Par Pacific—Hawaii’s lone refinery—has expanded its product portfolio to include renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.
By Katie Schroeder
Alex Ripley
JW Dye
3
48
37
39
Erin Voegele
Caitlin Scheresky
26 PELLETS
A Full-Circle Feedstock
By adding pellet production and a cutting-edge drying system, a Georgia sawmill is turning waste into profits. By
Caitlin Scheresky
32 BIOCHAR
Buzzing on Biocarbon
Stakeholders of the electric biochar industry met in Minneapolis to explore the path forward. By Anna Simet
CONTRIBUTIONS
38 BIOCARBON
A Critical Time for Biocarbon, Biocoal Markets By Rachael Levinson
40 BIOGAS
Solving the Biogas Bottleneck: Boosting Efficiency in Complex Applications By Sean Clark
42 FEEDSTOCK
How Demand for Wood Fiber Feedstocks
Has Changed in the US By Brooks Mendell
44 LOGISTICS
A Biomass Logistics Game Changer By Leonard Enriquez
ANNA SIMET DIRECTOR OF CONTENT & SENIOR EDITOR
asimet@bbiinternational.com
Beyond the Hype, Into the Momentum
This week, I had the chance to spend a day at the North American Biochar Conference in Minneapolis. Something that I heard a few times while there was that there has been some “industry fatigue”—the idea that biochar has generated plenty of interest and conversation over the years, but still hasn’t fully delivered on its potential. That said, it was clear from the diverse group of energized attendees from across every corner of market development that real, measurable progress is finally underway. The discussions got me thinking of a story I wrote about 14 years ago, titled “Beyond the Hype.” For that piece, I spoke with soil scientists, researchers and producers about biochar’s promise, from climate mitigation to bioenergy. One small-scale producer told me about the hurdles of scaling up and the difficult economics, saying: “Although researchers are currently willing to pay $1,000 to $2,000 per ton for biochar, in the long term it will probably be worth about $100 per ton … if you’re making 2 or 3 tons a day, that doesn’t pay the bills.”
That early perspective has aged well. While his estimate was on the low end of today’s price points, the challenges he flagged—especially around scaling—were echoed throughout the conference. We explore this theme further in our page-32 feature, Buzzing on Biochar, which follows the journeys of two successful companies producing biochar and biocarbon pellets as a fossil fuel replacement.
On the topic of industry gatherings, I’m writing this just days ahead of the North American SAF Conference, also in Minneapolis. While the sustainable aviation fuel industry has certainly weathered turbulence over the past year (and still is), there are still many bright spots—especially on the global stage. In our page-20 feature, “Decarbonizing Paradise,” Associate Editor Katie Schroeder tells the story of Par Pacific, which is moving toward commercial-scale SAF production in Hawaii. As the state’s only refinery, Par has faced its share of challenges, but the project is now nearing the finish line and bringing with it meaningful economic and environmental benefits. This facility’s startup marks a major milestone in an otherwise challenging period for project development.
You’ll also want to read “A Full Circle Feedstock” on page 26, which explores the journey of a family-owned sawmill turning residuals into wood pellets with the addition of innovative drying technology. For Conner Holdings, risk turned into reward. As Junior Staff Writer Caitlin Scheresky reports, the company entered the pellet sector with little prior experience. CEO James Foss put it this way: “It was risky, but it was a calculated risk. We have two operating sawmills with residuals, so we already had our feedstock.” He added that during the installation process, the company’s owner “seemed like he was kicking himself for not doing this sooner.”
Circling back to biochar, I’m excited to share that the International Biomass Conference & Expo will now feature a pellet and biocarbon track. With the momentum we’re seeing—growing investment, technological innovation and expanding markets—it feels like the right move. The abstract portal is now open at biomassconference.com, and I encourage you to submit yours.
2026 Int’l Biomass Conference & Expo MARCH 31 – APRIL 2, 2026
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee
Now in its 19th year, the International Biomass Conference & Expo is expected to bring together more than 900 attendees, 160 exhibitors and 65 speakers from more than 25 countries. It is the largest gathering of biomass professionals and academics in the world. The conference provides relevant content and unparalleled networking opportunities in a dynamic business-to-business environment. In addition to abundant networking opportunities, the largest biomass conference in the world is renowned for its outstanding programming—powered by Biomass Magazine—that maintains a strong focus on commercial-scale biomass production, new technology, and near-term research and development. Join us at the International Biomass Conference & Expo as we enter this new and exciting era in biomass energy.
(866) 746-8385 | www.BiomassConference.com
2026 Int’l Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo
JUNE 2-4, 2026
America’s Center, Saint Louis, Missouri
Now in its 42nd year, the FEW provides the ethanol industry with cutting-edge content and unparalleled networking opportunities in a dynamic business-to-business environment. As the largest, longest-running ethanol conference in the world, the FEW is renowned for its superb programming—powered by Ethanol Producer Magazine—that maintains a strong focus on commercial-scale ethanol production, policy, plant management, advancing technology and near-term research and development. The event draws more than 2,400 people from over 31 countries and from nearly every ethanol plant in the United States and Canada. (866) 746-8385 | www.FuelEthanolWorkshop.com
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EDITORIAL
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT & SENIOR EDITOR Anna Simet asimet@bbiinternational.com
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WAST E ELIMINATO R, POWER GENERATO R
The BioCharger® gives you the power to fight climate change by closing the energy loop so you can work o -grid to charge your vehicles, equipment, and power tools. Here’s how: The BioCharger eliminates and converts wood waste into electricity and transfers it to the Battery Storage Module (BSM), so you can recharge your battery-powered machines.
The BioCharger, developed through a successful collaboration with Volvo Construction Equipment and Rolls Royce, is an eco-friendly, cost-e ective, renewable energy solution for today-and tomorrow.
Canada a Key Market for RNG Despite Shifting Political Tides
BY ALEX RIPLEY
This spring bore witness to one of the great comebacks of Canadian political history. The Liberal Party, unpopular and road weary after a decade in power, was energized at the eleventh hour by a new leader and new sense of mission.
On April 28, Prime Minister Mark Carney landed a convincing win in the 2025 federal election. This outcome would have been unthinkable at Christmas, when the governing party was polling in the low 20 percents.
The climate policy legacy of the Trudeau government, first elected in 2015, was impressive but beleaguered. The Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act of 2018 established a national price on carbon, providing the legal foundation for both consumer-facing and industrial levies.
The consumer-facing charge was applied to all carbon-based conventional fuels and was sometimes known as the “carbon tax.” The industrial carbon pricing scheme is an emissions trading system, with specific elements of program design and administration left to provincial governments.
The Trudeau government also developed the Clean Fuel Regulations, a low carbon fuel standard that came into effect in 2023. The CFR sets a carbon intensity reduction requirement for liquid fossil fuels, which tightens every year through 2030. Suppliers of gaseous fuels like renewable natural gas can participate in the CFR market as credit creators.
By the time of Trudeau’s departure from office in early 2025, the consumer-facing fuel charge had become an albatross around the neck of the government. In stark policy departure, Prime Minister Carney repealed the fuel charge on his first day in office. The industrial levy remains; indeed, the Liberal Party’s 2025 election platform committed to improving the emissions trading system, in part by working with the provinces to harmonize and integrate what currently amounts to a balkanized system of nine different carbon markets.
Market, Policy Outlook
The repeal of the fuel charge has had knock-on implications across the wider carbon policy landscape. British Columbia followed the lead of the federal government by repealing its carbon tax, leaving Quebec as the only Canadian jurisdiction still collecting a consumer-facing price on carbon. The loss of the fuel charge also tilted the competitive landscape slightly away from biofuels and drove down credit prices in British Columbia’s provincial low carbon fuel standard. At the same time, CFR credit prices have risen since the spring, due to increased industry confidence about government support for the program, and also because the CFR doesn’t yet have a credit bank built up—demand exceeds supply.
Going forward, the Carney government appears committed to the CFR, which is scheduled for a program review in 2027. There is certainly scope to improve the CFR and make it work better for industry. For one, credit market reporting should be more frequent and more detailed. Provided the underlying carbon intensity targets are not diluted, the CFR will continue to be both an effective tool for decarbonization and a powerful catalyst for biofuels investment on both sides of the border.
The industrial carbon pricing regime will require more finessing if it is to become a useful market driver for biofuels. Many of the existing provincial policies have deliverability requirements. Small, illiquid credit markets have further constrained the ability of clean fuel providers to participate in the decarbonization of Canadian heavy industry. While the political moment is opportune to fix this sort of problem, translating rhetoric into the nuts and bolts of workable policy will be challenging.
International considerations will also impact any reform of the pollution pricing system: The Carney government is eager to grow trade with Europe, meaning that alignment with European policy (likely including some homegrown version of a carbon border adjustment mechanism) will be key.
To date, Canadian fuels policy has lacked any sort of meaningful “carrot” that could match the tax credits offered in the United States. Diverse voices from across the industry continue to advocate for policy development in this area. Relevant here could be the government’s broader focus on infrastructure development, which is tightly wound with its mission to make Canada “an energy superpower in both clean and conventional energies.” A secular commitment to building pipelines, ports and processing capacity stands to benefit the biofuels industry, particularly as the government looks to balance investments in “nation-building projects” with decarbonization and Canada’s Paris Agreement commitments.
Participants in the Canadian biofuels market can look to the future with more confidence than a year ago. While there will continue to be changes made at the margins to key compliance programs, the existence of these programs appears assured, despite continued resistance from opposition politicians. The Carney government lacks an outright majority in the House of Commons, but with a strong plurality and a largely chastened opposition, it is unlikely to face a serious challenge to its leadership in the next 18 to 24 months.
Author: Alex Ripley Manager, Government Affairs – Canada RNG Coalition
Blending Biomass with Coal: A Practical Path
BY JW DYE
Today, there’s room for all energy sources—no one should be forced out. But if we’re serious about cutting carbon without risking grid stability or financial disaster, biomass and coal need to work together, and that’s where blending comes in.
I’ve spent my career in coal mining, field sampling and industrial consulting. I love premium metallurgical coal; it’s like magic for steelmaking and specialty markets. But I’ve also developed a deep passion for biomass and believe it’s one of the smartest tools we have for balancing sustainability with practicality in today’s energy world.
Blending biomass with coal isn’t technically possible—it’s a craft. And it’s the practical bridge we need between today’s realities and tomorrow’s carbon goals.
The Case for Blending
Some insist coal should disappear overnight. Others say biomass is too expensive or unreliable. The truth often lies somewhere in the middle. Blending offers the following powerful advantages:
• Lower carbon emissions: Even a 5%-10% biomass blend can meaningfully reduce a plant’s carbon footprint—helping utilities meet regulatory targets and sustainability goals.
• Economic flexibility: Relying solely on coal or biomass can be risky. Blending allows operators to adjust ratios based on market prices and local supply availability.
• Grid reliability: Unlike solar or wind, biomass is dispatchable. Blending keeps boilers running consistently while still contributing to emissions reductions.
Technical Challenges: Real, but Manageable
Cofiring isn’t as simple as tossing two fuels into a hopper. Real-world challenges include:
• Moisture content: Biomass is often wetter than coal, requiring drying and combustion management.
• Ash chemistry: Biomass ash can be higher in alkalis, leading to slagging or corrosion if not handled properly.
• Dust hazards: Biomass dust is more explosive than coal dust, demanding updated safety protocols.
• Supply chain variability: Pellet markets can fluctuate rapidly, and regional feedstock availability may be seasonal.
None of the above challenges are deal-breakers; rather, they’re operational factors that can be managed with smart planning and proactive quality assurance.
Germany’s aggressive renewable push included rapid coal phase-outs. The result? High prices, grid instability and even
biomass plants struggling to source consistent feedstock. From that, we’ve learned that an all-or-nothing approach isn’t feasible. Instead, a stepwise blending strategy is the smarter approach—it reduces risk, protects budgets and ensures long-term sustainability.
Why Blending Matters Beyond Emissions
From a plant operator’s perspective, blending biomass with coal is not only an emissions strategy, but also a way to strengthen resilience. Fuel diversity lowers exposure to single-market shocks, whether from coal pricing swings or biomass supply disruptions. Blending also provides a practical bridge for communities that depend on coal jobs and tax revenue, offering a path to decarbonization without sudden closures. Even a modest blend can demonstrate real-world progress, help meet interim climate commitments, and create space for larger transitions down the road. Importantly, success depends on viewing coal and biomass as complementary rather than competitive. By using the infrastructure we already have, we can align environmental benefits with economic continuity—avoiding the false choice between energy security and sustainability.
The Role of Sampling and Fuel Quality Control
Blending only works when you know your fuel. Moisture, Btu, ash content and chemistry, combustible dust hazards and contaminants like chlorine, sodium and phosphorus—that’s where sampling and lab testing come in. Sampling and analysis shouldn’t be an afterthought. Without good data, blending becomes guesswork, and that’s where the risk lives. I recommend the following:
• Start with 5%–10% biomass.
• Monitor quality with consistent lab testing.
• Train operators on safe, efficient handling.
• Adjust blending ratios based on markets and availability. We don’t have to achieve carbon neutrality overnight—but we can start making real progress today. There’s room for all energy sources. Blending is a craft, and it can be mastered. So, let’s keep the lights on, the carbon down and the economics practical—one smart blend at a time.
Author: JW Dye Founder & Managing Director
Biomass Carbonization: Full System Solutions
Opportunities in biochar production continue to present themselves to organizations with biomass streams, and although launching and successfully executing a project can be a daunting process, it doesn’t have to be.
Heyl Patterson Thermal Processing has been delivering custom-made rotary calciners to customers for over 50 years, now operating as part of fully integrated services provider Carrier Process Equipment Group (CPEG). The company’s facility in Louisville, Kentucky, has been the testing ground for hundreds of different types of biomass. Douglas Spisak, president of Heyl Patterson, says that carbonization of wood streams tops the list. “They account for over 75% of the projects we see coming in,” he says.
Heyl Patterson provides services specifically tailored to fully assist clients down the project development road, beginning with education regarding different technologies, how they work and the incentives available, and then devising a path forward to get as much economic backing behind a project as possible. Spisak emphasizes that the project development process involves many components, from feed handling and biochar storage to the capture and use of volatile gasses coming off the process. Because of this, the company has dedicated individuals to support these different areas, some of whom have been employed there for as long as 40 years. “Another organization we have handles the financial, economic and carbon credit support areas of
our business,” Spisak says. “We try to have all of those entities involved right at the start so everyone hears the same story and can work with a potential client to find a solution, including details like how much it will really cost, expected production and must-knows from an emissions standpoint. If it gets beyond that, we have a series of tests that we recommend going through to ensure there wasn’t anything uncovered in the earlier testing, and also to give us a higher degree of confidence in the solution that we’re offering.”
As a subsidiary of CPEG, Spisak says, Heyl Patterson has become a full solution system provider. “We think that puts us at an advantage—I’ll equate it to a puzzle. You can go out and buy all the individual pieces of the puzzle from 100 companies, or you can go to one company and buy the whole puzzle, and be assured that it works.”
Experience matters, Spisak emphasizes. “Within our organization, most individuals have over 20 years’ experience, and the majority of the five companies within CPEG have over 100 years of experience. It’s important for our customers to hear potential solutions from all these companies—there are range of technologies available; we’re not trying to shoehorn them into one particular technology with a single offering. More importantly, we’re able to provide many years of experience behind each solution, so at the end of the day, our customers feel confident that what they’re getting is going to work.”
Maximize Your Production with
BIOMASS NEWS |
By Erin Voegele
Freres Engineered Wood Expanding Biochar Production With USDA Grant
Freres Engineered Wood has received a $229,000 grant under the USDA Wood Innovations Program to expand its current biochar operation and support active forest management on Oregon national forests.
Formerly Freres Lumber Co. Inc., the company was established in 1922 in Lyons, Oregon, as a family-owned and operated wood products manufacturing business, according to Kyle Freres, vice president of operations. “Three generations of family management have led the company’s veneer, plywood and mass timber manufacturing facilities in the Santiam Canyon, and we are committed to operating for another 10-plus years.”
Freres operates six processing facilities, including small- and large-log veneer plants, a veneer drying operation, a plywood plant, a mass timber facility and a cogeneration plant. “We are dedicated to reinvesting in our modern manufacturing facilities, providing high-quality wood products, and providing family wage jobs within our communities,” Freres explained, emphasizing the company’s history of utilizing every part of tree for beneficial uses and high-value markets. “Even the residual stream from our cogenera-
tion operations has value,” he said. “After combusting biomass in a traditional boiler system, we generate steam, which is delivered to a steam turbine generating over 7 MW for average annual load, which is enough electricity to power all of our operations. It is also equivalent to the energy usage of approximately 5,000 homes.”
There are two byproducts from the combustion process—biochar and a wood fly ash. “Together, the products have few marketable opportunities, but if they are separated there is the potential to develop beneficial uses,” Freres said.
Partners such as Solid Carbon, BelterTech and the Synthetic Aggregates association are testing a wide array of concrete applications with both the biochar and wood fly ash, according to Freres. “These applications have the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete and provide a wide array of benefits to the concrete industry,” he said. “Our goal is to develop markets for both biochar and wood fly ash ... Not only is there potential to turn a cost center into a profit center, but it further bolsters the case that wood is the most environmentally friendly, renewable and reusable construction product available.”
As for the grant, it will be used to further build out the company’s biochar operation. Freres notes that biochar and ash are dif-
Freres Engineered Wood is certified as a carbon removal supplier through the Puro.earth marketplace for its biochar product.
ficult products to work with—they are very fine, dusty and difficult to separate into consistent, beneficial products. “We have tried multiple different separation and storage techniques, some more successful than others,” he said. “In order to produce products that are consistent and to the specifications to be used in a wide variety of applications, we need to upgrade our existing separation system and storage silos to improve the process for our customers as well as for our plant personnel. The intent of our grant application is to perform the necessary upgrades to scale our system to effectively address those concerns.”
Canada Launches New Biofuel Incentives Amid Trade, Tariff Disruptions
The Canadian government is taking action to assist the country’s canola and agriculture producers by introducing a new biofuel production incentive and amending the country’s Clean Fuel Regulations to support the domestic biofuels industry.
The biofuel-related measures, announced on Sept. 5, are part of a larger effort launched by Canadian Prime Minster Mark Carney to protect, build and transform Canadian strategic industries that have been most impacted by U.S. tariffs and trade disruptions. In a notice announcing plans for the new biofuel production incentives, the Canadian government noted that its domestic biofuel producers are at risk due to new changes in subsidies and policy. As a result of those changes, many Canadian facilities are idling or shutting down. “The loss of this sector would deepen Canada’s reliance on imports from the United States and dampen demand for domestic agricultural feedstocks like canola,” according to the government.
In response to these challenges, the Canadian government will immediately introduce new biofuel production incentives that will provide more than $370 million over two years to help domestic producers and restructure their value chains. The incentive will be provided on a per-liter basis to Canadian producers of biodiesel and renewable diesel and will be available from January 2026 through December 2027 for up to 300 million liters (79.25 million gallons) per facility. Natural Resources Canada will provide additional details about the program in the coming weeks, it said.
To level the playing field and provide support for Canada’s biofuel sector, the governmental said it also intends to make targeted amendments to the Clean Fuel Regulations to introduce a time-limited production incentive for renewable diesel and biodiesel producers and work with provinces and territories to explore complementary measures.
In addition, the government announced actions aimed at supporting canola producers, including increasing loan limits to $500,000 and investing in trade diversification measures and the AgriMarketing Program, diverting an additional $75 million to the program over a five-year period.
Further, the Canadian government announced improvements to its Advanced Payments Program, which provides Canadian farmers with low-interest cash advances of up to 50% of the expected market value for eligible products.
DOE Predicts Increase in Renewable Fuels Employment
The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2025 U.S. Energy and Employment Report indicates that nearly 112,000 workers were employed by the U.S. renewable fuels industry last year, accounting for roughly 10% of total U.S. employment in the fuels sector.
Corn ethanol accounted for 36,100 employees, or 3% of the total fuels workforce. The woody biomass and cellulosic biofuel sector employed 33,800 workers, also accounting for 3% of the total fuels workforce, while other biofuels employed 41,900 (4%) of the total fuels workforce. The category of “other biofuels” is defined to include renewable diesel, biodiesel, waste fuels and other ethanol and nonwoody biomass, including sugarcane ethanol.
In the corn ethanol sector, 46% of workers were employed in the agriculture and forestry sector, with 27% in manufacturing, 19% in wholesale trade and 8% in professional and businesses services.
For woody biomass and cellulosic biofuels, 51% of workers were employed in agriculture and forestry, with 14% in manufacturing, 3% in wholesale trade and 32% in professional and business services.
For other biofuels, 7% worked in agriculture and forestry, while 10% worked in manufacturing, 18% worked in wholesale trade and 65% worked in professional and business services.
Employers in the corn ethanol sector expect a 2.1% increase in employment this year. Employment in woody biomass and cellulosic biofuels is expected to increase 2.2%, while employment in other biofuels is expected to expand by 3.9%.
The corn ethanol workforce is 31% women, higher than the 26% average for the energy sector as a whole. The representation of veterans is 16%, up significantly from the overall energy workforce average of 9%. Women also represent 31% of the woody biomass and cellulosic biofuels workforce, while veterans represent 14%. In other biofuels, women account for 33% of the workforce and veterans account for 13%.
US Wood Pellet Exports Exceed 979,000 Metric Tons in July
The U.S. exported approximately 979,282 metric tons (mt) of wood pellets in July, up when compared to both the 743,157 mt exported in June and 874,578 mt exported in July 2024, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on Sept. 4.
The U.S. exported wood pellets to more than a dozen countries in July. The U.S. was the top destination at 769,186 mt, followed by Japan at 73,500 mt and the Netherlands at 59,018 mt.
BIOMASS NEWS |
By Erin Voegele
The value of U.S. wood pellet exports reached $183.41 million in July, up from $144.43 million the previous month and $156.45 million in July of last year.
Total U.S. wood pellet exports for the first half of 2025 reached 5.83 million mt at a value of $1.12 billion, compared to 5.69 million mt exported during the same period in 2024 at a value of $1.07 billion.
Opal Fuels Reports 33% Increase in RNG Production for Q2
Opal Fuels on Aug. 7 announced the company produced 1.2 million MMBtu of renewable natural gas (RNG) during the second quarter of 2025, up approximately 33% when compared to the same period of last year.
During its second quarter earnings call, Opal Fuels co-CEO Adam Comora confirmed the company’s second quarter results were in line with expectations. “We are making solid progress on building our operating platform that will support continued growth of our RNG production assets and expanding network of fueling stations,” he said. Comora briefly discussed the expected impact of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit on Opal Fuels’ business. He said the industry is still awaiting Treasury guidance on the credit and noted Opal Fuels has not yet recognized any tax benefits in its results. However, Comora said the company now has visibility that these production tax benefits will contribute to EBTIDA for at least the next four years. He estimates that “landfill RNG could receive at least $2 per MMBtu of salable tax credits.”
Jonathan Maurer, co-CEO of Opal Fuels, said the company’s Atlantic RNG project in New Jersey has begun commissioning and
is expected to enter full commercial operations soon. That project represents approximately 0.33 million MMBtu of annual design capacity. The Burlington and Cottonwood projects are expected to come online in 2026. Those projects, respectively located in New Jersey and Illinois, have an aggregate annual design capacity of 1.1 MMBtu. In addition, the California-based Kirby RNG project, which will have the capacity to produce 0.7 MMBtu, is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027. The completion of the Hilltop and Vander Schaaf dairy RNG projects in California continues to be delayed due to a dispute with the prior engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor over a series of change order requests.
According to Maurer, Opal Fuels’ development pipeline also includes numerous near-term opportunities with secured gas rights. He said the company is maintaining its guidance to place 2 million MMBtu into construction this year. Maurer also noted that Opal Fuels currently has 45 fueling stations under construction, including 20 that are company-owned.
Opal Fuels reported second quarter revenue of $80.5 million, up 13% when compared to the same period of last year. Net income was $7.6 million, up from $1.9 million.
Chevron Corp. has confirmed the company started production at the Geismar renewable diesel plant in Louisiana after completing work to expand plant capacity from 7,000 to 22,000 barrels per day.
The company didn’t offer details on operations at Geismar or
From size reduction to the perfect finished pellet, CSE Bliss has the system to meet your needs. From single units to complete turnkey systems, our custom configured hammer mills and pelleting equipment provide precision, energy efficiency and a superior finished product.
any of the company’s other biorefineries in its second quarter report, released in early August.
The Geismar expansion project had been underway for several years, with the aim of boosting renewable diesel production capacity at the facility from approximately 90 MMgy to 340 MMgy. In early 2025, Chevron confirmed final commissioning at the facility was underway.
The Geismar facility holds the distinction of being the first renewable diesel plant in the U.S., originally developed by Dynamic Fuels LLC—a joint venture between Tyson Foods and Syntroleum Corp. Construction on the 75-MMgy plant began in 2008, and operations launched in 2010. REG acquired the site in mid-2014, officially reopening it that November. In 2020, REG announced a major expansion project, breaking ground the following year. Work was still underway when Chevron acquired REG in mid-2022.
Republic Services Reports Progress with RNG Project Development
Republic Services Inc. highlighted progress with new renewable natural gas (RNG) projects in its 2024 Sustainability Report, and its second quarter 2025 financial results, both released in late July.
According to the sustainability report, Republic Services launched six RNG projects last year, bringing the company’s closer to its goal of beneficially reusing 50% more biogas by 2030. Republic Service’s renewable energy portfolio now contains 72 landfill gas-to-energy projects, including 27 RNG projects, 37 electricity projects, eight thermal energy projects and six solar projects.
Through its Lightning Renewables joint venture with bp’s Archaea Energy, Republic Services plans to open at least 40 additional RNG projects over the next few years. The company also said it has additional projects with other partners in the development pipeline.
Poland a Potential Bright Spot for Future Pellet Demand
Changing subsidies in the U.K. and uncertainty in the Dutch market could cut wood pellet demand, according to “Impacts from Changing Policy in the U.K. and Netherlands on Global Pellet Markets,” a Sept. 12 white paper by FutureMetrics President William Strauss. He projects U.K. demand may fall 4 million to 4.5 million metric tons annually after March 2027, when subsidies shift to a short-term “bridge policy” supporting bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. Dutch demand could also decline.
Poland, however, may offset losses through its capacity markets program, which will exclude high-CO2 units after 2028. Strauss says cofiring with pellets could keep coal plants eligible, sustaining about 3.7 GW of capacity and creating significant new pellet demand.
THE SAF APPROACH
Lux Research provided insight regarding the approaching 2030 SAF mandate, potential technology pathways, gaps in the value chain and the road to success.
BY CAITLIN SCHERESKY
By 2040, the aviation sector will double from 4 billion passengers to 8 billion, contributing over three gigatons (or 3 billion tons) of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. That’s according to Lux Principal Analyst Runeel Daliah, who presented during Lux Research’s late July webinar titled,” titled “Flight Path to SAF: Innovation, Economics and the 2030 Mandate.”
This incredible doubling of air travelers, Daliah explained, is exactly why meeting the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation mandate requiring a 6% SAF blend by 2030 is of critical importance. SAF mandates have been implemented in regions around the world, he said, including the European Union and United Kingdom. “For both regions, the mandate will start at 2% this year, but the EU is much more aggressive with this mandate. By 2050—this is in just 25 years—the EU wants
to have 70% of its aviation fuel to be covered by SAF, and among that 70%, 35% will be e-fuel,” he said, “whereas the U.K. [mandate] is 24% by 2040, but a much lower percentage for e-SAF at only 4%.”
The demand created by this mandate, Daliah said, currently sits at 1 million tons, with the potential to increase to between 4 million and 5 million tons by 2030. While interest in mandating SAF blending extends outside of the EU and U.K. to countries like China and India, he explained, many of these countries haven’t issued plans of usage. Despite this gray area, SAF demand will rise to approximately 20 million tons by 2040.
Currently, however, SAF production is moving slower than it should be. “In 2024, we only produced 1 million tons of SAF ... the increase here has been quite slow, from 0.818 million tons in 2023 to
1 million tons in 2024,” Daliah said. So where will the remaining four million tons come from?
Several processes and feedstocks, if the industry has anything to say about it. Daliah highlighted four main SAF technologies: bio-oil to SAF, CO2 to SAF, alcohol to SAF and biomass to SAF. “Today, all SAF is coming from the first category, bio-oil to SAF,” he said. “This is the conversion of vegetable oil or waste oil into SAF, and all of it is coming from this pathway simply because it’s the only technology that is [commercial-scale] for the production of SAF ... this is why you see a large number of corporations like Neste, BP, Shell, Exxon—all the oil and gas majors [in bio-oil SAF].
The perfect SAF-producing technology would have an abundant supply of low-carbon-intensity (CI) feedstock, be scalable and sourced by experienced developers to minimize risk. “The challenge is that one technology alone cannot meet the entire demand of SAF,” he continued. This is why multiple startups and companies are currently developing new production technologies in the various pathways already developed.
The Tech Breakdown
Bio-oil SAF, commonly known as hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) technology, currently dominates SAF production simply because it’s been proven at a commercial scale. However, HEFA technology is far from the perfect solution. While it is a sustainable, scalable and deeply researched practice, its feedstock is limited in supply. “SAF mandates require that your feedstock is sustainable, which means that you cannot use a vegetable oil because it is a food crop,” Daliah said. “The only feedstock you can use with this technology is waste oil, like used cooking oil (UCO) or animal fats, for example. And unfortunately, there simply isn’t enough waste feedstock around the world to meet the demand of the aviation sector.”
This limitation opens the door to new SAF technologies, including the biomass-to-SAF pathway, which converts biobased feedstocks into SAF. “There are two ways to do so,” he said. “The main approach is to gasify the biomass into syngas and then feed the syngas into a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor. Or, the more early-stage approach is known as pyrolysis or liquefaction, where you take the biomass, heat it up in the absence of oxygen in order to liquefy it, and then refine that biocrude into aviation fuel,” he said.
Biomass-to-SAF production remedies the shortcomings faced by HEFA technology but has a few shortcomings of its own. Biobased feedstocks are both sustainable and abundant worldwide in the form of forestry and agricultural waste. However, the technology itself is underdeveloped. “Despite FT technology having been around for many years for the oil and gas industry, the technology has not yet been scaled for the SAF sector,” Daliah pointed out. “And also, to convert biomass into aviation fuel, you first need to gasify it ... [and gasification] hasn’t been successful yet for the pro-
duction of liquid fuel.” Combined with a lack of experienced developers, biomass-based SAF production has a long way to go before it contends with HEFA-to-SAF production.
Ethanol-to-SAF offers another potential pathway to relieve the pressure on bio-oil-based SAF. Ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) is a three-step pathway that dehydrates the ethanol to ethylene and converts it into fuel fractions. “Ethanol is a bit unique ... when it comes to the feedstock,” Daliah said. “Now, in the EU and the U.K., the SAF mandates prohibit the use of food crops, which includes first-generation (1G) ethanol—ethanol from corn, or ethanol from sugar cane, for example.” The alternative, second-generation (2G) ethanol, is biomass-derived ethanol, of which the technology is currently in development.
This ban on 1G ethanol is limited to the EU and U.K., so countries like the U.S. and regions expected to join the SAF mandate influx like Asia and Brazil can still utilize this pathway, so long as producers can meet low CI scores. For this reason, ETJ is in a bit of a gray area as well. Where 1G ethanol is widely available but unsustainable as a food crop, 2G ethanol is limited in availability but has a much lower CI score. Technologies vary in development, but multiple experienced developers have stakes in the game, so it’s safe to say that this technology isn’t out of the race, according to Daliah. CO2-to-SAF, or e-fuel, shares FT technology as its major pathway to production, through which CO2 and green hydrogen are combined and converted to syngas, then fed to FT reactors to produce fuels. A secondary methanol-to-jet (MTJ) pathway is emerging, through which CO2 and hydrogen are converted to methanol and then into jet fuel.
“[CO2 and green hydrogen] are theoretically very abundant as well as sustainable,” Daliah explained. “The other big advantage in this pathway is the number and experience of the developers of companies in the space.” However, the available technologies are still emerging and not at scale, respectively.
Cost of Doing Business
Each of the four available pathways have their pros and cons, but how do they hold up economically? Daliah presented the cost of SAF production compared to the current average cost of fossil jet fuel. Fossil jet fuel currently sells at a rate of $600 per ton. Even in the best-case scenario, Daliah explained, the cost of SAF cannot match the cost of fossil jet fuel—in fact, most alternatives will face a premium. The reason? The price of the feedstock. “In this case, the big challenge is how to bring the costs down,” Daliah said.
Using the example of Air France, which has stated its intent to incorporate a minimum of 10% SAF by 2030, Daliah broke down the costs of SAF implementation. “[Air France] is based in Paris, and they are flying all over the world to ... more than 85 countries,” he said. “If Air France were to adopt SAF, they would have to across
their entire worldwide network.” Daliah estimated that every hour of in-air operation time costed around $10,000 between fuel—the largest slice of the number pie—maintenance, crew costs and the like.
“Adopting a 20% bio-oil premium, via SAF mandate, onto these prices is quite minimal; even including the premium, about half of the hourly cost of flight operations stems from the cost of fuel. Instead, we run into a crisis of feedstock availability,” Daliah said. “There simply isn’t enough feedstock for a greater-than-6% blend.”
Implementing biomass-based SAF requires a significantly higher premium, being 180% more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel. Where a 0% blend settles the fuel cost at about half of that $10,000 per hour price point, any increase in biomass-based SAF blending results in increased feedstock and overall operational costs. Should a 20% blend be implemented by 2035, Daliah explained, the hourly operational cost of a flight would increase to roughly $12,000 per hour, with about $8,000 of that stemming from feedstock pricing, not to mention the EU’s requirement that half of the 70% 2050 SAF mandate to be e-fuel.
E-fuels face the highest premium at an astounding 645% increase from fossil-based jet fuels. Should a 6% blend by 2030 be met in e-fuels, the hourly operational cost increases to that of bio-
mass-based SAF in the same year and blend. However, should a 20% blend be achieved by only five years later, the overall hourly costs would increase to nearly $20,000, with over 65% of that price stemming from feedstock costs alone. A 70% blend by 2050 would bankrupt Air France and skyrocket travel costs at an overall hourly rate of over $35,000. Of that, $32,000 would stem from feedstock premiums.
So, how can we avoid these consequences? To answer this, Daliah revisited the pros and cons of each currently available technology. While the pressure is on for the EU’s SAF mandate—which Daliah predicts to be scrapped, based on production costs—the sheer number of opportunities for innovation across pathways, the wide-reaching promise of HEFA and bio-based SAF, and dedication to lower the aviation industry’s carbon intensity will bring on SAF implementation. Persistence, he finished, is key to the industry’s success.
Hawaii’s only refinery has expanded its product portfolio to include renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, providing local jobs and supporting the state’s decarbonization goals.
BY KATIE SCHROEDER
More than 2,400 miles from the mainland U.S., energy company Par Pacific Holdings Inc. serves as Hawaii’s lone refinery. In 2023, the company decided to add sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel to their product portfolio, creating a unit focused on developing renewable fuels projects. This unit developed the Hawaii Renewables Project at the Par Hawaii East refinery near Kapolei, Hawaii. Currently, the refinery’s capacity stand at 94,000 barrels per day (b/d) of conventional fuel. In 2023, the company committed to converting one of its units into a hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (HEFA) process. When operation begins, the renewables unit will produce 4,000 b/d, or 60 MMgy, of renewable diesel and SAF.
Par Pacific made its debut in the Hawaiian market in 2013 with the purchase of a refinery formerly owned by Tesoro. Now known as Par Hawaii East, the facility is the site of Hawaii’s first SAF project.
Refining Resilience
The grit and determination of Par Pa-
cific’s leadership led to its current market position, according to Jon Goldsmith, senior vice president of renewables with Par Pacific. When the then-startup company first entered the Hawaiian market, it was a case of David and Goliath, with Par competing against one of the world’s largest energy companies— Chevron. Tesoro was shuttering a 50-year-old refinery in Kapolei, a city on Hawaii’s Oahu Island. “We invested capital, we restarted the plant, and we were able to maintain all these critical jobs and on-island energy production,” he tells Biomass Magazine. “And Hawaii has limited high-quality manufacturing and industrial sector jobs.”
In 2016, Chevron sold its refinery to Island Energy Services. A few years later, the refinery was shuttered and Par Hawaii acquired most of the assets. Through strategic acquisitions of refineries from fuel suppliers, after seven years, Par Pacific emerged as the state’s only refiner. Not only playing a key role as a fuel supplier for the electrical grid, shipping and air transport, Par Hawaii also provides high-paying jobs in a market with few job options. Eric Wright, president of
Par Hawaii, has lived in the state for eight years. Par Hawaii takes its role as one of few high-paying industrial employers very seriously. The refinery employs about 300 people, paying new workers $40 per hour.
“It’s not for everybody, but for people who are looking for a good career path, this is really a great option for them,” Wright says. “The renewable fuels project helps solidify our future and make sure that we stay relevant as a state pursues its clean energy goals.”
In-House Development
In 2019, the refinery invested in a distillate hydrogen treater, which removes sulfur from diesel and helps refiners hit the regulation specification of 15 parts per million. The unit ran for a couple years before the company observed the growth of the renewable fuels industry, and Par Pacific decided to explore converting the unit to a dedicated HEFA renewable fuels plant. In 2022, the company partnered with Hawaiian Airlines to explore SAF production. After a year of exploring the technical demands of the project with technology provider Topsoe, and as well
as economic potential for SAF and renewable diesel production, Par Pacific committed to pressing forward on the project in 2023.
Goldsmith emphasizes the impressive capabilities of Par Hawaii’s experienced engineers, who allowed the company to develop, design and execute the project without hiring an engineering, procurement and construction contractor. Par Pacific’s new mission statement, “Humbly serving communities,” has been evidenced in the company’s engagement with the surrounding community, Goldsmith explains.
This in-house approach allowed Par Pacific to develop the 60 MMgy HEFA unit for less than $100 million dollars, a cost of around $1.50 per gallon. “If you look at other projects that have been announced, that’s relatively cheap and the reason for that is we have the refinery with a lot of existing infrastructure that we were able to utilize,” Wright says.
Par Hawaii’s renewable diesel and SAF capacity will help fuel the state’s decarbonization goals.
IMAGE: PAR PACIFIC
Par Hawaii, located on the island of Oahu, added 4,000 b/d of renewable diesel and SAF to its product portfolio.
IMAGE: PAR PACIFIC
Combining Forces
Par Pacific recently announced the formation of Hawaii Renewables LLC, a joint venture company with Alohi Renewable Energy LLC (a partnership between Mitsubishi Corp. and ENEOS Corp., two of Japan’s largest energy and trading companies), where Par Pacific would contribute and operate the renewable fuel production assets in Hawaii.
The partnership will combine Par Pacific’s advantaged West Coast and Hawaii asset base and operational capabilities with improved market access via Mitsubishi’s terminal in Long Beach, California. Both ENEOS and Mitsubishi will enhance the business by leveraging their global integrated businesses and providing their technical, trading and feedstock origination capabilities across Asia-Pacific and North America.
“We are thrilled to be combining forces with Mitsubishi and ENEOS,” Goldsmith says. “We have been collaborating for well over a year and have had the opportunity to
shape the partnership in a way that will bring value to all parties.”
Markets & Mandates
Hawaii is a unique market for renewable fuels, Wright explains. The state’s electrical grid primarily relies on diesel or fuel oil for power generation, with around 65% of the state’s energy derived from these sources. However, the state’s carbon reduction mandate requires the utilities to provide 100% renewable energy by 2045, according to Wright. “Liquid fuels will always be a part of the mix here,” he explains. “The renewable fuel we’re making is going to help the utilities hit their mandated renewable energy goals. But the great thing about our project is that we can sell the diesel to the utilities, and the sustainable aviation fuel we can sell to the airlines. The diesel can also go to the marine market shipping. So, we really hit a lot of different sectors of the economy with our project.”
ENGINEERING POSSIBILITIES.
Conservation company Pono Pacific is cultivating camelina at the pilot scale, but plans to expand production to cover 50,000 acres, creating a viable local source of oil feedstock.
IMAGE: PONO PACIFIC
FMW Industries
The state must meet certain benchmarks progressing toward the ultimate goal of 100% renewable energy: 40% by 2030 and 70% by 2040. Hawaii’s liquid fuel demand stands at about 100,000 b/d, meaning that Par Hawaii’s renewable fuel unit will not overwhelm the market. Goldsmith explains that the max SAF volume is around 2,400 b/d, around 5% of the approximately 50,000 b/d jet fuel market. “The project scale is right-sized for the Hawaii market,” he says.
The infrastructure acquired and developed over the years enables the company to send products to market in a cost-efficient manner. Par Hawaii owns a 20-mile pipeline that runs from the refinery’s jet fuel storage to Honolulu Airport. Once production starts, the refinery can blend SAF with its conventional jet fuel and ship it down the pipeline, directly to the airport. “We’re very closely integrated with the airport and the jet fuel infrastructure in a way that a lot of other facilities aren’t,” Wright says.
Feedstock Flexibility
The unit is able to handle a wide range of feedstocks, including beef tallow, used cooking oil and more. To maximize economic benefits, Par Hawaii has installed an innovative, and first-of-its-kind pretreatment technology developed by Lutros LLC.
Par Pacific helped finance Lutros’ pilot plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After the technology was proved out, Par Pacific moved forward with the technology, installing it in their new system. Wright explains that since the facility will utilize diverse feedstocks, pretreatment helps ensure that the oils are free of any contaminants that could poison the catalyst. The company recognized the importance of onsite pretreatment, rather than purchasing treated feedstock.
Collocating the renewable fuels unit alongside a refinery benefits the process in a number of ways. The presence of preexisting hydrogen infrastructure is one such benefit, according to Wright. Par Hawaii East used to process a lot of Alaskan crude oil, which has a high sulfur content. Due to that, the refinery added hydrogen to reach required fuel specifications. Currently, the refinery uses a “sweeter” crude slate with less sulfur, meaning that the hydrogen plants were underutilized.
The hydrogen is produced via a process similar to steam methane reforming but substituting propane for methane, the unit separates the carbon and hydrogen, allowing the hydrogen to be used in the SAF production. “The renewable fuels unit will actually, in the first stage of the unit, make a lot of renewable propane from the renewable feedstock,” Wright says. “And so, we’re able to feed that to the hydrogen unit and produce renewable hydrogen that then gets used to make the renewable fuel. We don’t make enough renewable propane to say … we’re using all green hydrogen, but we come pretty close.”
Currently, fuel production requires importing all feedstock by ship, both from the U.S. and abroad. The U.S. Jones Act requires cargo travelling from one U.S. port to another to be transported by a U.S.-built ship, flying a U.S. flag and crewed by Americans. Par Hawaii charters one of these ships under a long-term lease, which transports feedstock and products from Par Pacific’s refinery in Tacoma, Washington, out to Hawaii. Wright highlights that many HEFA plants use imported feedstock of some type, whether that be used cooking oil from Asia or canola oil from Canada.
A Second Life
Par Hawaii is already seeking solutions for its feedstock access challenges, exploring Hawaii-based feedstocks with Pono Pacific, the state’s largest private conservation company. The group tests the viability of growing various crops on fallow agricultural land across the state. One such crop is camelina, a promising HEFA feedstock.
Camelina has potential to not only serve as a feedstock for the oils needed for SAF, but also provide animal feed at an affordable price to livestock farmers within the state, explains Chris Bennett, vice president of sustainable energy solutions with Pono Pacific. The crop’s short growth cycle—80 to 100 days—could allow it to serve as a cover crop, rotating with food production during Hawaii’s long growing season. “If we’re successful, and we’re able to activate fallow lands, that actually means more land is in production,” Bennett says.
Pono completed pilot tests of several camelina varieties and identified the best strain for the region. The next step is to expand the project to 100-acre plots, with the five-year plan being to reach 50,000 acres. The ultimate goal is not to fully provide Par Hawaii’s feedstock, as there isn’t acreage available in the state to grow camelina at that scale, but Pono Pacific plans to provide 10% to 20% of the refinery’s feedstock if the project’s scale-up is successful.
“I think this is such a great project that shows that an oil refinery and a 25-year [old] land conservation company can find common ground and work together in a way that potentially could be very positive for the state of Hawaii,” Bennett says.
Hawaii’s unique, high-demand market offers a wide range of opportunities for renewable fuel producers. Renewable diesel demand originating from the cruise ship industry, marine fuel, electric grid and more, along with the state’s large, aviation fuel-reliant tourist industry and the state’s net-zero carbon emissions goals creates a perfect storm for renewable fuel demand. Although the logistics of feedstock supply and lack of a strong tax credit framework for renewable fuels constitute a challenge, they are not impossible to overcome. “I think it’s a great story that this refinery had a second life and now we’re making a big investment in it, and solidifying its future,” Wright adds. “As you can imagine, our people are really excited about it. It’s something new we get to learn how to do.”
The recently completed installation of a pellet mill and innovative drying system is empowering Georgian family-owned lumber company Conner Holdings to expand its potential.
BY CAITLIN SCHERESKY
In Homerville, Georgia, under blankets of pine trees, stands Conner Holdings LLC. Founded in 2019 as a family-owned chainsaw logging company, Conner Holdings has since expanded to own several mid-size sawmills through Georgia’s Pine Belt region, including that of Homerville as its base of operations. While a young company, the Conner family’s roots in logging go much further back.
Steven W. Conner, the founder of Conner Holdings, purchased and renamed Alapaha, Georgia-based Dupont Pine Products, also known as Dupont Yard Inc., in 2011 from Hubert Moore Lumber, the equipment of which he has since upgraded. In 2018,
Conner restarted Cross City Lumber LLC, a chip-n-saw sawmill built in 1969 and idled in 2008. Conner sold the mill, located in the Florida city of the same name, to a private equity firm in 2021.
Especially in recent years, an obstacle has been looming for southern sawmills like Conner Holdings: the closure of multiple paper mills, upon which sawmills rely to sell their residuals. And while large-scale producers can eat the cost of their sawmill waste, that loss of revenue hangs over mid- and smaller-scale producers.
For Conner Holdings, this problem became a challenge to be conquered. And as strong businesses do, the company made a
calculated risk: With little-to-no experience, it entered the pellet mill industry. Says Conner Holdings CEO James Foss, “It was risky, but it was a calculated risk. We have two operating sawmills that produce residuals, so we already had our feedstock. Throughout the pellet mill installation process, Steve [E. Connor] seemed like he was kicking himself for not doing this sooner.”
Building Bridges
The recent addition of a pellet mill and residue-processing technology to its Homerville sawmill has given the once lumber-focused company a new perspective. “When we got started with the pellet mill, most of
Based out of Homerville, Georgia, Conner Holdings utilizes the surrounding southern yellow pine within the Pine Belt in its sawmill-to-pellet production.
IMAGE: STELA DRYING TECHNOLOGY
my focus was project coordinating…[and] design work for that. We had some things that were new to us, so we had to figure them out,” Foss says. The brunt of this work, he explains, surrounded the process of entering the key market for U.S. wood pellets: Europe and its sustainability certification standards. Conner Holdings uses natural gas to heat its residuals, which complicates its ability to sell into European markets.
Enter Stela Drying Technology: a family-owned, Germany-based equipment manufacturer. Founded in 1922 by Stefan Laxhuber, the company has seen three generations of leadership. “The backbone of
the German economy is made of innovative companies that have a certain niche. We’re very good at what we do,” says Wedig Graf Grote, Stela’s vice president of sales in North America.
Stela’s path into its niche started 60 years ago, Graf Grote explains, with grain dryers. In 1975, the company set up its first low-temperature belt dryer, and by 2000, it had branched out into industrial bulk material drying, where the business has remained focused since. Where grain dryers rely on gravity to pull material through, a belt dryer operates on a continuous process in which a belt pulls an even layer of the material through a dryer tunnel. Air is pulled
through the belt and the material, evaporating the moisture content.
Partnering for Efficiency
“We really designed our mill around other mills,” Foss says. “We went and visited, heard their stories, heard the horror stories, and tried to engineer in as much automation as possible to let you know if something’s broken. So, our mills are primarily run from a control room, and we have a control system with enough sensors to let us know if the belt’s broken, the chain’s broken, if something’s not running.”
In 2023, Stela Drying Technology Corp. was founded in the U.S.—the second
Stela branch abroad after Ukraine—and the company brought in Graf Gote to build up business in the states.
The motivations of both companies led them to cross paths: Conner Holdings was searching for a partner with experience in both low-temperature belt drying and navigating European sustainability requirements, and Stela was to set down roots in the U.S. With those synergies, the partners began production on Conner Holdings’ on-site pellet mill, C&H Pellets, and the installation of Stela’s RecuDry low-temperature belt drying system.
While seeming daunting, Graf Grote explains that the science behind the system is simple, operating on a three-level drying structure. Air enters the upper portion of the machine and is indirectly heated by water-to-air heat exchangers to temperatures between 140-250 degrees Fahrenheit (roughly 60-120 Celsius)—temperatures that won’t drastically heat the residuals but will remove moisture through evaporation.
The heated air is then pulled down to the second layer and through the drying residuals, evenly dispersed on the belt being pulled through the dryer. The air moves through the belt and is kicked back out at the bottom of the machine, and evaporation cools down the dried residuals. The belt itself, a woven mat, offers the filtration required for the dryer, he continues, along with cleaning devices built into the dryer. Because of its low-temperature operations, the material remains well below ignition temperatures, minimizing risk.
Testing the Waters
Within the Pine Belt of Georgia, one feedstock stands above the rest: southern yellow pine (SYP). According to the USDA, SYP consists of four key species: longleaf, shortleaf, loblolly and slash pines. “It’s the major feedstock for the southeastern forest products industries,” Graf Grote explains. Conner Holdings is surrounded by SYP, making the timber its sole feedstock.
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Before undergoing wet milling, the southern yellow pine must be debarked and chipped. IMAGE: STELA DRYING TECHNOLOGY
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“From a feedstock narrative in the pellet world, SYP as a pellet is desirable because it’s more energy dense,” Foss adds. SYP serves as a fantastic feedstock for pellet production because softwood trees like pine boast a higher resin content and contain more Btus. than hardwood alternatives. Softwood pellets also rank superior to hardwood-made pellets in terms of the amount of ash produced by burning them. Lower ash content means fewer breaks for maintenance and smoother operations.
Processing these logs results in a significant residual amount. “If you run a log through a lumber mill, in between bark, shavings and sawdust … we’re down to about 60% in lumber, and the rest is all residuals,” Graf Grote explains. “So, there’s an inherent need for a sawmill to find an outlet for those chips.”
What complicates matters when working with SYP is also what offers its salvation—the exact resin content that heightens its burning temperatures. “We were worried
Graf Grote (right) describes Conner Holdings co-owner, Steve E. Conner (left), as incredibly positive and instrumental to the success of the partnership.
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that maybe pine resin wouldn’t be much like other feedstocks or woods [Stela] had experienced in their primary spots in Europe,” Foss recalls. “We felt like that could be an issue—that our SYP might be stickier than what they’re used to and plug up their belts.”
As it turns out, Stela’s belt dryers were exactly what Conner Holdings’ pellet mill needed. “They were adamant it wouldn’t [plug the belt] and it hasn’t,” Foss says. “We’ve seen almost a whole year’s cycle of the seasons of drying. It has a cleaning cycle, like a pres-
Stela’s RecuDry system utilizes a natural gas-fueled water boiler to power its low-temperature belt dryer at the Homerville plant. IMAGE: STELA DRYING TECHNOLOGY
sure washer, that runs in the process to clean the belt, so the idea was that we could just run it more. Well, we haven’t. We’ve just run it normally. It was a blessing that the STELA belt dryer started up with no problems. You don’t really plan for no problems in an industrial setting like this.”
This joint project marks some significant firsts, and based on the results, most definitely not lasts.
‘The backbone of the German economy is made of innovative companies that have a certain niche. We’re very good at what we do.’
— Wedig Graf Grote, Stela Drying Technologies
“This is the first low-temperature belt dryer in the pellet industry in the southeastern United States, and the first application of the highly energy efficient RecuDry technology in the country,” Graf Grote says. “It’s also the first time we’ve dried SYP at this scale.”
Keeping it Green
In the Pine Belt, where trees grow one to three feet per year, the issue of meeting sustainability isn’t in production, but transport. The Stela RecuDry technology allows Conner Holdings to continue using natural gas while simultaneously remaining as clean as possible, Graf Grote says, so the company can remain compliant with European certification standards. “We recirculate the air through the machine, and then use part of the recirculation air to preheat the ambient air coming in. This allows us to essentially get a better efficiency on the thermal energy by 35-plus percent,” he explains. “[The residual material] comes in at 40-45% and gets
dried down to 10-12% moisture content.”
Also important to consider, Graf Grote explains, is the end product. Conner Holdings produces industrial pellets that are used as a coal replacement to lower emissions and carbon footprints, and meet sustainability and environmental goals. “The whole idea behind pelletizing is to be able to ship that densified material. It’s easier and safer than shipping residuals, and there is less volume,” Graf Grote says.
For mid-size pellet producers, Graf Grote couldn’t agree more with Conner Holdings’ decision. “As a sawmill, you suddenly have three legs to stand on: lumber, mulch and pellets … it makes you more resilient as a company.”
With challenges for the lumber industry ahead, Foss calls the industry to action. “[I don’t think] biomass has been fully embraced as a sustainable energy for pellets,” he says. “There are looming energy crises on the horizon. So why not biomass?”
Hundreds of biochar industry stakeholders met in Minneapolis in mid-September to explore research, policy and investments in the sector, with a focus on accelerating market adoption, scaling production and expanding biochar applications across industries.
Biochar—and biocarbon—as a replacement for coal was a thoroughly discussed topic, with representatives of operating projects sharing their successes and challenges, strategy and what lies ahead.
One such company was SDI Biocarbon Solutions, of which Jim Hansen, vice president of environmental sustainability, discussed the motivation behind and launch of its new biocarbon facility located near Columbus, Mississippi.
Decarbonizing Steel
SDI Biocarbon Solutions is a joint venture between Steel Dynamics and technology provider Aymium. Steel Dynamics is the third largest steel producer in the United States, according to Hansen, with production being entirely electric arc furnace-based. “What that means is we utilize scrap as our raw material,” Hansen explains. “We are the largest North American recycler of metals out there … as we look at our carbon footprint as an industry, that actually put us in a pretty strong position.”
Hansen, who has been with Steel Dynamics for nearly 20 years, discussed the company’s solid track record of environmental initiatives, which he said has put the company in a leadership position from a carbon footprint standpoint. “But we also recognize that there’s more that we can do, and there’s more that we should do,” he said. “In 2023, we actually met the goals that we set back in 2021 for our 2025 goals.”
Steel Dynamics is on track to be net zero by 2050, according to Hansen. Highlighting the company’s 308-MW Canyon Wind project in west Texas that is currently underway, he said it has significant carbon reduction potential for the company—all of that power will be used at Steel Dynamics operations. “We melt our scrap with electricity, so having a low carbon footprint as it relates to that electricity is important,” Hansen said. “As an organization, we consume about 8 gigawatt hours per year—that’s a lot of electricity.”
That usage, Hansen said, led to the biocarbon endeavor. “We see ourselves as a decarbonization leader in the industry … we believe strongly in what biomass and pyrolysis can bring to decarbonization … there are a whole lot of folks out there chasing different technologies that are years and years away—lots of dollars that have to go toward making those things happen. But biocarbon, biomass, biochar—the things that all of you are working on—those things are here, they’re now, and they’re nature-based solutions, so it makes a heck of a lot of sense.”
Hansen explained that the biocarbon produced at SDI Biocarbon Solutions will replace anthracite coal used in the steelmaking process. “A lot of the anthracite coal comes from eastern part of the United States, but also offshore, imported from places like Russia and Ukraine,” he said, emphasizing the importance of having a secure supply of biocarbon to feed the company’s steel plants.
A $300 million-plus capital investment, the SDI plant is located on 90 acres and is capable of producing upward 200,000 tons of biocarbon annually. Startup is ongoing. “We’re really heavy into the commissioning startup phases and anxious to get to the point of producing our first saleable product,” Hansen said, reiterating that the emission reductions associated with using the biocarbon in lieu of anthracite is significant. “It’s up to a 35% reduction in our Scope 1 emissions,” he said. “And the process really relatively simple. We’re taking southern yellow pine from the local region … chipping that to the appropriate size, drying it and then utilizing biomass pyrolysis to convert it into high-fixed carbon … we’re pelletizing that, and then storing it for shipment to the steel mill, which goes either by truck or by rail.”
The finished product may also be shipped to Steel Dynamics mills that aren’t near Mississippi, he added.
As far as emissions and environmental control at the plant, the SDI Biocarbon Solutions plant hosts a small water treatment facility for cooling water, fire suppression and other cooling needs within the facility, according to Hansen, in addition to a wet electrostatic precipitator and regenerative thermal oxidizer for pollution control. “It’s state-of-the-art emissions control—all emissions are compliant with a Title V permit.”
BUZZING ON BIOCARBON
Biochar as a fuel replacement was one of many topics discussed at the North American Biochar Conference in Minneapolis.
BY ANNA SIMET
Construction of the facility is largely complete. “We’re in startup now,” Hansen said. “And really, one of the reasons we’re here [at the conference] is because we’ve got this product that is allocated to steel mills, and we’re understanding that there might be some other opportunities and benefits for this product to go elsewhere. There is just a huge amount of opportunity that’s available here and now.”
From Coal to Biochar
Cathal Fitzgerald, chairman of Arigna Fuels in Roscomman, Ireland, discussed how the century-old, fifth-generation family business transitioned from its fossil fuel roots to one of the largest biochar producers in the world, and the challenges and opportunities that have come with it.
Arigna was historically focused on coal, founded as a mining company extracting coal for power generation. “We didn’t set out to make biochar,” he said. “We just arrived at the conclusion that biochar was the most suitable material to help in the transition from fossil fuels.”
Today, the company can produce 70,000 tons of biochar annually, has four distribution units, 75 employees and sees approximately $180 million in revenue.
As for its backstory, in the late 1980s, Arigna realized that smokey coal was going to be phased out and thus began manufacturing smokeless coal for the U.K. and Irish markets. “In 2010, we actually began to reverse-engineer smokey coal,” Fitgerald said. “We were looking for a sustainable product that had all the attributes of coal—its calorific value, cost, and even look and feel. And that’s how we landed on biochar.”
In 2012, Arigna purchased a 7,000-metric-ton biochar machine as a pilot project, investing significant time into designing a production process that would produce biochar—fitting, as the company has a background heavy in engineering, according to Fitzgerald. “In 2017, when we perfected the production process, the company launched its sustainable fuel called Harvest Flame, which is 100% sustainable and actually made from olive pits.”
Just over a decade later, Arigna decided to scale up production and purchased two large reactors, each with a capacity of 35,000 metric tons. They were commissioned in November 2023, Fitzgerald said, and are
now fully operational. “The additional capacity that we have, we’ve used it to ramp up production of Harvest Flame, but also to address other large-volume uses of biochar, such as a soil amendment in housing developments and chemical fertilizer replacement in golf greens and turf soil. It’s unusual that we’ve focused on only one attribute of biochar—that it’s a good solid fuel substitute. Only in the past two years have we actually started to look at the other uses of biochar.”
As for challenges encountered, Fitzgerald said he categorizes them into two sets—addressable and nonaddressable.
Conquering Challenges
“The first [addressable challenge] is the lack of large-scale markets other than the fuel market,” he explained. “This is the single biggest issue that we face, and what we mean by other markets is a source of demand for a sufficient quantity of biochar at a profitable price. There are lots of research papers and reports that identify the benefits of biochar for so many areas … but there’s actually very little research on the economics of those uses.”
Arigna meets this challenge by identifying and analyzing markets where there may be some potential for large-scale use in terms of volume, but also a particular catalyst that will allow that demand to be realized. “We seek to partner with someone in the sector to bring focus to our research, and so that we can get to trial as quickly as possible,” Fitzgerald said. “And by trial we mean field trials, because we’ve actually found that a key part of any trial is the actual application of the biochar itself.”
The second addressable challenge that Arigna faces is price point; incumbent product is usually cheaper than the company’s biochar. “The reason for this is that, in the case of the incumbent product, it usually doesn’t reflect the true cost,” he said. “Coal is a very good example. The true cost of coal is not reflected in its price, because the cost of the environmental damage is not a factor basis. Our response here is quite simple: We have to be able to provide a product with the same value as the current product as we have done in the case of coal, or we have to be able to solve this problem when the current product cannot.”
Another challenge is research and development. “One of the downsides of the many uses of biochar is what to focus on,” Fitzgerald said. “We have a lab and two researchers, so there’s very little that we don’t know or can’t find out about manufacturing biochar. However, when it comes to its applications, we need expertise in soil science, renewable gas, agriculture and horticulture … it can be overwhelming and distracting.”
The final addressable challenge Fitzgerald pinpointed was raising capital. “There are a lot of reasons why this is an issue, such as our continued presence in coal and our location in Ireland,” he said. “The bottom line is that we struggle to raise capital, hence we must generate capital from internal sources and our existing shareholders in the near term, while increasing awareness of the company in the medium term.”
As for nonaddressable challenges, Fitzgerald said the company’s continued manufacture of smokeless coal can shut down conversations very early. “Sometimes, we’re advised to close down the coal facility or separate the coal and biochar businesses, but neither is possible for us due to cost and practicality,” he said. “Over time, we’re replacing our coal sales with biochar-based fuel, but it’s going to take time.”
While location has been another challenge on account of the operation’s distance from feedstocks and markets, it’s becoming less of an issue due to its large-scale production capacity and as the company gains traction in high-value markets.
Sustainability rollbacks can be a challenge, Fitzgerald said, but it hasn’t been as big of an issue as the company had initially thought. “When we see organizations considering biochar, it’s because they have a problem and biochar might solve it,” he said. “The problem might be related to sustainability, but there’s always a more immediate issue, and that’s what we focus on. In short, we don’t see sustainability as a main driver of demand. We don’t sell sustainability; we sell a product that has benefits, one of which is sustainability.”
Finally, perceptions regarding biochar can be a hurdle. “As we know, biochar has been around for a long time, and there is a sense that while it’s a breakthrough and magical ma-
terial, it has never achieved its full potential,” Fitzgerald said. “There’s definitely an element of fatigue in certain sectors that we speak to, and our response is that we have to demonstrate that we have a track record and can produce large quantities of consistent-quality biochar, and we can also provide ongoing analysis of the characteristics of our biochar.”
Opportunities and Drivers
As for opportunities, Fitzgerald says that though using biochar for fuel is contentious and many people take exception to it, for Arigna, it’s a necessity. “It replaces fossil fuel and wood, and it’s actually doing a lot of good. Our immediate opportunity is our biofuel Harvest Flame, which is sold as a domestic fuel. The product is made from olive pits, a by-product of olive oil [production], and our process is optimized to produce the maximum amount of biochar using the syngas to run the thermal oxidizer.”
Arigna has perfected the production process over many years with the objective of making Harvest Flame competitive with fossil fuels and wood. “What we find is that consumers will buy a sustainable product, but they won’t pay a significant green premium or take a significant utility discount,” he said. “So, the good news here is that we are gaining some traction with the product as a replacement for coal, and increasingly, for wood in the domestic setting.”
Fitzgerald noted there has been a sharp increase in wood stove purchases in the U.K., leading to the importation of wood from all forests in Europe and the use of wet wood sourced locally. “This can have serious health implications,” he said. “The bad news for us is that the fuel market is ultimately a declining one. Also, as winters become warmer and shorter, it has become a more seasonal and weather-related convenience purchase.”
Following a successful trial last winter selling Harvest Flame in its stores for several weeks, German discount supermarket chain Aldi has committed to stocking the product in 162 stores in Ireland or the next two years, according to Fitzgerald. “That’s a bright spot for us,” he said.
A related opportunity that Fitzgerald discussed was the use of biochar as an industri-
al fuel to replace fossil fuel in the manufacture of cement. “This has been happening because cement companies are now increasingly looking for—or the customers of cement companies, I should say—green cement, and they actually will pay a lot of premium.”
Recent trials with a cement company were positive, Fitzgerald said. He also highlighted several other trials in various stages, including testing different biochar concentrations against an industry standard fertilizer on golf courses and putting greens, as well as trials in the turf sod and agricultural crop sectors. He emphasized that fuel remains the company’s single biggest opportunity. “But the order of most other opportunities has reversed,” he said. “Of course, it could all change again, but it does demonstrate the importance of being flexible and responsible.”
Not to be underestimated, Fitzgerald said, is the importance of trying to understand the problem that the customer is trying to solve. “It’s usually a real-world problem with a cost implication, and I think it has been demonstrated by our involvement in large-scale trials that we are well placed to help answer some of these questions. It might come as a surprise, but we don’t get asked a lot of questions on issues that are much debated within the biochar industry, such as the definition of biochar, the characteristics of biochar, proximity of feedstock … that’s not an issue for us. We can provide analysis on our biochar from start to finish.
“We believe the key drivers of demand are regulatory pressure and concerns with the impact of incumbent products,” he continued. “Our emphasis is on trying only what can be produced and sold profitably at scale and trials, but they must be as close to the real world as possible with high-quality partners.”
Fitzgerald concluded by emphasizing the company’s ability to produce large quantities of consistent-quality biochar. “We are seeing increasing levels of interest backed up with some significant demand, and this is bringing some clarity to the areas of interest to us and also helping us with product development,” he added. “However, it’s an evolving market and it can change quickly.”
Author: Anna Simet asimet@bbiinternational.com
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19th ANNUAL
A Critical Time for Biocarbon, Biocoal Markets
2025 will be a pivotal year for the biocarbon and biocoal markets, but some hurdles still remain.
BY RACHAEL LEVINSON
For the first time, there are several commercial-scale biocarbon and biocoal production plants now operating in Europe, North America and Asia, with more due online by the end of the year. But the market must overcome some of its previous challenges to produce sufficient volumes to entice potential new users.
Historically, we have referred to heat-treated biomass products as black pellets, because of their darker color compared to white wood pellets. However, there is a need to use broader terminology to encompass producers that instead produce biomass briquettes or supply it in undensified form.
The market can be divided into two distinct sectors. Biocoal refers to a coal-like product that can be used for heat and power generation. It is usually produced via torrefaction or steam treatment, but in some cases, hydrothermal carbonization may be used. Biocarbon refers to a product which can be used as a reductant in metals production. It must have a high fixed carbon content, meaning it can only be produced by the higher temperature pyrolysis process. Pyrolysis can also be used to produce biochar, a product used for carbon sequestration, soil enhancement and carbon credits, but biocarbon has additional properties such as mechanical strength, which means it can be used for metals production.
For over 15 years, project developers have advanced the technologies needed to improve the properties of raw biomass. However, there have been many technical and commercial obstacles along the way.
Production Projects
In recent years, emerging interest from heavy industries, driven by corporate decar-
Biocarbon and Biocoal Operating Nameplate Capacity, by Region
Source: Hawkins Wright
Total Operating Nameplate Capacity 1.9 Million Tonnes/Year
bonization efforts, has rejuvenated the market and led to the start-up of commercial-scale production. Hawkins Wright’s latest multiclient report, “The Biocarbon and Biocoal Market,” identifies the existing capacity today and the pipeline of planned projects, including company profiles. We have identified around 2 million metric tons (mt) of annual production capacity existing today, but we estimate actual production in 2024 was less than 300,000 mt.
In the biocoal space, most production is in smaller-scale pilot or demonstration plants.
But Arbaflame is one of the old-timers. It has been producing steam-treated pellets for over 20 years in Norway. 2025 saw the arrival of the first commercial volumes from Idemitsu in Vietnam, TTCL in Thailand and Joensuu Biocoal in Finland. TSI also started up a 15,000-mt plant in the U.S.
Meanwhile in France, the new owners of the FICAP steam-treated biocoal mill, Pearl Capital, plans to restart production this fall. Perpetual Next has also started work on installing new reactors at its Estonia torrefaction plant.
CONTRIBUTION: The claims and statements made in this article belong exclusively to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Biomass Magazine or its advertisers. All questions pertaining to this article should be directed to the author(s).
Large-scale production of biocarbon is slightly behind progress in the biocoal market. Market leader Aymium will soon start up its large-scale North American biocarbon facilities, although it has been operating a 75,000-mt mill in Michigan since 2012. There are also some promising smaller-scale plants due online soon in Norway, the U.S., Canada and Sweden. Meanwhile, Airex Energy started operating its 30,000mt plant in Quebec in early 2025, mainly to produce biochar, but additional volumes could be used for testing by metals producers.
Demand Opportunities
Demand side developments have been slower than many had expected, but there is still growing interest. Around 15 years ago, the then-emerging technology known as black pellets was originally developed as a drop-in replacement for coal in power and heat plants in Europe. But, ultimately, large-scale demand did not materialize in the region, with white wood pellets instead taking precedent. Since then, most European countries have ended the use of coal for power, so opportunities there are more limited, aside from perhaps for district heating and power in Poland and Germany.
But there is growing interest elsewhere. In Japan, there could be opportunities to cofire biocoal at coal power plants to meet energy efficiency targets. The Indian government has introduced cofiring mandates for coal power plants, with specific mention of using torrefied biomass. There are also coal power plant conversions under consideration in Canada and New Zealand. In addition, there is growing attention from heavy industry users looking to replace their coal use for heat, power and steam production with a renewable alternative.
A much newer market is the use of biocoal as a feedstock for gasification, producing syngas for a variety of end-uses, including via Fischer-Tropsch for sustainable aviation fuel, synthetic natural gas and hydrogen production.
Meanwhile, biocarbon has a unique opportunity to help defossilize the metals industry. For a lot of metals production, including steel, a carbon reductant is a crucial element of the production process. Therefore, if the sector is to defossilize, it must find a renewable carbon alternative—biocarbon. If biocarbon is used to defossilize just a small proportion of global metals production, the demand volumes could be huge. The World Steel Association estimates
steel production uses around 1 billion mt of metallurgical coal annually.
Barriers and Challenges
Although 2025 has brought some exciting announcements in the biocarbon and biocoal space, progress has not been as smooth or as quick as many had hoped. The economics of biocoal and biocarbon versus fossil fuels are still a problem. In 2022, the energy crisis and higher carbon prices in Europe drove a renewed interest from heavy industry. However, since then, calmer energy markets have dampened that interest. Currently, the technology, energy and feedstock costs typically render biocoal and biocarbon uncompetitive with fossil fuels, without some additional incentive. Higher carbon prices in the future would change that. For some potential users, a major barrier has also been the lack of large volumes available. This is especially a problem for steel producers. Even those looking for what they would deem test volumes, the requirements are
beyond what any single producer can supply just yet. And of course, producing biocoal, and even more so biocarbon, comes with its own technical challenges. Even though I have mentioned several new start-ups this year, I do not think any could claim the start-up was straight forward and exactly as expected.
Other challenges the sector will need to overcome if it is really to move to a commoditized product include logistical challenges, quality consistency and standardization.
In order to help facilitate the development of this emerging market, and the defossilization of heavy industry with all types of solid biomass, Hawkins Wright will hold its third annual heavy industry-focused biomass conference. The European Biocarbon Summit will be held Dec. 9-10 in Amsterdam.
Solving the Biogas Bottleneck: Boosting Efficiency in Complex Applications
A United Kingdom biogas plant turned to progressive cavity pump technology to solve a costly digestate handling issue.
BY SEAN CLARK
As global industries transition toward low-carbon energy, biogas has emerged as a vital player in the circular economy—converting agricultural waste, food byproducts and sewage sludge into clean, renewable energy.
But despite its promise, the path from feedstock to fuel is mechanically challenging. Biogas systems must process highly viscous, abrasive and variable media, often under pressure and in continuous operation. For plant operators, few challenges are more persistent—or more costly—than finding the right pumping solution.
At a biogas facility in the United Kingdom, this issue became vital. The plant was struggling with recurring failures in its digestate return system, where maize and sugar beet residues—laden with solids—were causing damage to internal pump components. Flow rates dropped, downtime spiked and throughput suffered.
After several attempts to fix the problem, the operator called in specialists from Roto Pumps. Their solution? A progressive cavity pump engineered specifically for high solids with high-pressure service. This case illustrates the value of proper pump selection and configuration while also offering an instructive look at how progressive cavity (PC) pumps are uniquely suited to the biogas industry.
From substrate feed to slurry recirculation, PC pumps deliver consistent flow and high reliability under punishing conditions. And when customized to application demands, they can significantly reduce energy use, maintenance requirements and operating costs.
Digestate Transfer Failures
In the U.K. case, the biogas plant was
experiencing two main issues with its existing pump system:
• It could not maintain the flow rate needed to meet production targets.
• The internal pin and bush joints were failing frequently, leading to unplanned shutdowns and excessive maintenance costs.
A site inspection revealed that the existing pump wasn’t just undersized, it was mismatched to the nature of the digestate, which contained up to 8% dissolved solids. The media was dense, fibrous and highly abrasive. It also needed to be pumped at a duty point of 60 cubic meters per hour at 10 bar—a demanding specification that placed significant stress on mechanical joints and seals.
Rather than recommending a full system overhaul, Roto’s engineers offered a more surgical fix: install an RM Series PC pump fitted with Universal Cardan joints—a more durable alternative to the failing pin-and-bush assemblies. The team also advised running the pump at lower speeds using the plant’s existing 30-kilowatt motor. This adjustment reduced mechanical stress while still meeting throughput targets.
Despite the complexity of the installation—which required dismantling part of the facility’s building structure—the pump was fully installed and commissioned in just three days. Within a short time, performance improved dramatically. Encouraged by the results, the plant placed a second order for another pump to handle digestate feed.
Excelling in Biogas Applications
Unlike centrifugal pumps, which rely on high-speed impellers and are sensitive to viscosity and solids content, progressive cavity pumps use a rotor-stator configuration that provides consistent volumetric flow. This pos-
itive displacement action makes them ideal for biogas applications, where slurries are thick, often contain solids, and require variable flow rates.
Here’s how PC pumps meet the specific needs of biogas operators:
Handling high viscosity and solids content. Biogas feedstock—ranging from manure and silage to food waste and sugar beet digestate—tends to be highly viscous and contains abrasive solids. PC pumps can handle dry solids content up to 15% and pressures up to 48 bar, making them suitable for tasks such as feeding slurry into fermentation tanks, recirculating digestate within reactors, and trans-
CONTRIBUTION: The claims and statements made in this article belong exclusively to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Biomass Magazine or its advertisers. All questions pertaining to this article should be directed to the author(s).
Katharos Biogas Plant was struggling with recurring failures in its digestate return system. The problem was fixed with a progressive cavity pump engineered specifically for high solids with high-pressure service.
ferring post-digestion sludge to open lagoons or trucks
Low shear, steady flow. The smooth, continuous flow of a PC pump reduces turbulence and shear, helping preserve the structure of sensitive biological material in the digestate. This improves gas yield and protects downstream processes from clogging.
Modular customization. PC pumps can be tailored with a wide range of features, including hopper designs for solids mixing, auger feed screws, and varied sealing systems depending on media aggressiveness. This makes them highly adaptable to evolving biogas processes.
Pumping systems engineered for biogas. In addition to the RM Series used at Kathros, there are several other specialized pump configurations commonly deployed in biogas plants.
Comparative Advantages of PC Pumps
While biogas facilities often consider a range of pump types—centrifugal, lobe and peristaltic—progressive cavity pumps offer a unique combination of performance and reliability that make them particularly well-suited to the sector’s demands.
Centrifugal pumps: limited by viscosity. Centrifugal pumps are commonly used in wastewater and industrial fluid transfer, but their performance drops significantly when handling viscous or non-Newtonian fluids, such as the slurry and digestate found in biogas production. These pumps rely on velocity to generate flow, which makes them inefficient at moving thick, fibrous material. As solids concentration increases, the risk of clogging, cavitation and shear-induced degradation rises sharply.
In contrast, progressive cavity pumps operate on positive displacement, maintaining consistent flow regardless of fluid viscosity. This characteristic allows operators to avoid the frequent unplanned maintenance and pump oversizing often required with centrifugal alternatives.
Rotary lobe pumps: pulsation and wear. Rotary lobe pumps are sometimes chosen for biogas media because of their ability to handle solids and maintain gentle flow. However, their pulsating nature can cause issues
in continuous feed systems, where uniform delivery to digesters is essential for stable biological reactions. Moreover, metal-to-metal contact between lobes and housing increases the rate of wear when handling abrasive material, leading to costly replacement intervals.
Progressive cavity pumps, by contrast, deliver low-pulsation, laminar flow that minimizes disruption to anaerobic digestion processes. Their rotor-stator design isolates the fluid path from direct metal impact, offering longer service life and lower maintenance frequency.
Peristaltic pumps: limited capacity and hose wear. Peristaltic (hose) pumps offer excellent suction and can handle slurries, but their application in large-scale biogas facilities is limited due to lower pressure and flow capacity, as well as frequent hose replacement cycles. These pumps are often relegated to dosing or small-batch tasks.
For mainline duties like feeding, recirculating or transferring high-volume digestate, progressive cavity pumps offer higher throughput and durability. They can be engineered to run continuously at pressures exceeding 40 bar, without the same wear-andtear concerns.
Operational Economics: Lower Lifecycle Costs
Beyond performance, total cost of ownership is a major consideration for biogas operators. Progressive cavity pumps offer an edge. Their modular construction and field-serviceable designs—such as maintenance in place features or quick-access maintenance systems like the KWIK series—enable in-house maintenance with minimal downtime.
Additionally, PC pumps can often be paired with existing motors and controls, as was the case at the Katharos plant, where Roto’s engineers retained the original 30-kW motor. Avoiding upgrades to electrical systems, variable frequency drives or control cabinets can save tens of thousands in retrofit expenses.
Because flow rates are directly proportional to pump speed, PC pumps also offer precise flow control, making them a cost-effective option for feeding digesters where dosing rates impact gas yield. This level of control also supports integration into auto-
mated plant management systems, which are increasingly common in modern biogas infrastructure.
The Katharos case illustrates a wider truth in renewable energy infrastructure: Small improvements in equipment selection can yield big operational dividends. By addressing mechanical wear at the source—switching to stronger joints and optimizing flow through speed control—the plant increased throughput without replacing motors or investing in new electrical infrastructure.
As biogas production expands across Europe and beyond, these types of engineering refinements will be essential. Efficiency, uptime and adaptability will determine which technologies thrive in this increasingly competitive sector.
Engineering Solutions for an Evolving Industry
Biogas may be produced from waste, but the engineering behind its production is anything but simple. Pumps sit at the heart of this process, moving complex mixtures through digesters, separators and storage—often under pressure, across long distances and with little margin for error.
Progressive cavity pump technology offers a compelling solution to these challenges. As demonstrated at the Katharos biogas facility, the right pump—properly configured and installed—can eliminate persistent bottlenecks, reduce maintenance burdens and unlock new performance levels.
With mounting pressure to increase renewable energy output while cutting operational costs, biogas producers must look beyond generic solutions. Instead, they need fit-for-purpose systems that match media characteristics with mechanical capability. Progressive cavity pumps, especially when engineered for biogas, represent that kind of solution—efficient, durable and field-proven.
As the industry grows, so will the demand for smarter pumping infrastructure. The lessons from projects like Katharos point the way forward.
Author: Sean Clark seanclark@rotopumps.co.uk
How Demand for Wood Fiber Feedstocks Has Changed in the US
BY BROOKS MENDELL
As part of Forisk’s quarterly call cycle for the Wood Fiber Review, our team talks with dozens of forest industry managers in each U.S. region to understand trends in wood fiber pricing, mill capital investments, end product demand and trade. In Q3 of this year, many shared that they are “writing off” 2025, delaying capital projects, and looking to 2026 for clarified policies and stronger markets. Firms making lumber, panels, pellets, paper products and whole log chips reported operating at 50%-60% in multiple regions.
Given market sentiment and operating rates, in addition to recent mill closures and curtailments, how has demand for wood fiber changed recently and over the past 10 years?
Changes in Pulp and Paper Capacity
According to data from Forisk’s North American Mill Database and analysis led by Amanda Lang, total capacity of the wood-using U.S. pulp and paper sector declined 18% in the past 10 years. This decline is specific to wood-using mills, excluding facilities that rely exclusively on recycled fiber, but the sector reported drops in all end uses, with reductions in printing and writing capacity falling 49%. This represented over half of the lost capacity nationwide. Newsprint, household/sanitary, and market pulp seg-
ments also had notable declines, each representing 10%-16% of the lost capacity.
Regionally, capacity reductions in the U.S. South accounted for most of the volume lost (64%), with the U.S. West and North each representing 18%. The West experienced the largest and most severe drop in capacity for a given region, with pulp and paper mill closures and reductions decreasing capacity by 26%.
Use of Recycle Fiber Increases
Pulp producers have a variety of feedstocks to choose from, including Old Corrugated Containers from recycling markets, roundwood pulp logs and residual wood chips produced in lumber manufacturing. The data indicates that pulp mills and paper mills in the U.S. increased consumption of recycled fiber even as they reduced production. According to AF&PA, pulp mills and paper mills in the U.S. increased recycled fiber consumption from 38% in 2015 to 48% of their fiber mix in 2024 (Figure 1).
Paper and paperboard production declined 14%, with declines coming from paper products made with virgin fiber (wood). Recycled feedstock consumption rose from 7,766 thousand short tons in Q3 2015 to 8,221 thousand short tons in Q4 2024, an increase of 6%. Paper and board made from virgin fiber declined 27% from
CONTRIBUTION: The claims and statements made in this article belong exclusively to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Biomass Magazine or its advertisers. All questions pertaining to this article should be directed to the author(s).
12,413 thousand short tons in Q3 2015 to 9,055 thousand short tons in Q4 2024.
Wood Feedstock Price Trends
Raw material prices are reported per ton of pulp produced, reflecting the inputs required: pulp mills typically need about 3.5 tons of wood to produce one ton of pulp, compared with just over 1 ton of OCC for each ton of pulp. According to the Wood Fiber Review, over the past eight years, wood costs for roundwood and chips have been relatively stable. OCC has been more volatile, swinging from $180 per ton of pulp produced to $27 per ton.
Pulp and paper companies have invested in mill capacity to use OCC and recycled materials to take advantage of lower costs. Companies in the U.S. converted wood-using mills to 100% recycled mills and built new greenfield mills to buy recycled feedstocks. New builds and conversions to 100% recycled mills added 3.6 million tons of pulp and paper capacity since 2017, about 5% of current pulping capacity in the U.S. Other investments added recycled production lines to wood-using mills. This happened during a time when several wood-using pulp mills closed.
DATA SOURCE: AF&PA
This article includes data from the Forisk Wood Fiber Review, a quarterly publication tracking North America’s major wood fiber markets, and the Forisk Research Quarterly, which includes forest industry forecasts and analysis by sector
Author: Brooks Mendell
Figure 1. U.S. Paper/Board Production by Fiber Type
A Biomass Logistics Game Changer
Transforming biomass into dense, durable and easily managed bales can bridge a critical gap in the renewable energy and biomass material supply chain.
BY LEONARD ENRIQUEZ
Handling and storing biomass at scale presents persistent logistical challenges—low bulk density, high moisture content, biological degradation and exposure to the elements can all compromise material quality. The Flexus Typhoon Round Baler-Wrapper system offers a practical, field-tested solution by compressing and sealing biomass into dense, weatherproof bales that are easy to transport, store and integrate into downstream processes. By stabilizing materials early in the supply chain and eliminating the need for specialized infrastructure, the system simplifies biomass logistics from collection through conversion—especially in
decentralized or infrastructure-limited environments.
Based in Sweden, Flexus Balasystem AB manufactures the Typhoon heavy-duty Round Baler-Wrapper system, engineered for the efficient densification, containment and long-term storage of heterogeneous biomass materials. Its capabilities extend to a broad range of feedstocks including wood chips, corn cobs, beet pulp, wood shavings and other loose or particulate biomass inputs.
The Typhoon system forms high-density, cylindrical bales that are both airtight and watertight. This containment method rapidly halts biological degradation—typically within days—allowing for extended storage without
active climate control or protective structures. Outdoor storage is fully viable, significantly reducing infrastructure costs and enabling inventory flexibility during seasonal or market fluctuations in feedstock supply. All that is needed is a flat space.
The system is equally effective at encapsulating processed outputs such as biochar, preserving heating value, pyrolysis gas production potential and structural integrity. The sealed bales protect materials from oxidation, moisture intrusion and mechanical degradation during handling or long-term storage.
The physical format of the bales supports seamless integration into downstream biomass conversion technologies. Material
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Produced with the Typhoon system, tall storage of 22,000 biomass bales has a minimal land footprint.
IMAGE: FLEXUS BALASYSTEM AB
recovery is straightforward, using a dedicated, mobile equipment-mounted Flexus bale ripper designed to maintain process continuity and minimize labor requirements.
Design and Deployment: Proven Global Performance
Flexus has supplied baler-wrapper systems to over 45 countries across five continents since the mid-1990s. Units are currently deployed in both industrial-scale and municipal settings, operating reliably in environments ranging from arctic to tropical climates. Systems are built using highstrength Swedish steel, with component life cycles engineered to exceed 1 million bales per unit under heavy-duty conditions.
The Typhoon has demonstrated resilience with chemically aggressive and mechanically inconsistent inputs, including urban solid waste and mixed biomass streams.
U.S. implementation support is provided by Cambridge Project Development Inc., based in Florida. Cambridge specializes in solid waste planning and engineering services, and provides technical support for system sizing, logistics planning and commissioning.
Typical System Performance and Operational Characteristics
• Throughput: ~30 bales per hour
• Bale weight: 1,300–2,000 pounds, depending on material density
• Bale dimensions: 1.18 meter (3.9 ft) diameter; 1.18 meter (3.9 ft) height; 1.29 m3 (1.66 cubic yards) volume
• Seal quality: fully airtight and watertight
• Footprint requirements: level ground; no building or roofing required
• Equipment interface: compatible with standard material handling assets (e.g., telehandlers, forklifts and wheel loaders)
The system is designed for straightforward integration into existing processing or logistics operations. Minimal training is required for operators already familiar with conventional bale handling systems.
Transport and Commissioning
Marine transport: Round bales can be shipped using standard bulk carriers without requiring specialized loading and unloading systems. This method is already used at scale for waste-to-energy supply chains in northern Europe, with documented advantages in containment integrity, odor control and handling efficiency.
Road or rail transport: A standard flatbed trailer or a standard gondola railcar is sufficient for overland haulage. No walking floors, tarping or heavy containers are required. The sealed bales prevent leakage and environmental exposure, while compatibility with common lifting equipment simplifies loading and unloading at both origin and destination.
Typhoon systems are delivered with factory support for installation and training, allowing for rapid commissioning. Modular design enables mobile or semipermanent deployment, ideal for project-based operations or decentralized biomass processing nodes.
By transforming biomass into dense, durable and easily managed bales, the Flexus Typhoon Round Baler-Wrapper System bridges a critical gap in the renewable energy and biobased materials supply chain. Its proven performance across diverse feedstocks, climates and logistical environments underscores both its reliability and versatility, offering operators a practical means of reducing costs, safeguarding material value and enabling flexible, large-scale deployment. For industries and communities seeking efficient, resilient solutions to biomass handling and storage, the Typhoon stands out as a field-tested technology that converts logistical obstacles into opportunities for streamlined, sustainable growth.
Author: Leonard Enriquez President, Cambridge Project Development Inc. lne@cambridgeprojectdev.com 305-926-3309
From individual machines to complete biomass-to-energy systems, count on West Salem’s 75 years of expertise to deliver reliable perfor mance and e ciency across your bioenergy operation.
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Heat Transfer Solutions
Since 1972
Xchanger is a leading manufacturer of custom heat exchangers and blower aftercoolers, with over 25,000 units installed worldwide. We can optimize any of our 10 standard product models to control temperature and humidity in almost any application. By making simple changes to our standard models, our Mechanical Engineers are able to provide custom designs at a fraction of the cost.
Xchanger 952-933-2559
xchanger.com
David Wangensteen david.wangensteen@xchanger.com
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