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Green Heat News
A free monthly news service on renewable,
low carbon heating issues
July 2024
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Featured
Survey: Pellet stove owners love their stoves– and are also interested in heat pumps and solar panels
A survey taken by 486 people who use pellet stoves revealed some predictable and some unpredictable results. We then analyzed data based on income, primary reason to heat with pellets, whether they smelled smoke from their stove, etc.
Wood stoves essential in transition to heat pumps, say tribal experts
In a series of meetings at the annual National Tribal Forum on Air Quality, experts voiced a consistent message: as we install heat pumps in tribal homes, we should also keep wood stoves.
Duncan Symes, grandfather of the American wood stove, 1937-2024
Duncan Syme, age 86, passed away in Lyme NH after a storied career, which began as a young engineer who upended the wood stove industry in 1976 with Vermont Casting’s Defiant stove. This achievement revolutionized American stove making through its first of a kind airtight cast iron design, exacting detail and a company that could quickly scale up to meet skyrocketing demand. A wonderful account of his early career can be found here.
Québec government invests $1.15 million to support conversion of forest biomass into energy
An abundant resource in Québec, forest biomass is a woody material that can be used to produce electricity, heat or biofuel. Its energy recovery maximizes the use of resources such as forest residues, which are usually left on the cutting grounds.
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Agencies
EPA awards another $8.8 million to NESCAUM to rank the lab performance of wood stove
The EPA gave another $8.8 million, the same amount it gave in 2023, to NESCAUM to conduct emissions testing to assist in the development of a ranking of how stoves perform in the lab. AGH remains concerned that there is enough evidence that building an effective list is possible when consumer behavior outstrips stove technology in determining PM rates. In addition, most stoves are tuned to an ASTM test method, not the method NESCAUM will use.
Supreme Court upends agency regulation process
There will be months or years of speculation about the impact of the recent Chevron case for existing and future wood heater regulations. However, with wood heaters, states can relatively easily enact their own regulations, a process that was potentially set in motion by Alaska in partnership with New York and NESCAUM - which could be worse for industry.
US Postal Service makes stamp of Shaker wood stove
"The Shakers discovered that a cast-iron wood-burning stove could heat a room more efficiently than a fireplace. The additional box on top, called a “super heater,” increased the surface area, allowing the stove to give off more heat with the same amount of wood. By enclosing the flames, the stove also decreased the threat of fire."
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AGH News
Applications for firewood bank grants now open
The application period opened on May 1 and to date AGH has received 12 applications. Please help spread the word to firewood banks that may not yet know of this grant opportunity. With funding comes assistance in providing drier wood, improving safety practices and learning an array of best practices to improve and grow your firewood bank.
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Firewood
ChipDrop: A national source of free firewood
ChipDrop is a site set up for arborists to cheaply dispose of chips or wood, when the dump is too far away, closed or has high tip fees. “Whether you operate a fleet of trucks, or you're an owner-operated, one-truck setup, ChipDrop can help reduce your disposal costs.” Homeowners can sign up as a drop site for firewood.
Bubba's Bundles, a pathway to self-sufficiency
“'We typically try to get 110 cords cut and covered before the snow flies,' he said. Ten percent of all sales go to help people in need. 'Christopher was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum at 3,' said Gary. Even though he has limited verbal and social skills, he has many talents – including running a firewood business."
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Back-up Inverter Generators
Consumer Reports: Best inverter generators
A new, more affordable generation of inverter generators make it easier than ever to keep your pellet stove and lights on during a power outage. DeWalt and Champion make highly rated inverter generators for $600 - $700, providing quieter, more efficient and deliver cleaner, more stable power for electronic appliances.
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Heat Pumps
State government advice on ductless heat pumps
“Heat-pump savings depend on what fuel you are switching from, how much your electricity costs, etc. If you have baseboard electric heat or more expensive heating fuels, like propane or oil, the savings can be significant. If you’re switching from natural gas, wood, or pellets, a heat pump may not lower your heating bills. Consider the upfront price of the system, too.”
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State News
Snohomish County to start ‘kicking gas’ in push for all-electric homes
WA: Electrification of heat with heat pumps can reduce reliance on wood stoves, thus reducing wood smoke in communities, but this article incorrectly states that carbon is reduced. Heat pumps often are more carbon intensive than wood stoves, depending on the electricity they use, and the source of the wood.
International News
Fossil fuel reliance stalls EU pellet market
EU: Despite the challenges the use of pellets for heating in the residential market remained strong. In 2023 the share of residential and commercial consumption of heating pellets reached 59%, the highest in a decade. Pellet heating remains an affordable option for households and biomass heating reduces heat-related electricity demand when renewable electricity production is often lower and less efficient.
Right way of heating with wood
Austria: Government statement: “Heating with wood, when properly handled, protects the environment and saves money. Wood, being a renewable source of energy, helps us with climate protection: When being burned it releases just as much carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere, as has been absorbed from the air by the growth.”
Metro Vancouver residents must register indoor wood burning fireplaces, stoves by next year
Canada: It’s not a ban on wood burning stoves, but part of the regional district’s plan to clear the air of harmful emissions by using certified appliances and best burning practices.
Wood heater smoke is still a major air polluter, but Tassie researchers are working to fix it
Australia: A cold house is really bad for your health and also lands you in the hospital (or worse). There's no way we can accept a trade-off where we have cleaner air at the expense of a colder house. We need to have healthy, warm houses. And there's lots of ways we can do that.
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CSIA 2024 Training Days: Boston, Philly, Portland OR, Chicago, Minneapolis, etc.
The Chimney Safety Institute of America has a full schedule of trainings around the country next year.
2024 NCSG Chimney Expo
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, August 8-10, 2024
Receive hands-on training and essential continued education at the National Chimney Guild's Chimney Expo.
The Antique Stove Association 2024 Convention
Spring Valley, Minnesota, August 18-20, 2024
Wood Pellet Association of Canada Conference
Victoria, British Columbia, September 17-18, 2024
Canada’s largest gathering of the Canadian wood pellet industry.
International Training Seminar: Sustainable Bioenergy Heating
Linz, Austria, September 23 - 26, 2024
The Seminar focuses on small- to mid-scale projects fueled by wood pellets and wood chips for homes, smaller commercial/public buildings and district heating grids.
Renewable Thermal Collaborative Summit 2024
Washington, D.C., September 30-October 1, 2024
The Summit is the only place where large industrial, institutional, and commercial energy users like Procter & Gamble, Mars, and Colgate Palmolive come together.
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Please support our work and keep this newsletter free of charge | |
Thank you to everyone who donated to AGH during 2023! 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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