Definitions:
ANAEROBIC DIGESTERThe naturally occurring process that converts organic compounds such as wastewater sludge and regional or local organic waste to produce biogas (methane), which can be used as a fuel for thermal use, electricity production, CHP, or as compressed natural gas.
BIOMASS ENERGY SYSTEMA thermal and/or energy producing energy system that uses wood pellets, wood chips or stick wood for fuel.
CLEAN DRY WOODWood that has no paint, stains, or other types of coatings, and wood that has not been treated with preservatives, including, but not limited to, copper chromium arsenate, creosote, or pentachlorophenol, and with a moisture content of 20% or less.
CLEAN WOOD CHIPSWood chips that are derived from wood that has no paint, stains, or other types of coatings, and wood that has not been treated with preservatives, including, but not limited to, copper chromium arsenate, creosote, or pentachlorophenol.
CLEAN WOOD PELLETSPellets that are of 100% wood composition with no construction or demolition debris such as pressure treated or painted wood (which may contain heavy metals such as copper, chromium, arsenic, lead and cadmium) or plastic binders or fillers. Pellets must have a calorific value of no less than 8000 Btu/lb, low ash content (<1%), low moisture content (<8%), chlorides less than 300 ppm and no other additives (0%).
COMMERCIAL BIOMASS ENERGY SYSTEMAny biomass burning energy system for thermal, electricity or combined heat and power located on a single property with a total and combined capacity over 250,000 and up to one million btu's per hour rated heat input as rated by the test method identified in 310 CMR 7.26(54)(c)2.
INDUSTRIAL WOOD-BURNING ENERGY SYSTEMAny biomass energy system for thermal, electricity or combined heat and power located on a single property with a total and combined capacity of more than one million btu per hour rated heat input as rated by the test method identified in 310 CMR 7.26(54)(c)2.
OWNERThe owner of any wood-burning energy system or appliance and/or the authorized agent of the owner and/or the person who has overall responsibility for the operation of a biomass energy system.
SENSITIVE RECEPTOR SITESAll institutional applications at schools, health care facilities, nursing homes, or other locations with similar sensitive populations.
STICK WOOD BOILERA boiler that burns logs or other unprocessed wood, rather than wood chips or pellets.
TOTAL COMBINED CAPACITYTotal or combined capacity means the number of btu's for all uses on a single property based on the thermal only btu capacity.
WASTE-TO-ENERGY SYSTEMAny energy system that produces thermal energy, electrical energy or combined heat and power from solid waste relying on combustion, pyrolization or other advance combustion technologies.