Features

Coalition awarded $8.8 million to rank wood stoves

The grant will “develop better information on in-use performance of certified wood heaters to help the air agencies strategically target scarce funding resources in wood heater change-out programs towards those options that hold the best promise for cleanest performance when in regular use.” Click here for grant document.

Year 2 funding for firewood banks is over

Demand for firewood bank funding was even stronger the second year than the first. “There appear to be hundreds more firewood banks than we expected,” said Pam Porter, AGH firewood bank program manager. This year, we will fund 48-50 banks from 21 states. Average grant is $14,065. Funding is expected to open for year 3 next summer or early fall.

Heat with wood? Take this survey!

Please participate in this Oregon State wood heat survey (if you heat with a wood stove). This survey should provide valuable information to the NSPS process as well.

Energy prices remain elevated this heating season

Heating prices have cooled since earlier this year but are still significantly higher than they were five years ago. The average price for propane is now only nine cents above the five-year average, but heating oil is nearly a full dollar more per gallon. 

AGH Webinar Series

The Carbon Accounting of Residential Wood Heat

Join the Northern Forest Center and Alliance for Green Heat on January 17, 2024, 12:00-1:30 PM (EST) for a scientific discussion on carbon emissions and modern wood heat systems. Registration is now open 

Past webinar:

State Clean Heat Standards and Pellet/Chip Heating

On November 9th, AGH held a webinar to discuss how Clean Heat Standards work, how wood, pellet and chip heating systems may best fit in, and unique equity challenges CHS pose for lower income households. Find all slides used in the webinar here.

Firewood Banks

New resource sheets for firewood banks

AGH has begun creating safety materials and other resource sheets to help firewood banks improve education and outreach. Visit out resources page to download available materials. We also welcome recommendations on wording of these materials and suggestions for new resource sheets.

Stove Testing

Real-LIFE Emissions project newsletter

Europe is also grappling with the same testing issues as we are in the US and the dynamics between industry, regulators and others is also complex. This consortium is producing a plan on the development and execution of testing procedures, which better reflects quality and quantity of the real-life emissions from solid fuel heating appliances.

Pellets

Natural Forest Products sees potential in pellets

“Heating a home in Vermont is expensive,” said the company owner. “On average, it’s 10 percent of a household budget and, with inflation, everything is 25 percent more expensive. When folks don’t have to rely on fuel oil, they can purchase a local, renewable product that keeps their dollars right here in our community, and that’s a big thing in most rural areas.”

Sound deadening for pellet stoves

"You can put this on the distribution blower housing, in the back corners of the stove body, and on the hopper. Do not put it in with the pellets but on the underside. You can barely hear the pellets dropping in and the motors are a whisper."

Firewood

You bought a house with a wood stove. Now what?

First, call a licensed inspector to come and take a thorough look at it. Then, find the right wood to burn. This wood should be well seasoned to reduce smoke and get more efficient heat.

Permitting keeps track of forest resources

Virtually all National Forests allow firewood gathering. "As always, there are those who blow off the permit, thinking the forest, being public lands, is there for the taking. No. These are public lands, true, but they are managed. Forest managers ensure that there’s enough for everybody, and that fire risk is minimized.

Video: An environmentalist walks the forest

"As an environmental lawyer, David understands the complexities of managing the forest for today's habitats and tomorrow's needs. Join him and some critters in flight as he describes the relationship between forests, birds, and wood heat.

B.C. man ordered to repay $3,800 after providing couple with 'absolute garbage' firewood

Enforcement around the quality of firewood is rare and people are often promised one thing and get another. This is a welcome instance where consumers stood up for themselves.

Geothermal

In this Massachusetts neighborhood, nearly every home is switching to geothermal energy

The shift to more sustainable heating and cooling usually happens home by home, as individual homeowners install heat pumps to replace fossil-powered furnaces. But in Framingham, a neighborhood is making the transition together.  

Biomass to Electricity

Enviva stock plummets, CEO replaced

The world's largest pellet producer saw its stock valuation plummet by 80 percent after the release of third-quarter results. Despite its negative financial results and the management upheaval, the company plans to continue building its $375 million pellet plant Epes, Alabama.

History/Wood Heating Lore/Humor

A man splitting wood

"We heat the house with wood burned in a cookstove, which warms the kitchen and living room. We have an electric furnace that we only use when the priest comes over. The priest hasn’t been here in years. I often have dreams that if I try to discreetly turn on the furnace while my bride sleeps, alarm bells ring out, lights start flashing, and the stormtroopers zipline down from a helicopter."

Misleading Ad of the Month



EPA continues to fail at enforcement

For more than 10 years, AGH has notified the EPA's office of enforcement about companies who are illegally selling uncertified outdoor or indoor wood boilers. Its a long list, and we do not know of a single instance where the EPA has shut down sales of illegal boilers. MBTEK (PA), EZ Boiler (MI), Hyprotherm (AR), and ACME Furnace (MO) all appears to be operating with impunity. Without any transparency, it is impossible to know if the EPA every followed up in any way to contact these companies. Did they a certified letter or a phone call? Several of these companies told AGH that they had not heard from the EPA. Meanwhile, they are undercutting the companies who play by the rules, pay for emission testing and the certification process. As if to mock the EPA's ability to enforce its regulations, MBTEK provides a map with the name of the buyer, the exact location of the home, and the unit installed! By collecting screenshots each year, we can see the volume of their sales, which boilers are selling best, etc. The map also provides the exact location of their pick-up warehouse at 2411 N American St, Philadelphia, PA.

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.

Webinar on the Carbon Accounting of Residential Wood Heat

January 17, 2024, 12:00-1:30 PM (EST)

Several scientists will review how they account for carbon in firewood and pellets used for home heating.

HBPExpo

Nashville, Tennessee, February 13-15, 2024

HPBExpo offers interactive experiences, networking events and forums for conversations with peers and connections with industry colleagues.

Progetto Fuoco

Verona, Italy, February 28-March 2, 2024

Heralded as "the most important fair in the world on biomass heating systems."

World Sustainable Energy Days 2024

Wels, Austria, March 5-8, 2024

The event shows how to achieve the high policy ambitions of the upcoming EU legislation and how to strengthen the clean energy markets.

Young Energy Researchers 2024

Wels, Austria, March 5, 2024

A conference on the work and achievements of young researchers in the fields of energy efficiency and biomass.

2024 European Pellet Conference

Wels, Austria, March 6, 2024

The largest annual pellet event worldwide focuses on the role pellets in the clean energy transition and the circular economy.

2024 National Chimney Sweep Guild Convention & Trade Show

Orlando, Florida, March 20-23, 2024

Largest gathering of chimney sweeps in the United States. The event offers a variety of technical & business classes with continuing education units and a trade show.

2024 National Home Performance Conference

Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 8-11, 2024

This conference brings together contractors, weatherization professionals, trainers, program administrators and energy auditors working on residential energy efficiency.

Alliance for Green Heat | (202) 365-4765 | contact@forgreenheat.org | | www.forgreenheat.org