Specifications include, but are not limited to: Product development and evaluation of high-efficiency wood-fired boilers, thermal storage andemission control technologies (ECT) for residential or commercial applicationsWood boilers must be low mass (volume) and have sensors and feedback to optimizecombustion performance. Examples of this are oxygen and temperature sensors and variableprimary and secondary air controls. Retrofit technology designed to substantially improveboiler efficiency with resulting large improvements in emissions performance of existingwood boiler technology will be considered. Projects focused on energy managementstrategies for integrating boilers, thermal storage, emissions control, existing fossil fuel-firedheating systems and energy management systems will be considered. Projects may alsofocus on the development of standardized methods for measuring boiler efficiency andemissions performance if they also include considerations of part-load, thermal storage, aswell as diurnal and annual load variation representative of NYS. For emission controltechnology (ECT) development and evaluation projects, both energy benefits and penaltiesmust be quantified. Emissions measurements, where necessary, would be expected toinclude PM2.5, elemental carbon, organic carbon, speciated organics (polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons and other molecular markers), trace metals, SO2, CO, CO2, NOx and volatileorganic compounds. Particle characterization (size, number, morphology) should also beconsidered. Workshops on the above topics will also be considered but must be highlytechnical in design with outcomes intended to raise the technology floor of the biomassheating market in NYS.Product development efforts must be cost-shared at a minimum of 50% and may be subjectto recoupment if greater than $50,000. See Section VIII, General Conditions.B. Air quality and health effects studies of biomass emissionsThis category will allow for studies to evaluate air pollution, environmental exposure and/orenvironmental health risks from any aspect of biomass use, including fuel combustion andthe delivery/storage of biomass fuels (e.g., potential CO exposures during storage of woodpellets). Studies may utilize measured emissions concentrations, measured airconcentrations and/or predicted (modeled) air concentrations to evaluate impacts. Studiesmay include evaluations of stack height or emission control technology (ECT) on localambient outdoor air wood smoke concentrations, environmental exposures, and adversehealth effects. Studies should address current data gaps and may include targetedenvironmental exposure assessments, risk assessments, epidemiological or toxicologicalstudies, and/or health impact assessments relevant to NYS populations. Workshops onapproaches for exposure and risk assessment will also be considered. Proposals shall alsoinclude a comparison to emissions and impacts associated with oil heating, which couldrange from literature reviews to more detailed source apportionment studies. Emissionsmeasurements, where necessary, would be expected to include PM2.5, elemental carbon,organic carbon, speciated organics (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other molecular markers), trace metals, SO2, CO, CO2, NOx and volatile organic compounds. Emitted particlesshould be characterized with regard to size, number, morphology, etc. Emissionsmeasurements must be expressed in terms of energy input, energy output, hourly rate, massper unit volume, and other scientific and regulatory unit conventions at nominal and partloads
