September 2016 Newsletter

It’s hard to believe fall is in the air! Whether we want to admit snow and cold is coming, it’s a fact here in the Midwest. Our Heating the Midwest (HTM) team, now officially a 501(c)(3) as many of you know, plans to continue to support renewable biomass heating and education into the future as demonstrated in HTM’s operating plan.  A big part of that effort annually is HTM’s regional conference which this year is October 11-13 in Harris, Michigan near Escanaba.  We invite you and your colleagues to invest the time to attend and learn about opportunities.  Following are just a couple of the subjects to be shared by professionals from around the country:
“Way beyond your grandfathers wood stove”
“Finding value beyond the BTU”
Regional & National updates and much, much more……….
It’s hard to contemplate how many homes and businesses are NOT connected to the Natural Gas grid, but HTM included that in part of its economic study that went into HTM’s Vision.
While the study supports the need and opportunity for renewable biomass heating as an alternative, we cannot continue these grassroot efforts like HTM without your attendance, participation and consideration of a donation.  We look forward to seeing you at the conference and receiving your support and engagement in this effort into the future.
Tony “T.J.” Morice
President, Heating the Midwest Incorporated
In this Newsletter:
  • Program announced and registration 
    is now open for attendees, sponsors and exhibitors. Learn more here.
HTM 5th Conference & Expo (Fall 2016) – Still Time to Get Involved!
Are you interested in getting more involved in biomass thermal energy? The 5th Annual Heating the Midwest Conference & Expo will be held October 11-13, 2016 near Escanaba, MI, and planning is underway!
We welcome your insight and energy to make next year’s event the best yet! We are holding monthly meetings, and have subcommittees established. For more information on how you can get involved in the planning committee or a subcommittee, please contact the respective chair noted below for your area of interest:
Heating the Midwest Conference & Expo Sponsors and Vendors 
Heating the Midwest continues to seek involvement of sponsors and vendors for the Heating the Midwest Conference on October 11-13, 2016 in Harris, MI! Please consider being a sponsor and/or a vendor for the conference. 
This is a great opportunity for you to:
  • Promote your company/business,
  • Gather recent information on the industry,
  • Expand your network contacts, and
  • Promote the use of wood biomass for thermal heating or processing needs or combined heat and power applications.
The many great benefits to sponsoring, depending on the level of sponsorship desired, are available for your consideration and viewing in the Sponsor/Vendor Agreement here.
Conference highlights include:
  • Preconference tour on October 11 visiting a wood boiler manufacturer, three wood heating installations and a logging site to show how wood biomass is being harvested.
  • Exciting and informative topics to engage in such as market barriers, selling in a low cost energy market, advances in combustion technology, using financial incentive programs and more will be covered during the conference.
If you have already committed to being a sponsor – THANK YOU! If not, please consider sponsoring and positioning your company to take advantage of this market opportunity.  Additional details on how to sponsor are included here.
Please also help in promoting the conference by sharing this information with your dealers and potential customers. The technical sessions themselves should make the conference worth the trip!  The HTM conference flyer has all the details.

On behalf of the Heating the Midwest organizing committee, we very much appreciate your time and consideration.
Heating the Midwest Conference & Expo Co-Hosts


Consider becoming a co-host for the 5th Annual Heating the Midwest with Renewable Biomass Conference and Expo! The event brings together leaders in the biomass/thermal/renewable energy industry to discuss and formulate strategies for expanding the use of biomass in the Midwest. The program includes important regional topics and the expo provides opportunities to view equipment and meet new industry partners. This year’s conference will be held October 11-13, 2016, at the Island Resort and Casino in Harris, MI (near Escanaba).
How can you help?
Co-hosts agree to promote this year’s conference through website listing, newsletter articles and outreach to their constituents.
What do you receive for being a co-host?
  • A table top where you can display and promote your organization if you attend the conference.
  • We will promote and list your organization through many forms of media before, during and after the conference.
  • The early bird registration rate applies to you and any members of your organization regardless of when they sign up to attend.
  • Your organization will be recognized by a large audience with similar ambitions and interests.
We appreciate your consideration. More conference information can be found here: https://heatingthemidwest.org/conferences/2016-conference-expo/
Please contact Ann for more information or to sign up as a co-host-
asarnecki@fs.fed.us | 608-231-9506
sectortrendsPower Sector Trends in the Eastern Interconnect: Implications for Environmental Policies and Investments
Join experts, state officials and stakeholders from across the Eastern Interconnect for a one-day workshop exploring recent modeling analyses that provide new insights into trends in the electricity sector. The event will explore what these trends mean for state energy and environmental policy choices. Experts will present their findings and stakeholders will have an opportunity to reflect on those findings. Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Howard Gruenspecht, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Energy Information Administration, will serve as keynotes.
September 13 in Atlanta, GeorgiaRegistration is free, but required
btecRegistration is Still Open for BTEC’s 10-Week Hydronic-Based Biomass Heating Systems Course
 
Registration is still open for BTEC’s comprehensive  ten-week online course, Hydronic-Based Biomass Heating Systems. This course is taught by industry expert John Siegenthaler, and is designed for engineers, installers, designers, and professionals looking to take their skills to the next level. Developed as a partnership between the Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC) and HeatSpring, this is a unique opportunity learn directly from an industry expert and earn 23 AIA credits and 11.5 BPI CEUs. Once you take the course, all lecture videos and other materials are available to you for a full year online.
intlInternational Training Seminar
Biomass Heating-Market development and technologies
ntlforestweekNational Forest Products Week
October 16-22, 2016 is National Forest Products Week. To recognize the importance of products from our forests, the Congress, by Public Law 86-753 (36 U.S.C. 123), as amended, has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday in October of each year as “National Forest Products Week” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week each year.
pullets

Powerpoint presentation given at the Appalachian Wood Energy Innovation Conference held in Asheville, NC on August 24th thru 26th.
free
Free Publications
Biomass Magazine and Pellet Mill Magazine are free to subscribers in the USA.  Here’s link to sign up and there is also free e-newsletters, free webinars and more:

BTEC Newsletter:  If you are interested in receiving the Biomass Thermal Energy Council’s weekly biomass newsletter and other news releases, you are encouraged to sign-up athttp://biomassthermal.org/mailingForm.asp
swet

Have Biomass Project Ideas for SWET?
 
Michigan Statewide Wood Energy Team
Contact: Ray Miller – rmiller@anr.msu.edu
Minnesota Statewide Wood Energy Team
Contact: Mark Lindquist – mark.lindquist@state.mn.us
Wisconsin Statewide Wood Energy Team
Contact: Sabina Dhungana – Sabina.Dhungana@wisconsin.gov
callfornews

Call for Your Midwest Biomass Stories and Events for October Newsletter
As you’ve seen month after month; companies, governments, and communities around the Midwest are making progress on biomass heating and combined heat and power (CHP) programs and projects. If you have a story or event to contribute for next month, please submit by close of business the 3rd Wednesday of the month to  aharguth@auri.org.  And, if you’d like to be on the list to receive upcoming newsletters, please contact Ashley Harguth at aharguth@auri.org.
volunteer
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, Policy & Benefits, and Biomass Resources & Demographics. Is your time often stretched? No problem. Time committed to the HTM effort is volunteer time. The teams meet 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.  The work of each 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. Following is a list of the schedule for the action team calls:
Biomass Combustion Technologies Action Team
Meets first Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. CST
Policy & Benefits Action Team
Meets second Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. CST
Biomass Resources & Demographics Action Team
Meets third Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m. CST
For more detailed information on the Biomass Combustion Technologies or Policy & Benefits Action Teams, please contact Nan Larson at nlarson@auri.org or via phone at: (507) 537-6020. And for details pertaining to the Biomass Resources & Demographics Action Team, please contact Becky Philipp at bphilipp@auri.org or via phone at (218) 280-8575.