Issuu

Key Features

Organic wood debris reduced by up to 90%

Infeed rates of 15-20+ tons per hour with no preprocessing required

Environmentally friendly process

Sequesters up to 25-30% of the available carbon

Manufactures a consistent and high-grade organic carbon

Excellent mobility for off road work sites

16 ELIMINATING EMISSIONS

Mercer International is a major player in the global forest products sector. The company has been hard at work finding ways to reduce its overall emissions. It is targeting a 50-per-cent reduction in Scope 1 emission intensity and a 35-per-cent reduction in Scope 2 emissions by 2030.

10 Product diversification requires protections

As sawmills and other wood products manufacturers across Canada identified the additional value in using 100 per cent of the log, they’ve also acknowledged the additional precautions needed to ensure operations remain safe.

19 A win-win scenario

A New Brunswick church finds financial relief with wood pellets.

21 Pellet Gear Buyer’s Guide 2025

Canadian Biomass’ annual Pellet Gear Buyer’s Guide rounds up suppliers of pellet production and safety equipment.

26 WPAC Conference Show Guide

A preview of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada’s annual conference coming to Halifax this September.

28 Building bio-oil capacity in Prince George

Nestled in the heart of the B.C. Northern Interior is a joint venture ready to turn the locally-produced residuals of the wood products sector into renewable fuels.

“What this plant does is confirm the technology at scale, and we’re already

WGetting political

Domtar calls on government to support a biomass investment tax credit

hen the federal government introduced several new Clean Economy Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) in the 2022 Fall Economic Statement, those active in the clean energy sector had reason to get excited. These credits ranged between 15 to 30 per cent for capital invested in eligible assets.

Things got even more interesting during the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, when a proposal was brought forward to include equipment that utilized waste biomass. This proposal was then reiterated in Budget 2024 with draft legislation released in August 2024 that would expand eligibility to include equipment that produces electricity, heat, or both from waste biomass. Unfortunately, the final implementation was indefinitely delayed after prorogation of Parliament in January 2025 and continues to be delayed to this day.

rural economic development, and wildfire risk reduction.”

Kudos to Domtar for standing up for this important initiative! I’ve personally signed the e-petition, and hope that enough signatures are collected to make government take notice and act to help support those active in the biomass sector.

As Stoicheff mentioned in our correspondence, including biomass energy ITCs in this year’s fall federal budget will help the Government of Canada:

• Encourage growth in Canada’s forestry sector by incentivizing capital investment in an innovative and sustainable energy source;

• Advance Canada’s climate commitments towards net-zero;

• Reduce forest fire risk by utilizing forest residues and waste as fuel;

Volume 25 No. 3

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While this frustrating news might cause some players in the biomass space to be repeatedly banging their heads against their sustainably produced desks, one company has had enough of the delays and has taken action. In May 2025, Domtar submitted an e-petition to call on the Government of Canada to support a biomass investment tax credit in the 2025 Fall Economic Statement.

As Domtar’s senior director of public affairs Chris Stoicheff eloquently stated, “It is imperative that government act to pass the draft legislation for biomass ITCs in the 2025 Fall Economic Statement to realize the full and complementary benefits for Canada of economic growth in the forestry sector, including decarbonization,

• Support rural and remote communities by creating jobs and economic opportunities;

• Displace emissions-intensive energy sources with a low carbon form of energy; and more.

To locate and sign the petition, go to: www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Search and enter “e-6530” into the search engine. The petition will be closed for signatures on August 27, 2025.

Help let our governments know how important the biomass sector is for the future of forestry jobs in Canada! •

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2025 WPAC CONFERENCE

BIOMASS FOR A LOW-CARBON FUTURE

HALIFAX, NS | MARRIOTT HARBOURFRONT

NOVA SCOTIA MAKING WOOD PRODUCTS A PRIORITY

The province of Nova Scotia recently stated that it has directed all departments to search for opportunities to use mass timber, wood pellets, biomass, biofuels and other wood products made from residuals related to sustainable harvesting and sawmilling.

“Now more than ever, we want to use local products for building and heating in Nova Scotia,” said Public Works Minister Fred Tilley. “That’s why government is leading by example and using more wood products in our own buildings. It’s one of many steps our government is taking to make Nova Scotia more self-reliant and energy secure and to grow our economy and create jobs through innovation in our forestry sector.”

The Province added that all departments are to prioritize wood products in new construction, renovations and conversions from oil heat, including projects partially or fully government funded where applicable.

“This will produce economic benefit for Nova Scotian families while we increase the use of local, sustainable products. Building and heating with wood will produce jobs and reduce our carbon footprint. It’s a great way to support our forestry sector and take charge of our low-carbon future,” stated Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources.

The Province added that focusing on using wood products aligns with the Nova Scotia Loyal program, reduces reliance on imports, enhances export markets, supports the province’s forestry sector, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and assists with the province with its transition to a low-carbon economy.

“The Province’s commitment to prioritize using wood in public buildings is an important step that aligns economic prosper-

ity with environmental stewardship. It creates a powerful circular economy supporting sustainable forestry practices and Nova Scotia’s softwood lumber industry by stimulating demand for high-value local wood products. That includes using high-performing, low-carbon mass timber to build the essential infrastructure Nova Scotians rely on. At a time when supply chain security is paramount, this is a clear commitment to investing in our own resources and communities,” stated Patrick Crabbe, president and CEO, Mass Timber Company.

CANADA’S FIRST INDUSTRIAL-SCALE BIOCHAR PLANT INAGURAUATED

Airex Energy, Groupe Rémabec, and SUEZ, recently inaugurated Carbonity, the first industrial-scale biochar plant in Canada. Based in Port-Cartier, Que., Carbonity was created out of a partnership between the three companies. The plant begins with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes of biochar, which is expected to triple by 2026, making it the largest facility of its kind in North America.

The company is expected to create 75 direct and indirect jobs in the region and produce carbon-rich biochar from approximately 58,000 tonnes of forestry residues annually, sourced by Groupe Rémabec.

Carbonity is powered by Airex Energy’s proprietary technology. Its proprietary and patented DryFX and CarbonFX technologies are at the heart of the plant’s innovative process. SUEZ brings key expertise in organic waste recovery, the production of amendments and biofertilizers, and the development of circular

solutions to help clients reduce their carbon footprint.

“The inauguration of Carbonity is a true industrial milestone for Québec. Airex Energy’s technology, including our patented CarbonFX and DryFX solutions, is central to this success, and it makes us very proud. Our primary mission is to contribute to the decarbonization of our economy. This investment represents Airex Energy’s first step toward scaling global biochar production, a product that will help many businesses here and abroad achieve net zero,” stated Michel Gagnon, CEO of Airex Energy and Chair of Carbonity’s Board.

This project marks the first step in Airex Energy and SUEZ’s ambitious roadmap to build a global annual production capacity of 350,000 tonnes of biochar by 2035 to meet the decarbonization challenges of industrial operations.

– Source: Carbonity.

(L to R): Patrick Crabbe, president and CEO, Mass Timber Company; Fred Tilley, Minister of Public Works; Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources; and Doug Ledwidge, president, Ledwidge Lumber. Photo courtesy of Province of Nova Scotia.

SUSTANE TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES OFFTAKE AGREEMENT WITH BASF

Sustane Technologies and Germany-headquartered BASF have signed a long-term offtake agreement that will see BASF purchase premium plastic feedstock from Sustane’s Chester, N.S. facility, including output from both its existing production line and an upcoming facility expansion comprising a new line, tripling capacity.

The agreement builds on a collaboration between the two companies that has enabled Sustane to deliver high-quality feedstock from end-of-life plastics to BASF operations in Europe and the United States. Given that Sustane processes the hardest to recycle plastics, this is a major step forward in advancing a true circular economy for plastics.

BASF will take-up the pyrolysis oil from Sustane’s plant in Chester, N.S. The pyrolysis oil will be used as recycled feedstock in BASF’s production Verbund, supporting the expansion of BASF’s portfolio of mass-balanced Ccycled products. The

Ccycled portfolio now comprises several hundred products, which BASF’s customers use for a wide range of applications –from food packaging to high-performance plastics for the automotive industry and functional textiles.

“This partnership with BASF affirms the value of our Canadian-made innovation on the global stage,” said Peter Vinall, CEO of Sustane Technologies. “Sustane’s unique product has a greatly reduced carbon intensity compared to fossil feedstocks for plastics and is notable for not requiring additional upgrading. Together, we’re closing the loop on hard-to-recycle plastics and proving that circular solutions can scale and deliver real economic and environmental impact.”

Sustane has developed a breakthrough process that transforms end-of-life plasticsthe kinds that typically end up in landfills or incinerators – into virgin-quality plastic feedstock that can be used in chemical pro-

TSI BUILDS MACHINERY

duction. Sustane’s operations are certified under ISCC+, providing chain-of-custody assurance that the feedstock meets stringent sustainability standards.

“At BASF, we are committed to driving circular economy, and partnerships like this are essential to that mission,” comments Paul Houston, manager business development, Americas, BASF. “Sustane’s advanced recycling technology enables us to integrate high-quality, circular feedstock into our value chains and reducing reliance on fossil inputs while supporting our customers’ green transformation goals. This agreement represents a powerful example of innovation and collaboration driving real impact.”

The companies are now exploring opportunities to expand Sustane’s capacity both in Canada and internationally, further supporting Canada’s emergence as a global leader in clean technology and circular materials innovation. Source: Sustane.

TAsia’s energy transition

Canadian wood pellets at the forefront

his past May, the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) team participated in the 2025 BioInnovAsia Conference in Tokyo, a major gathering of international biomass stakeholders that continues to grow in scale and influence. The event underscored the shifting landscape—one where biomass is gaining recognition not only as a renewable energy source, but as a vital tool in decarbonizing some of the world’s toughest sectors.

The conference featured two parallel tracks — Biofuels & Biocarbon Asia and Biomass Pellet Trade Asia — and drew strong participation from Japan, South Korea, and across the region. Attendees included power producers, industrial buyers, project developers, and policymakers, all with a shared interest in how sustainable biomass can help meet energy security and climate goals.

For WPAC and the broader Canadian pellet sector, the event was a great opportunity to reinforce Canada’s reputation as a trusted supplier of low-emission, high-quality pellets from responsibly managed, third-party certified sources. It also offered critical insights into where the market is headed, and how we must evolve to stay ahead.

GLOBAL MARKET TRENDS AND JAPAN’S BIOMASS EVOLUTION

Global demand for wood pellets—used in both heat and industrial sectors—has steadily increased over the past decade, with total consumption projected to exceed 45 million tonnes in 2024 (see chart). While Europe remains the dominant market, Asia is emerging as a key growth driver, accounting for a rising share of demand.

Japan remains a top-tier market for Canadian pellets, with more than 290 biomass power plants operating nationwide and capacity expected to grow by 6,000 megawatts by 2030. Eleven new facilities slated to come online in 2025 alone could drive demand for an additional 1.1 million tonnes of biomass fuel.

But change is coming. The government’s long-standing feedin tariff (FIT) program, which has driven much of Japan’s biomass growth, will begin phasing out in the 2030s. As the sector prepares for a post-subsidy future, competitiveness is becoming a central theme. Fuel cost, combustion efficiency, and pellet quality are under heightened scrutiny.

Buyers are tightening specifications—low ash, low fines, and durability are top priorities. Fortunately, these are areas where Canadian producers excel, giving us a critical edge in a more discerning market.

INDUSTRIAL DEMAND RESHAPING BIOMASS MARKETS

What’s new—and gaining momentum—is the role of biomass in hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel. Biocarbon products, such as torrefied and carbonized pellets, are emerging as renewable alternatives to fossil coal. These markets are still developing, but demand signals are clear: industrial users want high-performance carbon products that meet strict physical and chemical requirements, and they want them from sustainable sources.

This represents a promising area of growth for Canadian producers willing to invest in advanced processing technology. Countries like Japan are actively exploring these alternatives, not just for energy generation but as integral parts of decarbonizing their industrial base.

BECCS: A WINDOW INTO THE FUTURE

One of the most talked-about technologies at the conference was BECCS—bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. BECCS is gaining traction globally as a viable pathway to achieve net-negative emissions. Several case studies highlighted how large-scale biomass power facilities can be retrofitted with carbon capture systems to permanently remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

The implications for Canada’s pellet sector are significant. If carbon removal markets mature and policy support solidifies, pellet-fuelled BECCS facilities could provide both clean energy and high-integrity carbon offsets. But sustainability is non-negotiable—

Hawkins Wright, Outlook for Wood Pellets – May 2025

any BECCS project using biomass must demonstrate robust traceability and responsible sourcing. That’s another area where Canada has a compelling story to tell.

STRONGER TIES AND SHARED VISION

Throughout the event, WPAC and other Canadian representatives engaged with Japanese utilities, industrial buyers, and government ministries to advance understanding of Canada’s approach to sustainable forest management. These conversations highlighted the rigour with which Canadian forests are managed and record — critical factors in ensuring ona climate-aligned fuel source.

The presence of British Columbia’s Chief Forester, Shane Berg, added valuable depth to these engagements. His contributions in public and bilateral meetings helped underline the province’s leadership in sustainable forestry and its role in en-

suring the long-term integrity of Canada’s biomass supply. His presence reinforced Canada’s role as a global leader in sustainable forestry and a dependable partner in the clean energy transition.

A visit to the Kanda Biomass Power Station further illustrated this alignment. The facility, which runs almost entirely on imported biomass including wood pellets from British Columbia, highlights how clean energy, technology, and sound sourcing practices come together in the real world. It was a strong reminder of the role Canadian pellets are already playing in Japan’s low-carbon future.

NAVIGATING A CHANGING LANDSCAPE

While Asia presents exciting growth prospects, the global biomass market is evolving. In Europe—historically a major destination for Canadian pellets—policy shifts and the gradual phase-out of subsidies are prompting industry players to adapt. In this context, expanding our

presence in Asian markets represents both a timely opportunity and a prudent step

At home, there’s also growing momentum. Investing in Canadian bioheat infrastructure and exploring the potential of BECCS technologies can help build resilience and support our domestic climate goals. These pathways not only strengthen the sector but also position it to play a larger role in Canada’s clean energy transition.

If there’s one thing BioInnovAsia 2025 made clear, it’s this: biomass has a growing role to play in the global energy mix. Canada’s sustainably managed forests, strong technical base, and reliable track record make us a credible partner—and one the world is watching. •

Gordon Murray is the executive director of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada. To learn more, you can read the full BioInnovasia conference report on https:// pellet.org/latest-news.

Product diversification requires protections

Sawmills increasingly investing in spark and dust mitigation

By Andrew Snook

When many sawmills and planer mills operated in the past, finding homes for their residuals outside of the mills was common practice. This may have meant sending green wood chips to a nearby pulp mill and sawdust to a medium-density fibreboard (MDF) manufacturer, or simply burning the residuals in beehive burners. But as sawmills and other wood products manufacturers across Canada identified the additional value in using 100 per cent of the log – both monetary and societal – they’ve also acknowledged the additional precautions needed to ensure operations remain safe.

“A lot of the sawmills are now using those residuals to add value to their process, whether it’s consolidating the material and using it as fuel in their biomass burners or creating wood pellets. I believe the mills are realizing the additional danger in the manipulation of those products,” says Neill Gibson, director of business development, sales and marketing for Rodrigue Métal Ltée. “When you think about a planer mill, obviously the lumber, the material, is dry, so they’ve got dry sawdust. They’ve got dry chips and wood shavings. In the past, those would be shipped off to other users and there wouldn’t necessarily be a whole lot of danger. Now with the integration of what they’re doing, all of a sudden they’re forced to look at the notion of dust extraction, the control of spark detection, sprinkler systems, etc.”

Dust mitigation and spark detection systems have come to the forefront for even the smallest of mill owners and operators.

“Instead of major industrial complexes producing pellets, or sawdust going to

Donaldson RF Series Baghouse with KER vents. Photo: IEP Technologies.

producers of MDF, now you’re getting mills taking these byproducts and doing something with it themselves on a smaller scale, and this means that they have to consider these productions differently than they would a traditional sawmill,” Gibson says.

Francis Petit, director of engineering for VETS’ Industrial, Mechanical & Ventilation Division, says the types of dust and

explosion mitigation technologies have not trended to anything specific in recent years, but safety testing has been evolving.

“We see similar tech used; however, the safety testing for the technology has improved. Only vendors that work towards functional testing are being considered as NFPA compliant equipment, and we are replacing older pieces of equipment with similar, but tested ones,” Petit says.

FIRST STEPS

When mills are deciding on the types of protection systems they require, they should first focus on the content of their materials.

“With sawmills, you generally have material that’s still wet, higher moisture content, so the risk of an explosion is much lower, but fire threat is still there. When you get to the point after material has been dried – whether it’s being used for biomass purposes or even for MDF plants – when that wood dust is dry, there is substantial explosion potential,” explains David Grandaw, vice-president of sales for IEP Technologies.

As a first step, Grandaw says companies should be looking at their facilities and identifying where the ignition points are, as well as the areas where they could have mechanical breakdown and some friction risks that could cause some smoldering or burning materials. This is where they should start to address detection and

EVN flameless vents on conveyors. Photo: IEP Technologies.

prevention measures.

“Then you consider an upset condition, do occasionally discover burning or smoldering materials, and how do you stop this material from turning into an explosion?”

One of the common ways this can be done is through the use of a spark detection and suppression system.

“Spark detection and suppression systems are based on detection in the form

pending on the duct size, looking for a hot spot, typically a spark or burning ember traveling through a duct or on a conveyor, detecting it, and then, X amount of metres downstream based on conveying velocity, inject a water spray to suppress that burning ember before it gets into the downstream receiving vessel where it might find the right dust-air mix to start an explosion,” Grandaw explains.

There are a wide variety of technology suppliers in the dust and spark detection and suppression space, so selecting the right technologies for a plant requires the consideration of multiple factors.

“Like with any other technology, there are a number of considerations you have to look at when you put in one of these systems: What is the scale of the detection and protection required? What are your

Cyclofilter Series Dust Collector.

Photo: Rodrigue Métal Ltée.

TIPS

Petit offers sawmills and pellet plants the following tips for optimizing their dust and explosion mitigation operations:

• Keep the records/drawings of the duct layouts and capture the changes made. This way a technical review is possible without wasting too much time and resources.

• Expanding a system is more technically challenging than it seems. Consult with the original designer.

• Containment of the dust-generating equipment will reduce wasted air from the exhaust system.

• Keep the Dust Hazard Assessment (DHA) up to date. It process or dust changes

• Training of staff around the hazard and how to maintain safety equipment is also a key factor in mitigating the hazard.

side where you must heat trace the water pipes, since in the wintertime up in Canada, we don’t want pipes to freeze and break,” Grandaw says.

INCREASED INTEGRATION

In sawmills in Canada and the U.S., dust collection systems are always located outside, so people tend not to consider them when

they’re talking about the automation within a facility, Gibson notes.

“It’s almost secondary. So very often, there’ll be maximum two inspections annually where you’re going to be looking inside the system to see if there’s any escaping material, to see if there’s any gap in pressure, or anything like that. But the systems are standalone, and they operate on their own,” he says.

In the majority of European mills, the dust collection systems

IsoFlap passive isolation ﬂap valve. Photo: IEP Technologies.

have been integrated into the main control centre of the mills and are treated more like part of the production line than as a secondary system, Gibson notes.

“That’s something that we need to look at on our end, moving towards an integrated system, having that data be collected within the same systems, and to be able to include that within all of the maintenance packages that exist for sawmills as a whole,” he says.

AIR RECIRCULATION

While cleaning up the air in closed-off production facilities is vital for the health of employees, mill owners also want to be able to recirculate the air back into their facilities as much as possible to reduce energy costs.

“Here in the north with colder climates in the winter, it’s one thing to clean the air, but that heated air, you don’t want to just exhaust it outside. You want it to be clean enough to reintroduce it back into those buildings. That brings in a whole other series of rules and regulations, because it’s people’s health. So, it’s interesting to see how the systems are evolving,” Gibson says.

His company has been offering these systems for over 60 years to their customers in Quebec due to the colder climates, and it’s something that is increasing in de-

mand for mills in the north and south.

“Sometimes it’s not even keeping the heat in, it’s keeping the cool to recirculate the air,” Gibson says, referring to mills in the southern U.S. “Planer mills, especially the high-production planer mills, they’re all closed systems. You’ve got dust collection in there. You want to keep any cool air in that you can. Therefore, you’re cleaning the air, removing the particles, so that you can reintegrate that cooler air.”

The systems for cleaning and recirculating heated air or cooled air back into a building are largely the same. The key factor to consider for both is moisture management.

“Condensation within the piping is one of those things that you’re having to deal with. So, you’re insulating the pipes here in the north to keep the heat in and to avoid condensation, and the same thing in the south, but it’s cold air on the inside versus the outside,” Gibson says. “The systems exist in terms of open systems, where they’re venting directly outside. It’s less expensive because it’s less piping. But when you’re looking at energy costs, when you’re looking at what’s going out into the environment, sometimes having that closed system and bringing the air back into the building is the best way to go. We’re seeing more and more custom-

ers going for the idea of closed systems to keep that heat or cool inside the building.”

EXPLOSION VENTING OPTIONS

When it comes to explosion venting options, there are standard and flameless options. A flameless explosion vent consists of a vent panel surrounded by a metal mesh or other means to act as a heat sink to absorb the heat from the flames, so all that is released to the outside during an explosion event are hot gasses with no flames.

“That’s a very common technique that can be used in areas where standard explosion vents aren’t suitable,” Grandaw explains.

Standard explosion venting is a much less expensive option than flameless vents, so has historically been the preferable protection measure for a customer in the wood products industry. However, flameless venting is a good option for plants that cannot redirect potential fireballs to a safe area.

“In those cases, the flameless venting makes a good alternative,” Grandaw says. “I did a calculation on a vessel once that indicated 114 feet was needed for flame ejection distance. That was unusual, as that was for a very large vessel. But 30 or 40 or 50 feet is not unusual.”

The NFPA 68 Standard offers a formula for measuring safe flame ejection

Rod-Air Centrifugal Industrial Fan. Photo: Rodrigue Métal Ltée.

Spark detection on duct.

distance. Additional thermal effects must also be considered, as the heat generated from an explosion can travel farther than the fire and can still be hot enough for someone to be injured or worse.

CURRENT CHALLENGES

One of the biggest challenges for some wood products manufacturers keeping current with the latest dust and explosion mitigation technologies has been a misinterpretation of the standards that results in plants using the wrong technology for the goals of the safety standard, Petit notes.

“We have seen plenty of spark detection systems as the only line of defense, in place of explosion isolation,” he says. “Catching up with the current standards is not incredibly hard; as in, we are not seeing any drastic changes of the methods of mitigation being changed drastically with each revision.”

Some companies want to continue using legacy systems instead of purchasing new systems, but this can be an issue as older standards may have been originally misinterpreted and were always deficient, Petit adds.

Luc Cormier, explosion protection consultant for Fike, says Canadian facilities are probably less protected than the U.S. facilities overall due to there being less re-

quirements in Canadian standards relating to combustible dusts compared to the U.S.

“Most sawmills would need traditional explosion protection (e.g., venting or suppression) on some vessels handling their dry materials, spark detection and extinguishing systems where saws, mills or sanding equipment are tied to dust collection systems, and deflagration isolation on any vessel having an explosion hazard. This along with housekeeping procedures to limit dust accumulation inside the facility would go a long way. However, in most cases, I see one or two of these safeguards provided, with some equipment having no protection at all where there should be protection,” Cormier says.

Another major challenge can be the age of the mills, and the cost involved in retrofitting the equipment.

“A lot of these facilities tend to have older equipment which might be difficult to retrofit, and cost of upgrading to a fully compliant facility may be prohibitive for

a lot of these sawmills, which is probably one of the biggest obstacles they face,” Cormier says.

Grandaw says price is a major factor for wood products plants when looking at whether to install passive or active dust and explosion mitigation and suppression systems. “Not only initial cost, but long-term cost of ownership, because passive systems do not typically require the maintenance that an active system would. Active systems need to be inspected, just like any other process area of the plant. Usually, since these are specialized systems, you would have the manufacturer send their own field technicians to do that inspection. So, the cost is much higher to maintain the active systems than the most passive systems. Passive systems are things such as the flap valves, standard and flameless vents. Those require mostly visual inspections so they can be done at the plant level. So, the long-term cost of ownership is less.” •

Combustible Dust Specialists

IV8 Flameless Explosion Relief Vent.

Eliminating emissions

Mercer International investing in innovative tech to meet future targets

By Andrew Snook

Mercer International is a major player in the global forest products sector. Between its operations in the U.S., Canada, and Germany, the company has a consolidated annual production capacity of 2.1 million tonnes of pulp, 960 million board feet of lumber, and 230,000 tonnes of biofuels.

The company has been hard at work finding ways to reduce its overall emissions. It is targeting a 50-per-cent reduction in Scope 1 emission intensity and a 35-per-cent reduction in Scope 2 emissions by 2030. To do this, Mercer International is focused on reducing emissions and exploring opportunities to sequester carbon throughout its value chains. The majority of the company’s overall energy production (86 per cent) comes from renewable biomass sources such as black liquor and wood waste from its various forest products operations.

All four of its pulp mills run on self-generated green energy. In 2022, the company’s mills had a combined generation capacity of approximately 400 MW of electricity with 60 per cent of the electricity used to power mill operations and the surplus sold to local grids, which generated approximately $100 million in revenue for Mercer International while creating renewable energy for regional utilities.

Juan Carlos Bueno, president and CEO of Mercer International, says meeting the company’s Scope 1 intensity targets is the company’s current focus.

“When you think overall about our greenhouse gas emissions today, it’s around 486,000 tonnes of CO2 on Scope 1,” Bueno says.

Mercer International’s biggest project coming online in the near future to help

meet their Scope 1 targets is the conversion of a lime kiln at its Stendal Mill, the company’s largest pulp mill in Germany. Currently fuelled by natural gas, the lime kiln will be converted to a bio-based fuelled lime kiln.

“That would be a significant contributor towards that goal of reducing 50 per cent of Scope 1 GHG emission intensity,” Bueno says.

Converting this lime kiln is no small feat. It requires an investment of about 35 million EUR, which in today’s conversion is nearly $55 million (50 per cent incentivized by government grants).

“We’re very eager to get that started by the end of this year. That would mean that in a year-and-a-half or two years that would become a reality, and Stendal would become almost a carbon neutral mill,” Bueno says.

He adds that while meeting emissions targets is a main goal of this project, their customers also demand these targets be met.

“The large tissue companies, some of the large paper companies, those that have

a business much more global and sophisticated, they see that demand from their customers themselves, and they themselves have huge drivers around these things,” Bueno says. “They also have the same goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions on Scope 1 and Scope 3 – we are part of their Scope 3 emissions – meaning our emissions are counted in their supply chain footprint – so they’re putting pressure on us to make sure that we contribute positively to their goals. We’re in a chain where everybody’s looking at the same picture, and that helps, because then we’re all heading in the right direction. We’re all supporting each other as we run through this.”

While no company would want the negative press and public outcry from not meeting their emissions targets, there is more at stake if the company were to fail.

“Most likely we would lose some of those customers. It has been made explicitly clear that this is a condition of doing business in the future. Therefore, you need to show that you care. You need to show

All four of Mercer International’s pulp mills run on self-generated green energy. Photos: Mercer.

that you’re willing to put your wallet where your mouth is and that you are really going to contribute positively to this outcome,” Bueno says.

The Stendal Mill conversion project is of particular importance because it is Mercer International’s largest pulp mill with the largest lime kiln within the company’s pulp mill assets. The mill produces 740,000 tonnes of softwood pulp (mostly spruce with a diet of spruce, pine and fir).

The company’s other pulp mill in Germany, Mercer Rosenthal, produces 363,000 tonnes of softwood pulp, and could also undergo a similar conversion project sometime in the future.

Given the customer profile for Mercer International’s Eu-

ropean pulp mills, these types of projects are a priority for them versus the company’s Canadian mills. This is because most of the customers for its Canadian mills operate within the Asian markets, where the same pressures related to meeting emissions targets are a much lower priority. However, Mercer International is still focused on reducing emissions at its Canadian pulp mill operations.

“We do have another project, a carbon sequestration project, and that would be for the Alberta pulp mill that we have in Canada.”

The Mercer Peace River pulp mill in Peace River, Alta. is a swing mill that produces approximately 475,000 tonnes of hardwood and softwood

pulp. The company is in the process of potentially investing heavily into a new technology for sequestering the CO2 from the flue gases of the pulp mill.

“We’re working with a company in Canada that developed a technology for capturing that CO2. The reason why we’re doing it there is because the mill is located

in Alberta, where you have geological formations that are suitable for sequestering CO2,” Bueno explains. “You don’t have to take it long distances. You’re right where you need to be, and that makes the project financially viable.”

The process for removing the CO2 from Mercer Peace River’s pulp mill operations would be a non-intrusive, mechanical process using a proprietary technology developed by Svante, a carbon capture and removal solutions provider based in Burnaby, B.C.

“We’re working with them, going through all the phases that are needed, before we are ready for an investment decision,” Bueno says. “It’s making sure that the technology works, that is the big hurdle. They tested it.

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Mercer CEO Juan Carlos Bueno.

They have demos, they have pilot plants, so they’ve done their homework. This would be the first large-scale pulp mill investment. So, we would be the first of a kind for their technology, and that’s why it takes a bit longer to make sure that we have it all squared through.”

The investment decision will take approximately two years to complete. At an estimated price tag of more than $500 million, there are several hurdles still to overcome. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that the Province of Alberta and Government of Canada are supportive through grants in offsetting the technology risk. In total, these grants could account for upwards of 75 per cent of the total project costs.

“Alberta is incredibly supportive in both the policy framework and offsetting the technology risks, and that makes a difference,” Bueno says.

If everything aligns for the investment side of the project, the construction will take another two years to complete, meaning the project would come online and begin sequestering carbon from Mercer Peace River sometime in 2029.

Mercer International offered an explanation of Svante’s carbon capture technology works:

Svante’s carbon capture system uses proprietary solid sorbent filters designed to selectively capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial flue gas. These filters are coated with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)—engineered nanomaterials that bind CO2 molecules while allowing other

gases to pass through. Once saturated, the filters are heated to release the CO2, which can then be compressed for transport and storage. The system operates in a continuous adsorption–desorption cycle and is well-suited for pulp mills like Mercer Peace River, where biogenic CO2 is emitted at scale.

Svante’s technology is compact, modular, and built to handle the challenging particulate environment of industrial flue gas. It also takes advantage of low-grade waste heat from mill operations, reducing energy requirements and increasing cost-effectiveness. With no toxic emissions or liquid solvents, and recyclable materials, the system offers a cleaner, more adaptable alternative to traditional carbon capture methods.

LIGNIN PRODUCTION

Another interesting project underway is at the Mercer Rosenthal pulp mill in Germany.

The company has invested 10 million EUR into a pilot project where it is producing one ton of lignin per day from black liquor being produced at the pulp mill. Instead of burning all of the black liquor to produce electricity, Mercer International would rather produce lignin as a potential substitute for fossil-based chemicals in various applications. The plan is to create a commercial lignin production facility within three years.

“We aim to have a commercial site out of Rosenthal that would be a 40,000-ton lignin plant. That means our output of energy would be reduced, because then we would not be burning as much, and we will be extracting this lignin to be able to sell it to the market into products that replace fossil-based fuels and sequester carbon for many years, instead of releasing it when we burn it,” Bueno explains. “We like it because it contributes to our circular economy story in a very significant way. It’s more profitable than energy, and it takes us into a different avenue. It allows the mills to participate in other things and not just be dependent on pulp, and only pulp. Breaking into that paradigm, for us, is very important, making these assets true bio-refineries, and being able to do a whole lot more than just pulp.”

While producing byproducts such as lignin has a strong business case, Bueno says it is also the responsible thing to do as a producer, as it provides low carbon solutions throughout the supply chain.

“That’s why we do it. We’re all trying to make our businesses more and more sustainable over time,” he says. •

The company has invested in a pilot project that will produce one ton of lignin per day.

A win-win scenario

New Brunswick church finds financial relief with wood pellets

By Andrew Snook

For as long as churches have existed, they have played key roles in their communities across Canada. Paroisse Notre-Dame-des-Prodiges, a multi-purpose facility and Catholic church located in Kedgwick, N.B., continues to play this important role to this day including acting as the church, secondhand clothing store, food bank, funeral home, and more. It also supplies heating through a district energy system for its presbytery and the Salle Fatima theatre.

But in recent years, the church found itself in a dire financial situation related to spiking energy costs. The spike was so bad, it almost caused the church to permanently close its doors, which would have had a major impact on the community.

“They used to heat all those buildings with firewood, but when the person that was supplying the firewood for free passed away, nobody took that over,” explains Jonathan Levesque, general manager of Biomass Solution Biomasse (BSB) and board member for the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC).

The church had less people willing to volunteer to feed its big, old firewood boiler located in the basement of the church, and had to start buying and managing all of its firewood. So, in 2020, the leaders of Paroisse Notre-Dame-des-Prodiges made the decision to swap out the system for three oil-fired boilers. At the time, the price of oil was low, but that changed dramatically a year later, placing the church in a dire financial position.

“In the winter of 2024, there was some stories on the news about how difficult it was for them to raise money to keep heating all those buildings. All the financial cushion they had was almost gone,” Levesque says.

Priest Felix Hatungimana and church board member Edgar Béchard stand outside Paroisse Notre-Dame-des-Prodiges, a multi-purpose facility and Catholic church located in Kedgwick, N.B. High energy costs almost forced the church to close its doors.

This is when BSB approached the church council with a proposal to swap out the oil-fired boiler system with a wood pellet boiler to reduce their annual energy costs. With limited budget, the church decided to host a fundraising event to attempt to pay for the new system.

“They did a ‘Chase the Ace’ fundraising session there and they were really successful with it because the whole community participated. They knew it was for the heating system, so there was a tremendous turnout,” Levesque says. “They raised enough money to pay for 75 per cent of the total installation, while the NB Power Energy Efficiency Program paid 25 per cent, because they were using oil.”

With the combination of the fundraising event and assistance from the NB Power Energy Efficiency Program, the church was able to purchase and install a Herz Firematic 150kW biomass boiler supplied by BSB. The church now only needs to pay for wood pellets to fuel the boiler system, which to date has offered a 60-per-cent reduction in fuel costs since being fired up on Dec. 31, 2024. The system is expected to burn 70 to 80 tonnes of wood pellets annually. With the switch to wood pellets from oil, the projected return on investment for purchasing the wood pellet boiler system (at 75 per cent of total cost) is between four to five years, Levesque says.

Edgar Béchard, president and board member for the church’s council, says the project saved the church from its financial crisis, which could have shut down all of the church’s operations permanently.

“We really appreciated the 25-percent incentive program. That was really a good help,” Béchard says, translated by Levesque from French to English.

For the installation, BSB swapped out one of the three oil boilers with the Herz wood pellet boiler system, keeping the oth er two oil boilers in place or in case they are needed for a higher peak load. The church had large enough access doors to its base ment that the wood pellet boiler could be installed without any issues. A pellet silo was then added next to the church (BSB was able to repurpose a silo from

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a previous customer to lower the overall costs). All-in-all, it was a fairly standard installation with no significant hurdles to overcome. Since the system started up, the church has received positive feedback from the community for it having a lower operating cost, a more sustainable option over oil, and supporting a local business. All of the wood pellets supplied to the church come from Groupe Savoie’s wood pellet plant in Saint-Quentin, N.B., which

“The only negative thing is you have to

Priest Felix Hatungimana and church board member Edgar Béchard pose next to the church’s new Herz Firematic 150kW biomass boiler supplied by BSB. Swapping out its primary oil heat system for a wood pellet boiler system allowed the church to significantly lower its energy costs.Photos courtesy of BSB.

PELLET GEAR

BUYER’S GUIDE 2025

WPAC CONFERENCE

Sept. 23-24, 2025

Halifax Marriott Harbourfront, Halifax

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

A Maritime welcome to everyone!

I’m excited to invite you to join us at the Wood Pellet Association of Canada’s 2025 Annual Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Canada’s Maritime provinces are actively developing renewable energy, with a focus on transitioning away from fossil fuels. “Biomass for a Low-Carbon Future,” our conference theme, highlights key roles for biomass and wood pellets.

Seven wood pellet plants operate in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, meeting regional demand and exporting fuel to the United Kingdom and Europe. Local governments are seeing the benefits. Nova Scotia recently directed all government departments to use biomass for heating. The province has pushed for the increased use of wood pellets, biomass, and biofuels made with leftovers from wood harvesting and sawmill operations to make Nova Scotia more self-reliant and energy secure according to Nova Scotia Minister of Public Works Fred Tilley. New Brunswick Power’s board of directors has given the green light to convert its coal-fired power plant to heat-treated biomass. The utility plans to phase out coal at the 450MW power plant at the Port of Belledune and replace feedstock fully with biomass by 2029.

Conference keynote speaker Dr. Jamie Stephen will highlight the use of local forest biomass for heat and power generation, to ensure energy expenditures stay within a region and safeguard energy security.

Experts will discuss other trending topics, including:

• Safe biomass storage practices;

• Bioheat opportunities in remote and rural Canadian communities;

• How Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) can turn biomass into climate progress;

• The role for biomass to reduce emissions across hard-toabate industries and existing heat and power generation systems;

• The future of Canada’s wood pellet industry in a world of regulatory changes and shifting trade policies; and

• Bioenergy’s transformative role in decarbonizing aviation, marine transport, rail and trucking sectors

It’s important to acknowledge that none of this could happen without our sponsors and extend a huge thank you for your support.

Our annual conference is a great way for colleagues to reunite and explore opportunities to incorporate biomass and wood pellets into a responsible energy future. Join us for some famous East Coast hospitality in Halifax!

All the best,

Gordon Murray Executive Director

Biomass for a Low-Carbon Future

AGENDA

*Agenda is subject to change

MONDAY, SEPT. 22, 2025 | PRE-CONFERENCE

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Golf Tournament

- Glen Arbour Golf Course

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Facility Tour

A full-day tour of two local wood pellet mills and biomass heating installs in the area.

6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Opening Reception

TUESDAY, SEPT. 23, 2025 | CONFERENCE DAY 1

7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast and Registration

8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Opening Remarks

Moderator: Gordon Murray, Executive Director, WPAC

9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Panel Session: Inside the Smoulder—How to Detect, Prevent, and Survive Self-Heating in Biomass Storage

Moderator: William Strauss, President, FutureMetrics

Speakers:

• John Swaan, FutureMetrics

• Håkan Johansson, Firefly

• Fahimeh Yazdan Panah, WPAC

• Bill Laturnus, British Columbia Forest Safety Council

10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

Coffee Break

– Networking in the Exhibit Area

10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Bioheat Opportunities for Canada

Moderator: Gordon Murray, Executive Director, WPAC

Speakers:

• Jonathan Levesque, Biomass Solution Biomasse

• Mark Heyck, Arctic Energy Alliance

• Jean Blair, TorchLight Bioresources

• Gustav Melin, World Thermal Services

• Christiane Egger, OÖ Energiesparverband

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Lunch and Networking in the Exhibit Area

1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Keynote: Local Energy: The Foundation for Economic Success and Export Growth, Jamie Stephen

Moderator: Vaughan Bassett, President, WPAC and Senior Vice-President Biomass Sales & Logistics, Drax

Speaker: Jamie Stephen, PhD, Managing Director, TorchLight Bioresources

2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

One on One: Powering the Net-Negative Transition—BECCS in Action

Moderator: Jamie Stephen, PhD, Managing Director, TorchLight Bioresources

Speakers:

• Søren Alsing, Director Bioenergy, Head of Fuel, Ørsted

3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Coffee Break

– Networking in Exhibit Area

3:30 p.m.to 4:30 p.m.

Panel Session: Decarbonizing Industry

Moderator: Patrick Lapointe, Chief Commercial Officer, Airex

Energy

Speakers:

• Juha Hyvärinen, Taaleri Biocoal Canada Development Ltd.

• Chris Wiberg, Timber Products Inspection Inc./Biomass Energy Lab

• Brad Coady, NB Power

5:00 p.m.

Wood Pellet Barbecue and Reception

John Swaan, the grandfather of wood pellets and FutureMetrics pellet expert, will be cooking his world-famous pellet-smoked ribs.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24, 2025 | CONFERENCE DAY 2

7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast and Networking

8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.

Market and Policy Update: Navigating Regulatory Change

Moderator: Vaughan Bassett, President, WPAC and Senior Vice-President Biomass Sales & Logistics, Drax

Speakers:

• Monique Frison, Natural Resources Canada

• William Strauss, FutureMetrics

• Fiona Matthews, Hawkins Wright

• Marta Imarisio, Argus Biomass

9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Coffee Break

– Networking in the Exhibit Area

10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Fuelling the Future: Decarbonizing Transportation with Bioenergy Innovations

Moderator: Fahimeh Yazdan Panah, Director Research and Technical Development, WPAC

Speakers:

• Kristen McDiarmid, CN

• Warren Mabee, Queen’s University

• Cate Moran, NYK Group

11:30 a.m.

Summary and Wrap-up

Speaker: Vaughan Bassett, President, WPAC and Senior VicePresident Biomass Sales & Logistics, Drax

Building bio-oil capacity

Arbios Biotech is turning waste wood into renewable fuels

By Andrew Snook

Nestled in the heart of the B.C. Northern Interior is a joint venture ready to turn the locally-produced residuals of the wood products sector into renewable fuels.

This past November, Arbios Biotech, or “Arbios,” completed the construction and commissioning of its Chuntoh Ghuna bio-oil production facility located in Prince George. The plant is designed to be able to produce 50,000 barrels of bio-oil annually, which makes it the largest HTL facility in the world. It has received funding support through the Government of British Columbia’s Initiative Agreement

Program under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The facility also received support during the development stages of the project from Sustainable Development Technology Canada; the BC Innovative Clean Energy Fund; and Natural Resources Canada’s Clean Growth Program.

“Government support has been substantial, and without that, this wouldn’t have happened,” says Rune Gjessing, CEO of Arbios.

The facility was originally a joint venture between Canfor Pulp and the plant’s technology provider, Licella, that started back in 2016, where the focus was utiliz-

ing residues from pulp mills. By 2020, this concept changed along with the partnership, which is now between Canfor Corporation and Licella. The new purpose of the production facility is to use a variety of forest product residuals to produce biooil that can be further refined for various transportation applications. While the company was fine-tuning the design of the facility, it was learning more about the production process from Licella’s largescale pilot plant in Somersby, Australia.

“Improvements were being incorporated into that design concept as we were scoping the facility. At the same time, we

The plant is designed to produce 50,000 barrels of bio-oil annually, which makes it the largest HTL facility in the world. Photo: Arbios Biotech.

were talking to the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation about the project, and said that we wouldn’t proceed without their support,” explains Tessa Gill, external relations lead for Arbios. “We did the feasibility study for the facility while at the same time working with the Lheidli T’enneh to see what the potential concerns and areas of interest were, before we made the final investment decision.”

“Everything we’re trying to test here, we have tested in Somersby, but that plant is also designed to test other feedstocks,” Gjessing adds. “In Prince George, we are focused on forest residuals or woody biomass.”

Arbios is testing the Chuntoh Ghuna facility using white wood chips and hog fuel, trying to find out the impact each feedstock has on the process downstream. No matter what type of biomass residuals are used, Arbios does not expect to be differentiating its final products based on the feedstock alone.

“As of now, we don’t have any data points that indicate any difference,” Gjessing says, adding that a drop-in renewable marine fuel would be an ideal first product. “That’s simply because it has the widest specs and the engines are the most tolerant.”

Longer-term, the company will produce the best value product, which is still being decided.

“Obviously, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has got a higher price, but it also has a higher cost to make, so we will focus what makes the most economic sense,” Gjessing says.

“Fundamentally, we’re targeting the industries that are the hardest to find a low carbon solution for – long-haul aviation, global marine transportation. It’s going to take longer for these industries to find alternative solutions,” Gill adds.

The Arbios Chuntoh Ghuna facility is targeting the production of renewable fuels that will generate up to an 80-per-cent reduction rate in carbon intensity (CI) compared to fossil fuel equivalents, which would currently give the company significant flexibility for its products to fall within regulatory requirements around the world.

BIO-OIL PROCESS

The process starts with the biomass which

could be sawdust, bark, or other forest residuals, being transported from the storage facility into conveyors where it is screened and sized to prepare it for processing. From there, the biomass is conveyed to a dryer to reduce moisture levels then fed into a feed bin for processing. The biomass is then transported into a supercritical mixing process where it is mixed with water under high temperature and pressure.

The mix then undergoes a process created by Licella’s proprietary Cat-HTR hydrothermal liquefaction process, which takes approximately 20 minutes to convert the biomass into bio-oil. The bio-oil and water are then separated, where water treatment and recovery takes place. The bio-oil is then ready for refining or upgrading.

The bio-oil is then collected for offsite refining into a renewable drop-in fuel for transportation applications such as marine, trucking or aviation.

EXPANSION PLANS

While the facility is of a commercial scale, further steps will move it towards full commercialization.

“What this plant does is confirm the technology at scale, and we’re already permitted for expansion,” Gill says. “The kind of the expansion we’d be looking at is adding another process line, and there’s plenty of room for expansion on this site.”

Gjessing says successfully scaling up facilities like this one requires taking several steps or phases that are sometimes

overlooked due to lack of capital, impatience, or both.

“Some technologies are easier to scale than others. This one is somewhere in the middle, but there are a lot of learning points even from Licella’s large pilot plant that is much smaller than Chuntoh Ghuna. There’s a lot of learnings between that plant and this one,” he says. “And if you went directly from a pilot plant to a much larger commercial scale, you simply wouldn’t know a lot of things that we already know.”

Scaling up too quickly becomes a major issue when reaching out to investors for the hundreds of millions of dollars required to build a commercial-sized production facility.

“For Arbios, it’s really about de-risking the plant for the next step,” Gjessing says.

FIRST NATION RELATIONS

Arbios has been working closely with the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation since the beginning of the project, and it is possible that one of their companies, such as LTN Contracting, could be supplying underutilized forest residuals such as slash, tops and thinnings, to supply the feedstock for the plant. Gill says there is an ongoing study taking place that is looking at the economic feasibility of having such residuals for the plant supplied by a company like LTN Contracting.

“We can’t speak for the Lheidli T’enneh, but the Nation has been very supportive and helpful, and are very engaged with the development of the plant,” Gill says.

In a recent press release published by Arbios Biotech, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation Chief Dolleen Logan stated, “As a Nation, we are focused on working with proponents and projects that focus on long-term environment sustainability. We are proud to see the completion of Chuntoh Ghuna, a facility that reflects our shared values of a sustainable bioeconomy. Further, this project demonstrates what can be achieved when Indigenous communities and industry collaborate in a meaningful way. We look forward to the positive impacts this facility will bring as we transition to a low-carbon future.”

To learn more about this project, visit: www.arbiosbiotech.com. •

Rune Gjessing, CEO of Arbios Biotech.

The untapped potential of biogas

PSolving Ontario’s organic waste challenge

By Sarah Stadnyk,

Canadian Biogas Association

olitical uncertainty over limitations on garbage shipments to the U.S. has sparked renewed concerns about the status of Ontario’s landfills.

In 2021, Ontario’s Auditor General reported that the province’s landfills are nearing capacity and are expected to be exhausted within the next decade. A follow-up 2023 report emphasized ongoing shortcomings, noting that the Ministry’s five-year progress report on the Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building a Circular Economy, released in February 2023, does not mention or evaluate progress toward the province’s waste diversion targets: 30% by 2020, 50% by 2030, and 80% by 2050.

Ontario currently sends approximately 12 million tonnes of waste to landfills each year, and with waste generation steadily increasing, it is critical to explore every viable solution to reduce landfill use. One of the most promising opportunities lies in diverting organic waste to anaerobic digestion facilities, a proven and beneficial method for processing these materials instead of sending them to landfill. According to Ontario’s Food and Organic Waste Framework, 32% of the province’s waste stream consists of food and other organic materials such as food scraps, soiled paper, and yard waste. These materials con-

tain valuable energy and nutrients that can be recovered through anaerobic digestion.

While more can be done to keep organics out of the landfill, the good news is that organics diversion rates are gradually improving. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s Ontario Baseline Waste & Recycling Report (2023) highlights a steady increase in total materials recycled over the past two decades, and this growth has mainly been driven by the municipal government investments in organic waste diversion programs. Between 2002 and 2022, there was a 124% increase in the amount of organic waste composted, with over 1.2 million tonnes diverted in 2022.

Still, more than 2.3 million tonnes of organic waste are estimated to be sent to landfills annually in Ontario, the majority from Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) sources. Ontario’s Food and Organic Waste Policy Statement sets clear targets for increased diversion, but the province has yet to provide guidance on meeting compliance with these targets.

Ontario currently hosts 140 biogas facilities, including those at landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and standalone sites, with a collective capacity to process more than 1 million tonnes of organic waste. Biogas facilities are well-aligned with broader waste management systems,

“While more can be done to keep organics out of the landfill, the good news is that organics diversion rates are gradually improving.”

offering a “closed loop” by converting organic materials into electricity or renewable natural gas (RNG).

The city of Surrey, British Columbia, provides a strong model. In response to Metro Vancouver’s 2015 Organics Disposal Ban, Surrey opened its renewable natural gas facility in 2018. The facility processes 115,000 tonnes of curbside organics annually into 120,000 GJ of RNG to fuel the City’s fleet of natural gas-powered waste collection and service vehicles and fuel the new district energy system.

Closer to home, Toronto’s Dufferin and Disco Road sites are actively diverting organics and producing clean energy, such as renewable natural gas and fertilizer. The city collects approximately 170,000 tonnes of organic material through its Green Bin Organics program each year and sends the materials to its two state-of-the-art processing facilities to create compost and renewable natural gas. These examples show that with the right infrastructure, organics diversion can be both environmentally and economically beneficial.

As the collective voice of Canada’s biogas sector, the Canadian Biogas Association offers a range of resources that highlight the environmental and economic benefits of diverting organics to biogas facilities. Its dedicated microsite, municipalbiogas.ca, features case studies and tools that illustrate how municipalities are successfully implementing these solutions. With Ontario facing increasing waste volumes and limited landfill capacity, expanding and supporting biogas infrastructure offers a practical and proven path forward.•

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