JANUARY 2021 | NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2021 | A NOTE FROM SABINA DHUNGANA

Into the New Year
 

I hope you all had wonderful holidays and that you are ready for a fantastic 2021! This year, Heating the Midwest is planning to kick off its new year by hosting an informational virtual biomass energy session.

Two to three speakers will be lined up to talk about a current biomass energy market situation: We'll discuss places bioenergy can make sense, any funding opportunities for bioenergy projects, and other relevant policy updates for the biomass-for-energy community.

Please watch for detailed announcements about this event in the upcoming months.

Additionally, if you are looking for financial assistance for woody biomass energy projects, please explore the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) Community Wood Energy grant opportunities.

The grant can help provide some funds for projects such as to install a thermally led community wood energy system or build an innovative wood product facility. Details can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/naspf/wood-innovations-home/2021-community-wood-energy-and-wood-innovation-grant-program-request-proposals

Our request from the HTM team to you in 2021 is to please stay connected with us, stay abreast of the issues with us, and share ideas and news that you feel our readers would find meaningful. Thanks for your interest and continued support of HTM.


AUTHOR:
Sabina Dhungana
Forest Products Specialist –
Applied Forestry Bureau/ Division of Forestry
HTM Executive Steering Committee

UPCOMING EVENTS
  • European Pellet Conference 2021 NEW DATE!
LOCAL BIOMASS
  • Biomass for Sale
  • Biomass Wanted
CURRENT EVENTS
  • Is It Better to Plant Trees or Let Forests Regrow Naturally? 
  • The Art of Biomass Pelletizing
JANUARY SPOTLIGHT RESOURCES
  • Pellet Stove Install - Watch/Stream
BIOMASS AND ECONOMY
  • Material Prep Vital for Quality Pellets | Vecoplan
  • Jan 20 Deadline: Still Time to Apply
  • Global Wood Pellets Market

HTM STEERING COMMITTEE
  • Bruno Zagar* - President
  • Jeremy Mortl* - Vice President
  • T.J. Morice* - Secretary/Treasurer
  • Brian Brashaw* - Liaison to the Steering Committee
  • Stacy Cook*
  • William Cook
  • Sabina Dhungana*
  • Joseph Donnell
  • Becky Philipp
  • Tim Portz - National Rep
  • Ben Rose
  • Adam Sherman - National Rep
  • Jill Thibert
* Executive Members
UPCOMING EVENTS
European Pellet Conference NEW DATE 2021
June 22, 2021 (Now offering an online option!)
AUSTRIA In 2021, the conference – the largest annual pellet event worldwide with more than 450 participants from over 50 countries each year – shows how we can make a green recovery happen in practice and how the pellet sector can profit.

Take the opportunity and share your work, projects, research results, achievements, ideas, and insights with the worldwide sustainable energy community!
LOCAL BIOMASS
Let MBioEx Work for you.
We're your local biomass marketplace. Buy, list, and sell locally.
CURRENT EVENTS
Photo Source: Canva
Is It Better to Plant Trees or Let Forests Regrow Naturally? 
FRED PEARCE | YALE ENVIRONMENT 360


Nations are pledging to plant billions of trees. But a new study shows that we've underestimated the power of natural forest regrowth to fight climate change.
Photo Source: Canva
The Art of Biomass Pelletizing
RYAN C. CHRISTIANSEN | BIOMASS MAGAZINE


Pelletizing biomass can be challenging. The lack of a one-size-fits-all process means that it can be more art than science.

The cost to harvest, handle, transport, and store low-density agricultural residue and other biomass materials often places biomass at a competitive disadvantage to fossil fuels.
JANUARY SPOTLIGHT RESOURCES
STREAMABLE VIDEO: INSTALLING A PELLET STOVE DIY
THE FIXER
STREAMABLE VIDEO: CASE STUDY
PINETREE POWER | MA
BIOMASS AND ECONOMY
You Still have time! January and February Deadline Grants
USDA FOREST SERVICE
Material Prep Vital for Quality Pellets | Vecoplan
Pellet Mill Magazine | October 01, 2020

From processing raw material to bagging finished pellets, Vecoplan Midwest designs, builds, and installs complete pellet production systems. In the wood processing market for longer than 50 years, the company is known for its shredder machines, but also builds complete systems for sawmill discharge, boiler infeed, wood waste recycling and comprehensive pellet plants in a vast range of sizes, says Ralf Rosenkranz, Vecoplan AG area sales manager.
The Dynamics of the Global Wood Pellet Markets and Trade
– key regions, developments, and impact factors

Abstract: The global pellet market is growing but with different characteristics in different countries and regions. In this paper, we trace developments between 2008 and 2016. For 2008, production was reported at 9.8Tg, expanding globally to 14.3Tg in 2010 and surpassing 26Tg in 2015. Global hot spots are North America (production) and Europe (consumption). Sustainability certification was applied for about 9Tg in 2016.

Nevertheless, projections for future development are difficult as low pellet prices and uncertain sustainability obligations may hinder further expansion. In general, there is a strong dependency on the pellet market on the policy framework.
MORE WAYS TO GET BIOMASS NEWS
Find Heating the Midwest on
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Follow Heating the Midwest to find out about the latest
news, events, and action team updates!
Facebook
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Do you tweet? tag @HTM_BiomassHeat if you have Biomass news for us!
BiomassMagazine.com
  • Printed Magazine
  • Free digital Magazine
  • Free e-Newsletters
  • Free Webinars
Pellet Mill Magazine Free to U.S. Subscribers.
  • Printed Magazine
  • Free digital Magazine
Heating the Midwest- Become an Action Team Volunteer!
 
If you have a specific area of interest related to biomass thermal, we welcome your participation in one or all of HTM’s three action teams-Biomass Combustion Technologies, Biomass Policy & Benefits, and Biomass Resources & Demographics. Is your time often stretched? No problem. Time committed to the HTM effort is volunteer time. Joint action team calls are held monthly via conference call, and calls are limited to one hour in respect of members’ time and busy schedules. Members may choose to volunteer more of their time individually to support Action Team specific projects as they arise. 
 
Individuals with a passion for biomass thermal energy are being sought to lead the Biomass Resources & Demographics Action Team or the Biomass Combustion Technologies Action Team. This is a great opportunity to share your leadership skills in furthering the mission of HTM and to directly connect with the biomass industry sector and other agencies—all with a goal of growing market opportunities for biomass and specifically for biomass as a fuel for thermal heating and cooling, and combined heat and power. 
 
The work of the action teams involves developing “boots on the ground” projects for spurring action, discussing industry challenges in each sector and how to possibly address, networking and supporting the overall goals and vision of the Heating the Midwest with Renewable Biomass initiative in an effort to grow demand and expand marketing opportunities in the biomass thermal sector, and create awareness of biomass thermal. 

WHEN:
HTM Joint Action Team calls are held, as needed,
the Third Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. CST
Additional action team calls are scheduled on demand.

 
For more detailed information, feel free to contact Becky Philipp (bphilipp@auri.org), HTM Steering committee member. 
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