Biomass

Residential scale units, also referred to as outdoor wood-fired boilers (OWBs), typically burn wood in uncontrolled ways that produce relatively large quantities of dangerous air pollution. The impact from these pollutants is felt more dramatically by those nearest to the OWBs because these units are often older, are of a less efficient design, and are operated inefficiently. Efficiency is critical because a failure to completely burn biomass creates excess air pollution. More specifically, incomplete burning creates highly dangerous forms of particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns in size or less. This smaller particulate matter penetrates deep into the lungs, sometimes directly entering the bloodstream, aggravating existing heart conditions or independently causing strokes or heart attacks. Some highly efficient designs exist but are not widely used in Pennsylvania.

 

Institutional scale units, also referred to as institutional, commercial, and industrial boilers (ICIs), typically have more pollution controls than their residential counterparts and are often operated by trained specialists. While these units emit fewer harmful criteria pollutants relative to their OWB counterparts, they still emit these pollutants in greater numbers. Further, the particles they emit are typically products of higher burning temperatures and higher oxygen conditions, meaning that the particles may not be as dangerous as those produced by OWBs. Nonetheless, their heavy adoption in Pennsylvania, at the rate of several new ICI boilers a month, means that hundreds of tons a year in air pollutants are being emitted near factories, schools, and hospitals.

 

The Council provides a critical oversight role for this rapidly expanding energy sector. At every turn, the Council seeks to ensure the most protective standards are adhered to and the best pollution control technology is applied in the context of biomass burning.