Developing Wood Fuel Procurement Strategies for Harwood Union High School
The Mad River Valley has a history of serving as a testing ground for idea innovation and refinement. Hot off the press is the result of a recent effort to examine our local middle and high school’s existing woodchip heating system and wood fuel supply. The popularity of large-scale biomass heating systems have continued to grow in the State – over 35 are currently in operation in Vermont public schools. Harwood Union’s system has started firing for its third season. This report is designed to help procurement and verification of locally harvested and processed woodchips from well-managed forests. Woodchips continue to provide an important locally produced energy source. The report was made possible through a partnership between the Northern Forest Alliance, University of Vermont’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Vermont Family Forests, UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, the Forest Guild, and the Biomass Energy Resource Center.
Harwood Woodchip Procurement Report (1.5 MB PDF)