|
|
January 27, 2012
“The message we’re trying to send isn’t that burning wood is bad, but that it can be done cleanly,” he said. “First and foremost, we ask people to make sure they’re burning dry, seasoned wood, not ‘green’ wood.”
Another way to help fix the problem is by encouraging residents to upgrade their old wood stoves, Scott said.
“The new ones are more efficient and burn more cleanly,” he said. “Plus you get the full BTU (British Thermal Unit) value of the wood, which means you burn less.”
The excerpt above is from a New Hampshire Sentinel Source article titled Poor Air Quality may Affect Growth. The entire article can be found here.
November 16, 2011
CNBC:
U.S. crude futures rose more than $2 to above $101 a barrel on Wednesday, on news of plans to reverse the Seaway pipeline in 2012 to relieve an oil glut in Cushing, Okla.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, December U.S. light, sweet crude [CLCV1 102.44 3.07 (+3.09%) ] rose $2.54 to $101.91 a barrel.
Brent crude futures seesawed in volatile trading after turning higher after a U.S. government report showed crude oil and distillate stocks fell, while gasoline stocks rose.
The front-month ICE Brent January crude [LCOCV1 111.23 -0.95 (-0.85%) ] contract was down 61 cents at $111.57 a barrel, having swung from $110.14 to $112.50.
Enbridge [EEP 30.0253 0.1753 (+0.59%) ] surged past its competitors in the race to send large volumes of oil locked up in the U.S. midcontinent to the giant Gulf Coast refining hub after the $1.15 billion acquisition of ConocoPhillip’s [COP 69.89 -2.10 (-2.92%) ] Seaway pipeline.
Enbridge and Enterprise Products Partners [EPD 45.055 -0.075 (-0.17%) ], which owns the other 50 percent of the 350,000 barrel-per-day Seaway pipeline, said on Wednesday they plan to reverse the pipeline that currently moves oil from the U.S. Gulf Coast to the oil storage hub at Cushing. Reversing the pipeline will increase the flow of crude from Cushing, the delivery point of the New York Mercantile Exchange’s oil futures contract, to the Gulf Coast.
The reversed line could be in service at an initial capacity of 150,000 barrels per day by the second quarter of 2012, Enbridge said. Station additions and modifications needed to ramp up flow rates to 400,000 barrels per day will be completed by early 2013.
Inventories in the U.S. Midwest have swelled this year due to rising supplies from Canada and North Dakota, helping to drive the premium of Brent crude to U.S. oil futures to record highs over $28 a barrel in October.
The premium of international benchmark Brent crude to U.S. oil futures dropped nearly $3 to below $10 a barrel following the news, the lowest level since March 2011.
In another deal, Conoco also said it will sell its 16.55 percent interest in Colonial Pipeline and Colonial Ventures to a subsidiary of pension fund Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec. Conoco’s pipeline deals, part of its strategy to shed assets it no longer considers strategic, totaled $2 billion, the U.S. oil company said.
US Crude Stocks Fall
U.S. crude stocks fell as expected last week as refinery rates increased and imports dropped, U.S. Energy Information Administration data reported on Wednesday.
Crude stocks in the U.S. fell 1.06 million barrels to 337.03 million barrels in the week to Nov. 11, the EIA said. Analysts polled by Reuters had projected a 1.2-million-barrel draw on average.
Refinery utilization rose 2.2 percentage points to 84.8 percent of capacity, far ahead of analysts’ expectations of a 0.4 percentage point gain, the report said. Crude imports fell 53,000 barrels per day to 8.53 million bpd.
Gasoline stocks rose 992,000 barrels to 205.16 million barrels, compared to a 700,000-barrel draw forecast by analysts. Average gasoline demand in the last four weeks was 5.7 percent lower than a year earlier, the EIA said.
Distillates, which include heating oil and diesel, fell 2.14 million barrels to 133.73 million barrels, in line with the average forecast for a 2.1 million barrel draw.
November 2, 2011
Recently released U.S. Census figures show the number of households heating with wood grew 34% between 2000 and 2010, faster than any other heating fuel.
In two states, households using wood as a primary heat source more than doubled – Michigan (135%) and Connecticut (122%). And in six other states, wood heating grew by more than 90% – NH (99%), MA (99%), ME (96%), RI (96%), OH (95%) and NV. (91%)…From the Alliance for Green Heat
October 24, 2011
Roger Mercier knows a thing or two about heating stoves and fireplace inserts. As General Manager for Fireplace Village, he’s spent more time than almost anyone around helping customers stay warm and cozy during cold winters. “The current trend is to use more space heating with less dependence on central heating systems,” said Roger during a recent interview. “Our job is to educate the consumer about options available as well as what to expect with a particular energy source such as gas, wood or wood pellets. What they picture in their minds is often very different as compared with the real world.”
Frequently, the most important task of a Fireplace Village sales person is a home inspection and determination of what a customer wants and expects. “For example, many complain, and rightly so, that energy bills are too high. Their goal is to save as much money as possible while contributing to a cleaner environment. Often, they have access to wood and want to use it exclusively for heating their home. On the surface, that sounds great, but they don’t realize that most wood stoves, regardless of the BTU (British Thermal Unit) capacity, are meant for supplemental heating only. The stove is located in one room of the house, and if naturally occurring air currents can’t distribute warm air effectively throughout the home, that room may become unbearably warm while the rest stay chilly.” There’s also a lot of wood to be cut, stacked and carried through the home, then set in queue to be burned. On very cold nights, sometimes a wood stove will require more wood at 3 o’clock in the morning.”
Roger maintains that it’s a necessity to have one of his experts work with a customer in their home to observe and discuss family habits, and identify areas where most of the everyday “living” is done. “Our goal is to determine where the family is most likely to gather and relax, then develop a plan considering that information. We also let customers know what to expect with their alternative energy source, how much extra work it might be and the space required for wood or pellet storage.” Many people after careful consideration, opt for a propane or natural gas fireplace insert or stove, recognizing maybe for the first time, the attention which must be given to solid fuel options. “They find they can still stay warm in the room they use most often while “dialing down” throughout the rest of the home. The savings in fuel are still significant, and in the long run, a customer is always happier with their educated choice.
October 13, 2011
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook, October 2011.
Note: The Northeast Census Region includes Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Prices for the two fuels are converted into common units of dollars per million Btu by dividing the retail heating oil price by its energy content of 0.139 million BTUs per gallon and the residential natural gas price by its energy content of 1.03 million BTUs per thousand cubic feet.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that the average price paid by households in the Northeast this winter (October through March) for heating oil may be the highest ever, almost $27 per million BTUs ($3.71 per gallon) or more than double the projected average cost of natural gas ($12.93 per million BTUs) delivered to households in the Northeast.
The average price paid by households in the Northeast for heating oil more than doubled over the last seven winters, rising from an average of $10.48 per million BTUs ($1.45 per gallon) during the winter of 2003-04 to an average of $24.39 per million BTUs ($3.38 per gallon) during the winter of 2010-11. By contrast, the average household price of natural gas to households in the Northeast increased by only seven percent over the same period, from $11.49 per million BTUs to $12.35 per million BTUs.
According to EIA projections in the October 2011 Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook (STEO), residential heating oil prices this winter are expected to set a new winter record, averaging $26.77 per million BTUs ($3.71 per gallon), an increase of 10 percent over last winter. The EIA expects Northeast residential natural gas prices to rise by five percent from last winter to $12.93 per million BTUs, still well below the peak $15.96 per million BTUs during the winter of 2005-06.
Heating oil prices largely reflect crude oil prices. For example, the average cost of crude oil to U.S. refiners increased from an average of $24 per barrel in 2003 to an average of $99 per barrel in 2011 (The October STEO produces this price using actual prices for January-September and forecast prices for October-December). Natural gas wellhead prices, however, which rose between 2003 and 2008, have fallen in recent years, in part due to the dramatic growth in natural gas production from unconventional shale gas resources. The estimated average natural gas wellhead price in 2011 of $3.85 per million BTUs is 19 percent lower than the $4.75 per million BTUs average in 2003.
Growing price differences in the Northeast between heating oil and natural gas appear to have affected consumers’ selection of heating equipment. Since the winter of 2003-04, the number of households relying primarily on heating oil has declined, and conversely, the number of Northeast households relying mainly on natural gas heating has been going up (see chart below).
Between the winters of 2003-04 and 2010-11, the number of Northeast households using natural gas heating increased by 651,000 (from 10.14 million to 10.80 million), while the number of households using heating oil fell by 1,197,000 (from 6.88 million to 5.68 million).
Article Provided by Hearth & Home Magazine
October 12, 2011
You may know exactly what look and ambiance you want to create in your living space. But a consultation from local hearth professionals is the smartest way to choose the best heating appliance for your home. With extensive knowledge about fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves and all other hearth appliances, an expert will guide you in the right direction.
It’s best to have a hearth professional visit your home. They can inspect the installation conditions and get a better idea of the air flow and heat distribution present in your living space. Troubleshooting, design ideas and even color suggestions are all taken care of at an in home consultation.
Book an appointment with your local hearth professionals today. They will help you to choose from the leading fireplaces, pellet stoves and wood stoves. ensuring the model installed is best for your family.
August 28, 2011
Rutland Products now offers a unique educational DVD for consumers. From starting the first fire of the season to cleaning a hearth system at the end of the season, this detailed, step-by-step DVD covers the basics of heating with wood and much more.
Wood-burning beginners will gain the knowledge and confidence to begin heating immediately, and even experienced wood burners will pick up useful tips. The content of this two-disc DVD set is comparable to information presented in an educational seminar. For more information, call (800) 544-1307 or visit www.rutland.com.
July 15, 2011
Looks like there will be over $200,000 available to New Hampshire residents who would like to replace pre-1988 wood burning stoves. Fireplace Village is trying to obtain specifics relative to how to obtain and the amount of the reimbursement checks. Fireplace Village was the only authorized retailer to participate in the similar Keene, NH Wood Stove Change Out Program.
These Wood Stove Change Out Programs provide direct payments to consumers for up to $2,000. Those payments coupled with available Federal Tax Credits (based on price of the Wood or Pellet Stove before the payment) can effectively reduce the cost of the Wood or Pellet Stove to $0. There is currently a 10% Federal Tax Credit available for wood stove and pellet stoves purchases (capped at $300).
From the EPA:
(Boston, Mass. – July 13, 2011) – An industrial laundry in Manchester, N.H. has agreed to settle claims by the US Environmental Protection Agency that it violated the Clean Air Act. It has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $65,000, to undertake a Supplemental Environmental Project with a value of at least $220,000 to replace old, polluting wood stoves in southern New Hampshire with new, cleaner models, and to install equipment at its facility to remove approximately 20 tons per year of emissions of volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”).
G&K Services Co., and its subsidiary Alltex Uniform Rental Service, Inc., have agreed to help homeowners replace their inefficient and polluting wood stoves with EPA-certified wood stoves or other cleaner, more efficient home heating equipment such as gas or propane heaters. G&K Services will provide funding to households as an incentive to help replace pre-1988 woodstoves, which are a significant source of indoor and outdoor air pollution.
“Southern New Hampshire will most certainly benefit from this wood stove change-out project,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England regional office. “Homeowners will get help with buying new wood stoves, which will burn cleaner and more efficiently. This project will create green jobs, reduce fuel consumption, and improve air quality in communities by reducing the harmful pollutants that come from wood smoke.”
G&K Services operates an industrial laundry that, among other services, washes and dries towels that have been used by its customers to wipe oils and solvents from machinery and equipment. The soiled towels contain VOCs and hazardous air pollutants (“HAPs”) which are emitted to the air during the cleaning process.
Alltex installed new laundry equipment at the facility in 1997 without installing air pollution control equipment and without applying for a permit required under the Clean Air Act’s new source review provisions. In 2007, G&K Services acquired Alltex, and continued to operate the facility without the required controls and permit to limit VOC emissions.
The consent decree, lodged in federal court and requiring approval by the court, requires the company to install emissions control equipment to significantly reduce VOC and HAP emissions, to conduct emissions testing, and to come into compliance with the Clean Air Act by getting the proper permits. The EPA action grew out of an EPA inspection of the facility in July 2008.
July 2, 2011
After a decline this summer, crude’s price is likely to rise sharply by next spring.
From Barron’s
The U.S. economy is never completely ready for higher oil prices, which is one reason they take a nasty economic toll when they arrive. But readiness can be enhanced by awareness of the likely outlook for petroleum prices–and the outlook today is relatively grim, although probably not disastrous.
Despite the recent 20% decline from April highs, new highs on crude, heating oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel and gasoline seem likely over the next 12 months. Following some further easing over the summer, the second leg of the long-term bull market in petroleum–the first occurred in 2007-08–probably will begin this fall.
June 18, 2011
West Palm Beach, FL (PRWEB) June 16, 2011
Fireplace Village has become aware of the recently reported incidents involving serious burns related to gel fuel used in firepots. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) began an investigation last week to review the serious injury claims which have been reported.
The CPSC advises that consumers using fuel gel and firepots should use extreme caution. It is important to follow proper safety guidelines when refueling any open-flame devices. We have received reports of consumers who believed flames were fully extinguished when they were actually still burning. Flames can be burning blue and be difficult to see. Fuel should only be added when flames are fully extinguished and containers are cool to the touch. Adding fuel to an open-flame is potentially hazardous and can cause burns and uncontrolled fires.
Please be sure to keep any gel fuel out of reach of children. Gel fuel generally consists of petroleum distillates, a class of chemicals which is particularly hazardous.
For additional information and updates, please visit the CPSC website:
http://www.cpsc.gov
CPSC press statement regarding gel fuels: http://www.cpsc.gov/PR/fuels06142011.html>
Older Posts »
|
