EU bans old boilers after 2020

[Hansson]

The EU has this week voted Ecodesign Directive on boilers. It takes effect in 2020.

All solid fuel boilers above 20 kW should have years of energy efficiency 77 percent. This represents about 90 percent of a wood boiler and 88 percent for a pellet boiler when the calculation is done according to current standards. Solid fuel boilers 20 kW or less shall have years of energy efficiency equivalent to 75 per cent.

It also includes emission limits for particulate matter, carbon monoxide, gaseous organic compounds (OGC) and NOx.

Particulate matter (10% O2)
Automatic feed: 40 mg / m3
Manual feed: 60 mg / m3

OGC (Gaseous organic substances) (10% O2)
Automatic feed: 20 mg / m3
Hand fed 30 mg / m3

Carbon monoxide (10% O2)
Automatic feed: 500 mg / m3
Manual feed: 700 mg / m3

Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
(10% O2)
Biofuel: 200 mg / m3

I think many cheap boilers built in Poland, the Czech Republic and other countries will disappear.
I found a test on some boilers has been tested in Sweden.
(broken link removed to http://www.baxi.se/media/89334/skarmklipp-jpg-vedpannetest.jpg)
There are alot that can not be sold after 2020.

 

[jebatty]

It's about time that the US got serious about efficient wood burning. The technology is here. No reason not to employ it.

 

[7acres]

For some reason I find it sad that government can an individual's investments worthless with the stroke of a pen. I prefer informing people on their more efficient options (like this site does) and promoting the choice to buy efficiency over government route. Especially when you're talking about average homeowners here. This type of legislation is not aimed at big energy. What can you own anymore that can't be legislated as worthless and unable to be sold or handed down for one reason or another?

 

[jebatty]

Passion and strong opinions I can understand, but I've never found name calling or labeling ( *** -- *** of EU) to be helpful in any discussion of different points of view.

 

[Hansson]

I find that Communist Republics of EU are very fast in passing absurd laws ( just look up straight cucumbers or bananas ) , absolute disregard for common poor people in eastern Europe. I think that money would be better spend educating the public about clean burning practices.

I look it up and the first hit on Google was euromyth.. Did you look it up?

 

[Ashful]

For some reason I find it sad that government can an individual's investments worthless with the stroke of a pen. I prefer informing people on their more efficient options (like this site does) and promoting the choice to buy efficiency over government route. Especially when you're talking about average homeowners here. This type of legislation is not aimed at big energy. What can you own anymore that can't be legislated as worthless and unable to be sold or handed down for one reason or another?

I generally agree with you, 7acres... but air is a shared resource. I'm frequently annoyed by the OWB guys up the street, smoking up my yard. I worry that they'll give neighbors the impression the smoke is coming from my two stoves, possibly causing complaints to the township about my own clean-burning catalytic stoves.

There will always be belligerent and ignorant folks you just can't fix with any amount of attempted education, and they don't let us shoot 'em anymore...

 

[semipro]

No doubt it would be better if people did the right thing for themselves and others by protecting a shared resource like breathable air.
Unfortunately you can't convince everyone with logic and it only takes one dirty burner to counteract the "good" of many.

 

[woodgeek]

More to the point, 2020 is in 6 (ok, 5) years. If the EU is like here, there has probably been a couple years of warnings/discussion before the ban was passed.

More to the point, no one is going door to door in 2020 to force existing iron to shut down, they just are banning the selling of new boilers. IOW, the manufacturers have 5 years to clear inventory and reengineer the boilers to meet the new standards.

Hardly an example of govt over-reach. Yawn.

 

[7acres]

More to the point, 2020 is in 6 (ok, 5) years. If the EU is like here, there has probably been a couple years of warnings/discussion before the ban was passed.

More to the point, no one is going door to door in 2020 to force existing iron to shut down, they just are banning the selling of new boilers. IOW, the manufacturers have 5 years to clear inventory and reengineer the boilers to meet the new standards.

Hardly an example of govt over-reach. Yawn.

The manufacturers are selling their future non-compliant product to people / dealers who don't know the right questions to ask.. Fair?

Yawn, you never think about them.

 

[woodgeek]

Where does it say the gov will come and collect the boilers in 2020 and force them to scrap? Burn ban? Inform me.

 

[7acres]

Where does it say the gov will come and collect the boilers in 2020 and force them to scrap? Burn ban? Inform me.

If I get a pre-2020 unit, what's it worth after 2020 per this legislation?

 

[woodgeek]

Ah. I never saw wood burning equipment as an investement that held a lot of value after many years.

Why can't I argue that the re-engineered, more efficient boilers offered circa 2020 offer a better value proposition, via cheaper BTUs?

 

[Hansson]

The ecodesign requirements together with energy labeling requirements are expected at EU level save up to 5 TWh annually by 2030. The energy saved is expected to provide a reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 200 kilotons. Additionally assessed requirements to provide annual reductions of up to 104 kilotons of particulate emissions, 14 kilotons of organic emissions and 130 of carbon monoxide at 2030.

 

[jebatty]

I think the EU in general, at least some of the major countries, have a much different culture which is community-benefit oriented, as do many other Asian and African cultures, rather than an individual self-interest oriented culture of much of the US. Both have their + and -. It is interesting to note that the Scandinavian countries have a higher total population happiness index than does the US. The maxim "we all do well when we all do well" may have more truth than many are ready to admit or recognize.

 

[SidecarFlip]

...I'll keep dumping my used motor oil in the road.....

 

[OhioBurner©]

Yeah I'm all for putting regulations on new units. Thats fine. Just let the pre-existing ones be grandfathered. Much like how I can still drive around my '78 Bronco that doesnt even have catalytic converters on it. Belligerent and ignorant folks aside, there are still many that simply don't have money for new stoves. I suppose in more populated areas this could be a problem, so within town or city limits perhaps more restrictions are needed. I've never been in an a crowded enough area where one neighbors smoke could reach another thankfully.