Wood-pellet incentives boosted

New Hampshire homeowners and businesses interested in installing high-efficiency wood pellet central boilers and furnaces will now be eligible to receive a little extra help. Two recent orders issued by the N.H. Public Utilities Commission increase the incentive level of the commission’s residential bulk fuel-fed wood pellet furnace and boiler incentive program to 40 percent of the total heating system and installation costs up to $10,000. The incentive level for the commercial and industrial bulk fuel-fed wood pellet central heating system incentive program will also increase to 40 percent of total heating system and installation costs up to $65,000. The prior incentive levels were 30 percent of system and installation costs up to $6,000 for residential customers and 30 percent of total heating system and installation costs up to $50,000 for commercial and industrial customers. The commission also tightened the standard for emissions of particulate matter for eligible systems for both programs, lowering it from 0.32 pounds per MMBtu to 0.10 pounds per MMBtu.

The residential and commercial programs are funded through the Renewable Energy Fund established under state law and promote the use of renewable wood heat through the use of high efficiency wood pellet boilers and furnaces. The residential program has provided incentives to more than 294 homeowners since it began in April 2010, while more than 43 New Hampshire businesses have received incentives from the commercial program since that program began in 2013.