WERC Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team
The WERC Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team is currently working on a number of projects in cooperation with State Wood Energy Teams in Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
Kentucky: The Team is working with the Lyon County School District to improve the performance of an existing wood-fired system. The Team has helped school district personnel improve both the fuel-handling performance and the fuel-feeding mechanism and is currently assessing the cost of a boiler modification.
Massachusetts: The Team is working with Deerfield Academy to provide a feasibility study to convert the school from fossil fuels to wood. The school has 30 buildings totaling nearly 500,000 square feet. Annual fossil fuel costs are about $650,000. The feasibility study will be used in an ongoing strategic planning process for campus capital investments.
New Hampshire: The Team is currently providing technical assistance to Frohling Energy to improve the performance of a wood-fired boiler used in their wood chip drying operation. The Team led the process to retune the boiler to meet New Hampshire Renewable Energy Credit requirements for emissions. The Team's effort was successful when test results indicated the boiler was emitting less than .01 lbs/mmbtu of total filterable particulates using a multiclone. Additional emission testing is planned.
Pennsylvania: The State Wood Energy Team asked the Technical Assistance Team for help with feasibility studies at a wood products manufacturing facility and at a ski area. These two projects began in mid-May.
Vermont: The Team assisted school districts in Barre, Bellows Falls, and Wilmington to improve the performance of previously installed boiler systems. In the case of Barre, the Team reviewed the existing system and provided guidance to the school district regarding the installation of a new system.
In the case of Bellows Falls and Wilmington, the Team reviewed the design and operation of both systems and helped school staff implement changes to the controls of both systems as well as changes in plumbing designs. The changes enabled greater use of both systems and reductions in fossil fuel use.
For additional information, contact Lew McCreery.