Pennsylvania's Fuels for Schools & Beyond Program

1. Pennsylvania's Fuels for Schools & Beyond Program The Pennsylvania Fuels for Schools & Beyond Working Group supports and fosters a statewide biomass energy use initiative promoting local renewable natural resources to provide reliable energy for Pennsylvania schools and businesses.

2. Fuels for Schools • Fuels for Schools is an innovative program that started in Vermont over 15-20 years ago, and has been adopted in six western states to assist public schools and other public facilities to reduce the use of fossil fuels while increasing the use of renewable energy sources for heating purposes • The mission of the program is “to promote and encourage the use of wood biomass as a renewable, natural resource to provide a clean, readily available, energy source suitable for use in heating systems in public and private buildings” www.fuelsforschools.org

3. Fuels for Schools • Resource developed by Biomass Energy Resource Center in Vermont • Extremely thorough and comprehensive guide on biomass, combustion systems, feedstocks, economic analysis, implementing a biomass project, and operation & maintenance • States currently promoting Fuels for Schools program • Vermont- 15-20 years • Montana- 2001 • Idaho- 2003 • Nevada- 2003 • Utah- 2003 • North Dakota- 2003 • Wyoming- 2004 • New Hampshire- 2006 • Pennsylvania- 2006

4. Pennsylvania’s Fuels for Schools & Beyond Initial Meeting/Planning Goals • Inform and educate federal, state, and local agencies and organizations along with professionals within the forestry and agricultural sectors on the Fuels for Schools program • Determine if there is a consensus on bringing a Fuels for Schools & Beyond program to PA • Determine what resources or roles your agency or organization can bring to the Pennsylvania Fuels for Schools & Beyond program Pocono Northeast RC&D Council To enhance and improve the ecological, cultural, and economic characteristics of the area through projects and programs that promote the management, protection, and sustainable utilization of the area’s resources

5. ANSWER??? YES! YES! YES! YES!

6. Pennsylvania’s Fuels for Schools & Beyond Project Goals • Establish a technical steering committee/working group • Development of a Fuels for Schools & Beyond program within Pennsylvania • Provide education and outreach • Publish educational materials such as flyers, brochures, informational packets, PowerPoint presentation, etc. • Coordinate and host workshops/conferences • Facilitate tours to existing biomass heated facilities in Pennsylvania • Provide pre-feasibility assessments for interested end-users • Increase the economic development of markets for small diameter low-grade wood and agricultural products • Increase the number of school districts, hospitals, office buildings, and others utilizing biomass for energy needs

7. Pennsylvania’s Fuels for Schools & Beyond Working Group • Provide overall guidance on the Fuels for Schools & Beyond Program • Working group is open to any that promote the use of local renewable natural resources as a source of biomass. Working Group Subcommittees • Education/Outreach • Development of program brochure and factsheets on: resource, sustainability, economics, case studies, etc. • Technical • Provide technical guidance to end-users on pre-feasibility assessments, feedstock options, and availability • Financial • Identification of financing options- grants, loans, and dedicated funding

8. Pennsylvania’s Fuels for Schools & Beyond Organizational Purpose/Mission The Pennsylvania Fuels for Schools & Beyond Working Group supports and fosters a statewide biomass energy use initiative promoting local renewable natural resources to provide reliable energy for Pennsylvania schools and businesses.

9. Pennsylvania’s Fuels for Schools & Beyond Key Points • Pennsylvania- Program is centered around the sustainable production and utilization of biomass resources within the Commonwealth • Fuels- Utilization of several biomass feedstocks: wood, native grasses, agricultural products, etc. • Schools & Beyond- Program is targeting schools and other facilities (hospitals, universities, governmental buildings, and public facilities) • PA FFS&B- Local networks are established to provide education, information, and assistance to the public and end-users

10. Pennsylvania Examples of Biomass Heating • Mountain View School District (Susquehanna County)- Biomass (wood chip) heating system installed in 1991 • Currently heating with wood chips • In 2004-2005 Mt. View saved $69,000 and 2005-2006 saved $114,000 heating with wood chips versus fuel oil • Dillon Floral Corporation (Columbia County)- Installed a biomass (wood chip) heating system in 2007 • Wood chips are being provided by several suppliers (furniture manufacturer, right-of-way clearing, etc.), which include suppliers providing wood chips for free • Elk County Regional Health Facility (Elk County)- Currently installing a biomass (wood chip) heating system • Initial figures are projecting savings of over $300,000 per year utilizing wood chips versus fuel oil • Benton Area School District (Columbia County)- Currently installing a biomass (multiple feedstocks- agriculture) heating system • Initial planning and design are underway

11. Biomass Heating System

12. Mountain View School District • Installed Wood Chip Boiler in 1991 as part of capital improvement project • Heating with wood chips from local supplier(s) • Wood chips are bid out every year (~$25-35 per ton) • Chips are required to meet certain specifications (moisture, size, non-foreign material, etc.) • In 2004-2005 Mt. View saved $69,000 and in 2005-2006 saved $114,000 heating with wood chips versus fuel oil • In 2006-2007 Mt. View expected to save $169,000

13. Dillon Floral Corporation • Installed Wood Chip Boiler in 2007 to replace #6 Heating Oil burning system • Annual heating requirement is of 145,152 gallons of #6 heating oil • In 2006 #6 heating oil was $1.26/gallon= $182,891 • In 2007 #6 heating oil is $1.80/gallon= $252,000 • Annual heating requirement using wood chips would be 2,444 tons of wood chips annually at $30/ton= $73,320 • Using these figures there would be $178,680 savings per year in 2007 • Wood chips are being supplied locally from: sawmills, furniture manufacturer, right-of-way clearings, and other suppliers.

14. Benton Area School District • Install a biomass heating system to heat both the Elementary & Middle/High School buildings • Utilize biomass materials such as wood products, native grasses, and corn • Add flexibility for the school to utilize feedstocks depending on availability, accessibility, and cost • Implement an educational component to enhance the concept of utilizing biomass as a source of energy • Provide area farmers with an opportunity to market locally grown feedstock materials

15. Benton School District • Heating Requirements & Costs • Five years average indicates approximately 46,400 gallons of oil required to heat the elementary, high school/middle school buildings • In 2005-06 $107,648 was spent to heat the buildings • In 2004-05, bid cost was $1.54 per gallon • Currently the cost has risen to $2.32 per gallon indicating a 50% increase

16. Benton School District • Anticipated $$ Savings with Biomass • Corn: 461 tons/year @ $121/ton $55,780 annual cost: savings of $51,868annually • 461 tons/year @ $145/ton---$40,803 • Wood Pellets: 403 tons/year @ $160/ton $64,480 annual cost: savings of $43,168annually • 403 tons/year @ $225/ton---$16,973 • Grass Pellets: 430 tons/year @ $125/ton $53,750 annual costs: savings of $53,898 annually • 430 tons/year @ $160/ton---$38,848 • Wood Chips: 995 tons/year @ $35/ton $34,825 annual cost: savings $72,823 annually • 995 tons/year @ $35/ton---$72,823 * Costs and figures using average BTU’s values for feedstock, 80% efficient heating system, and cost of fuel oil was at $2.32 per gallon

17. Pennsylvania’s Fuels for Schools & Beyond Suggestions of Promotion • Cost Savings • Utilization of Biomass (Renewable Resources) • Utilization of Waste Product (Wood Waste) • Independence from Fossil Fuels • Locally Produced Feedstocks • Boost to Local Economy • Carbon Neutral • Environmental (Water Quality, Wildlife Habitat, etc.) • Other

18. Project Partners Pocono Northeast RC&D Council PA Dept. Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) PA Dept of Agriculture (PDA) Penn State University Advanced Recycling Equipment Bradford County Conservation District Regional Economic Development Districts Initiative (REDDI) Pennsylvania Higher Educational Facilities Authority/ PA's State Public School Building Authority Pennsylvania School Boards Association. PA Association of School Administrators USDA Forest Service USDA-Rural Development PA Forest Products Association Penn TAP Endless Mountains RC&D Council Southern Alleghenies RC&D Council Capital Area RC&D Council Penn Soil RC&D Council Penn’s Corner RC&D Council Southern Alleghenies Conservancy PA Hardwoods Council PA Dept. of General Services (DGS) Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Bradford Forest Landowners Dillon Floral Corporation CenterPoint Engineering Elk County Regional Facility Keystone Biofuels Suez Energy Northumberland Cogeneration Cycle4ward, Inc. Mountain View School District Warrior Run School District Clarion Limestone School District Mount Union School District Energy Resources Group Pennsylvania’s Fuels for Schools & Beyond

19. Ryan Koch RC&D Coordinator Ryan.Koch@pa.usda.gov (570) 282-8732 ext.610 www.pnercd.org