Green Heat News
A monthly news service for everyone
interested in renewable wood & pellet heating
March 2022
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War. What is it good for? Our prayers are with the people of Ukraine as they fight for their sovereignty and their democracy. The first and second photos are from contemporary Ukraine, of a Ukrainian solider in early February stockpiling firewood for a potentially protracted war. And Ukrainian demonstrators using wood to blockade a street, before setting it on fire. The fourth photo is a US soldier. Wood heating and cook stoves are common in military operations, often serving soldiers where supply lines cannot guarantee gas or oil. (Does anyone know who supplies the US armed forces with heating and cooking stoves?)
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Featured Stories
Free online workshop, March 28-29:
Speakers include Stef Johnson, Ben Myren & Julien Caubel
Residential biomass heaters can play an important role in a future, clean energy portfolio. However, better evaluation practices are needed to inform the development of efficient biomass appliances that consistently achieve low emissions both during certification testing and in-field operation. Workshop 2 will provide a forum to share information on more accessible methods for evaluating heaters’ thermal efficiency, pollution emissions and wider impacts on public health and the environment.
"The United States Department of Energy has been funding the development of innovative clean burning wood heater designs for the past few years. Most of the new designs focus on improved combustion techniques, automation and sensor technologies found in other combustion technologies such as automobiles and power plants. As these designs are perfected, tested and meet the needs of Seeley Lake residents, the Missoula City-County Health Department will look for ways to encourage the installation of these improved devices."
In the fall of 2022, we will be hosting a Wood Heater Slam where teams publicly pitch their ideas to a panel of experts similar to a shark tank, but not as commercial. This will be one avenue for teams to become finalists and receive funding to build an innovative wood heater. The actual stove competition will begin in the fall of 2022 and go through 2023l
The Alliance for Green Heat is considering an initiative to change Weights & Measures standards to include the disclosure of moisture content in bulk firewood sales. These firewood standards generally have little enforcement but significant educational value. If your agency, organization or company has an opinion on this, please let us know at info@forgreenheat.org.
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Carbon accounting
This peer review study by scientists explored greenhouse gas (GHG) implications of locally-sourced and produced wood pellets to heat homes in the US Northern Forest region. An industry-average pellet feedstock mix (50% sawmill residues, 50% pulpwood) appeared to generate heat that was at least at parity with fossil-fuel heating alternatives when harvest levels remain unchanged due to pellet production.
An important study with implications for DOE subsidies of ethanol mandated by Congress. This study found that extensive land use changes to grow more corn makes worse than gas. Wood and pellet energy do not result in that kind of land use change, and could help maintain forested land while potentially harming biodiversity.
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Wood and pellet heating policy |
Vermont is developing a clean heat standard that would slowly change the existing fossil fuels-based energy supply. The bill calls out, as examples, insulating homes and installing cold climate heat pumps or high efficiency pellet stoves.
For now, the ban applies only to new buildings, and not to people doing a renovation project or changing the heating system in their homes. Heat pumps, solar and biomass are the three options that new homes will have.
The New Buildings Institute has proposed a change to the definition of biomass that would exclude "wood and wood derived fuels" but allow biomass waste such as "biomass solids, liquids and biomasses." It is unclear, for instance, if sawdust from a lumberyard would be eligible when made into a pellet, or if cordwood from trees downed by storms would be eligible. It appears to be a clumsy and unworkable definition. For more information, contact BTEC or AGH.
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Firewood banks and programs |
In February, about six truckloads of ponderosa pine that needed to be thinned out – at least 84 cords of firewood – are being delivered to Navajo households. The wood will be delivered to elderly and other vulnerable populations in the area free of charge.
A group of business owners in the forestry community in Wayne and Pike Counties, Pennsylvania, have joined together to help heat the homes of people in need. The organization called "Fuel for Friends", delivers firewood to households that are in need.
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Electrification and wood & pellet heating |
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An emerging trend involves using both a heat pump and a wood burner to keep your home warm. You can effectively use the two heaters independently of each other, or join the two through a hot water buffer tank. That greatly reduces the electricity needed by the heat pump, potentially enabling solar panels to provide enough power.
Home batteries can be a backup power supply in the event of an outage and be used by electric distribution companies to feed the grid during times of peak demand. If consumers also agreed to let utilities turn on pellet stoves or boilers during peak demand, they would further maximize the potential of home batteries, especially for homes that also have heat pumps.
Wood stove sales are booming in the US, the UK, Europe and probably everywhere that they are common. Where wood smoke is already bad, governments need to wake up and promote pellet stoves for urban areas and wood stoves for rural areas.
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Transitions at HPBA
Longtime HPBA CEO Jack Goldman has announced his plan to retire at the end of 2022. Jack has been with HPBA for 21 years, originally working as General Counsel and Director – Government Affairs. In addition, Rachel Feinstein, Senior Manager of Government Affairs of HPBA is leaving after 10 years working for the association. She is taking a position in a larger organization in the health care sector.
The Executive Director is the heart of the MHA, serving as the ambassador for our members, leading the association’s strategic goals, and overseeing it’s day-to-day administration. The Executive Director should be a social entrepreneur with focus and drive, and passionate about the MHA’s mission and culture. Salary is $36,000 for a half-time position.
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State News
Indiana: Many people use woodstoves or fireplaces to heat their homes. Some because they enjoy the atmosphere a fire creates and some to save on heating costs.
Maine: Mark Berry, with the Nature Conservancy in Maine, says Maine will need to do whatever it can to reduce its carbon footprint, including adding more heat pumps and wood heat.
Missouri: A local organization is offering some financial help to help people keep the heat on during our colder days.
Oregon: The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners is considering a new ordinance that would change the way wood-burning stoves are regulated.
Oregon: For the third year, a majority of survey respondents shared that they altered their wood burning behavior (burned less) as a result of the advisories.
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Follow us on Instagram @for.greenheat for wood and pellet stove information, interior design inspiration, and easily digestible wood stove news and education! |
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March 1 & March 4, 2022
The top-level national report summarizing all states and territories will be released on February 28th 2022. Two webinars will cover the report and its national level findings.
Atlanta, Georgia, March 2-5, 2022
Annual North America industry hearth trade show.
Online/Montreal, March 15 and 26, 2022
Gain specialist knowledge about biomass boiler installations.
Virtual, March 28-29, 2022
This 2-day workshop will include short technical presentations followed by breakout sessions that discuss specific topics related to wood heater designs.
Wels, Austria, April 6-7, 2022
New dates!
Wildacres, April 11-17, 2022
This is a week-long event that offers educational opportunities for professionals and non-professional masons and homeowners.
Verona, Italy, May 4-7, 2022
A massive world trade show of pellet heating systems, held every two years.
Penn State, May 15-18, 2022
This joint conference will bring leading energy educators and practitioners together to showcase land grant university Extension and research program successes.
Arlington, Wisconsin, June 15, 2022
A two day business workshop for the split firewood industry.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 21-24, 2022
More information to follow.
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Please support our work and keep this newsletter free of charge |
Thank you to everyone who donated to AGH during 2021! Your support makes a huge difference and helps to keep this newsletter a free source of information for everyone. The Alliance for Green Heat is an independent non-profit organization working to promote cleaner and more efficient biomass heating. Please consider making a generous contribution. The Alliance is a tax exempt 501 (c)(3) organization.
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