Data from the 2010 US Census shows that wood heat grew faster than any other heating source in the last decade. The use of wood fuel grew 34% compared to the 26% increase for electricity.

Wood heat grew fastest in the Northeast and the Great Lakes regions with Michigan and Connecticut seeing the largest increases at over 120% each.  Other states which saw significant increases in wood heat penetration over the decade, include high-density states New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio with increases exceeding 65 percent.

The rise of wood and wood pellets in home heating is often driven by a need for homeowners to reduce their heating bill with lower cost fuels like wood that are used in wood stoves, wood boilers and fireplace inserts. Over the last ten years, wood heat has been driven by the climbing cost of oil, the economic downturn and the movement to use renewable energy.

According to the EIA, residential wood heat accounts for 80% of residential renewable energy, solar 15% and geothermal 5%. By contrast, the only part of the country where wood fell in use were the warm weather states of the South, with Florida seeing the highest decline at 21 percent.

John Ackerly, with the Alliance for Green Heat, stated it most clearly, “Heating with wood may not be hip like solar, but it’s proving to be the workhorse of residential renewable energy production.”

For more information on heating fuel, visit here.

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According to Boston Globe, this past summer, Massachusetts households experienced the highest summer fuel-oil prices of the last three years. In fact, prices averaged $3.73 a gallon last month, over a $1 more than the same time last year.

If these prices remain, it would increase the average Massachusetts home heating bill by $225, effectively pulling an additional $200 million out of their pockets.

No one knows where oil prices are going — some say over $100 barrel (currently the mid-$80′s) and others see it easing a bit. The bottom line is simple — if you are on a tight budget or fixed income, you don’t like the uncertainty.

In addition, there has also been serious talk about cutting the LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) by as much as 50 percent, adding to an already difficult situation. Even at the current cap of $1000, this provides participants a tank of oil — enough fuel for up to half a heating season. Any cuts and this benefit is reduced.

This never-ending spiral is what leads many homeowners through the doors of our dealers. They are tired of the vicious cycle and the strain it place on their lives. They want to take control of home expense that can be as high as $3500 a year or more.

Operating a wood boiler is not for everyone, it requires some tending every day. The good thing is that today’s advanced wood gasification boilers take away much of the hassle of traditional wood boilers — little or no smoke, less maintenance — and in the case of Greenwood Frontier less work since you don’t need to split the wood. In all cases, these appliances are convenient and are run from the home’s thermostat.

The one thing that all wood heating appliances have in common is that they decrease the operator’s heating costs and reduce the exposure to increasing fuel oil prices. With the ability to lower a heating bill by over 70 percent, year-in and year out, the question I continue to struggle with is a simple one:

With today’s clean, high-efficiency systems why aren’t we using wood-fired central heating and why isn’t our public policy moving those best suited to use wood heat to wood as fuel for heating their homes?

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According to the 2000 US Census, there are over 15 million households in the US which use wood as a primary or secondary source of heat; a staggering number. Given that figure, I find it fascinating that little is known about high-efficiency wood boilers — one of the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly categories of products on the market today.

Here’s an interesting article that ran in the paper that serves Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska. The concept of EPA designated wood boilers is finding some traction, even if it is in the remote parts of the U.S.

Read more at the Cordova Times.

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With the EPA’s Residential Wood Heater New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) now on the horizon, the State of Indiana has joined with many states in regulating outdoor hydronic heaters (also referred to as outdoor wood boiler or outdoor wood furnace). On May 18th, Indiana’s first rules regulating the sale, installation and operation of outdoor wood furnaces became law. The rules affect an estimated 8,000 Indiana residents who currently use an outdoor wood furnace to heat their home.

So, if you are an Indiana resident and either own or plan to purchase an outdoor wood boiler, here is a summary of some of the major elements of the adopted regulation 326 IAC 4-3.

• emission limits for new units must meet EPA Phase 2 standards,
• existing non-EPA qualified units must limit their operation to the heating season (October 1 – April 30),
• increasing the stack height for certain existing units, and
• notice requirements for sellers of outdoor hydronic heaters.

For additional information on this regulation, please visit the Indiana Department of Environmental Regulation website for outdoor hydronic heater regulations. A copy of the entire rule is available here or IDEM provides a fact sheet for more concise reading about the outdoor wood furnace rule.

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This past Friday the Tax Cut Compromise Package was signed into law by President Obama, and continues to draw fire from both political parties. Of significance to families who are looking to purchase a biomass or wood heater, the incentives will be severely cut beginning January 1, 2011.

The law reduces the biomass heater tax credit to 10% with a $300 cap and only allows the credit towards the purchase price and not for installation of the appliance. In addition, wood and pellet heating appliances were classified as an energy efficiency device instead of a renewable energy system. This classification limits the lifetime tax credit to $500.

By contrast, solar, wind and geothermal systems still enjoy the 30% tax credit of the past two years, with no maximum amount are now set to expire in 2016. This certainly does not appear consistent — it is time to let your voice be heard with your lawmakers.

For those interested in detail on all tax cuts, take a look here.

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According to the New York Times, the U.S. EPA is modifying their ruling on industrial boilers.

Having taken comment on controversial new regulations for industrial boilers and citing opposition from business leaders and lawmakers, the U.S. EPA now believes that some pollution limits in the draft rules “were simply too tight to be able to be achievable,” said the agency’s air chief Gina McCarthy.

This signals that the agency is planning to scale back proposed boiler regulations now that the pubic comment period has ended. The proposed rules were seen as prohibitively expensive and thus unlikely to be achieved and so the U.S. EPA is readying regulations that won’t be as tough on businesses.

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According to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, the NY DEC has put a hold on a DEC proposal that would have mandated statewide regulations on outdoor wood boilers (OWBs). The proposed regulations were tabled at a board meeting on Monday. This was less than a week after the NY DEC announced it would be submitting the proposed regulations to the board.

The operation of outdoor wood boilers is a hotly contested topic in New York State. The regulations would have ensured that new OWBs burn at least 90 percent cleaner than older models and require users to use seasoned and clean wood as opposed to garbage or other material. In addition, new OWBs would have been required to be installed a minimum of 100 feet from neighboring properties and have smokestacks at least 18 feet high. Finally, the regulation would have banned the operation of the outdoor wood furnace between June 1 and August 31 in northern New York.

This hold certainly delays the adoption of a statewide standard, while the DEC enters another public comment period.

New York State residents should view this development as a brief reprieve only. The US EPA is well under way on the development of a national standard (an NSPS) that could well trump state standards. This delay will likely result in some municipalities continuing in their efforts to regulate devices at a local level. This may turn into a rather nasty affair, so we encourage those that do push forward with their own local regulation to follow the path already laid by regulatory agencies which have spent considerable time and energy exploring viable options — Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts or Maryland.

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Wood heat is a political topic?

No, this is not the 19th century, but in today’s political climate, energy and energy security are core issues in the political debate.

Who would have imagined that wood boilers might have played a role in shaping the landscape? Over the past six months, we have had the pleasure of speaking with many state and national government representatives regarding the use of clean wood-fired central heating as an essential part of the nation’s energy portfolio — clearly the message is getting through.

As we get closer to November 2nd and the political race heats up — we encourage you to stay engaged with your local races and ensure that your elected officials understand the benefits of clean, renewable wood heat!

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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced yesterday that they have submitted a regulation to the state Environmental Board for consideration at its October 25 meeting that will set stringent performance standards for new outdoor wood boilers (OWBs) sold in New York State. If approved, the regulation would go into effect 30 days after its filing with the state Secretary of State. The stricter guidelines will ensure that new OWBs burn at least 90% cleaner than older models.

The regulation includes restrictions on fuel, stack height, set back and seasonal operation. Details of the proposed ruling may be found at the NY DEC site.

Currently, installed wood boilers that do not comply with the proposed regulation are grandfathered in compliance, but the DEC has proposed a study period to evaluate the impact of requiring their removal.

So, if you live in New York State and stay-tuned or raise your concern — you are running out of time to have your voice heard.

If you live in New York state and were not aware of the discussion going on around wood boiler regulation, you better start paying attention! According to the Watertown Daily Times, the NY Department of Environmental Conservation would require that units be installed 100 feet from neighbors property line and with stacks that are 18 feet tall.

While chimney pipe is not inexpensive, perhaps the more troubling fact for existing wood boiler or outdoor wood furnace owners is that existing units will need to be retired by either 2015 or 2020. Take a look at this article for more information.