Finalists Revealed for First-Ever Wood Stove Design Challenge

Some are state-of-the art units controlled by microprocessors, while others are based on 17th-century technology. Most are made in the United States, though a few come from Europe and one from even farther away. Yet despite their differences, they share a common goal: to lead the next generation of affordable, cleaner-burning woodstoves for residential heating.

Popular Mechanics is a partner and judge in this year's Wood Stove Design Challenge, a competition that looks to bring more innovation to the world's most popular and widely used renewable energy device. Last week we spent a few days at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island with a group of industry experts (pictured above) to help select 14 finalists. We also reviewed the testing equipment that will be used to help pick the winner during a weeklong decathlon on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in November.?

Around 10 million American households heat their homes with wood, though most use outdated stoves that are notorious polluters. Although recent innovations such as catalytic combustors and secondary chambers reduce dangerous emissions, these improvements are only effective if the consumer operates the stove correctly. Many don't, so the key here is to develop cleaner, more efficient woodstoves that are not only affordable but also easy to operate.

The finalists are: Dragon Heat (U.S.), The Firemaster (New Zealand), Helbro Stoves (Denmark), Hwam (Denmark), Intercontinental (U.S.), Kimberly (U.S.), Ofenbau & Feuerstein (Austria), SmartStove (U.S.), Travis Industries (U.S.), Tulukivi (Finland), University of Maryland (U.S.), Walker Stoves (U.S.), Wittus (U.S.), and Woodstock Soapstone (U.S.).

The broad scope of technologies showcased among the entries?from electronic automation retrofits to portable stoves to traditional masonry stoves?will give plenty of insight into how much innovation is possible in the modern stove industry. We'll follow the challenge closely as it moves toward its finale this fall.

In the meantime, check out the official release announcing the finalists, as well as a primer on the potential for green heat from John Ackerly, who is president of the competition organizer, the Alliance for Green Heat. You can also read some background on heating homes with wood.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/energy-efficient/finalists-revealed-for-first-ever-wood-stove-design-challenge-15047847?src=rss

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