Why Wood Stoves will form an important part of tomorrow's energy mix

Are Log Burners Tomorrows Heating Technology?
07.08.2010 Author: Marissa Clijsters Posted in Environmental
As an example of an environmentally sound, high efficiency technology with a promising future before of it, most people likely would not straight away think of the wood burner. This is, when all is said and done, an item that seems to have altered hardly at all since its invention a couple of centuries back.

But take a deeper look and you’ll find that the old-style exterior design is only there to provide aesthetic appeal. Most modern wood burners are capable of combustion performance comparable to a regular gas boiler. Modern regulations have forced manufacturers to radically improve the internal technology in order to comply with increasingly tight standards.

Yet strangely, while most people think nothing of lighting a gas flame, they hesitate when it comes to burning logs. Perhaps because the emissions are more visible with wood smoke and of course it’s quite clearly a dead tree. But the interesting thing is that although burning wood does release carbon dioxide, growing another tree will soak back up the same amount – hence there is no net CO2 gain.

When trees are used as a managed resource, there are as many planted as are felled – and of course there is always a sizable stock representing the stages from sapling to mature tree. The point being that each tree in this cycle absorbs as much CO2 during its growth as it will release when burned (or indeed left to rot).

In contrast to fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas whereby CO2 is released to the air but never reclaimed, growing woody biomass (as trees are termed) ensures that the levels of CO2 remain in balance.

Now unless you’ve been living in cave, you’ll be aware that anything that helps to slow, halt or reverse CO2 pollution is increasingly important both and into the foreseeable future. A proven, effective and sustainable source of energy that at the very least doesn’t make matters worse is going to appear pretty dammed attractive.

With both regulatory “push” (incentive schemes and grants etc.) and consumer “pull” as more people are persuaded of the benefits, you don’t need a crystal ball to predict a rosy future ahead for the log burning stove.

For those able to make use of woodburners, this technology provides a comparatively (compared to oil and gas) cheap way of providing heat and hot water. However, it is not fully scalable and not anyway an answer to all our current problems. It is however not about to slip quietly into the history books any time soon.

Western Chapter to host Tee it Up Summer Socials
They're going to be fun, informative events and a great way to reacquaint ourselves with one another.

Join in anytime...
4:30 pm to 5:45 pm Golf social with friends

• Come swing, wack, chip or putt your way around the practice green and driving range. All abilities welcom! Complimentary bucket of balls and clubs.

6pm to 7pm Dinner is served

• Sit down and enjoy a BBQ buffet with all the fixings, complete with dessert and beverages.

7 pm to 9 pm Industry Updates & YOU

• Informal gathering highlighting industry news and chapter updates
• The BIG announcement - Terasen Gas rolls out their $50,000 EnerChoice program for 2010/11
• Floor is open to answer your questions and discuss issues facing you and your region

Everyone is welcome!

Invite your friends, family and co-workers.

Members & Guests $20 each

Non-Members $25

Cash Bar

Registration required two weeks prior to the event.

Call 604-941-4172 or 1-800-792-5284 for more information and a registration form or visit the whpba.ca website or hpbacanada.org website

This event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors - Terasen Gas, Blaze King, Canned Heat, Concorde Distributing, ICC, Mr. Fireplace, Napoleon Fireplaces, Northwest Stoves, Pacific Energy, Regency, Valor, and SCHOTT Robax

Municipal by-laws

HPBAC frequently works with municipalities to develop by-laws that address nuisance smoke and yet are fair and reasonable to the industry. HPBAC posts a model by-law, in both languages, on its website to facilitate this process. Most recently, the association has been working with the city of Prince George, B.C.

Gas showroom safety in Ontario

An advisory was issued by Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) in Ontario last July about requirements for product hook-up in gas showrooms. The TSSA is a provincial body, only operating in Ontario. HPBAC became aware of the advisory towards the end of last year as inspectors starting knocking on doors. The requirements are extremely onerous. HPBAC has been in discussions with TSSA with the objective of finding a way to achieve the safety objectives without putting retailers out of business. Industry meetings were held in May in Ottawa, Toronto and London to which TSSA staff were invited. The meetings were extremely well attended and proved very fruitful. The gas safety code allows for different hook up requirements for temporary installations such as trade shows and TSSA, at HPBAC’s instigation, has agreed in principal, to extend this provision to gas showrooms. Two trials will now be conducted. TSSA will require an automatic CO alarm and cut off. HPBAC has assisted in the sourcing of this device.

Gas Fireplace Efficiency

Following the US DOE final ruling on hearth products, NR Can has contacted HPBAC to “discuss the future of gas fireplace efficiency in Canada”. They are clearly looking at minimum efficiencies and the outlawing of standing pilots. They are however accepting of the fact that they do not fully understand our industry and are therefore seeking our engagement from the start.. Tony Gottschalk had an informal meeting with a representative from NR Can at the CSA conference in St Johns in June. A more formal meeting is likely to follow in Ottawa in the fall. Any new regs would seem years away but this could change as they will inevitably be heavily influenced by developments in the US.

Municipal wood burning by-laws for Ontario

The Ontario Ministry of Environment is in the process of preparing a document designed to give guidelines to municipalities that wish to pass by-laws controlling all types of burning. On seeing the first draft, HPBAC met with the Ministry and persuaded it to delay publication by at least six months. The first draft was full of errors and completely unbalanced in regard to our industry. A constructive on-going dialogue has ensued. Further meetings have taken place and the third draft is due in July. At HPBAC’s request, the document will have substantial revisions and is now to be split into two with our industry’s products being separated from open burning.

New Wood Burning Regulations For B.C.

British Columbia is in the process of reviewing its residential wood-burning regulations. HPBAC has been fully engaged. The BC Intentions Paper, outlining BC’s proposed approach, was due last fall but was delayed as a result of staffing issues within the Ministry of Sport and Healthy Living. It was finally released in May. The proposal is broadly based on Washington state emission levels and the new CSA B415 in terms of its treatment of central systems. It also proposes that any, more stringent, requirements coming out of the NSPS process in the US would automatically be adopted in BC. All HPBAC manufacturing members and BC members have been sent the relevant link which includes instructions for commenting. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/codes/solid-fuel/index.htm. HPBAC’s national GAC developed a largely positive response which was delivered to the Ministry in June. Comments were due by July 2nd.