stoves.

One of the most confusing issues for consumers is the difference between a wood stove and an insert. We usually urge consumers to install freestanding stoves into masonry fireplaces, but retailer James Cusano says that other than aesthetics, there are several reasons to buy an insert, such as an interior chimney that can absorb heat from an insert.

The Alliance for Green Heat and Stove Parts for Less have set up a fund to help families keep their pellet stoves running during the Pandemic. If you are out of work or from a low-income household, you are likely eligible for a 50% reduction in the price of pellet stove parts for orders up to $500. Please consider a donation to this fund. 100% of donations go to lower income pellet heating families.
Social Justice --- Many Years Ago
Most English sweeps’ boys were technically apprentices, sold or donated by workhouses, or even their own parents. They led miserable lives, some treated cruelly by their masters. Boys were also used in the United States, where, both before and after the abolition of slavery, they were often African-Americans. The circular brush on the end of flexible rods was invented in the 1820s by a London engineer for the express purpose of keeping boys out of chimneys.
States

Maine: While seasonal tourism is struggling, Maine has another native industry: forest products and low-grade wood to heat Maine homes and businesses. Maine is more reliant on fossil fuel imports than any other state. Every time a gas, propane, or oil heater is replaced with advanced wood technology, Maine’s net emissions go down and fuel dollars stay in our economy.

Maryland: There are three programs offered by Maryland Clean Energy Center to support the development and success of woody biomass energy marketing and use: C-PACE: Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy, MCAP, or Municipal Capital Appreciation Partners, and RECs (Renewable Energy Credits).

Georgia: Athens Stove Works produced many different types of wood/coal operated stoves in Athens Georgia. Some are still in use. Others are collectors items. The company went on to specialize in gas and electric ranges.

International

Macedonia: There are several causes of air pollution in Skopje, North Macedonia, but they all have one thing in common: poverty. Many people can only afford to heat their homes by burning wood. Young people are setting up low-cut air quality sensors and apps - spearheading a movement to reduce air pollution.
Best of June Facebook
"When logging companies deem wood unsuitable for commercial use, it’s often stacked in massive piles and burned on site because it usually costs more to haul out than a company can make selling it for pellet production or other purposes."
Conferences & Webinars
September 14-20, 2020
The virtual conference will be particularly focused on CHP’s role in decarbonization for a low-carbon future.

Vancouver, Canada, POSTPONED
OptiPellet is the only event of its kind focused on current and future state-of-the-art pellet production technology.

September 22-23, 2020
This year’s WPAC Conference and AGM will be an on-line event.

Sept. 17 - Control concepts for hydronic heating systems (Part 1)
Oct. 29 - Control concepts (Part 2)
Nov. 12 - Case study: Pellet boiler system at boat maintenance facility in NY

Vermont, fall 2020
Renewable Energy Vermont’s annual conference is virtual this year, with sessions from September through January. Topics include renewable energy, electricity, heating, and transportation solutions.

Wels, Austria, February 21-22, 2021
The conference shows how we can make a green recovery happen in practice and how the pellet sector can profit from this deep transformation.

Nashville, TN, March, 2021
HBPA is committed to ensuring a safe and COVID-19 compliant event in 2021.
Misleading Ad of the Month
Many companies now use more aggressive advertising tactics to bring in a sale, using "cookies" to track consumers google searches. They can then send ads to your Facebook feed, for example, for similar products. But when a company uses those advertising tactics to sell illegal or non-compliant products, it's likely a sign that the company is not too worried about enforcement. 

Outdoorboiler.com prominently advertises their boilers which were certified to the 2015 residential emission standards, but not to the 2020 standards. When we clicked on the page, we started getting daily advertisements our Facebook feed for heaters that are now illegal to sell or advertise. The EPA enforcement office has known of this company for years, but it is unclear if they have or will contact them.

When AGH contacted them, the company said that they are a "of course completely out of stock" and they "leave the Hawken [outdoor boiler] units online so customers can see the product they purchased, find an owner’s manual, look at specifications if needed, etc. as a courtesy to the customer." But customers say that they are still selling the GX-30 and HE 2100. Possibly due to stocking problems, the company says it takes 2 - 3 weeks for delivery. Customer calls are often taken by an overseas call center in the Philipines. The company now says they are editing their website.
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