Green Schools help schools use energy efficiency through
building retrofits, changes in operational and maintenance
outines and changes in behaviors of building users...
Each month — usually around the 15th or before —
the Energy Office provides updates on energy supplies
and prices for gasoline, natural gas, diesel, heating
oil propane and electricity on our Nebraska Statistics
page:
Drought conditions are not something new
in Nebraska. In fact, in a 1943 study scientists uncovered trees
deeply buried in sediment for centuries revealed numerous
droughts in the region throughout an 800-year period.
In
some cases, the droughts lasted for 20 years. So, for a
place once known as the “Great American Desert”
droughts may be a fairly commonplace occurrence.
Low-water plants save
resources and money
As part of a more comprehensive Green Building effort, the
Energy Office is providing information on how to reduce water
use, especially in the area of new home construction and landscaping.
Apart from easing drought conditions,
why should water be conserved?
Wise use of water is a good idea for many reasons:
On a large scale, wise water use protects our environment
and preserves a natural resource.
On a personal level, wise water use saves money by
reducing water bills.
On the community level, wise water use will lengthen the
life of delivery systems because less stress is placed on
the system. Increased water use can overburden municipal and
private sewage treatment systems which may result in watering
restrictions and higher costs.
Water Waste Facts from Near and Far
On average, North American cities use twice as much water
per person as Western European cities and seven times that
used in developing countries.
In the United States, five billion gallons of water are
flushed down toilets each day. Use of low flow toilets would
cut use to 1.5 billion gallons. Replacing standard 3.5 gallon
toilets with 1.6 gallon toilets would save an average household
12,000 gallons of water per year.
How is water used in homes?
A recent evaluation in Lincoln, Nebraska showed that, on
average, a family of four uses 300 to 400 gallons of water
each day. That 300 to 400 gallons average water use is
attributed to the following uses:
Toilet flushing - 42 percent
Showers and Bathing - 30 percent
Laundry - 14 percent
Dishwashing - 6 percent
Drinking and cooking - 5 percent
Bathroom sinks - 3 percent
Where does water go after it is used?
Most municipalities operate and maintain water treatment
facilities. The city of Lincoln's Theresa Street water plant
treats about 30 million gallons of water a day. During the
summer when water use increases, Lincoln's water system
delivers 80 to 90 million gallons a day to customers.
Steps To Reduce Water Use In Your Home
There are any number of ways water use can be reduced around
the home:
Reduce total indoor water use by installing efficient
fixtures and appliances.
Have an efficient and drought resistant landscape that
incorporates xeriscape techniques. Other suggestions include
planting low-water use turf and using microclimate improvements.
Control runoff from the property using appropriate
guttering and landscape designs.
Builders participating in the Energy Office's Nebraska Green
Building Program are encouraged to reduce water use during all
phases of the construction of their homes as well as specify
and install low water use fixtures and landscaping that will
help to reduce water use in the future. Builders of Nebraska
Green Building Certified Homes are required to install certain
items or utilize efficient construction techniques. Builders
may also earn credits in the Low Water Use category by including
some of the options below:
Shower heads have a maximum flow rating of 2.5 gallons
per minute*
Toilets have a maximum water usage rating of 1.6 gallons
per flush*
Permeable paving materials are used in at least 60 percent
of all paving areas such as walkways, patios and driveways
Low water use grasses such as blue gramma, buffalo or
fescue are planted
A valved distribution system is installed in the home
A xeriscaped landscape is installed in more than 80 percent
of the property's non-paved areas
The kitchen sink has a maximum flow rating of 2.0 gallons per minute
A front loading horizontal axis clothes washer is included in the home
The home has a water conserving irrigation system with rain-override
timer or soil moisture sensor; other features include drip irrigation,
soaker hoses and bubblers and zoned irrigation with separate valving
for plants' needs
A graywater irrigation system is installed in the home
Copper piping is used for all potable water lines
The site is graded to direct water away from foundations to a
harvesting area that prevents water runoff
No garbage disposal is included
* Required in the Nebraska Green Building Program.
Green Schools helps schools use energy efficiently
through building retrofits, changes in operational and maintenance
routines, and changes in the behavior of building users.
Students, teachers, custodians, administrators, and community
members all work together toward a common goal — saving
energy and money.
In short, a Green School is energy and environmentally conscious,
fiscally responsible and well-connected to the real world.
Everyone Benefits
Students benefit from hands-on lessons in energy conservation
and efficiency that will pay off now and in the future.
Schools benefit from considerable cost savings, curriculum
support, cross-functional team building and community involvement.
Communities benefit from the partnerships established by
the participants.
The environment benefits from the more efficient use of
polluting fossil fuels.
Michigan students participate in
Green School activities
How "Green Schools" Works
The Alliance to Save Energy's experience with 18 schools in five
school districts around the nation can help your school district
set up and maintain a successful Green Schools Program.
Energy efficiency concepts fit in easily with many academic
subjects and grade levels. Students learn how to assess energy-use
behavior, monitor the effects of behavior change, and track
resulting energy and cost savings benefits.
Students learn to see the "big picture" of energy
efficiency. Students identify and explore energy's links to
the environment, the community, and the economy. The program is
a "real-world" experience that reinforces curriculum
content with lifelong energy-saving practices.
Money saved on energy resources is money that can be spent
on educational resources. Green Schools saves energy costs
in two ways: through behavior change and building retrofits.
Schools save energy by making simple changes in building
operations and maintenance, and by teaching building users
ways to use energy more efficiently. They also save water and
reduce waste. In addition, inefficient equipment and technologies
that waste scarce dollars and pollute the environment can be
upgraded — an investment that typically pays for itself
within a few years.
Potential Savings
While savings will vary based on local energy costs and an
individual school's consumption patterns, the potential savings
can be significant. Schools can dramatically reduce energy costs
even before building retrofits are installed. Simple changes in
energy use behavior and building operations — such as taking
advantage of daylight where available, adjusting thermostats and
minimizing equipment run times — can result in energy savings
of up to 20 percent.
As an added incentive, school districts participating
in the Green Schools program agree to return a portion
of the savings from the no-cost behavior and operations
changes back to the schools that earned them.
Cost-effective retrofits can be financed by school district
capital funds or by energy service companies, and often pay for
themselves in a few years. Utilities and others can often provide
technical assistance in determining appropriate measures to install,
and in negotiating the financing arrangements.
Green Schools Are Saving Money
In their first year, three Green Schools in Seattle,
Washington averaged more than $6,000 each in energy and
water cost savings from behavioral and operational changes
alone. These savings were realized in an area where
electricity rates are the lowest in the country.
Seattle also expects to save $260,000 each year after
retrofitting its three Green Schools and 12 others.
Four Green Schools in the Iroquois School District near
Buffalo, New York saved 12 to 21 percent on electricity
within the first eight months of implementing the program,
with an average savings of $2,500 per school.
Need More Information
To find out more about the Green Schools' successes and
resources for schoolwide energy efficiency, visit their
web site at
Green
Schools or contact the Alliance by phone at 202-857-0666.
The Alliance is a nonprofit coalition of prominent business,
government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the
efficient and clean use of energy worldwide.
In September 2002, the Nebraska Energy Office
received three grants from the U.S. Department of Energy
totaling $67,000 for projects related to converting indigenous
renewable resources to energy.
Woodchips are used to
fuel biomass
power plants
Two of the grants focused on biomass related activities:
Support for the state's Biopower Steering Committee which was
created by the Legislature in 1999 and beginning the process for
creation of a Nebraska Biomass Energy Roadmap. The third grant
was teamed with existing funds to design four wind energy
development models taking into account the state's unique
public power structure.
Project specifics on each of the grants follow:
Nebraska Biopower Steering Committee
Development and Biomass
Information Dissemination and Outreach $24,000
Under this proposal, the Nebraska Energy Office
will expand the activities of the existing 12-member Nebraska Biopower
Steering Committee that was established in 1999. Since its creation,
State of Nebraska fiscal resources and contributions from the members
or their organizations have supported the Nebraska Biopower Steering
Committee's activities.
In support of the activities of the Committee, the
Energy Office will be upgrading the agency's web site to maximize
access to biomass and biopower information as well as providing access
to the Committee and its work.
Nebraska Biomass Roadmap:
Phase One, $30,000
The Nebraska Energy Office will work with the
Biopower Steering Committee and others including growers, biomass
industry representatives, and university researchers and extension
staff to begin the process to develop a Nebraska Biomass Roadmap.
Switchgrass is often used as
biomass fuel
The roadmap concept, utilized by the Department of Energy's
nine Industries of the Future, has been used to identify and
target certain key elements needed for the realization of goals
established by a particular industry group such as agriculture,
glass or steel. Once the elements are identified, plans can be
developed to reach key goals which thereby move the target
industry — in this case biomass — further along the
development and commercialization path.
Once the membership of the Nebraska Biomass Roadmap team is
determined, the Energy Office will begin the development process.
Among the tasks the team will tackle:
Select a workable number of biomass energy production targets;
Establish specific and achievable goals;
Identify steps necessary to create a roadmap.
Nebraska Wind Development Models $13,000
Farm with wind machines north
of Lincoln
Because of the unique publicly-owned electric
utility structure in Nebraska, the Energy Office is seeking to
develop several models to spur the development of the state's wind
energy resources for electricity production, either for in-state
consumption or for sale to others.
4 Distinct Models
The following four distinct models for the
development of wind energy in Nebraska will be created:
Native American/Tribal Model. This model envisions one or
more Native American Tribes based in the state becoming
producers of wind energy for on-reservation use and for
sale.
Large Public Power District Model. This model envisions
a large, primarily generation only utility developing wind
resources for in-state consumption as well as export.
Single Rural Electric System Model. This model envisions
a typical rural utility with no generation experience developing
wind resources for customer use as well as being sold to others.
Multiple Small Municipal System Model. This model envisions
several small, geographically-dispersed municipal systems
developing wind resources, that may or may not be nearby,
primarily for local consumption.
Variable speed
wind machines
As part of the development of each model, these items will
be addressed:
Financing methods for wind resource development
Statutory issues that may need to be addressed to foster
wind resource development
Any governance issues that might arise
The impact of the National Energy Bill provisions now
under consideration by Congress
Any issues related to non-customer consumption of wind
generated power such as power sales to other utilities in
the state or for export.
Cost analysis of each model which includes identification of
any methods to "close the gap" between traditional
generation sources and energy produced from wind.
Develop a list of potential problems or barriers the
may be encountered with each model.
The final report, Nebraska Wind Energy Development
Models, will be available to public by mid-2003,
and will be posted on the agency's web site.
Science teachers and trivia fans rejoice!
A free 6' x 27"
full-color poster could be yours if you act fast.
"Energy at Work: Harnessing Earth's
Renewable Resources" is not only free
for the asking
(copies are limited), but jam-packed with dozens
of historical notes tracing the use of six types
of renewable fuels over nearly 200 years.
McNeil wood-powered
electric plant,
Burlington Vermont
A Brief History Lesson
Who knew the first fuel cell — often cited as
tomorrow's technological marvel — was invented by Sir William
Robert Grove in 1839?
He was the first to reverse the water electrolysis process,
generating electricity form hydrogen and oxygen. This, in turn,
lead to the development of the gaseous voltaic battery which
is the forerunner of the modern fuel cell.
Ethanol, the renewable transportation fuel that
can displace petroleum fuels was first used for this purpose
during World War I, nearly 90 years ago.
During World War II, ethanol production plants again blossomed
across the region to serve as replacement for petroleum products
used in aviation fuel, ammunition and rubber tires.
Solar power plant,
Mojave Desert
Humans have used renewable energy sources — wind, solar,
hydro, geothermal, biomass and hydrogen — since prehistoric
times. The poster chronicles the earliest uses of these resources
as well as their potential into the future.
To request a poster, contact Ken Shea at 402-471-3530 or by
email at Ken Shea
With the arrival of 2003 model vehicles, the
federal government's Fuel Economy Guide is never far behind.
2003 Honda Insight 56/68 mpg
The Guide, an annual publication produced by the U.S.
Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, estimates gas mileage for all new passenger vehicles
for 2003. Each vehicle is ranked by fuel efficiency within
three major categories — cars, station wagons and
trucks — and 11 sub-categories.
This year, three hybrid gas-and-electric powered vehicles
topped the list as the most fuel efficient: the two seat Honda
Insight; and five-seaters Toyota Prius and Honda Civic.
Printed copies of the 2003 Fuel Economy Guide are available
at new car dealerships, libraries and credit unions.
Online versions of the Guide has added features unavailable
in the printed version: emissions and safety data, tax incentives,
gasoline prices, frequently asked questions and fuel-saving tips.
The online version of the guide is available at
Fuel Economy {dot} gov
2003 Beetle 44/49 mpg
A feature at the web site allows the comparison of new and
used cars and trucks on the basis of miles per gallon,
greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution ratings and safety
information.
The online version also provides links to car buyer guides,
sites, magazines and web-based resources, safety and
environment, advanced technology and manufacturers.
With increasing frequency, Nebraskans are asking,
"how much of the energy used in the state comes from renewable
sources?"
Hydro electric dam
While the number is ever changing – the amount
of energy changes yearly as do the sources from which the
energy is derived – the Energy Office has quantified the
number and the sources more definitively than ever before.
In 1999, 4 percent of Nebraska’s energy consumption was
met using renewable sources. Nebraska consumed energy from
six categories of renewable sources:
Ethanol
Geothermal energy
Hydroelectric power
Solar energy¹
Wind energy
Wood and waste²
The state consumed 602 trillion British thermal units of energy in
1999 including 24.122 trillion British thermal units from renewable
energy sources. Shown in the table below, Nebraska consumed 1,736
gigawatthours of hydroelectric power, 153,000 cords of wood, 18,599,674
gallons of ethanol, 0.32 trillion British thermal units of geothermal
energy, 0.016 trillion Btu of solar energy, and 0.02 trillion British
thermal units of wind energy.
In 1999, hydroelectric power was almost three-fourths
of renewable energy consumption in Nebraska.
Renewable energy consumption was 4 percent of total
energy consumption in 1999, the most recent year for
which data is available. If hydroelectric power is
excluded, renewable energy consumption was 1 percent
of total energy consumption. If both hydroelectric
power and ethanol are excluded, then only 0.7 percent
of total energy consumption came from renewable resources
in 1999.
Nebraska's Renewable Energy
Renewable Source
Btus
Energy Generated
Hydroelectric Power
18.000 trillion Btu³
(1,736 gigawatthours)
Wood and Waste²
3.700 trillion Btu
(153,000 cords)
Ethanol
2.100 trillion Btu
(18,599,674 gallons)
Geothermal Energy
0.320 trillion Btu
NA*
Solar Energy¹
0.016 trillion Btu
NA*
Wind Energy
0.020 trillion Btu
NA*
Renewable Energy Consumption
24.156 trillion Btu
NA*
Total Energy Consumption
602.000 trillion Btu
NA*
*NA = Not Available
Notes:
¹ Solar energy includes solar thermal and photovoltaic energy.
² Wood and waste is one energy source from the biomass category.
³ Consumption is listed in British thermal units, or Btu, to
enable totaling all the categories of energy.
Sources:
State Energy Data Report 1999, Consumption Estimates.
Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy
Markets and End Use, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington,
DC.
Lincoln Electric System
Inventory of Electric Utility Power Plants in the United
States 1999. Energy Information Administration; Office of
Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels; U.S. Department
of Energy; Washington, DC.
Inventory of Nonutility Electric Power Plants in the
United States 1999. Energy Information Administration;
Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels;
U.S. Department of Energy; Washington, DC.
Electric Power Annual. Energy Information
Administration;
Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels;
U.S. Department of Energy; Washington, DC.
Even something as innocuous as changing traffic
light bulbs can add up to big dollars.
Grand Island, working in conjunction with Nebraska Public Power
District, is replacing traditional incandescent bulbs in traffic
lights with light-emitting diode — LED, for short — ones.
The new LED bulbs use only 8 to 24 watts of power, compared to 150
watts used by incandescent bulbs. The new LED bulbs are expected
to last up to 12 years before a replacement is needed.
Based on an initial test at one traffic light, the city expects
to save $400 a year in electricity costs for each traffic light
that is converted to LED bulbs. Over the next four years, Grand
Island plans on converting 71 traffic lights at a cost of $5,000
for each light.
For more information about LED bulbs in traffic lights, contact
Kent Rabourn at NPPD at 402-563-5909.
America's oil needs continue to be met by
shipments from other nations.
Based on data from the U.S. Department of Energy, from January
to August in 2002, 57.6 percent of the oil and refined products
came from foreign nations.
The top five suppliers — who met more than a third of our
needs were:
Canada . . . . . . . .9.7%
Saudi Arabia . . . 7.7%
Mexico . . . . . . . . .7.6%
Venezuela . . . . . .7.1%
Nigeria . . . . . . . . 3.1%
A "typical" oil field at sunset
The other nations in the top ten supplying oil to America
included Iraq, the United Kingdom, Norway, Angola and Algeria.
For the latest information on where the nation's imported
oil and refined petroleum products originates, visit the
American Petroleum Institute's web site at
American
Petroleum Institute
Nebraska's Electric Generation Plants Score High with Low Costs
Electric power
substation
Three electric plants that provide generation
for the state's three largest utilities took second, third
and fourth places - based on cost of production - in a
recent industry survey.
According to a study in Platt's Power Magazine, Nebraska Public
Power District's Gerald Gentleman station near Sutherland ranked
as the second least cost producer in the nation at $8.32 per
megawatt-hour.
A megawatt-hour — one thousand kilowatts — is equal to
the amount of power used in a month in a typical home having an
electric hot water system.
Ranking third least costly producer was Omaha Public
Power District's Nebraska City Station that generated
power at $9.29 a megawatt-hour.
A long-time top five leader, Laramie River Station near Wheatland,
Wyoming, that is partially owned by Lincoln Electric System, ranked
fourth at $9.41 a megawatt-hour.
Solar Powered Lights To Glow at Union Pacific's North Platte
Rail Yard
In July 2002, Union Pacific Railroad ordered 350 blue
rail yard signal lights from Canarah, a Canadian firm. What makes
these lights unusual is that they combine energy efficient
light-emitting diode [LED] technology with rechargeable batteries
and small solar cells.
Solar powered light
emitting diode
Blue lights are used in rail yards when trains are being
serviced to indicate maintenance crews are in the area and
the train is parked.
The lights, which cost $93,000, were installed in late summer
in the North Platte Rail Yard which is the largest rail yard in
North America.
Light-Emitting Diode lights have become very popular in recent
years because of the significant energy savings — and maintenance
savings — they offer over conventional incandescent bulbs.
Two new data series — Wind Generation and Ethanol
Production — are now being regularly updated at the Energy
Office's energy statistics web site.
With the exception of electricity derived from hydro resources
and wood used for heating, wind and ethanol hold the greatest renewable
energy development potential in the state.
Wind turbines near
Kimball, NE
Windy Resources
According to the American Wind Energy Association,
Nebraska is ranked sixth in the nation with the greatest energy
potential from wind.
By the end of 2002, Nebraska will have 11 operational wind
turbines located on four sites — Kimball, Lincoln,
Springview and Valley. (Valmont dismantled the Valley wind
turbine and tower in mid-October, 2002, and hopes to have
it back on line within the next six months.)
Energy generated by wind power was estimated to be less than
1 percent of Nebraska's energy consumption in 1999 and less than
1 percent of the electricity generated in 2000. At the end of
2001, Nebraska's wind turbines generated 7,600 megawatthours
of electricity which was enough energy to power about 836 homes.
(Generation data is not available for the wind turbine at Valley,
Nebraska.)
According to the Nebraska Ethanol Board,
there are six
operating ethanol plants located in the state with two
additional plants projected to be operational in 2003.
Ethanol production in 2002 is projected to reach 365
million gallons processed from 223 million bushels of
corn and milo. In 2001, there were seven operating plants
that produced approximately 352.45 million gallons of ethanol.
The 2001 production was an increase of 9.7 percent over the
321.15 million gallons produced in 2000.
Nebraska's 2001 production was almost 20 percent of the
nation's total ethanol production in 2001 of 1.77 billion
gallons.
This new data series tracks production since the first
ethanol plant began operation in 1985 and lists annual
production volumes for each plant in the state.
The U.S. Department of Energy and
the Office of Scientific and Technical Information
created a series of web sites or portals to technical
reports, news releases and journal articles.
Among the subject portals established are:
Biofuels
Geothermal Energy
Photovoltaics
Biopower
Heavy Vehicle Technology
Solar Buildings
Concentrating Solar Power
Hydrogen Energy
Superconductivity
Environmental Management
Hydropower
Wind Eenergy
Fuel Cell Technologies
The database, which is updated biweekly, also allows users to
search related databases maintained by other Department of Energy
entities such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
When planning on replacing an appliance, one of the
first stops — before you go to a store — should be the
Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star web site.
Energy Star appliances
Energy Star® household appliances
Energy Star offers businesses and consumers energy
efficient solutions that help save money while protecting the
environment for future generations.
The appliances rated by Energy Star include clothes washers,
refrigerators, dishwashers and room air conditioners. After an
appliance is selected, the program can search all brands or any
individual brand for numbers of specific models that meet Energy
Star standards which are 25 percent more energy efficient than the
industry standard. At least 38 brands of dishwashers are contained
in the searchable database.
And if you're looking for a television, computer, stereo or
lightbulb, Energy Star can help. For more information about how
Energy Star can help, visit their web site at
Energy Star
Products
Online Energy Audits for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Lincoln Electric System now provides a no-cost
service that
helps businesses find ways to easily reduce energy costs.
Boiler energy audit
The utility has found the online interactive audit is easy to
use and can provide the customer with practical, customized advice
on methods to cut costs. Armed with the details from one month's
electric bill, all most business customers will have to do is answer
a few questions about how energy is used at the company.
One business owner who took the survey, said it showed how his
monthly energy bills could be reduced by 16 percent. The results
identified 22 energy-saving ideas that ranged from lighting to
cooling and refrigeration. One of the advantages of the online
audit is that customers don't have to have a lot of technical
knowledge.
Since each audit profile is customized, the customer is provided
a user identification and password are assigned so that the customer
can return to the site to complete an analysis or update information
after improvements are made.
The commercial energy audit can be found at the Lincoln Electric
System web site at Lincoln Electric
System
Click on "Business" in the list at the left, then click on "Commercial
Energy Profile" in the drop-down menu.
The U.S. Consumers' Guide for Small
Wind Electric Systems, revised in
October 2002 provides information to help determine if a small wind
electric system can supply all or a portionof the energy needed in
homes and businesses.
Topics included in the Guide:
How to make you home more energy efficient
How to choose the right size turbine
The parts of a wind electric system
Determining if there is sufficient wind resources on your site
Choosing the best site for a turbine
Connecting the system to a utility grid
Is independence from a utility feasible with wind energy
The Department of Energy’s
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
(EERE) provides fact sheets, brochures, videos
and publications on energy efficiency and renewable
energy.
Mailing Address
Office of the Assistant Secretary
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Mail Stop EE-1
Department of Energy
Washington, DC 20585
Editor's Note: This article
is based on a reference brief
produced for the U.S. Department of Energy by the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory and was updated July 2002.
Wood burning fireplace
Before the 20th century, 90 percent of
Americans burned wood to heat their homes.
As fossil fuel use rose, the percentage of Americans using
wood for fuel dropped, falling as low as one percent by 1970.
Then during the energy crises of the 1970s, interest in wood
heating resurfaced as a renewable energy alternative.
Air pollution, however, grew along with the renewed interest
since wood burning emits air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides,
carbon monoxide and particulate matter. This led the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and many states to develop low emissions requirements
for wood-burning appliances. As a result, today you can choose from a
new generation of wood-burning appliances that are cleaner burning, more
efficient and powerful enough to heat many average-sized, modern homes.
Altogether, the wood-burning appliance you choose, your chimney, how
you maintain the system, the fire you build, the wood you use and even
the safety precautions you take will determine the overall energy
efficiency of wood heating.
Wood stove
Wood-Burning Appliances
A wood-burning appliance's efficiency is a product of its
combustion efficiency - how completely fuel is burned - and
heat transfer efficiency - how well the device transfers heat
to the home. When it comes to heat transfer, wood-burning
appliances have either radiant or convective attributes - or
a combination of both. Radiant devices radiate heat onto nearby
objects directly. When we rub our hands in front of a fireplace,
we experience radiant heat. A convective device, on the other hand,
includes a heat-transfer system that circulates air through the
appliance and distributes it, thus heating a home's air supply.
The location of the appliance (and chimney) will influence how
well heat is distributed and conserved in your home. Wood-burning
appliances are essentially space heaters. Therefore, it's best to
put one in the room where you spend most of your time, but it should
include a way for heat to circulate to the rest of the house.
It's also important to use a properly-sized appliance for the space
to be heated. You don't want to make the mistake of purchasing one
that is too big. When an appliance is too big, residents tend to
burn fires at a low smolder to avoid overheating, which wastes
fuel and is one of the biggest causes of air pollution. A reputable
dealer should talk with you about size requirements, but here's a
good rule-of-thumb: a stove rated at 60,000 British thermal units
(Btu) can heat a 2,000 square foot home, while a stove rated at
42,000 Btu can heat a 1,300 square foot space. A Btu is the amount
of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water 1º F.
High-efficiency, wood-burning appliances not only have lower
emissions, but they are also often safer. For example, in addition
to saving energy, complete combustion helps to prevent a buildup of
flammable chimney deposits called creosote. A wood-burning appliance
that has been tested for safety will bear a label from a recognized
authority. However, avoid buying a secondhand appliance even if it
has a safety certification label. A minute flaw resulting from its
previous use could result in a hazard.
For safety, and to maximize efficiency, you should consider having
a professional install your wood-burning appliance. A professional
will carefully evaluate everything from your chimney to your floor
protection. A certified professional can also help you choose the
best wood-burning appliance to heat your home. The following is a
brief overview of the different types of appliances available.
Fireplace insert
High-efficiency fireplace inserts
Designed more for show, traditional open masonry fireplaces fall
at the bottom of the list in energy efficiency. On average, they
are only about 10 percent efficient. In fact, conventional fireplaces
can cause net heat loss because they can draw so much warm air out of
a home while contributing little heat.
A few devices have been designed to improve the energy efficiency
of conventional fireplaces. Of these, only high-efficiency fireplace
inserts have proven effective in increasing the heating efficiency of
older fireplaces. Essentially, the inserts function like woodstoves.
They fit into the masonry fireplace or on its hearth, and use the
existing chimney. You must install a flue collar that continues from
the insert to the top of the chimney. A well-fitted fireplace insert
can function nearly as efficiently as a woodstove.
High-efficiency fireplaces
Some modern fireplaces heat at efficiencies near those of
woodstoves and are certified as low emission appliances.
Although designed to include the fire-viewing benefits of a
traditional fireplace, this generation of fireplaces can
effectively provide heat as well. Through vents under the
firebox, room air is drawn in, heated through a heat exchanger,
and sent back into the house either through vents at the top of
the fireplace or through ducts leading to nearby rooms. Some of
these fireplaces are approved to route heated air to a basement
auxiliary fan. The air then travels through ducts to other rooms
in the house.
Masonry heater
Masonry heaters
Masonry heaters produce more heat and less pollution than any
other wood-burning appliance. They are common in Europe, but you
won't find many in the United States, perhaps because of their
high installation costs.
Masonry heaters include a firebox, a large masonry mass such as
bricks, and long twisting smoke channels that run through the masonry
mass. A small hot fire built once or twice a day releases heated gases
into the long masonry heat tunnels. The masonry absorbs the heat and
then slowly releases it into the house over a period of 12 to 20
hours. Masonry heaters commonly reach a combustion efficiency of
90 percent.
Advanced combustion woodstoves
Advanced combustion woodstoves provide a lot of heat but only
work efficiently when the fire burns at full throttle. Also known
as secondary burn stoves, they can reach temperatures of 1100° F
— hot enough to burn combustible gases.
These stoves have several components that help them burn combustible
gases, as well as particulates, before they can exit the chimney.
Components include a metal channel that heats secondary air and feeds
it into the stove above the fire. This heated oxygen helps burn the
volatile gases above the flames without slowing down combustion. While
many older stoves only have an air source below the wood, the secondary
air source in advanced combustion stoves offers oxygen to the volatile
gases escaping above the fire. With enough oxygen, the heated gases burn
as well. In addition, the firebox is insulated, which reflects heat back
to it, ensuring that the turbulent gases stay hot enough to burn. New
advanced combustion stoves have advertised efficiencies of 60 to 72
percent.
Catalytic combustors
Many woodstoves or fireplace inserts include a catalytic combustor
— a honeycomb-shaped disc covered by a rare metal like platinum
— placed across the exhaust vent. The catalytic combustor lowers
the temperature required for burning gases released during combustion
from 1100° to 600°F.
A stove or insert with a catalytic combustor burns gases and
particulates for fuel before they can escape through a chimney,
as long as the fire's temperature is at least 600°F. Lower temperatures
not only mean a cleaner burn but also a longer one. New catalytic stoves
and inserts have advertised efficiencies of 70 to 80 percent.
Centralized wood-burning boilers
Like wood-burning appliances, centralized wood-burning boilers
have been improved over the last several years. Modern, centralized
wood heaters use wood gasification technology that burns both the
wood fuel and the associated combustible gases, rendering them
efficient up to 80 percent. In addition, systems are available
that can switch to oil or gas if the fire goes out.
The Chimney
Chimneys should be inspected
Chimneys harness the heat of the fire to create what's called
a stack effect. As the warm air from the fire rises, cooler
house air rushes into the wood-burning appliance through vents,
providing the oxygen the fire needs to burn. Starting a fire with
a good hot burn will encourage this healthy draft to flow. Also,
between the higher and lower pressure zones of the home lies a neutral
pressure zone. The neutral pressure zone tends to move toward the
largest air leak. When the top of the chimney is located above the
home ceiling (as it should be), the chimney's neutral pressure zone
is above the neutral pressure zone of the house. Such proper chimney
placement creates a gentle flow of air into the appliance and out
the chimney even when no fire burns.
Chimneys harness the heat of the fire to create what's called
a stack effect. As the warm air from the fire rises, cooler
house air rushes into the wood-burning appliance through vents,
providing the oxygen the fire needs to burn.
Starting a fire with
a good hot burn will encourage this healthy draft to flow. Also,
between the higher and lower pressure zones of the home lies a neutral
pressure zone. The neutral pressure zone tends to move toward the
largest air leak. When the top of the chimney is located above the
home ceiling (as it should be), the chimney's neutral pressure zone
is above the neutral pressure zone of the house. Such proper chimney
placement creates a gentle flow of air into the appliance and out
the chimney even when no fire burns.
If you are designing or building a new home, consider placing
the chimney inside your home. A more traditional chimney,
constructed along the outside of a home, will lose valuable
heat to the cold, outside air. If the chimney air temperature
falls below that of the inside air, the cold, smelly chimney
air will be pulled into the house by the low pressure of the
stack effect. In such a scenario, the house has become a better
chimney than the chimney. So when a fire is lit, smoke fills
the room.
Chimneys must match the size of the appliance, meaning the
flue size should match the stove outlet. If the chimney is
bigger than the stove or fireplace outlet, exiting exhaust
slows, increasing creosote buildup and decreasing efficiency.
High-performance chimneys are also insulated. Older masonry
chimneys can be relined to safely and efficiently connect them
to newer high-efficiency, wood-burning appliances. Again, the
chimney liner should be continuous from the appliance outlet
to the chimney top. It is not uncommon to pay as much for the
chimney as for your appliance.
Free-standing woodstoves exhaust into a connecting pipe,
which then connects into the chimney. If the connecting pipe
is longer than 8 feet (as in a vaulted ceiling), you should
consider investing in double-layer pipe with 1-inch airspace
between pipe layers. Efficient modern stoves produce large
amounts of heat. Much of this heat can radiate from a longer
length of single-layer pipe, slowing down the draft, which
can impact the overall efficiency of your wood-burning system.
Maintenance
Cleaning a chimney prevents fires
To keep your wood-burning system operating efficiently and
safely, you'll need to maintain it on a regular basis.
Every year, preferably before each heating season, have a
chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of
America inspect your wood-burning system. In addition to
cleaning the chimney, a certified chimney sweep should have
the knowledge to help make sure your appliance, hearth,
connecting pipe, air inlets, chimney and all other components
are functioning efficiently and safely.
Catalytic combustors need to be inspected at least three
times every heating season and replaced according to the
manufacturer's recommendations.
Cleaning out the inside of the appliance with a wire brush
periodically will also help your wood-burning appliance heat
your home efficiently. Even a one-tenth inch of soot can drop
the heat transfer efficiency of the metal by 50 percent.
The Fire
When wood burns, it goes through three phases. First, the heat
of the fire evaporates the water in the wood. It takes a lot of
energy to evaporate water, so excess moisture in the wood wastes
much of the heat energy of your fire. Wet wood also often smolders,
causing unburned tar deposits of creosote to build up in the
chimney, which is then vulnerable to fire.
Next, the wood begins to decompose and vaporizes into smoke. Smoke,
a combination of combustible gases and tar droplets, will also burn
if enough oxygen is present. Burning smoke produces the bright
flames we associate with a well-burning fire.
In the final phase, the charcoal, which is nearly pure carbon,
burns. This pure carbon represents roughly 50 percent of the fuel
available from burning wood. The other 50 percent of available
energy is stored in the smoke, which is why recent developments
in wood-burning technology have focused on burning 100 percent
of the wood and smoke.
Selecting and storing the wood
Because a lot of energy can be wasted burning wet wood, you
should use wood that has been properly seasoned. Properly seasoned
wood is harvested in the spring and allowed to dry throughout the
summer. Look for wood that is of even color, without any green.
It should have a moisture content of just over 20 to 25 percent
by weight. Some well-seasoned wood can in fact be too dry for
today's airtight modern stoves. If you place wood that is too
dry on a bed of coals, it will instantly give up its gases as
smoke, wasting unburned smoke and producing creosote buildup.
Store wood away from the house
All species of wood have a similar heat content on a per pound
basis when completely dry. Therefore, denser woods will generally
cost more and burn longer. Woods like oak, hickory, and pine will
burn overnight. Aspen builds a hot fire, which helps clean the
chimney.
When selecting wood, you might also want to find out whether
the supplier uses sustainable harvesting practices. Unsustainable
practices can negatively impact the environment, causing soil
erosion and loss of biodiversity. At least ascertain that the
wood was not the result of clear-cutting. Clear-cutting is when
all, or nearly all, of the trees are cut down on a piece of land.
Store your wood away from the house in case termites discover
the woodpile. The top of the pile should be covered, but leave
the sides open so air can circulate. If possible, store the wood
a foot off the ground to keep it dry.
Seasoned wood is the key to a good fire
Building the fire
How a fire is built affects its efficiency.
Fire-building techniques abound, so it's best to learn what type
of fire is best for your
particular appliance. As a general rule, though, when solid wood
is present you should see flames. You want to avoid a smoldering
fire.
Build a hot fire with temperatures high enough to burn off smoke.
Unburned smoke - common to smoldering fires - escapes to the chimney
where it will condense to form creosote or exit as air pollution.
A strong hot fire will also help kick in the chimney draft, which
gets air flowing into the fire and out the chimney.
Here's one technique for building a good, strong fire quickly.
First, find the air source. If your appliance has a damper, make
sure that it's fully open. Near the air source, crumple a generous
amount of plain newspaper and add some finely split dry kindling,
such as cedar or pine and one or two small pieces of seasoned
firewood. You can also use a fire starter made for indoor
wood-burning appliances to help skip the smoldering phase and
get the fire roaring quickly.
Ideally, one match should start your fire. Keep the appliance
doors open slightly. High airflow allows for maximum oxygen supply,
which gets the fire hot quickly. When adding new wood pieces,
place them behind the fire rather than on top to avoid smothering it.
Make sure to leave an inch between all wood pieces to allow oxygen
to reach the wood. When the fire really gets going, the chimney
draft will kick in and provide a steady oxygen supply to the fire.
You can then close the appliance doors.
Safety
Inspect your fireplace and use a checklist
Burning wood requires careful attention to safety. Professional
installation, regular maintenance and inspection by a certified
chimney sweep and attentive operation will all help you enjoy your
wood-burning appliance in safety.
Here are a few other important things to remember:
Always
Attend your fire anytime the appliance doors are open.
For open fireplaces, use a screen whenever possible.
Sparks can fly, and coals can leap out of fireboxes.
Make sure you have adequate floor protection.
Make sure you have a working fire alarm, fire extinguisher
and carbon monoxide detector.
Burn properly seasoned firewood.
Start with a hot fire to get a good draft going in your chimney.
Back drafts can result in carbon monoxide entering your home.
Avoid smoldering fires that can lead to buildup of flammable
deposits called creosote.
Never
Use lighter fluid or other petroleum-based products to
start your indoor fire.
Burn anything but untreated firewood or kindling, manufactured
fire logs, indoor fire starters, or newspaper in your wood-burning
appliance. Treated woods and other odd items such as plastics or
other debris can release toxic chemicals into the air or into your
home.
Place wooden or other flammable objects near the wood-burning
appliance.
Use cardboard or wrapping paper to start fires, as these
can spark a chimney fire.
The Nebraska Energy Quarterly features questions asked
about 5% Dollar and Energy Saving Loans
Loan forms may be obtained from participating
enders or the Energy Office, or the agency's web site by
clicking here.
Loans as of September 30, 2002 ...
... 20,057 for $156.7 million
Questions and Answers...
5% Dollar and Energy Saving Loans
Do improvements need to save a minimum amount of energy or
dollars to qualify for a Dollar and Energy Saving Loan?
Blown insulation is one way to save energy
No. All specific types of improvements listed on
application Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 are pre-qualified.
These projects have been proven to be cost-effective,
or the technologies warranted promotion. This means
projects listed on the forms have proven energy or dollar
savings.
What if the improvement is not listed on any of the forms?
Can it still be financed with for a Dollar and Energy Saving Loan?
Projects other than the pre-qualified improvements, may be
submitted to the Energy Office to determine if they are eligible
for a loan. These projects must be supported by a technical audit.
Applicants may complete and submit energy audit Form 32
and Form 33 to support an energy efficiency project, or
Form 36 for a waste minimization project.
Energy efficiency projects must demonstrate a 5 year simple payback
for appliance replacement, a 10 year simple payback for operating
systems, and a 15 year simple payback for building system and
envelope projects. Waste minimization projects must demonstrate
a reduction of waste generated and being disposed. Once the Energy
Office has issued an acceptance statement for the project, the
applicant may take the acceptance statement to a participating
lender to apply for a Dollar and Energy Saving Loan.
May the purchase of an appliance, such as a dishwasher,
be financed if an existing appliance is not being replaced?
Only replacement appliances are eligible for funding, whether
it is for a pre-qualified appliance listed on Form 1,
or an appliance supported by an energy audit. The objective of the
program is to reduce energy consumption by replacing older,
inefficient equipment with newer, highly energy efficiency
units, thus providing borrowers with lower utility bills.
There are many energy efficient washers that can be financed
with a loan.
Can the Energy Office provide recommendations on the various types?
Energy saving front loading washing machine
Front-loading washing machines are more energy efficient
than top-loading machines, according to a report on
appliances.
The Energy Office does not recommend one manufacturer
or product over another, whether it is for windows,
furnaces, doors, air conditioners or any other project
eligible for a loan.
The borrower may choose any manufacturer or contractor
they desire, as long as the project being proposed meets
the minimum standards or payback requirements.
The Energy Office can provide some guidance on what to
look for in a product and encourages everyone to check
references or with others who have experience with the
contractor or product.
The new owner of an existing home is considering a number
of improvements using a Dollar and Energy Saving Loan.
In completing the required information about energy suppliers,
what information on energy use is to be provided if this
information is not available from the previous owners?
If information on the energy suppliers for the previous
owners of a home, building, or operation is not available,
identify the energy suppliers you will be using to meet
your energy needs.
Loose fill insulation is being blown into
our sidewalls as part of an improvement project.
As a result, quite a few holes have been drilled into the old
wood siding, which is in such bad shape that it cannot be
removed.
Can new siding be financed with a loan so that the holes and
the old siding be covered?
New siding can be financed with a loan when insulating the
wall cavities, provided an exterior insulation board is added
and that a total of R-10 insulation is added to the exterior
walls. The application forms you use for this project are
Form 2 and Form 2 siding.
The contractor needs to complete Form 2 siding and utilize
example 2 or 3 on the reverse side of the Form to make sure
the project will qualify for a loan.
Do lenders have the same requirements for getting for
a Dollar and Energy Saving Loan?
Borrowers must meet the credit requirements of the lender
to whom they apply. The lender is solely responsible for
determining the creditworthiness of the applicant. Requirements
and policies for loans may vary from lender to lender. Lenders
are required to loan 100 percent of the cost of an eligible
project and may only charge approved loan fees, but they are
not required to make a loan to an applicant who does not meet
their credit standards.
Is there an agency or group that grants certification
of solar products offered for sale in Nebraska?
The Energy Office is unaware of any group or agency
that oversees certification of solar products.
The best source for additional information on solar
products, who does this type of business in Nebraska,
and requirements for connecting to the systems, would
be your electricity supplier.
Photovoltaic roof panel
Can photovoltaic systems be financed with
Dollar and Energy Saving Loans?
To qualify for a loan, photovoltaic systems
must have an
energy audit showing the system will have a simple payback
of 10 years or less for an operating system such as a water
pump for livestock or 15 years or less if a building system
that is used for heating or cooling.
Form 32 and Form 33 may be
used to submit a photovoltaic system for consideration.
In accordance with the American Disabilities
Act, the state will provide reasonable
accommodation to persons with disabilities. If
you need reasonable accommodation to participate
in any program or activity listed in this
publication, please contact the Energy Office
at 402-471-2186 to coordinate arrangements.
Upon request, this publication may be available
in alternative formats.
This material was prepared with the support of
the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Grant No.
DE-FG47-92CE60410. However, any opinions, findings,
conclusions, or recommendations expressed herein
are those of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the views of DOE.
