The Case for Wood Heat Incentives
Biomass for Heat is a Low Carbon Renewable Energy
Biomass is an Affordable Heating Source
Biomass Heating Creates Jobs
Biomass Heating Reduces Foreign and Domestic Oil Dependency

Summary: Wood is a unique renewable heating fuel with advantages over both fossil fuels and other renewable energies. It can combine the low carbon benefits of other renewable energy with an affordability to rival or exceed the least costly fossil fuel currently used for heating- natural gas. Wood can also reduce foreign oil dependency, cushion homeowners from volatile fossil fuel price fluctuations and keep money in communities while creating jobs.

Despite the widespread use of traditional wood stoves, modern biomass combustion systems have a relatively small market penetration and pose a significant price barrier to consumers, especially the low- and middle-income consumers to whom renewable energy technology is often financially out of reach. Incentives are needed to make wood heat more competitive in the market, and to bring the cost of the cleanest burning, most efficient stoves down to an affordable level for low income Americans. As market penetration increases, the incentives can be scaled back or eliminated completely.