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Great American Woodstove Changeout Campaign

National Weatherization Training Conference

December 10, 2007

“Real energy efficiency improvements and air emission reductions for real people”

Larry Brockman, U.S. EPA919-541-5398, brockman.larry@epa.gov

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Presentation Purpose

Raise awareness about EPA’s Woodstove Changeout Campaign

Share why EPA cares about wood smoke

Increase awareness about new solid fuel technologies

Outline funding opportunities (e.g., environmental enforcement settlement agreements)

Begin dialogue for possible partnership

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What is a Woodstove Changeout Campaign?

A voluntary, incentive-based (cash rebates) effort to encourage owners of old, inefficient woodstoves to replace or “changeout” their stove with a cleaner burning hearth appliance,like:

Gas stoves Wood pellet or corn stoves EPA-Certified wood stoves

Draft logo

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What’s in Wood Smoke?

“Ah, the sweet smell of wood smoke” - but what makes it so sweet? CO Benzene Toluene Aldehyde gases Polycyclic organic matter Dioxin Particle matter (PM2.5)

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Wood Smoke – Why We Care

- Emitted where we live

- Poor dispersion

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Residential Wood Smoke - Why Do We Care?

Fine particle pollution (PM2.5) - ~6 % (430,000 tons) of total PM2.5 ~80% from woodstoves More than all of the:

US petroleum refineries Cement manufactures Pulp and paper plants combined.

Particulate Matter: What is It?

A complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets

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Smaller, inhalable particles (≤ PM10) penetrate deep into

the lungs

Particulate Matter

Model of interior human lung

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Who’s affected?

Everyone, especially children and the elderly

People with existing diseases such as: Coronary artery disease Heart failure Asthma Chronic bronchitis and

emphysema

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Fine Particle (PM2.5) Nonattainment Areas

(Areas not meeting the national standard)

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Areas/Sites Violating 24-Hour PM2.5 National Standard: 2003-2005

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Residential Wood SmokeWhy else does EPA care?

Energy Efficiency/Renewable Newer stoves are ~50% more efficient, use 1/3 less

wood

Fire Safety Creosote build-up in chimney from old stoves is faster

Indoor Air Quality Old wood stoves are often improperly installed and

poorly sealed Improper ventilation of woodstoves and fireplaces

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2006/2007 Residential PM2.5 Indoor Air Quality Sampling

Findings from University of Montana

Sampling focused on 21 woodstove homes that were changed out during the winter of 2006/2007. (5 were eliminated from study for various reasons)

24-hour fine particle matter (PM2.5) sampling

Pre-changeout average PM2.5 concentrations within 21 homes: 53.4 μg/m3. (35ug/m3 is health based standard)

Post-changeout average PM2.5 concentrations within 16 homes: 15.0 μg/m3.

Average reduction in indoor PM2.5 as a result of woodstove changeout within 16 homes:

72%

14Slide from Wood Heat Organization Inc

Old “Conventional” Woodstoves (built before 1990)

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Advanced Woodstoves(EPA Certified – built after 1990)

Slide from Wood Heat Organization Inc

Example of EPA Certified Stove Label

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Woodstove Fireplace Inserts

Can transform a conventional fireplace into an efficient heating system.

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Two types of advanced combustion:

1. Catalytic uses catalyst to clean up

exhaust

2. Non-catalytic advanced most common

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Inside a catalytic wood stove

Smoke passes through a catalytic honeycomb that lowers smoke ignition temperature

Inside a ‘non-cat’ wood stove

1. Firebox insulation 2. A large baffle 3. Preheated combustion air

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Wood Pellet Stoves A cleaner burning

option

Pellets are made from sawdust that is ground, dried and compressed

Can operate up to 24 hours unattended

Many pellet stoves burn corn too.

Conventional Fireplaces Not efficient and are not suitable for home

heating

They are also a source of air pollution

High efficiency fireplaces Advanced technology fireplaces

have the same combustion features as advanced wood stoves

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Central Heating Most wood furnaces are not clean

burning and efficient

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A cleaner wood burning furnace

Meets EPA emissions standards for woodstoves

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Woodstove Changeouts: The Opportunity…

10 million stoves in use, 7.5 million old stoves Cleaner burning, more efficient technologies

available

Old New

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Woodstove Changeout The Challenge…

Replacement with new “cleaner” alternatives is relatively expensive

~$1500 – $3000 per stove (including installation)

Low income households can’t afford new stoves

Old woodstoves last 30-40 years, (7.5 million)

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Ideas for Sources of Funding

Supplemental Environmental Projects

Foundations Big Businesses Demonstration Grants Rebates/Discounts Federal/State/Local/Tribal HUD, BIA, DOE

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Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) Agreement

What is a SEP Agreement? An agreement with an alleged violator to

undertake an environmentally beneficial project related to the violation in exchange for mitigation of the penalty to be paid.

e.g., instead paying the U.S. Treasury $200,000, the $ goes to a local project

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Supplemental Environmental Project ( SEP)

Environmentally beneficial projects Must have connection to violation Generally in the same geographic area

Is up to defendant to choose do SEP and the type of project

Defendant must be able to prove the project was implemented

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Progress to date – Supplemental Environmental Projects

Enforcement agreements negotiated to pay for clean stoves: Total ~ $725K

Red = Worked with CAP 3 in Wash. State: Bellingham ~$200K, Spokane

$25K

2 in Ohio: Dayton ~$75K, Marietta ~245K

1 in VA: Christiansburg ~$45K

1 in NM: Questa ~$100K

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Partnership progress to date

Over 25 communities implementing wood stove changeouts

Partners have invested $6M

8 Supplemental Environmental Projects

Over 3000 stoves and fireplaces changed out

More than 130 tons of PM2.5 reduced/yr

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Woodstove Changeouts Are Happening!

Recently completed or implementing CA - Sacramento CA - Yolo-Solano CA - Butte County CO - Delta County ID - Pinehurst ID – Cache Valley ID – Nez Perce Tribe MT - Libby NM - Questa NV - Washoe Co. OH - Dayton area OH - Marietta OR - Oakridge

PA – Southwest counties VA – Christiansburg WA – Darrington WA – Ferry County WA - Yakima WA - Bellingham WA – Marysville WA - Tacoma WA – Spokane WA – Stevens County WA – Swinomish Tribe WI – Oneida Nation WV - Parkersburg

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Woodstove Changeout Campaign - Summary

EPA believes this effort: Is potentially a very effective tool for addressing air

pollution at the community/tribal level;

Provides other important benefits (e.g., energy efficiency);

Is doable, but financial incentives are by far the biggest challenge;

Has willing partners;

Questions/comments?

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Outdoor wood boilers

Their large, simple fireboxes make clean burning difficult.

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