Some important points of the tax credit are:

• To be considered, a stove must use the burning of biomass fuel to heat a dwelling unit or to heat water for use in such a dwelling unit, and have a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75%.

• Installation is not covered.

• This consumer tax credit is 30% (up to $300) for the purchase of a 75% efficient stove or other qualifying energy efficient products and is available in 2011.

• This credit applies only to existing principle residences.

• Manufacturers must provide a certificate of qualification for each product.

• Taxpayers must retain the certification statement for tax recordkeeping purposes, but the certification is not required to be attached to the tax return.

• If a manufacturer has documentation that a stove has already achieved the required efficiency rating, no further testing is required.

The IRS has not stated whether or not inserts are covered, but “based on EPA’s practice of treating inserts and freestanding biomass stoves in a similar fashion, manufacturers may choose to include inserts,” HPBA said.