JULY 2020 | A NOTE FROM JEREMY
How Does Biomass Energy Impact You?
The use of biomass energy positively impacts local economies in the Midwest. Sustainable forestry is a way of life for many families. It is common to travel through a rural community in the Midwest and see an active logging operation or a truck hauling fresh cut timber to a sawmill or pulp mill.
Many homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses are heated with one of the many forms of wood or agricultural biomass fuels produced locally in the Midwest. Some of those also have electrical energy supplied from biomass.
How does Biomass Energy impact you? How can the Heating the Midwest organization help you achieve your biomass energy goals? We have developed a short survey asking these questions and ask for your help by filling it out to provide important insight into the future of the Heating the Midwest organization.
If you have a project in mind or know somebody looking for information on a biomass energy project, please reach out to one of the Heating the Midwest team members to see how we can help. Support your local economy during these tough times by heating with locally sourced biomass fuels.
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AUTHOR:
Jeremy Mortl
Messersmith Manufacturing
Vice President of HTM, Executive Steering Committee Member
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PLANNING SURVEY
- HTM and Department of Natural Resources need your help
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Virtually PFI Webinars
- Call For Papers | European Pellet Conference
BIOMASS AND ECONOMY
- Does it Pay to Protect Nature?
- NWT Pellet Mill, Now Much Bigger Project, Promises ‘Huge Impact’
- EPA proposes to amend regulations for certain industrial boilers
- USDA issues rule to streamline 4 loan guarantee programs
MORE WAYS TO GET BIOMASS NEWS
- How to Explain Renewable Biomass to your employers, investors, community.
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HTM STEERING COMMITTEE
- Bruno Zagar* - President
- Jeremy Mortl* - Vice President
- T.J. Morice* - Secretary/Treasure
- Brian Brashaw* - Liaison to the Steering Committee
- Stacy Cook*
- William Cook
- Sabina Dhungana*
- Joseph Donnell
- Becky Philipp
- Tim Portz - National Rep
- Ben Rose
- Adam Sherman - National Rep
- Jill Thibert
* Executive Members
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PLANNING SURVEY
Heating the Midwest (HTM) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources would like your input on how we can add value to the biomass heat and power industries, and help your organization.
Low fossil fuel prices and increased preference for renewable energy from wind and solar sources have challenged the biomass thermal, combined heat and power and power sectors.
We are exploring all options for adding value to this sector – and more specifically how HTM can help your organization.
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PLEASE COMPLETE SURVEY BY JULY 31
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Time to Complete:
3 MINUTES (7 QUESTIONS)
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Thank you for your time in completing the survey. We value your input.
Kind regards,
HTM Steering Committee
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Upcoming PFI Webinars:
July 28
| July 30 | August 4 | August 6
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By The Numbers: A Data Rich Look at Current Domestic and Global Wood Pellet Production
This conversation will be rooted in a close examination of the available data for both domestic and global wood pellet production and sales.
A heavy focus will be placed on domestic sales through the 2019–20 heating season and what we’ve learned about fiber availability and production through the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The panel will conclude with a deep dive into global wood pellet production and the market trajectories for wood pellet used for both space heating and power generation.
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SPEAKERS:
Tim Portz
, Pellet Fuels Institute
Connor Murphy
, Energy Information Administration
Bill Strauss
, Future Metrics
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Call for Papers & Speakers
Event:
European Pellet Conference 2021
Speaker or Paper Submission Deadline:
October 12, 2020
Conference Date:
February 24 - 25 2021 | AUSTRIA
In 2021, the conference – the largest annual pellet event worldwide with more than 450 participants from over 50 countries each year – shows how we can make a green recovery happen in practice and how the pellet sector can profit.
Take the opportunity and share your work, projects, research results, achievements, ideas and insights with the worldwide sustainable energy community!
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PAPER TOPICS ARE THEY LOOKING FOR
- Energy efficiency
- Renewable energy sources
- Energy-efficient and sustainable solutions for buildings and industry
- E-mobility
- Pellets
- Sustainable energy research, technologies, programs, markets and policies
- Products, services, business models
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Does it Pay to Protect Nature? A New Study Weighs In.
By Simon Jessop and Matthew Green - Reuters
Expanding areas under conservation could yield a return of at least $5 for every $1 spent and boost global economic output by about $250 billion annually, researchers estimate
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NWT Pellet Mill, Now Much Bigger Project, Promises ‘Huge Impact’
Cabin Radio - Sarah Pruys
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In an ocean of economic strife, Brad Mapes believes his 320-hectare parcel of South Slave land is about to become the NWT’s beacon of hope.
The AWP Industrial Park is seen from the air in June 2020. Brad Mapes/Cobra Corporation
Initially, Mapes expected to build a wood pellet mill on his land in Enterprise. Now, he has plans for nine different corporations on the site. He thinks he will eventually create 250 full-time jobs or more.
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EPA Proposes to Amend Regulations for Certain Industrial Boilers
By Erin Voegele
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The U.S. EPA on July 9 released a proposed rule that aims to amend emission standards for certain categories of boilers based on the maximum achievable control technologies (MACT). The American Wood Council said it is encouraged by the clarity the rule provides.
The rule, referred as the Boiler MACT, proposes to amend the 2013 national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for industrial, commercial and institutional boilers and process heaters. The agency said the amendments would further reduce toxic emission from certain types of units and represent continued clean air progress.
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USDA Issues Rule to Streamline 4 Loan Guarantee Programs
By Erin Voegele
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The USDA on July 13 issued a final rule that aims to increase private investment in rural communities by making it easier for lenders to access four guaranteed loan programs, including the Rural Energy for America Program.
The rule is scheduled to take effect Oct. 1 and is subject to a 60-day comment period, which will open following publication of the rule in the Federal Register.
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MORE WAYS TO GET BIOMASS NEWS
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Find Heating the Midwest on
your favorite online platform
Follow Heating the Midwest to find out about the latest
news, events, and action team updates!
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BiomassMagazine.com
- Printed Magazine
- Free digital Magazine
- Free e-Newsletters
- Free Webinars
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Pellet Mill
Magazine
Free to U.S. Subscribers.
- Printed Magazine
- Free digital Magazine
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Heating the Midwest- Become an Action Team Volunteer!
If you have a specific area of interest related to biomass thermal, we welcome your participation in one or all of HTM’s three action teams-Biomass Combustion Technologies, Biomass Policy & Benefits, and Biomass Resources & Demographics. Is your time often stretched? No problem. Time committed to the HTM effort is volunteer time. Joint action team calls are held monthly via conference call, and calls are limited to one hour in respect of members’ time and busy schedules. Members may choose to volunteer more of their time individually to support Action Team specific projects as they arise.
Individuals with a passion for biomass thermal energy are being sought to lead the Biomass Resources & Demographics Action Team or the Biomass Combustion Technologies Action Team. This is a great opportunity to share your leadership skills in furthering the mission of HTM and to directly connect with the biomass industry sector and other agencies—all with a goal of growing market opportunities for biomass and specifically for biomass as a fuel for thermal heating and cooling, and combined heat and power.
The work of the action teams involves developing “boots on the ground” projects for spurring action, discussing industry challenges in each sector and how to possibly address, networking and supporting the overall goals and vision of the Heating the Midwest with Renewable Biomass initiative in an effort to grow demand and expand marketing opportunities in the biomass thermal sector, and create awareness of biomass thermal.
WHEN:
HTM Joint Action Team calls are held:
Third Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. CST
Separate action team calls are scheduled as needed.
*NOTE: ACTION TEAM CALLS WILL RESUME IN SUMMER 2020. STAY TUNED*
For more detailed information, feel free to contact Becky Philipp (
bphilipp@auri.org
), HTM Steering committee member.
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BROUGHT TO YOU BY HEATING THE MIDWEST
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