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4 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
CANADIAN
BIOMASS
12 Greener fuel for greenhouses
A new control system for biomass furnaces leaves greenhouses
with a smaller carbon footprint.
16 United vision
The industry comes together in Quebec to support the move to
woody biomass.
19 WPAC show guide
Canadian Biomass has your exclusive guide to the 2014 Wood
Pellet Association of Canadas AGM and Conference.
24 Succinic success
BioAmber is building a global bio-succinic industry.
26 Exciting times and challenges ahead
Factors that will help or hinder development in the years to
come.
13
9
13 DUST IS OUR BUSINESS
Wood pellets are designed to burn - theyre made from highly
combustible dust that is pressed into pellet form.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
8 Biomass update - News
19 WPAC show guide
DEPARTMENTS
Our Cover
6 Editorial - Time to play politics
9 WPAC - The U.K. is committed to pellets
10 CanBio - CanBio/NRCan survey of the bioenergy industry
30 Final thoughts - Making things happen
COLUMNS
Tops, limbs and logs that would otherwise be unwanted get a second life through Quebecs commitment to using
woody biomass for heat and energy. See the full article on page 16.
High electricity and fossil
fuel prices are prompting
more Canadians and beyond
to look at biomass.
Read the full story on page 26.
24 16
6 CanadianBIOMASS
Volume 14 No. 5
Editor - Amie Silverwood
(289) 221-8946
asilverwood@annexweb.com
Associate Editor - Andrew Macklin
(905) 713-4358
amacklin@annexweb.com
Contributors - Staffan Melin, Treena Hein, Gordon
Murray, Guillaume Roy, Annie Webb, Gabrielle
Bauer, Christopher Rees, Christina Coutu.
Editorial Director/Group Publisher - Scott Jamieson
(519) 429-3966 ext 244
sjamieson@annexweb.com
Market Production Manager
Jose Crevier
Ph: (514) 425-0025 Fax: (514) 425-0068
jcrevier@annexweb.com
National Sales Manager
Ross Anderson
Ph: (519) 429-5188 Fax: (519) 429-3094
randerson@annexweb.com
Quebec Sales
Jose Crevier
Ph: (514) 425-0025 Fax: (514) 425-0068
jcrevier@annexweb.com
Western Sales Manager
Tim Shaddick - tootall1@shaw.ca
Ph: (604) 264-1158 Fax: (604) 264-1367
Media Designer - Brooke Shaw
Canadian Biomass is published six times a year:
February, April, June, August, October, and
December.
Published and printed by Annex Business
Media.
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email: cnixon@annexweb.com
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www.canadianbiomassmagazine.ca
W
hile looking through my notes
from the International Bioenergy
Conference in Prince George, I
found a quote from Ken Shields, CEO of
CanBio: Whos responsibility is it to hold
the governments feet to
the re? I also noted that
it will be policy that moves
the bioeconomy forward.
One of the biggest chal-
lenges facing the bioecon-
omy is access to feedstock.
Shields and WPACs execu-
tive director, Gord Murray,
started a heated exchange
on bre access during that
same session, moderated
by our own Scott Jamie-
son. The same can be said
for some of Canadas biofuel producers,
who bid on feedstocks from hundreds or
thousands of miles away when local re-
sources just arent available.
But I am not so sure that bre avail-
ability is still the bioeconomys biggest
hurdle. The focus of our industrial part-
ners from coast to coast has been on
meeting the demands of markets in the
U.S., Europe and Asia. At the same time,
the industry hopes that domestic policy
will change to nally open the doors to
sales of notable volumes on home soil.
Perhaps it is time for us to shift our focus.
Our national bioeconomy stakehold-
ers need to work on a united push to
change government policies in Canada
to establish a domestic market. There is
currently no greater area for the industry
to grow than here at home, even when
considering the likely continued growth
of international markets.
That isnt to say that associations
across Canada havent tried to engage
municipal, provincial and federal govern-
ment ofcials. Groups like WPAC and the
CRFA, to name just two, have consistently
updated their membership on work be-
ing done in consultation with govern-
ment ofcials or in meetings with gov-
ernment stakeholders. But it is clear that
the work done to this point
simply hasnt been enough
to launch a domestic bioen-
ergy market.
So how do we progress?
I spoke to CanBio VP
Brent Boyko from OPG Ati-
kokan on this very issue.
We discussed how easy it
is to fall in the trap of just
inviting sitting politicians,
rather than reaching out to
politicians from all parties
when an important confer-
ence or meeting takes place. Sure, no one
wants to have the bioeconomy bounced
around like a political football, but invit-
ing politicians from all political stripes
creates the potential for discussion in the
hallways among the provincial and feder-
al governments.
But there is a need to make sure that
there are clear objectives, strong facts,
statistics and benets for pushing the bio-
economy forward. We have seen how eas-
ily the industry can come into question;
we need to be clear and accurate in pre-
senting arguments to politicians to ensure
that they dont fall on deaf ears.
It is time for industry leaders to pres-
ent a united front, with legitimate action
items signed off by multiple stakeholders
to provide the necessary clout. Without
a consistent, unied voice in Ottawa and
our provincial capitals, we will continue
to be overlooked.
Time to play
politics
Pushing Canadas bioeconomy
forward will take political support
CANADIAN
BIOMASS
November 17-19, 2014
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SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
8 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
8 CanadianBIOMASS
2014
BIOMASS
update
A Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) for a bio-
mass facility in Revelstoke, B.C. has been met with a
huge response from the industry, with over 50 responses
received by the community.
The City of Revelstoke has approved $15,000 for con-
sultant John Christie to review and score each of the
requests. Christie was originally hired by the City to pre-
pare the RFEOI.
The community is looking for an industry partner to
build a biomass facility in the community to convert lo-
cally-sourced wood waste into biofuels.
Revelstoke biomass gets huge response
Methes Energies International
Ltd. announced that it has
entered into a feedstock credit
facility with a major provider
of credit to the renewable
fuels industry (the Lender),
which will provide Methes all
the feedstock that is required
to run at full current capacity
(1 million gallons per month
or approximately 40 railcars
per month).
The agreement will also
allow Methes to fulll future
orders for biodiesel that it
receives from its customers
that have been approved by
the credit department of the
Lender.
Methes has also
established a feedstock
hedging account with
the Lender to protect its
margins against market price
uctuations. The Lender is a
subsidiary of a Fortune 500
company, which trades in
a number of commodities
and the group has important
connections in the biodiesel
industry. The new credit
facility replaces Methes pre-
existing $1.5 million credit
facility.
Nicholas Ng, President
of Methes, said, Our
new feedstock facility is
a signicant step forward
for Methes. The amounts
available to us will be driven
solely by sales of biodiesel and
will allow us to move to full
production with condence
that the feedstock will be
available.
METHES ENERGIES ENTERS HISTORIC FEEDSTOCK AGREEMENT
Viridis Energy Inc. announced that Tim Knoop has joined the
company as Senior Vice President of Operations. Knoop will
oversee Viridis Canadian West Coast and East Coast manufacturing
operations with the goal of heightening cost efciencies and
fortifying the companys operational framework in preparation for
its expansion strategy.
Knoop brings over 20 years of experience in the forestry
industry. He joins Viridis from Pacic Bioenergy, where he served
as general manager of operations, as well as director of Nazbec. He
also served in senior management positions at CanFor, where he
managed continuous improvement strategies and oversaw quality
control and optimization of its sawmill operations. In addition,
Knoop spent several years at Skeena Cellulose Inc. where he
supervised lumber operations and new product development.
Knoops broad background in the timber and wood pellet
industries is an important addition to Viridis management team, as
we expand our production capabilities in order to satisfy the rapid
increase in wood pellet demand. Knoops operations management
expertise, long, successful track record, and industry relationships
will reinforce our management teams efforts to expand our
product offering capabilities and achieve protability, commented
Christopher Robertson, CEO of Viridis.
The provincial governments forestry plan has stimulated
a $400,000 private investment from Northern Energy
Solutions to examine the potential of constructing a pellet
plant in the Miramichi region.
The company has received a letter of intent from the
Department of Natural Resources stating that if the project is
feasible, the company will receive 378,000 cubic metres of
softwood from forestry Region 3 (Nepisiguit-Miramichi).
If the results from Northern Energy Solutions feasibility
study are positive resulting in the construction of a pellet
plant in Miramichi the province will provide 200,000
cubic metres of pulp wood. The plant would also need
additional wood allocations requiring approximately
100,000 cubic metres of pulp wood annually from private
woodlots.
It is estimated that a plant would produce 200,000
tonnes of pellets annually. It would employ 25 technicians
and engineers as well as support 75 jobs in the woods.
Northern Energy Solutions estimates it will invest
$300,000 to $400,000 on the study, which will take about
eight months to complete. It is anticipated the plant would
cost $45 million to $50 million.
KNOOP LEAVES PACIFIC
BIOENERGY FOR VIRIDIS
PELLET PLANT FEASIBILITY STUDY
LAUNCHED FOR MIRAMICHI
CanadianBIOMASS 9
T
he United Kingdom (UK) has emerged
as Canadas largest market for wood
pellets, accounting for one million
tonnes in 2013 (63 per cent of Canadian
exports) and up from 794 thousand tonnes
in 2012. And since the UK market is domi-
nated by large power utilities replacing coal
with wood pellets to reduce CO
2
emissions,
its climate change policy is of vital interest to
pellet producers.
The Climate Change Act of 2008 (the
Act) provides that the UK must reduce its
CO
2
emissions by at least 80 per cent from
1990 levels by 2050 in an effort to limit the
global temperature increase to 2C. To en-
sure that regular progress is made towards
this target, the Act established a system of
ve-year carbon budgets to serve as achiev-
able steps along the way with the rst four
set in law. The UK met its rst target and is
now in its second carbon budget period aim-
ing for a 29 per cent reduction by 2017.
A committee of experts in the elds of
climate change, science and economics was
established (CCC) and is supported by a sec-
retariat. It acts as an independent body to ad-
vise parliament on progress and recommend
action where targets are not met by focusing
on nine sectors: industry, buildings, trans-
port, aviation, shipping, waste, power, land
use and agriculture.
According to the CCCs July report, deep
de-carbonization of the power sector by
2030 is central to emissions reduction and
the most economical means of meeting its
legislated commitments (since power ac-
counts for around one quarter of total UK
emissions).
The CCC makes a number of recommen-
dations that are of interest to pellet produc-
ers, which include:
Completing implementation of Elec-
tricity Market Reform (EMR) by setting
appropriate strike prices and by signing
contracts for low-carbon capacity, while
ensuring a suitable mix of low-carbon
technologies is supported.
Requiring all biomass to be sustainably
sourced.
Adding a requirement that all biomass is
sourced from forests that can demonstrate
constant or increasing carbon stocks, and
pushing for this
to be reected in
standards at the EU
level.
By no later than
2016, commit-
ting funding for
low-carbon gener-
ation in the period
beyond 2020.
Setting ambitious
emissions targets for 2020 and 2030 that
will put the UK on a cost-effective path
to meeting at least an 80 per cent target
for 2050.
The committee reported that biomass
power generation rose from 8.7 TWh in
2008 (around three per cent of electricity
supply) to 16.5 TWh (ve per cent of elec-
tricity supply) in 2013. The composition of
biomass feedstock used in electricity genera-
tion has shifted from a reliance on waste-de-
rived fuels in 2008 (around 85 per cent, the
remainder a mix of plant and animal bio-
mass) towards a greater proportion of woody
biomass (27 per cent of feedstock in 2013).
The CCC also recommends that the use of
biomass in the power sector should focus on
conversion of existing coal plants rather than
new, dedicated biomass plants.
Plans are on track for the UK to meet the
following scenario:
Around 2 GW of large-scale dedicated
biomass or biomass conversion is already
on the system, with a further 1.4 GW of
co-ring and other biomass capacity under
construction.
The Department of Energy and Climate
Change has awarded contracts for biomass
conversions at Drax (pellets), Lynemouth
(pellets), and Teesside (chips) with a total
capacity of 1.4 GW.
There are further plans to convert anoth-
er unit at Drax (0.65 GW) and potentially at
Eggborough (1.4 GW).
1.7 GW of existing biomass conversion
capacity is set to come ofine by 2016.
The UK is legally committed to aggressive
carbon reduction targets well into the future;
biomass, especially in the form of wood pel-
lets, will continue to play a prominent role.
This is good news for Canadian wood pellet
producers.
Gordon Murray is executive director of the Wood
Pellet Association of Canada. He encourages all those
who want to support and benet from the growth
of the Canadian wood pellet industry to join. Gordon
welcomes all comments and can be contacted by telephone at
250-837-8821 or by email at gord@pellet.org.
The U.K. is committed
to pellets
Climate change policies support the continued use of biomass
to reduce CO
2
emissions.
By Gordon Murray
WPAC Report
According to the CCCs July report,
deep de-carbonization of the
power sector by 2030 is central to
emissions reduction.
10 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
C
anadas bioenergy industry is
growing and contributing to the
replacement of many jobs lost
in small communities in traditional
industry sectors. The industry is also
diversifying from strictly energy prod-
ucts to higher-value bio-materials and
bio-chemicals.
In 2013 CanBio and Natural Resourc-
es Canada (NRCan) undertook a nation-
wide survey of Canadian bioenergy plants
and operations to understand the growth
and structure of the emerging industry.
Policy: The federal and provincial
governments have implemented an
array of policies to support the bioen-
ergy industry. Federal programs have
played a large role in the development
of bio-fuels.
Pellets: Installed production capaci-
ty grew by 61 per cent in 2010-12 but
uncertain markets led to a small capac-
ity decline in 2013 with the closure of
three plants.
Community heat: Until 2000, only
ve biomass heat projects existed in Can-
ada. By 2013 the number of systems had
grown to 109, led by B.C. and the N.W.T.
Nationwide, 33 additional bio-heat in-
stallations are under construction.
Cogeneration: In 2013, 39 operat-
ing biomass cogen plants at pulp and
paper mills in Canada were identied
with combined electrical capacity of
over 1,500 MW. Independent power
producers provide an additional 540
MW of electrical capacity and 150 of
thermal capacity.
Ethanol: Capacity in ethanol from
corn and grain has increased from 411
million litres in 2005 to 1,826 million
litres from 14 plants, nearly all of which
are producing at full capacity. Four pi-
lots and four commercial demonstra-
tion plants for ethanol from lignocellu-
losic feedstocks are expected to come
on stream by 2016.
Biogas: By 2013, Ontario has become
the denite leader in Canada for on-
farm anaerobic digestion installations
with 37 of Canadas 77 operating facili-
ties. Quebec is in second place with 14
plants but with twice as much capacity
as Ontario based on ve facilities.
The full survey was released by
CanBio following the CanBio Annual
Conference in Thunder Bay in Sep-
tember. The full results of the survey
will be available on the CanBio website
www.canbio.ca in October.
CanBio/NRCan survey of
the bioenergy industry
The executive summary of the 2013 CanBio and NRCan bioenergy
industry survey was released in Thunder Bay.
By Christopher Rees
CANBIO report
The Port of Belledune is your
transPORTation solution to the world!
Wood pellets, wood chips, and all forms of wood products are handled at the Port of Belledune;
not only does the port connect to strategic shipping routes, it is also an intermodal gateway with a rail spur
and direct congestion-free access to a highway system spanning North America.
www.portofbelledune.ca www.portofbelledune.ca
Your Ash Handling Experts
processbarron.com
800-226-3267
12 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
Because
greenhouse crops can be grown throughout
the year, they are becoming increasingly
important for the food supply of countries
like Canada, which have colder climates
and shorter growing seasons. However,
greenhouse heating can be one of the high-
est operating costs for a producer. Heat is
typically supplied by non-renewable fossil
fuels, such as oil and natural gas. These fu-
els are also frequently used to enrich the
greenhouse with carbon dioxide (CO
2
) to
enhance plant growth. The high cost and
environmental impact of fossil fuels has
led some greenhouse operators to look for
alternative heat sources, such as biomass.
Enter the Biomass Furnace Flue Gas
Emission Control System (GECS), a process
designed to recapture energy and CO
2
from
the furnace and redirect it to the green-
house.
The brainchild of researchers and sev-
eral graduate students at McGill Universi-
tys Department of Bioresource Engineer-
ing, GECS is a greener way to use wood
pellets for heating greenhouses, says
Dr. Mark Lefsrud, the engineering professor
spearheading the project. The system not
only recovers heat and puries noxious
gases and particulates from the furnaces
exhaust, it also recycles CO
2
back into the
greenhouse, which enhances plant growth
and yields.
The GECS unit consists of a rigid box
air lter coupled with two sets of heating
elements, two catalytic converters and two
forced air fans. The unit is attached to the
chimney of a pellet stove installed in a
greenhouse. Pellet stoves generally pro-
duce less harmful emissions than other
stove types because the shape of the bio-
mass allows for a better distribution of ox-
ygen, which produces a uniform and com-
plete combustion. This makes the ue gas
easier to purify and more suitable for CO
2

enrichment, explains Dr. Lefsrud.
The air lter removes the particulate
matter in the ue gas, while the other ele-
ments transform the exhaust gases into less
harmful gases, says Yves Roy, a Masters
candidate who played a pivotal role in de-
signing the system. He explains that there
are three steps in the purication process:
the rst is the mechanical collection of
large-scale particulates using a combina-
tion of an electrostatic precipitator, cyclone
and a bag lter. Finally, two sets of catalytic
converters and heating elements transform
all noxious gasses to less hazardous gases.
Once the GECS prototype was complet-
ed, the team tested it on the chimney of a
wood pellet biomass furnace. The device
passed with ying colours. We conrmed
that it considerably improves the thermal
efciency of the wood pellet heating system
since no heat is lost through the ue gas,
says Dr. Lefsrud. The teams measurements
also afrmed the systems safety: when the
exhaust from the furnace chimney was
pumped directly into the greenhouse, the
air remained well within Health Canadas
air quality guidelines for acceptable levels
of indoor gases and contaminants.
The GECS unit is also very cost-effec-
tive: The capital investment required for
the GECS is far lower than for alternative
heating systems currently on the market,
says Lefsrud. His experiments show that
direct combustion exhaust gas recuperation
through the purication system reduces
greenhouse heating costs by 18.8 per cent.
Translated into bottom-line terms, this
means both a lower heating bill and a lower
carbon footprint, even for small operations.
End-users may even be able to claim a car-
bon credit, he adds.
BioFuelNet gave legs to the initiative,
supporting graduate students to travel to
conferences where they showcased the
technology and networked with other sci-
entists in the eld.
Two things need to be obtained before
the GECS goes to market: a patent and a
unit suitable for commercial use. The Mc-
Gill team has already applied for a pat-
ent and intends to enhance the product
to make it commercially viable. We plan
to build a control system into the unit to
allow growers to adjust CO
2
levels, says
Dr. Lefsrud, adding that the BioFuelNet
community is helping us with the com-
mercialization process by connecting us to
the right people and information.
Lefsrud has high hopes for the new
technology. Our piece of equipment has
the potential to spur economic develop-
ment in the agriculture and greenhouse
sector and strengthen Canadian food secu-
rity, he says. Roy shares Lefsruds enthusi-
asm. As weather patterns become increas-
ingly ckle, greenhouses are set to become
more popular than ever. Im condent our
system will make it economically feasible
for greenhouse operations of all sizes to
use wood-pellet biomass furnaces.
A new control system for biomass furnaces leaves greenhouses
with a smaller carbon footprint.
By Annie Webb and Gabrielle Bauer
Greener heating for
greenhouses
Bio innovation
WOOD
pellets are designed
to burn theyre
made from highly
combustible dust that is pressed into pel-
let form and must be treated with care to
prevent this fuel from lighting before it has
been added to the boiler.
The business of making dust is chal-
lenging due to the risk of dust explosions.
The dust is present in all stages of produc-
tion and is also generated during transpor-
tation and storage due to attrition. The n-
ished product is dropped dozens of times
before reaching the destination and the
drop height can be quite considerable, for
example up to 25 metres during the initial
stage of loading an ocean vessel.
Dust collection, dust suppression, ex-
plosion containment and explosion sup-
pression are employed in facilities for
manufacturing, handling and storage to
minimize the risk of injuries and damage
to equipment and facilities. The risk factors
for initiating a re or explosion includes
hot particles or sparks landing on a dust
layer setting the dust on re, often with
explosive force, which in turn may trigger
a secondary massive explosion when dust
in the rest of the facility becomes lofted. A
rule of thumb to be used as a guideline for
housekeeping is that a maximum thickness
of 3.2 mm (1/8) of dust should not be cov-
ering more than ve per cent of the oor
area. Also, dust on surfaces with tempera-
tures higher than 250C will catch re. If
the burning dust is dispersed at high speed
in what is referred to as deagration, it will
light everything in its path and continue to
burn until the fuel is exhausted.
Surprisingly, dust lofted in the air catch-
es re if heated to +450C or higher. Small
particles of dust may stay lofted in the air
for a long period of time, particularly in tur-
bulent air. In still air a dust particle with an
equivalent diameter of 70 micron may stay
in the air for several minutes and a one mi-
cron particle or smaller will stay constantly
lofted in still air. If the concentration of loft-
ed particles exceeds 70 gram/m3, a dea-
gration may be initiated by, for example, an
electro-static discharge.
STATIC RISK
Generation of tribo-electric charges due to
fast moving equipment is a major concern.
Wood dust has an extremely high electrical
resistivity, which means that electrons are
accumulated in the surface of dust particles
and if materials in contact with the dust
also have high resistivity, an electrostatic
potential will build up and eventually dis-
charge as a spark.
All materials in contact with wood dust
have to be electrically conducting to bleed
off the charge from the dust. All equipment
has to be properly earthed, grounded and
bonded to deect any electrostatic voltage
build-up. There is static paint available to
minimize the dust sticking to walls and
oors and there are also static dissipative
hard toe shoes (CSA SD certied) avail-
able to minimize discharge from workers
using synthetic clothing.
ENGINEERED FOR SAFETY
Strict engineering design rules apply for
mitigating the risk of res and explosions
in manufacturing, handling and storage
CanadianBIOMASS 13
But its our menace too.
By Staffan Melin
Dust is our business
Workplace safety
facilities. In North America guidelines are
published by NFPA (National Fire Protection
Association), FM (Factory Mutual Insurance
Company), OHS (Occupational Health and
Safety), local re codes, etc., some of which
are voluntary and others are mandatory. In
Europe, ATEX (Atmospheres Explosibles) is
universally accepted as the guideline miti-
gation of risk of explosions. Equipment in-
stalled in a facility has to be rated in accor-
dance with a risk zone classication.
In North America, feedstock is dried at
high temperatures up to 450C, which is a
critical ignition temperature for lofted mate-
rial (as mentioned above). To prevent igni-
tion, the oxygen in the dryer is kept below
10 per cent: the limiting oxygen concentra-
tion for wood dust. The thermal balance in
the dryer is critical and needs special control
strategies, particularly during shutdown or
loss of electrical power to the drive system.
Hot particle detectors are installed along
the materials path as it makes its way to be-
come the nal product. Some brands of de-
tectors have a temperature set-point capabil-
ity as low as 250C to monitor hot particles
destined to land on dust layers. A set-point
14 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
THE NITTY GRITTY ON WOOD PELLETS
W
ood pellets and briquettes are produced from a variety of feedstock materi-
als such as sawdust, planers shavings, cut blocks from lumber production,
bush grind (harvest residue), bark and even higher quality hogfuel materials.
The feedstock preparation involves separation of contaminants, grinding, drying,
hammer milling to size before compression to a commercial products, which in
turn are screened and cooled before storage and transportation to the end user.
The large majority of the pellets made in Canada are sold and transported in
large bulk volumes and used for electrical power production or heat. Smaller
volumes are packaged in bags and sold for residential space heaters or boilers.
Briquettes are also produced in small volumes.
The quality of pellets and briquettes are specied by ISO Standards, currently
being rolled out in Canada as a voluntary CSA Standard. These standards specify the
mechanical and chemical composition as well as the acceptable feedstock materials.
There are six different qualities for wood pellets and an additional ve qualities for
non-woody (agricultural) pellets. Woody briquettes are specied in three different
qualities and non-woody briquettes are specied in ve different qualities.
The common denominator for all these biofuel products is that the feedstock
has to be reduced to particles before compression to a commercial product. For
some of the products, such as industrial quality pellets, the maximum allowable
particle size is stipulated in the ISO Standards. The pellets are crushed to a powder
during the fuel preparation in the power plants before sprayed into the furnaces for
combustion, much like coal powder or fuel oil.
rey EXIMIO
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temperature of 400C is used to monitor
lofted particles in areas of high dust con-
centrations. Besides the risk of res and
explosions caused by dust, there is also the
risk of self-heating followed by re when
the feedstock and the nal product is in
storage.
LESSON LEARNED
After the severe and fatal accidents in the
Babine and the Lakeland sawmills in Brit-
ish Columbia in 2012, WorkSafeBC and
BC Forest Safety Council implemented
a strict inspection regime in British Co-
lumbia for all woodworking facilities,
including pellet plants. Safety audits are
conducted based on a very strict protocol
on a regular basis. Citations and even nes
are issued for more serious or repeated
non-compliance. Some surprise audits
and work-stop orders can be issued. An
inspection of a typical plant usually takes
two days.
Employers are mandated to provide
training regarding the risks and proce-
dures for mitigating risk. Hot work guide-
lines, ignition source identication and
housekeeping are at the heart of the train-
ing program. Workers have the right to
initiate work-stop if conditions are consid-
ered risky. Special guidelines are stipulated
for contractors temporarily doing work in
a plant. Each plant needs to have a written
procedure for managing change involving
manpower, equipment and procedures to
make sure safety is always paramount.
NEW SAFETY GUIDELINES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY
The safety inspection scheme in British
Columbia is likely to expand to other
manufacturing facilities over time. A
worksafe certication is likely to become
a selling tool for the manufacturers since it
minimizes the risk of non-performance by
the suppliers and may in fact over time be-
come a contractual obligation by key pellet
consumers.
ISO Technical Committee 238 for Sol-
id Biofuels is coming out with guidelines
for safe handling and storage of pellets
in residential as well as in large-scale in-
dustrial applications within the next two
years. Also, re prevention and reghting
guidelines for pellet silos are under devel-
opment. In addition, protocols for labora-
tory testing of off-gassing and self-heating
characteristics for pellets will be published
by ISO. Safety is gradually becoming the
overriding management tool for our in-
dustry and dust will gradually become
less of a menace.
CanadianBIOMASS 15
Dust on beams and rafters is usually not visible and will participate in the secondary explosions sometimes experienced in large
manufacturing plants. The top of the beams are now gradually retrotted with 45 degree brackets to avoid dust accumulation.
KAHL Wood Pelleting Plants
KAHL Wood Pelleting Plants
AMANDUS KAHL GmbH & Co. KG, SARJ Equipment Corp., Mr. Rick B. MacArthur, 29 Golfview Blvd., Bradford, Ontario L3Z 2A6
Phone: 905-778-0073, Fax: 905-778-9613, rbmacarthur@sympatico.ca www.akahl.de
Quality worldwide.
Quality worldwide.
16 CanadianBIOMASS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
THE
province of Quebec has
the potential to develop
a rst rate system for de-
veloping woody biomass. Until 2025,
4000GWh of renewable energy could
replace fossil fuel usage to prevent up
to a thousand tonnes of CO
2
from being
emitted.
After a shocking Greenpeace cam-
paign last year denounced the biomasca-
rade, a group of industry, co-operatives,
municipalities, environmental and social
organizations and researchers united to
promote a vision of a greener future they
have termed Quebecs Biomass Vision.
Not only did Nature Quebec, an en-
vironmental organization, take part in
the partnership, but it is also one of the
leaders and spokespeople for the group.
Biomass is part of a renewable energy
portfolio in Quebec. To replace petro-
leum products, in district energy, its an
excellent solution to replace pollutant
energy sources and it creates new re-
gional employment opportunities, says
Christian Simard, the general director of
Nature Quebec.
Another one of the groups spokesper-
sons, Eugene Simard, deputy director of
development for the Quebec Federation
of Forestry Cooperatives (QFFC), said,
Greenpeace has denounced extreme
methods of harvesting and using biomass.
Thats not what were talking about. Us-
ing biomass to make heat in local projects
is the optimal method of biomass usage
even according to Greenpeace.
The industry comes together to support the move to woody biomass.

By Guillaume Roy | Translated by Amie Silverwood
United vision
Bio cluster
According to Nature Quebec, the large-scale exportation of biomass and use of biomass to produce electricity is not
an environmentally viable option. Its better to concentrate on replacing polluting and non-competitive energy sources
domestically.
To achieve a breakthrough in public
acceptance, any biomass system must
be held to the highest environmental
standards in harvesting and usage, ex-
plains Christian Simard. To build the best
projects and to assure social acceptance,
Quebecs Biomass Vision is focused on
projects that have an interesting environ-
mental scope. When it comes to harvest-
ing, xed limits are set (according to the
soil type and stands). Also, emphasis is
put on using logging and sawmill residu-
als forget about harvesting full trees to
make biomass.
According to Nature Quebec, the
large-scale exportation of biomass and
use of biomass to produce electricity is
not an environmentally viable option. Its
better to concentrate on replacing pollut-
ing and non-competitive energy sources
domestically. (Biomass wouldnt initially
replace natural gas in projections.)
The potential to use biomass is enor-
mous even if the industry concentrates
on replacing oil and propane energy
sources. In Quebec, the total potential for
substitution in commercial, institutional
and industrial buildings totals 11,848
GWh, while the supply of residual woody
biomass amounts to 21,456 GWh (4.29
BDMT, million) according to the research
done by Ecoressources for the QFFC.
Concentrating on substituting the two
sources of nonrenewable energy, Quebec
has the potential to produce 4000 GWh
of renewable energy by 2025.
Within the industrial sector, the goal
is to increase the use of biomass from
9750 GWh to 12,750 GWh, which is an
increase from 19.5 per cent to 25.5 per
cent of total energy consumed, excluding
electricity. Even more signicant gains
could be realized in the institutional and
commercial sector where consumption
could be increased tenfold from 150
GWh to 1150 GWh by 2025. If these
stats are achieved, biomass would occu-
py 9.9 per cent of the energy used in the
institutional and commercial sector (ex-
cluding electricity).
POINTS WORTH MAKING
There are numerous reasons to make the
substitution. On one hand, fossil fuel en-
ergy sources like light fuel oils ($30.52/
GJ), heavy fuel oil ($17.63/GJ) and pro-
pane ($31.01/GJ) are much more ex-
pensive than briquettes ($8.76$/GJ) or
wood pellets ($12.83/GJ) (prices are from
2010). And forecasts suggest these price
differences will increase over time.
Rather than import nonrenewable
resources and generate a commercial
balance decit, Quebec could produce
renewable energy and create a local in-
dustry producing heat from forestry
residuals. One 4000 GWh conversion
would allow the province to improve the
import balance by $225 million and pre-
vent one million tonnes of CO
2
. On top
of that, these investments in the biomass
industry could create 12,500 jobs during
the construction phase and 3,600 long-
term employment positions.
REGIONAL BENEFITS
In terms of long-term development, the
use of forestry biomass for energy pro-
duction has an added edge because this
renewable energy creates a lot more jobs
than any other form of energy produc-
tion. The use of biomass brings social,
economic and environmental benets.
For a small forestry community, the sys-
tem could create many jobs and generate
important economic benets, explains
Simard.
But its in the rural regions of Quebec
that developing a biomass system gener-
ates the most interest. And its for this rea-
son that many municipal partners have
signed onto Quebecs Biomass Vision.
Its a nice way to support municipalities
because it allows them to make the best
use of their resources, Dany Rousseau
from the Quebec Municipality Federation
points out.
Coop fdre, a co-operation repre-
senting more than 100,000 members, has
been interested in biomass since 2008.
We had studied different energy systems
and we came to the conclusion that the
use of residual woody biomass to make
heat is a solution worth promoting. In the
context of long-term development, its the
source of renewable energy that has cre-
ated the most value, says Cyril Neron,
the director of growth and innovation for
Coop fdre. The Coop fdre energy
branch, Sonic, hopes to prot from the
opportunities linked with the develop-
ment of a biomass industry cluster.
CanadianBIOMASS 17
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Even if there isnt much biomass
production in private forests at the mo-
ment, Quebecs federation of private
forest landowners supports Quebecs
Biomass Vision. The forest landowners
are always partners in the development
and utilization of wood products. The
biomass cluster has started to take off
and can become an interesting revenue
source for private forest landowners,
says Marc-Andr Rhaume, the federa-
tions forest engineer.
Quebecs Biomass Vision rallies sever-
al important actors from the industrial,
forestry and environmental sectors. Sup-
port from Nature Quebec adds credibility
to the environmental value of the net-
work. We want to work at the forefront
to ensure heat production from woody
biomass becomes the leading model,
explains Amelie St-Laurent Samuel, the
head of the biomass project.
We have managed to rally several
organizations around our vision. This
demonstrates the strong social accep-
tance that has evolved around this initia-
tive, Eugene Gagne adds.
ATTAINING CRITICAL MASS
While the cost of using biomass is very
competitive compared to the cost of us-
ing oil or propane, the initial investment
required for installing biomass heaters is
prohibitive to development. Its for this
reason that the government must send a
clear message of support for the industry,
says Eugene Gagne. The government is
a large institutional energy consumer. It
needs to take a leading role in the devel-
opment of the system to lend credibility
and help it attain enough critical mass to
take off, he says.
In some rural regions of Quebec, the
volume is too small to adequately pre-
pare the necessary fuel. A large-scale
project, like the conversion of the Amqui
hospital required at least 1500 tonnes
and allowed critical mass for the region
to participate. Following its conversion,
several small projects were added since
the expertise had already been developed
in the region, explains Gagne.
In order to obtain maximum perfor-
mance and the economic and environ-
mental advantages, the biomass must be
adequately prepared as fuel for the boiler.
Attaining enough demand enables the
development of qualied expertise in the
region.
The province relaunched a biomass
program based on the use of forestry
residuals in 2013 that helps companies
and individuals convert their systems
and is an excellent tool to develop more
opportunities for the industry. The ac-
tual context is very positive, Eugene
Gagne guesses. In the last budget, the
government announced a $20 million
investment in turnkey projects. These
investments will be used for heating
systems and to sell electricity to clients
rather than simply biomass. By con-
trolling the whole chain of development,
these successful projects will lend credi-
bility to the industry, he adds.
However, the use of biomass for heat
production wasnt part of the climate
change action plan for 2013 to 2020.
With a budget of $2 million attached to
this plan, it would provide an important
source of funding for the development of
the biomass industry in Quebec.
18 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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CanadianBIOMASS 19
NOVEMBER18-20
MARRIOTTPINNACLE
VANCOUVERBC
WWW.PELLET.ORG
2014
AGM & CONFERENCE
On behalf of the organizing committee, I would like to
welcome you to the second Annual General Meeting and
Conference of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC),
again in the beautiful city of Vancouver.
The jam-packed program over the next two days will provide
informative sessions with international and local experts, along
with plenty of opportunities to network with colleagues covering
the full spectrum of the industry.
Highlighted in this years conference is a focus on workplace
safety. As the industry grows, the size and complexity of the
facilities has also grown. This has put a signicantly greater
emphasis on the need for collaboration amongst industry,
engineering/design organizations, equipment suppliers and
regulatory bodies to provide a fundamentally safe workplace.
As the industry provides a cost-effective and renewable-energy
source to world markets, it is imperative to do so in a workplace
that is safe through the entire supply chain. This has been a key
collaborative focus of WPAC member companies over the past
year and this years conference is intended to provide some
detailed insight into this important area.
No wood pellet conference would be complete without
broad-ranging discussion on raw material from the fundamental
policies of government on crown lands to the evolution of
international sustainability certication. This years conference
provides delegates with the opportunity to participate in
a hands-on workshop on the Sustainability Biomass
Partnership which is designed to provide a common
internationally recognized sustainability certication scheme
unifying a number of the current customer-specic sustainability
audit processes. This again is a key part of the international
growth and unication of the market allowing the product to be
openly traded and branded internationally while providing the
end users with the key assurance that the product meets strict
and internationally recognized sustainability requirements.
Conferences of this nature would not be complete without
the participation of our sponsors and trade show participants.
I would strongly encourage the delegates to take the time to
learn about the newest in equipment evolution and share your
experiences with others.
Finally, on behalf of the WPAC members, I would like to
thank our Executive Director Gordon Murray for his tireless
efforts in putting this event together and more importantly
supporting the growth of the sector in Canada and the
products presence in the market. Canada continues to be one
of the recognized leaders in supplying the world and domestic
markets with quality, sustainable wood pellets.
Thank you for the support of all the delegates and for
making this conference another success and most importantly,
enjoy the show!
BRAD BENNETT
Chairman and President
Wood Pellet Association of Canada
Welcome to Vancouver
Altentech Power
The Altentech Biovertidryer offers a new
solution to remove moisture from biomass.
It has been engineered to address the
serious drying challenges facing the
pellet industry, including operating costs,
emissions and safety.
Andritz
Andritz is the leading supplier of
technologies, systems, and services
relating to the equipment for the biomass
pelleting industry. Andritz has the ability
to manufacturer and supply each and
every key processing machine in the pellet
production line. Visit us at
www.Andritz.com/fb
Biomass Energy Lab
Biomass Energy Lab (BEL) specializes
in solid biofuels testing. ISO 17025
Accredited for CEN/EN methods, BEL
provides Analytical Certications for export
shipments of wood pellets and other solid
biofuels to help meet contractual needs.
Along with testing services, BEL also offers
EN Plus Auditing & Consulting, and can
assist with internal lab design/setup and
the development of quality management
systems.
Port of Belledune
Port of Belledune is a modern, year-round
marine transport facility and deep-water
point of access that is innovative in
developing its services and facilities to the
fullest. The Port has proven itself capable
of handling any and all goods, offering
exible services, creative solutions and
excellent rates. Additionally, the Port
specializes in the handling of bulk and
break-bulk cargoes and is the only existing
point of export for wood pellets on the east
coast of Canada.
Bruks Rockwood
Bruks is a global leader in mechanical
engineering and equipment supply for
the bulk materials handling industries.
Customer service and product performance
are at the heart of its corporate culture; it
provides specialized customer solutions,
including the development of custom
machines and systems. Its services include
project engineering, technical support,
start-up training and remote-monitoring/
servicing of machine functions.
Brunette Machinery Company
Specializing in wood processing machinery
and material handling systems for the
Biomass and Forestry industries: BioSizer,
vibrating conveyors, Grizzly Mill, chippers
for pulp-chips or micro-chips, electric log
sweeps, log decks, log singulators, rotary
debarkers. Custom engineered solutions
to take control of your bre supply and get
more from your mill.
Bulldog Bag
Bulldog Bag is celebrating its 50th year of
providing various exible packaging items
to a large and ever expanding marketing
place both domestic and foreign. From
printed polyethylene lms, laminated lms,
paper, paper-poly laminates, poly woven
sacks, paper multi wall sacks, lumber
covers and many combinations in between,
Bulldog Bag can manufacture to meet your
needs from our plant in Richmond, B.C.
Canfornav
Founded in 1976 with its headquarters
in Montreal, the companys beginnings
were in the lumber trade, which gradually
extended to steel and bulk commodities.
Today, Canfornav operates over 40 vessels,
owned and on long-term time charter,
ranging in size from 27,000 to 57,000 dwt
vessels, with further new orders pending
from Chinese yards for one more 36,000
20 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
EXHIBITORS*
dwt and two 64,000 dwt vessels. Five
36,000 dwt vessels have already been
delivered for use in special bulk trades. In
2013 the company carried over 7 million
tonnes of cargo including grain, fertilizer,
sugar, minerals, wood pellets and steel.
Cogent Industrial Technologies
Cogent Industrial Technologies offers a
proven track record in the design and
integration of electrical, controls, industrial
IT and operational information management
systems. Our focus is on embedding safety,
efciency, operability and reliability into the
systems and empowering your personnel
to manage and improve operational
effectiveness. Cogent is the 2014 System
Integrator of the Year.
CPM Global Biomass Group
CPM has been a leader in Biomass
pelleting for over 20 years. With the
formation of the Global Biomass Pelleting
Group, we can now call on all of our
resources worldwide to ensure that you
receive the highest quality equipment along
with the highest quality support worldwide.
CPM Wolverine Proctor
CPM Wolverine Proctor has over 100 years
of experience in conveyor drying: offering
customized solutions in a modern and
efcient facility devoted exclusively to
the manufacturing of thermal processing
equipment.
Dieffenbacher USA, Inc.
Dieffenbacher is a leading supplier of
equipment to the wood products industry.
Our product range includes wood red
boilers, furnaces, and thermal oil heaters,
as well as rotary dryers, chippers, hammer
mills, and pelletizing equipment. We also
are a major supplier of MDF, OSB, and
chipboard manufacturing equipment
worldwide.
Dansons
Dansons Inc. is the leader in the eld of
supplying specialty lubricants to the biofuel
industry. Not only have we developed and
supplied specialized lubricants to the pellet
mill industry, we also provide technical
support and expert advice on how to get
maximum life out of wear components.
Fike Canada Inc
Fike has over 65 years of eld experience
and a team of engineers, application
specialists and combustion researchers
delivering a complete line of products and
innovative technologies to the explosion
protection market.
Firey AB
Firey AB is a leading supplier of re
prevention systems to the process industry.
With over 40 years of experience, Firey
offers tailor-made re protection solutions
to avoid costly res and dust explosions.
Laidig Systems Inc.
Laidig Systems Inc. is a manufacturer
of radial screw type reclaimers that are
coupled with vertical silos, domes or under-
the-pile applications. The Laidig design
systems eliminate bridging within vertical
silos, create rst-in, rst-out ow patterns
that are ideal for pellet mill process silos
that require the handling of sawdust, wood
shavings, wood chips and wood bark. The
Laidig design pellet storage systems allow
for the removal of pellets from storage
vessels up to 61 meters (200 feet) in
diameter, which allows for an automated
ship loading system. Please visit our
website at www.laidig.com.
M-E-C Dryers
M-E-C designs, engineers, manufactures
and services single pass dryers, triple
pass dryers, ash tube dryers, fuel storage
systems, material handling, fuel preparation
and wet and dry wood combustion
systems. M-E-C delivers total turn-key
system responsibility for the processing of
wood fuel pellets since 1983. Thats our
difference.
Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc.
Pinnacle is Canadas largest manufacturer
of wood pellets and winner of both the
2013 BC Export Award and the 2013
Premiers Award for Job Creation. Pinnacle
has the lowest Wood Pellet Fuel Supply
Risk in the world, due to their multiple
operations from six plants, their diversied
vessel loading options through two
interlinked ports, their secure and abundant
bre supplies and their impeccable delivery
track record. Pinnacle is PEFC Chain of
Custody certied.
Player Design Inc.
The philosophy behind PDI is simple
design and supply state-of-the-art, reliable
equipment to enable our customers to
succeed in todays manufacturing markets.
By combining innovative engineering and
practical experience, we have created a
line of machinery that delivers substantial
economic benets, superior nished
product quality, and some of the lowest
emissions in the industry.
Prodesa
Prodesa is a well-known supplier of wood
pellet facilities and biomass fuelled CHP
plants based on ORC (Organic Rankin
Cycle). We are manufacturers of drum
dryers, low temperature belt dryers,
hammermills, pellet mills, etc. We have
over 20 years experience and dozens of
references all over the world.
SARJ Equipment Corp.
SARJ Equipment plans, designs and
builds full turnkey production plants for the
pelleting industry. SARJ incorporates the
Amandus Kahl at die pellet machine into
all of pelleting facilities to pellet all species
of wood, achieving the highest throughput
capacities while maintaining the lowest
operating costs.
Seeger Green Energy
Seeger Green Energy provides large
biomass heating and power plants; small
decentralized biomass heating plants; and
pellet and briquette production plants,
which offer such critical services as
project development, planning, nancing
and project supervision after plant
commissioning.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative
(SFI) program is an independent, non-
prot organization with a science-
based, internationally recognized
forest management standard for North
America. A third-party forest certication
program, SFI promotes responsible forest
management and addresses the growing
demand for bioenergy feedstocks while
supporting forest values such as water
quality, soil productivity and biodiversity.
Learn more at sprogram.org.
Viridis Energy
Viridis Energy is a publicly traded
manufacturer and distributor of biomass
fuel that operates two wood pellet
manufacturing facilities: Okanagan Pellet
Company in B.C. and Scotia Atlantic
Biomass in Nova Scotia, with total
production of approximately 200,000
tons. It is the only pellet company in North
America on both coasts.
Wellons Canada
The Wellons Group is a leading supplier of
biomass- and gas-red energy systems,
including direct-red hot gas generation
systems (HGGs) for rotary dryers. Wellons
has recently supplied HGGs for pellet plant
project at Groupe Savoie (New Brunswick),
New England Pellet (New York State) and
Resolute Forest Products (Thunder Bay).
West Salem Machinery
West Salem Machinery is a leading
manufacturer of screening, grinding and
milling machinery. WSMs Super Shredder
is ideal for high-capacity green milling
and is available as a component or part
of complete green milling island. WSM
manufactures 4400 Series Hammermills
for dry milling, vibrating screens, metering
feeders and bark processing machinery.
CanadianBIOMASS 21
EXHIBITORS*
22 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
AGENDA
NOVEMBER 17: PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
Workshop 1 9:00 AM to 05:00 PM
Peter Wllson and Simon
Armstrong, SBP
Hands on Sustainable Biomass Partnership training session for auditors
and plant personnel.
Workshop 2 9:00 AM to 05:00 PM Fahimeh Yazdanpanah, UBC UBC pellet workshop
Tour 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Kerry Lige, Fibreco Fibreco tour
Lunch 12:00 PM to 01:30 PM lunch will be provided
AGM 01:30 PM to 05:00 PM
Brad Bennett, John Arsenault
and Gordon Murray
WPAC AGM
Cocktail 05:00 PM to 07:00 PM Sponsored by Viridis Energy
NOVEMBER 18: CONFERENCE DAY 1
7:30 AM to 8:00 AM Continental Breakfast
MARKET OUTLOOK | MODERATOR: MICHELE REBIERE, VIRIDIS ENERGY
1 8:30 AM to 8:50 AM Seth Walker, RISI Global review of production, consumption, and forecast
2 8:50 AM to 9:10 AM
William Strauss, Future
Metrics
Pellet potential for North American power generation
3 9:10 AM to 9:30 AM Arnold Dale, Ekman The European pellet market
4 9:30 AM to 9:50 AM Ludger Spohr, Vis Nova / EIPS European biomass policy update and potential trade impacts
Coffee Break 9:50 AM to 10:30 AM
CERTIFICATION AND SUSTAINABILITY | MODERATOR: GORDON MURRAY, WPAC
1 10:30 AM to 10:50 AM Peter Wilson, SBP Sustainable Biomass Partnership sustainability certication
2 10:50 to 11:10 AM Richard Peberdy, Drax Draxs plans for SBP certication and UK policy update
3 11:10 AM to 11:30 AM
Brad Bennett, Pacic
BioEnergy
Canadian Implementation of SBP certication
4 11:30 AM to 11:50 AM Elizabeth Woodworth, Enviva Enviva: sustainable bre procurement by a US producer
Lunch 11:50 AM to 01:30 PM
FIBRE SUPPLY | MODERATOR: DOMINIK ROSER, FPINNOVATIONS
1 01:30 PM to 01:40 PM Rob McCurdy, Pinnacle BC pellet producer perspective on bre access and security
2 01:40 PM to 01:50 PM Ken Shields, Conifex
Primary tenure holder perspective on supplying bre to the biomass
industry
3 01:50 PM to 02:00 PM Dave Peterson, BC MNFLR BC government perspective on bioenergy bre supply
4 02:00 PM to 02:10 PM
Jonathan Levesque, Groupe
Savoie
Fibre procurement in New Brunswick
5 02:10 PM to 03:00 PM ALL ABOVE Fibre supply debate
Coffee Break 03:00 PM to 03:30 PM
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT | MODERATOR: STAFFAN MELIN, WPAC
1 03:30 PM to 03:50 PM
Rick Warner, Katie Wallace,
NSERC
R&D opportunities for the pellet sector
SAFETY AND BC DUST ISSUE | MODERATOR: ROB MOONEN, BC FOREST SAFETY COUNCIL
1 03:50 PM to 04:00 PM
Glenn Hardie,
Shaw Resources
Overview of Shaw Resources safety program in New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia
2 04:00 PM to 04:10 PM
Scott Bax, Pinnacle Renew-
able Energy
WPACs combustible dust committee progress report
3 04:10 PM to 04:20 PM Budd Phillips, WorkSafeBC
WorkSafeBCs perspective on combustible dust management in the wood
pellet industry
4 04:20 PM to 04:30 PM Leslie Cormack-Wilson, Willis Insurance update - incidents, premiums, trends, and recommendations
5
04:30 PM
05:15 PM
ALL ABOVE Debate on safety and combustible dust
Networking Cocktail 05:15 PM to 07:15 PM Sponsored by Pinnacle Renewable Energy
CanadianBIOMASS 23
AGENDA
NOVEMBER 19, 2014: CONFERENCE DAY 2
Continental Breakfast 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM
CANADIAN PELLET PRODUCER PANEL | MODERATOR: CAM MCALPINE, PR MEDIA
1 8:30 AM to 9:15 AM
Brad Bennett, Vaughan
Bassett, Michele Rebiere,
Pierre-Olivier Morency
Discussion of Canadian producer perspectives on markets, sustainability
requirements, bre supply, and safety
ITALIAN PELLET MARKET | MODERATOR: JOHN ARSENAULT, WPAC
1 9:15 AM to 9:35 AM Analisa Paniz, AIEL Italian pellet market overview
2 9:35 AM to 9:55 AM
Kerry Ellem,
Global Renewables
Italian wood pellet distribution
Coffee Break 9:55 AM to 10:30 AM
ASIAN MARKETS | MODERATOR: JOHN ARSENAULT, WPAC
1 10:30 AM to 10:50 AM
JJ (Jung) Moon, SMG Asset/
Mission Wood Pellet
An investors perspective of the the Korean pellet market
2 10:50 AM to 11:10 AM
Woochun Choi, Samsung C&T
America
A traders perpective of the Korean pellet market
3 11:10 AM to 11:30 AM Kerry Lige, Fibreco Logistics considerations in shipping to Asia
4 11:30 AM to 11:50 AM Japanese Trading House Japanese pellet market
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24 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
SUCCINIC
acid is a
v a l u a b l e
commodity.
Used in the food and beverage industry as
an acidity regulator, and as a component in
alkyd resins, petrochemical-based succinic
acid is produced at both a high nancial and
a high environmental cost.
Enter BioAmber, one of a handful of
global companies now manufacturing a
bio-based version of the chemical. BioAm-
ber has been working on the development
of bio-succinic acid for the past 15 years. It
began working on the technology in the late-
90s with support from the U.S. Department
of Energy. Nearly six years later, the succin-
ic acid portion of the original company was
spun out of the operation, which was fol-
lowed by a capital fundraising campaign to
scale up the acids business.
After we spun it out, our bio-succinic
acid facility in France came online, which
was a large-scale demonstration plant, ex-
plains Mike Hartmann, Executive Vice-Pres-
ident of BioAmber.
The plant in France has now been run-
ning for over four years, at a similar scale
to that of current commercial production
plants, producing 3,000 MT per year. De-
spite being a demonstration-scale plant, the
company has been able to sell commercially
to companies like Dow Chemical, helping
BioAmber generate revenue and sign up cus-
tomers to both supply agreements and take
or pay agreements.
BUILDING IN NORTH AMERICA
The industry credibility that has resulted
from the success of the French plant has
given the company the needed condence
to push forward with a second industry ven-
ture: establishing a commercial-scale facility
in North America.
During the original planning stages, com-
pany ofcials established a preliminary list of
100 cities to consider for the new plant.
We looked throughout North America
at different provinces, different states, said
Hartmann. We then narrowed it down to
10-12 sites and then conducted due dili-
gence for each of those locations. At that
point, Sarnia was the only Canadian left in
the running.
Sarnia, located on the eastern shores
of the St. Clair River in southwestern On-
tario, has traditionally been a hub for the
petrochemical industry. However, the com-
munity is now transforming some of those
resources towards the biochemical industry,
with research and development and educa-
tion components added to compliment the
emerging industries.
The assessment of the remaining loca-
tions involved looking at a series of factors
that would be important for the new plant,
including cost, government support, feed-
stock availability, service tie-ins, resource
availability and logistics. After careful con-
sideration, BioAmber announced in August
of 2011 that it had chosen Sarnia as the site
of its new bio-succinic acid plant, in a joint
venture with Mitsui and Co.
Hartmann noted that, while all of these
important factors were met by Sarnia, there
was one specic aspect that made the com-
munity stand out.
Sarnias location is ideal to ship product
to the United States, to Europe and to Asia.
It is centrally located for that, and that is im-
portant to us because we do have customers
in all three of these areas.
Since making the decision to build in
Sarnia, additional factors have become ap-
BioAmber is building a global bio-succinic industry.
By Andrew Macklin
Succinic success
Project prole
At capacity, the plant will produce 30,000MT of bio-suc-
cinic acid per year, making it the largest plant of its kind
in the world.
CanadianBIOMASS 25
parent that did not gain appreciable consid-
eration during the decision-making process,
but now have become keys to the success of
the project.
The personnel in Sarnia, the history
of building large chemical facilities and the
abundance of qualied workers were also
factors that we didnt appreciate as much as
we should have, noted Hartmann.
The commercial-scale bio-succinic pro-
duction plant in Sarnia is a US $125-million
project. The plant is located in a bioindus-
trial park purchased from Lanxess, which
produces synthetic rubber for Butyl Rubber.
The site is located in the chemical core of
Sarnia, surrounded by massive petrochem-
ical producers such as DuPont, Suncor,
Imperial Oil, Shell Canada and Praxair. At
capacity, the plant will produce 30,000MT
of bio-succinic acid per year, making it the
largest plant of its kind in the world.
BIO VERSUS PETRO
Succinic acid would have traditionally been
made in a chemical valley similar to Sarnia.
But the discovery of the bio-based version of
the acid has changed the production focus
away from petroleum.
Both the petroleum and bio versions of
succinic acid have the same chemical for-
mula - C4H6O4. The variation between the
two acids is just a few parts per million at
production scale.
The cost of producing bio-based succin-
ic acid is signicantly cheaper than that of
the petroleum-based product. Hartmann
estimates that bio-succinic acid uses two-
thirds less energy to produce than petroleum
succinic acid. That cost difference makes
bio-succinic acid, essentially, the best mole-
cule for the biotech/bioindustrial route.
The reason for the savings is that the
biorening process has a strong ability to
convert sugars into succinic acid.
From a pound of sugar, the theoretical
yield is actually more than a pound of prod-
uct, explains Hartmann. Thats because we
sequester the CO
2
and part of the carbon for
the bio-succinic comes from the CO
2
.
But what makes the increased commer-
cialization of bio-succinic acid more im-
portant is the environmental impact of its
production. Bio-succinic acid produces zero
carbon emissions. Petroleum-based produc-
tion emits seven pounds of CO
2
gas for every
pound of succinic acid produced.
This is a potential game-changer for the
biochemical industry, producing a chemical
superior to its petroleum equivalent while
producing no greenhouse gas emissions.
Hartmann expects that this will result in the
end of global production of succinic acid
from petroleum in a few years very similar to
what has happened for citric acid
MOVING TOWARDS PRODUCTION
Construction of the Sarnia facility continues
to move forward on schedule. AMEC was
hired on as the primary engineer for the
plant, and they have been successful with
the design, engineering and procurement of
the needed materials for the site. As a result,
BioAmber is still targeting early 2015 for
completion of construction.
BioAmber has implemented a scale of
attainable production targets for the bio-suc-
cinic plant. The plan includes 50 per cent
production by the end of 2015, 85 per cent
production by the end of 2016 and 100 per
cent production by the end of 2017.
It has been a multi-year process to get
to where we are today, says Hartmann. We
are very excited to continue construction
and get the facility ready. As of right now, we
are very optimistic and really looking for-
ward to having the plant start up.
BIOAMBER IN 2014
2
014 has been a year full of important
benchmarks for BioAmber and its
Sarnia bio-succinic facility. Here is a
look at the signicant announcements
the company has made so far this year.
FEBRUARY 20TH
Awarded a $10-million, inter-
est-free loan from Agriculture
Canada for the construction of
the Sarnia plant.
MAY 1ST
Announced its rst take-or-
pay contract for the plant,
signing a three-year contract
for 14,000MT per year with
PTTMCC Biochem Company
Limited.
JUNE 23RD
Secured a $20-million loan from
a nancial consortium led by
Export Development Canada.
JULY 2ND
Received a $7-million loan from
Sustainable Development and
Technology Canada.
JULY 8TH
Signs a 15-year take-or-pay con-
tract with Vinmar International
for 10,000MT per year from
Sarnia and 80 per cent offtake
from two additional plants yet
to be built
JULY 15TH
Announced a successful second-
ary public offering of 2.8 million
shares of common stock.
IN
their recent report, Renewable
Energy Scenario to 2040, the
European Renewable Energy
Council (EREC) is clear. The Council be-
lieves that in the long term, renewable
energies will dominate the worlds energy
supply system. The reason is at the same
time very simple and imperative: there is
no alternative. Humankind cannot inde-
nitely continue to base its activities on the
consumption of nite energy resources.
EREC projects biomass to remain the
most-used renewable energy source on
the planet going forward. But, if the long-
term future for biomass use is bright, that
doesnt mean the road will be smooth.
Canadian Biomass takes a close look at the
factors that will help spur the industry
forward, and those that will provide the
greatest challenges.
DIVERSITY AND FLEXIBILITY
The range of products that can come
from biomass is a huge factor in the
growth of its use, now and in the future.
Biomass can provide heating, electricity,
fuel, biochemicals and more. Biomass is
a prolic and globally-distributed renew-
able carbon-based resource, notes Doug
Bull, a researcher in the Biorenery &
Energy Group at industry research rm
FPInnovations. Other renewable energy
resources (wind, solar, hydro and so
on) are not, and hence cannot, be used
to directly make carbon-based products
such as fuels and to get organic chemicals
from.
Many commercial biofuel plants are
expected to be built worldwide over the
next few years, some of which can accept
feedstocks such as construction debris and
textiles. The exibility of these facilities
is very attractive. The conversion of coal
power plants to accept biomass is also well
underway in several countries, and some
are using waste heat in combined heat and
power plants (CHP) as well.
Another important feature of biomass
is that it can produce energy on demand,
notes Gordon Murray, executive direc-
tor of the Wood Pellet Association of
Canada. In electricity, this is known as
dispatchable energy. Some other energy
forms are dependent on the sun shining
or the wind blowing, etc.
26 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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Exciting times and
challenges ahead
Looking ahead
CanadianBIOMASS 27
CANADIAN NATURAL GAS PRICES
Canadian natural gas prices are not likely
to rise in the next few years, which is as
far as anyone can reasonably predict. This
reality is going to pose a challenge over
that time period in the quest to get more
biomass energy projects off the ground.
Keith Schaefer, editor and publisher of
Vancouver-based Oil & Gas Investments
Bulletin, says continued supply increases
of natural gas are the major factor that will
keep Canadian gas prices low. He points
to brokerage rm Raymond James out-
line of how the fast-growing and low-cost
gas production from the stacked Marcel-
lus and Utica shales in the northeastern
U.S. could displace the use of all Western
Canadian natural gas in Eastern North
America in the short- to medium-term.
There are currently four major proj-
ects underway that are going to make the
inevitable export of United States natural
gas to Canada happen, Schaefer notes.
Those projects combined should allow
for enough U.S. natural gas to get into
Eastern Canada so that no Western Cana-
dian natural gas will be needed. This will
mean that the Northeast United States
will have gone in just a few years from
being almost fully dependent on Canada
for natural gas, to having the ability to ex-
port natural gas to Canada and ll all
of eastern Canadas needs. Meanwhile, a
portion of Western Canadian natural gas
production will need a new home, with
Canadian natural gas prices therefore fac-
ing some stiff headwinds.
EVOLVING ENERGY SOURCING
The recent political situation involving
Ukraine and Russia is stirring up calls
for Europe to start looking hard for en-
ergy alternatives to Russian fossil fuels.
U.S. President Obama told the European
Union in April 2014, that while it can
look to the United States to help it reduce
dependency on Russian energy (the U.S.
has already agreed to relax restrictions
on gas exports to Europe, for example),
it must also look beyond. The EU cur-
rently relies on Russia for about a third
of its oil and gas needs. The 28-member
association is indeed stepping up efforts
to diversify its energy sources, and some
of those include biomass. Several Euro-
pean countries, including Germany and
England, already have bio-energy plans in
place, which is great news.
Pellets to Europe are presently 9 million tonnes for power
plus 10 million tonnes for commercial, residential, and institu-
tional heating annually, says Murray. Both sectors continue to
grow rapidly. Most experts predict that Europes market will be
50 million tonnes by 2020, with South Korea and Japan each
at about 5 million tonnes. He notes that the Northeastern U.S.
biomass heating market is also growing rapidly as a result of high
oil prices, the introduction of European heating appliances and
the cost savings of using bulk pellet deliveries over bags.
RISING FUEL COSTS
We can all count on the fact that fossil fuel prices will continue
to rise. This is tough on biomass companies, which need to gath-
er forestry residues and other feedstocks, transport and process
them and in some cases, ship nished products such as pellets
as well. At the same time, however, high electricity and fossil
fuel prices are prompting more Canadians and beyond to look
at biomass.
Murray notes that only 45 per cent of Canadian homes are
served by natural gas, which represents a huge opportunity for
pellets to be used for heat and hot water production but that
getting there will require signicant marketing effort. In most
provinces, pellets are cheaper than oil, electricity, propane. We
need to educate Canadians about the modern automated pellet
appliances that are commonplace in Europe.
CARBON CREDITS
The European Union has an Emissions Trading System where
large emitters must buy emissions allowances, and various coun-
tries in that region also have carbon taxes. However, Canada has
no national meaningful carbon reduction policy, which hinders
the growth of biomass use for energy. In Murrays view, the Ca-
nadian governments focus on continued development of the oil
sands means there will not be any federal carbon-controlling
mechanisms introduced anytime soon.
On a provincial level, Dan Fraleigh notes that B.C. has a car-
bon tax and Alberta has a voluntary cap-and-trade system for
large carbon emitters, as does Quebec (which trades with Cali-
fornia companies). He expects something in Ontario in the next
ve to 10 years, but nothing is certain, and like Murray, Fraleigh
expects nothing nationally in the foreseeable future. The volun-
tary carbon offset market is whats most active in North America
buying credits for marketing purposes, says the Chief Oper-
ating Ofcer of Carbonzero, a rm which aids organizations in
assessing, reporting, and reducing their emissions.
In its new vision and action plan released in April, Evolu-
tion and Growth: From Biofuels To Bioeconomy, the Canadian
Renewable Fuels Association states that Globally, more than 40
countries have or are in the process of putting a price on carbon.
In so doing, they are effectively monetizing carbon benets that
accrue through the use of sustainable products, like biofuels.
However, while Fraleigh acknowledges that biomass projects are
now eligible for credits, he expects that to end within the next
decade or so. Offsets are a mechanism to encourage change, he
notes, so when an offset-eligible activity such as biomass use
becomes prevalent, offsets become unavailable for it (but then
become available for other carbon-reducing activities that need
support due to growth).
GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES, POLICY AND SUPPORT
The biomass industry has long called for stable government
policy that supports the nation to use more biomass for energy.
Kevin Kerschen, a senior project manager for Black & Veatchs
global energy business, echoes the sentiment. Black & Veatch
has had a signicant role in planning, evaluating and providing
engineering services for many of the recent biopower projects
under development in the U.S., including standalone biopower,
co-ring biomass in coal plants and repowering coal plants with
biomass fuel.
In a recent Black & Veatch article, Four Key Developments
Needed to Boost Global Biomass Industry, Kerschen notes that
of all renewable energy sources, biomass is challenged by the
widest and most complex set of factors that impact project de-
velopment. These include everything from forestry sector reg-
ulations to carbon emissions, and Kerschen says these issues
have been among the reasons the biomass sector has seen slower
growth compared to other renewable energy sources.
For more utilities to be willing to pay a premium for renew-
able energy, there needs to be more consistent and well-dened
government policies, and better clarity on environmental regula-
tions as they pertain to biomass that urge utilities to embrace re-
newable energy within the context of an overall national energy
plan, Kerschen says. If governments put into place certain reg-
ulations that foster a stable environment, where developers and
28 CanadianBIOMASS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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buyers meet mutually benecial objectives, then I can see there
being a strong increase in the development of biomass facilities.
DEMAND RISING FOR GREEN ENERGY
Many countries are putting more of an emphasis on renewable
energy production and reducing greenhouse gas emissions than
Canada, which is good news for biomass exporters. Murray
points out that the United Kingdom is moving away from coal
mostly in order to reduce its carbon emissions.
Drax, the U.K.s largest electricity-generating company, began
converting the majority of its facilities from coal to biomass gen-
eration in 2003. All of their facilities are now co-gen or predom-
inantly biomass, with the rst biomass-only unit was operational
in 2013. The company plans to complete the second unit this
year and a third by 2016 a fourth is under consideration.
Murray reports that Drax calculates that having three units
ring pellets instead of coal will reduce carbon emissions by
about 80 per cent, reducing CO
2
production by 10 million
tonnes a year compared to levels today. When all three units
are done, Drax will use seven to eight million tonnes of pellets
annually, and will likely be the worlds largest biomass generating
company.
COST OF BIOMASS AND BIOMASS SYSTEMS
The current biggest challenge for commercializing biomass to
energy systems, is the true cost of biomass-derived energy (par-
ticularly for liquid transport fuels), versus their fossil fuel equiv-
alents, says FPInnovations Doug Bull. Economies of scale
limitations exist with biomass-based energy systems to a greater
extent than occurs with most fossil fuel energy facilities. Further-
more, depending on the conversion process and nal form of the
energy being generated, some major technical challenges exist
with biomass energy conversion routes.
A prime example is deoxygenating biomass-based energy
carriers such as pyrolysis oil and biocrude for conversion into
hydrocarbon transportation fuels. However, Bull says that up-
grading techniques and solutions to technical challenges are be-
ing actively developed around the world. Hence, the economic
viability of such processes are difcult to predict while technical
development is still occurring.
Green energy, as FPInnovations Forest Feedstocks Research
Leader, Dr. Dominik Roser, notes, is already a reality in Canada.
Whenever we are in areas or communities that are not connect-
ed to the natural gas grid, forest biomass can be a good alterna-
tive to heating oil or propane, he says.
Communities across Canada are making the switch to a
renewable, sustainable and local source of energy that cre-
ates energy independence and ensures that money stays in
the communities. Using forest biomass for heating in com-
munities is something that can be done now, and helps to
bridge the gap until higher value uses for forest biomass can
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
L
ike many Northern Ontario communi-
ties, when Sault Ste. Maries 100-year-
old paper mill went into receivership
due to the changes in market demand for
paper-based products, the citys leadership
was uncertain about the future landscape
of biomass and the role it would play. The
community had a long-standing history of
forestry expertise, yet lacked clear direction
on the use of the abundant wood resources
accessible throughout the region. More re-
cently, the Sault has seen signicant growth
in numerous smart energy projects includ-
ing wind and solar farms, and the develop-
ment of a cogeneration and waste-to-ener-
gy plant. These projects are in all stages of
development conception, research and
development, pilot projects, commercial-
ization and full-scale operations. The Sault
Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC)
along with various community partners,
commissioned the Smart Energy Strategy,
a report which identied attracting a bio-
technology project using bio bre as one
of the pillars to the plan, and addresses the
issue of how to best utilize the ample and
sustainable wood supply from Northern
Ontario forests and the renewable supply
of biobre feedstock in the area.
Continuing with this momentum, SS-
MIC released a Request for Proposal earli-
er this year with the purpose of attracting
a wood-based biotechnology project to
the Sault, and aggressively reached out to
technology developers. The intent of the
RFP was to study the supply base and im-
plement a project which would lead to the
construction of a commercial or demon-
stration plant in the city, in turn stimulat-
ing local economic growth and creating
jobs. SSMIC received strong proposals
from companies worldwide. The propos-
als were reviewed by a committee com-
posed of forestry, biotechnology, business
and economic development ex-
perts. Among the proposals, py-
rolysis-based technology from
Battelle was determined to be
the closest to shovel-ready and
best initiative to meet the com-
munitys desire to implement a
bioenergy project.
Battelle is now engaged in
a detailed study for the imple-
mentation of a fast biopolyol
unit in the Sault with the aim to pro-
duce biopolyol, which will be sold to
produce foams, insulation, coatings, and
other high-margin commercial products.
Battelle, the worlds largest nonprot re-
search and development organization,
managing more than 22,000 profession-
al, technical and management experts
worldwide, has created a plan for a prof-
itable micro-renery business with multi-
ple markets, and a scale-up approach to
biofuels, which reduces investor risk by
generating early revenues from biopolyol
production. There is signicant market
potential for polyol globally with demand
for over 15 billion pounds to be used in
applications such as building and con-
struction, furniture, appliances, packag-
ing and textiles.
Battelle proposes to develop the im-
plementation plan for the installation of
a pyrolysis plant in the Sault Ste. Marie
region, which will process approximately
20 dry tons per day of biomass to pro-
duce bio oil, and will be converted by a
partner to produce 10.5 million pounds
of biopolyol per year.
In addition to the bio bre project, the
Sault Ste. Marie Energy Innovation Hub
was created as a community-branding
initiative and is poised to propel the im-
age of Sault Ste. Marie as an evolutionary
energy community with a prosperous and
sustainable future.
The Sault is aggressively pursuing
new business ventures and projects and
has created a video, website and various
print media pieces to showcase the ener-
gy assets and expertise of the region. In
addition, the Energy Opportunities Con-
ference: Making Things Happen! is taking
place November 4-6, 2014, and focuses
on: Making Energy Innovation Happen;
Advanced Bioenergy; Project Execution;
Commercialization; Smart Energy; and,
New Energy Technology. An impres-
sive list of industry experts and biomass
speakers have been conrmed including
Kathyayani Mahadevan from Battelle,
Pernille Overbye from Ramboll Energy,
Murray Mclaughlin from the Bioindus-
trial Innovation Canada, and biomass ex-
perts from Finland.
Christina Coutu is the Smart Energy Strategy Project Man-
ager at the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre. For more
information about energy projects in Sault Ste. Marie
and the Energy Opportunities Conference, please contact
Jason Naccarato, the Vice President of Development, at
705-942-7927 ext. 3121 or jnaccarato@ssmic.com.
Final Thoughts
Making things happen
Advancing biochemical opportunities in the Sault.
by Christina Coutu
The community had a long-
standing history of forestry
expertise, yet lacked clear
direction on the use of the
abundant wood resources.
320-548-3586 www.rotochopper.com
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Grinder + Hammermill
Rotochopper multi-stage grinding systems offer single-
pass simplicity for producing animal bedding and short
ber fuels. Wood waste goes into the primary grinder
and comes out of the in-line hammermill at nished
specicationsno additional handling or hassle.
How can a Rotochopper grinding system maximize
the value of your wood waste? Contact us today to
learn more.
Most uptime
Cleanest operation
Easily integrated into
picking lines
Unmatched particle size
control
Lowest cost per ton