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Wood Heat Solutions
Location: Eugene, Ore.
Contact: Julie Brown, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu
Contact:Marcus Kauffman, 541-346-0661, marcusk@uoregon.edu
Project Stage: Complete; ready for use
Next Milestone: Date Event
The new guidebook "Wood Heat Solutions: A Community Guide to Biomass
Thermal Projects" and the companion video "Keeping Energy Dollars
Local: Using Wood to Heat the Enterprise School" show how using woody
biomass for heat can dramatically reduce energy costs and improve
forest health. According to the guidebook, woody biomass is a renewable resource
that is both local and carbon-neutral. It is a by-product of fuels
reduction, forest thinnings or wood products manufacturing. Converted
into wood chips or pellets and burned in a boiler, the guidebook
states that it can be a practical and economical fuel for heating.
Using wood to heat community facilities is becoming increasingly
popular because of the rising cost of fossil fuels and a greater
interest in community renewable energy. "Resource Innovations
developed this guide for schools, hospitals, government buildings and
other facilities that need a lot of heat on a small budget," said
Marcus Kauffman, program manager. "With multiple benefits, including
cost savings, wildfire risk reduction, low emissions and increase
local employment, we encourage community leaders and local businesses
to consider using woody biomass and talk with those reaping the
benefits first hand."
This fall, students at Enterprise High School in Wallowa County,
Oregon, were the first in the state to attend a school heated with wood
in more than 50 years. The school district estimates an annual
savings of $112,000 from the conversion of an oil-fired boiler into
one using wood chips from a local post and pole business. The $1.5
million project included a comprehensive energy audit to improve
energy conservation at the school. A U.S. Department of Agriculture
grant obtained by Wallowa Resources funded a visit from technical
experts and feasibility studies.
In addition, the 55,000-sqare-foot Harney County District Hospital in
Burns, Oregon installed a wood pellet boiler last year and has already
saved more than $50,000 compared to propane or electricity. According
to Jim Bishop, the hospital’s chief executive officer, “the
decision to use wood pellets to heat the hospital was based on cost
savings as well a desire to reduce reliance on traditional fossil
fuels.” In operation for over a year, the system requires minimal
maintenance and generates modest amounts of waste product -- about 30
gallons of ash every two to three weeks -- that is given to people in
the community to use as a soil supplement.
“Out here in Harney County, folks are just happy that we’re using
wood and saving money,” said Bishop.
Resource Innovations is a research collaboration between the Resource
Innovation Group and the University of Oregon Institute for a
Sustainable Environment. The organization offers research, education
and technical assistance on climate change, sustainable development,
biomass energy and community natural resource management.
For More About:
Resource Innovations: http://ri.uoregon.edu
Wood Heat Solutions: A Community Guide to Biomass Thermal Projects
http://ri.uoregon.edu/programs/CCE/BU_CommunityGuide.html
Video: Keeping Energy Dollars Local: Using Wood to Heat the
Enterprise School
http://ri.uoregon.edu/programs/CCE.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0by7BXrfPU Similar Resources and Organization: Fuels for Schools |
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