Solar Generation May Sideline Biomass Heating
[Note: this article is written by long-time wood stove cheerleader, John Ackerly. It's nice to see him admitting that his wood-burning dreams are about to be dashed by solar power. Energy Justice does not support combustion sources for heating, since non-burn alternatives exist, and since there are many pollution and health problems relating to wood stoves.]
- John Ackerly, May 1, 2015, Biomass Magazine
[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"471","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"302","style":"width: 333px; height: 210px; margin: 3px 10px; float: left;","title":"Photo: Industrytap.com","width":"480"}}]]Most of us have looked at the explosive growth of solar photovoltaic systems as just a parallel and complementary renewable energy technology. Solar panels make kilowatts while wood and pellet stoves make Btus, right? Wrong.
To stay relevant, the biomass heating industry needs to keep abreast of rapid advances in the solar industry. We also need to think of ways to integrate our technology with other renewables, and we need to explore how that integration can happen right away, because renewable energy policy decisions being made now will impact our industry in coming decades.
The solar industry has a vision, ambition and plan for rapid expansion that is largely absent in the wood and pellet stove community. Pathways for rapid expansion of pellet technologies are being developed in Europe, but not in the U.S. While solar advocates are focused on a wide range of financing options, regulatory frameworks, R&D, utility partnerships, the wood and pellet stove industry seems to put more effort into trying to maintain the status quo and fight against regulations.