2017 may not have been the most momentous year for wood and
pellet stoves, but every year is full of important stories and these are what
we see as the top 10. Think we missed one of 2017's top stories? Leave a comment.
1. Wood
stove sales lag
Warmer winters and lower fossil fuel prices are likely the
main causes of continued sluggish sales of wood stoves and inserts in
2017. Gas appliances continue to gain in
popularity. The 2015 EPA regulations are
rarely cited as contributing to the current malaise in the market, and local
restrictions are unlikely to have much of an impact either. The final weeks of 2017 and first week of
2018 brought arctic temperatures to much of the US, boosting sales of both
pellets and stoves. But will it last?
2. Funding for change
out programs rolled back
Whoever thought a motorcycle company would deal a big blow
to the stove industry? To be fair, it
had little to do with motorcycles and a lot to do with the Trump Administration
wanting to do away with out-of-court air quality violations settlements that
allowed polluters to pay part of their fine in programs that improve air
quality. Harley Davidson happened to be
the poster child of companies willing to support a change out program, but not
allowed to do so by the Trump Administration.
That pipeline of funding, up to 10 million a year, is now cut off,
dealing another blow to programs seeking to get people to part ways with their
old wood stove, and exchange it for a new pellet, gas or wood stove.
3. Congress – lots of
expectation but no action
Three key initiatives – the BTU Act, the NSPS delay and the
biomass heater tax credit – did not come to fruition in 2017. All three initiatives remain in play in 2018,
but with each passing month, 2018 will get more consumed by the fall election
season. The BTU Act would help the entire biomass thermal energy sector and has
some key backers, such as Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The bills to delay NSPS
deadlines by 3 years passed committees, largely on party lines. With the razor thin majority in the Senate, Democratic
support for these initiatives may be more important in 2018.
4. Cordwood test
methods are on the rise
The ASTM E3053 cord wood test protocol developed largely by
industry members was completed and is now an accepted alternative test
method. However, companies don’t appear
to be lining up to use it to certify their stoves. Meanwhile, NESCAUM is taking the lead in
designing what they say is a much more realistic cordwood test method as it
takes into account more frequent reloading.
That method appears to have EPA’s interest and may be more likely to be
referenced by the federal and/or state governments.
5. The renewable
energy movement gains steam, helping pellet systems
Despite a President who champions coal and fossil fuels, the
renewable energy movement is gaining ground worldwide. Automated pellet and chip heating systems are
being installed more rapidly in Europe and are gaining wider acceptance in the
US. Pellet stoves and boilers are also becoming
more recognized in green building circles.
Campuses, towns, cities and states striving to reduce fossil fuel use usually
start with electricity and transition to green heating options.
6. Anti-wood smoke groups gain legitimacy
In 2017, we saw a rise of clean air groups campaigning for
more restrictions on wood stove installation and use. Some of the core activists emerged years ago
when their communities or homes were subjected to excessive smoke from outdoor
wood boilers. In 2017, the focus shifted
more to wood stoves, mostly in communities in the West, but to some extent in
the Northeast. Often, tensions rose over
lack of enforcement by local jurisdictions who didn’t have the resources,
training and/or political will to deal with those creating excessive smoke. Overall there is a growing recognition that
wood smoke is a serious health concern and debates in local and state forums
will likely grow in coming years.
7. Consolidation of stove and pellet plants
continues
In the wood and pellet stove world, Hearth & Home Technologies
(HHT) did not announce major new acquisitions in 2017, but the company
consolidated by moving Quadra-Fire and Vermont Castings production to its
Pennsylvania facility. However, 2017
also saw market share continue to slip away from higher-priced manufacturers
like most HHT brands to the lower priced manufacturers that sell from hardware
chains. On the wood pellet front,
Lignetics continued its buying spree, finalizing a deal to acquire New England
Wood Pellet at the very end of 2017.
8. DOE co-sponsors Wood
Stove Design Challenge
After many years of sitting on the sidelines of thermal
biomass, the Department of Energy found an entre in the 2018 Wood Stove Design
Challenge. DOE is providing funding and
its PR department is issuing news releases, lending greater credibility and a
higher profile to the event. The
competition features automated stoves and stoves that produce electricity to
supplement wintertime solar PV output, showcasing new roles that wood stoves
could play if they run more reliably cleaner in real world settings. The competition will also showcase cordwood
testing protocols and fossil fuel reductions achievable by wood stoves compared
to solar panels.
9. NY, MD and MA recognize
efficiency in stove programs
In 2017, three states began using efficiency criteria to
determine eligibility in incentive or change out programs. NY now requires pellet stoves to have
verified efficiencies on the EPA list of certified stoves. MD & MA provide higher incentives for
stoves with verified efficiencies, as Oregon does, but with a far simpler
formulas. The rampant practice by most
manufacturers of providing misleading and exaggerated efficiency values – a
practice not tolerated in other HVAC sectors – motivated these states to act.
10. The new EPA wood
heater regulations move forward
OK, 2017 was not a big news year for
the new heater regulations, known as the NSPS.
But in 2017 all large forced air wood furnaces were required to be
certified (including smaller ones who pretended to be large to evade
certification in 2016). In April, there
were only six EPA certified furnaces ranging from 48% to 89% efficiency, now
there are 16. 2017 was a pivotal year in
that it marked the midpoint between 2015 and 2020, when all heaters must meet
stricter emission standards. And, with
each passing month, more heaters become 2020 compliant as manufacturers hedge
their bets in case Congress, the Administration or the courts do not derail the
2020 deadline. In 2017, some exciting new innovation hit the market, including automated MF Fire Catalyst, the Optima designed just to burn pressed logs and more coming soon.
Did we miss something? Post a comment!
Did we miss something? Post a comment!
