Approximately 11 million homes in the United States use cordwood or wood pellets for space heating. Although these heaters are considered a renewable energy source, they produce harmful pollutants and contribute to about 7% of the nation’s total annual PM2.5 emissions.
To reduce these pollutants, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), will oversee a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to accelerate wood heater innovation and develop the next generation of efficient and clean wood heaters.
Here are 6 reasons for innovators, researchers, and manufacturers to apply for the CRADA:
- Work collaboratively with and leverage the unique expertise of BNL and LBNL to develop and validate the performance of innovative wood heater technologies.
- Leverage the capabilities of the national laboratories to advance wood heater projects.
- Receive research support for improving wood heater combustion technologies to enhance efficiency, reduce emissions, and optimize overall performance.
- Obtain support for R&D of hybrid technologies (e.g., integration of heat pumps with wood heaters) to further enhance efficiency, sustainability, and performance in residential heating systems.
- Harness the full potential of data by leveraging data analysis support from Wood Heater Innovation Collaboration (WHIC) partnering national laboratories.
- Support energy justice through development of low-emission wood heater technologies that disproportionately affect marginalized and low-income communities.
At least $4 million will be available for this competitively selected CRADA call to fund as many as six projects for a duration of 12-18 months. Applicants are expected to provide a 20% cost share of the requested funding. The deadline to submit a concept paper is August 11, 2023, and final proposals are due November 3, 2023. Learn more about who is eligible to apply for the WHIC CRADA.
Wood Heater CRADA 2nd Informational Webinar
Join the WHIC Friday, July 14, 2023, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm (ET), for a second informational webinar to learn more about this CRADA call, the application process and national laboratory capabilities. The webinar is free and open to the public, but all participants must register to attend.
For more information on how to apply, please visit the WHIC website or contact woodheater@lbl.gov if you have further questions.