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■ table of contents
www.woodbioenergymag.com
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FROM THE EDITORS Wood Bio Show Does It Again
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IN-WOODS HARVESTING Options To Get It Done
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IN THE NEWS 4FRI, Strategic Biofuels
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USING BIOTREATMENT To Better Handle Exhaust; Wastewater
14 SHOW REVIEW Everything You Might Have Missed
Cover Photography: As part of the opening keynote session at the 2022 Wood Bioenergy Conference, Enviva’s Thomas Meth gives a rundown on what his company, but really also the whole industry, is about. Meth, joined by Novo Power’s Brad Worsely and Drax North America’s Matt White in the opener, all shared the similar messages of hope for the future. (staff photo)
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Wood Bioenergy / June 2022
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table of contents ■
advertising index Advertiser Index is a free service for advertisers and readers. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.
Air Burners
3
772.220.7303
Baker Rullman Manufacturing
30
920.261.8107
Bandit Industries
9
800.952.0178
Brunette Machinery
29
800.686.6679
Continental Conveyor
21
418.338.4682
CW Mill Equipment
12
800.743.3491
Fulghum Industries
29
800.841.5980
Hallco Industries
30
800.542.5526
Hurst Boiler & Welding
11
877.774.8778
Metal Detectors
24
541.345.7454
Mid-South Engineering
20
501.321.2276
MoistTech
12
941.727.1800
Morbark
32
800.831.0042
Nestec
25
610.323.7670
PRD Tech
13
513.731.1800
Precision-Husky
2
205.640.5181
Rawlings Manufacturing
10
866.762.9327
Publisher/Editor Emeritus ■ David (DK) Knight
Schaeffer Oil
31
800.325.9962
Art Director/Production Manager ■ Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator ■ Patti Campbell Circulation Director ■ Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing ■ Jacqlyn Kirkland
Stela Laxhuber GmbH
25
+49 8724 899 0
Vermeer Manufacturing
28
641.628.3141
Westtech Maschinenbau GmbH
7
+43(0)7277 27730
Volume 14
Number 3
26 Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. Street Address ■ 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317 Mailing Address ■ P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Tel: 334.834.1170 ■ Fax: 334.834-4525 Publisher/Adv. Sales Manager ■ David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer ■ Dianne C. Sullivan Editor-in-Chief ■ Rich Donnell Managing Editor ■ Jessica Johnson Senior Editor ■ Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor ■ David Abbott
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Wood Bioenergy (ISSN 1947-5306) is published six times annually (February, April, June, August, October, December) by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Wood Bioenergy is free to qualified readers in the United States, including owners, managers, supervisors and other key personnel. All nonqualified U.S. subscriptions are $50 per year, Canadian subscriptions are $60 and foreign subscription are $95 per year (U.S. funds). Subscriber Inquiries and Back Issue Orders—TOLL-FREE: 800.669.5613. Fax 888.611.4525. Subscribe or renew online: www.woodbioenergymagazine.com and click on the “Subscribe” button. When requesting change of address, please specify both old and new. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices.
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■ from the editors
It Was Literally
All There G
ranted, Wood Bioenergy magazine served as an integral part of the Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo, held in Atlanta, Ga. March 29-30, 2022, but if we do say so ourselves it was a helluva event. It was everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask. There were handshakes, fist bumps, and even a few hugs—and big smiles. But that’s to be expected when many are gathering in-person for the first time in two years. Most importantly, there was information sharing. From the minute the opening keynote session began until lucky Dustin Stratton with BID Group was called to collect his $500 cash winnings at the end of day two, people were talking shop. Producers came out in full force not just to speak, but also to engage with others, asking insightful questions in the keynotes and technical sessions alike. Gone are a lot of the “gee whiz it’s pellets!” notes. The industry has matured. It’s been a new generation, and now we’ve reached maturity. Pellet projects run the gambit from massive industrial complexes to co-located pellet box mills. Also gone is a lot of the speculation as to if plants will scale and which government will be next to offer this incentive or that one. Instead, Dr. Bill Strauss has somewhat replaced those questions with new ones, like is their cause for hope that President Biden might see the benefit in woody biomass? Co-firing with coal has come and gone in some states, but straight up replacement like the Drax Power Station in the UK? Strauss is less certain, and like everyone else instead focuses on areas of the world where the incentives are already in place, with the possibility of major growth—like the Far East. Of course, there was a lot of “gee whiz, they are doing what in Louisiana?” among attendees, which Stan Parton, VP of Forestry, Strategic Biofuels addressed thoroughly in the mid-morning keynote session on the Louisiana Green Fuels (LGF) project. The long and short is Strategic Biofuels put together all of the pieces
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needed, including the funding, to fast track a converting forestry waste into renewable diesel. It is an equally stunning and smart project that has already drilled a test well, and according to Parton, has reached some sort of agreement with a major truck stop for product offtake. And of course, no conference about woody biomass is complete without lots, and lots, and lots of talk about carbon capture and sequestration. AFRY Management’s Pedro Camphilo covered it; Drax’s Matt White covered it. Even Parton addresses how LGF achieves a negative carbon footprint. At the end of two days, it was clear, conference goers are now among the most informed people on the planet as to the entire picture of this industry we call wood bioenergy—because our speakers had it all covered from the woods to the mill gates and beyond. Feeling like you should have gone to Atlanta? We can’t turn back time, but starting in this issue we will break down many of the things we learned from our presenters. And just go ahead and mark your calendars now for March 2024 because the Wood Bio Conference will be back. And if this year was any indication—you won’t want to miss it.
Wood Bioenergy / June 2022
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■ in the news Forest Service Strikes Up 4FRI Once Again In March, the Forest Service released its latest Arizona Four Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI) preferred plan within the draft environmental impact statement as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Called the Rim County Project, the ApacheSitgreaves, Coconino and Tonto national forests will implement a suite of restoration activities on 991,000 acres over 20 years, including a combination of mechanical thinning and prescribed burning. “Restoration treatments will move the project area toward the desired conditions and initiate the reestablishment of fire-adapted, resilient, diverse and sustainable forested ecosystems,” the agency says, adding that its preferred plan “provides the project area with the greatest protection from the undesirable effects of fire by treating the greatest extent of the project area with a combination of mechanical and prescribed fire treatments.” The plan will also improve overall watershed condition. The agency says the preferred plan “increases forest products supplies to the greatest extent, and will contribute to improve the financial viability of locating forest products industries, including logging firms, sawmills and biomass facilities in northern Arizona.” The plan calls for the implementation of 12 “in-woods processing sites,” though it doesn’t define the makeup of such sites.
Enviva Will Build Pellet Mill In Bond Enviva, Inc., the world’s leading producer of industrial wood pellets, announced it will invest $250 million in Bond, Miss. to build a new wood pellet production plant. The facility is a key component of the company’s growth strategy to double production capacity from the current 6.2 million metric tons annually to approximately 13 million
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metric tons over the next five years. “Markets for our renewable products have been growing rapidly as countries look for new ways to reduce their dependence on coal, natural gas, and other fossil fuels for heat and power generation. Demand from manufacturers driving to reach ‘net-zero’ by decarbonizing industrial production of steel, cement, lime, and sustainable aviation fuel is also growing rapidly for us,” comments John Keppler, Enviva Chairman and CEO. The facility site, directly off Highway 49 in Bond, was selected in collaboration with Governor Tate Reeves, Mississippi Development Authority, and Stone County officials. The plant is fully contracted under long-term take-or-pay supply contracts with customers around the world. In addition to creating around 100 local jobs with wages projected to be approximately 70% higher than the county average, the Bond plant will generate more than $1 million in taxes per year for the county and school district and deliver over $250 million annually in economic impact in the region. Once operational, the plant will support more than 350 jobs, including those in related industries such as logging and transportation. The new plant in Stone County joins two other Enviva facilities in Mississippi, one in Amory, which is Enviva’s first production plant in the state, and the company’s most recent manufacturing facility in Lucedale. The company also owns and operates a deep-water marine terminal at the Port of Pascagoula from which pellets are shipped to customers in Europe and Asia. Combined, Enviva’s total investment in the Magnolia State is more than $600 million and supports over 850 direct and indirect jobs. Construction is expected to begin in early 2023, subject to receiving the necessary permits, and is expected to take 18 months. The Bond plant is expected to have a production capacity of more than 1
million metric tons per year. The plant intends to use lowvalue and low-grade softwood and hardwood fiber sustainably sourced within 75 miles of the facility.
Strategic Biofuels Taps Koch For Turnkey Job Strategic Biofuels has finalized a partnership with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm, Koch Project Solutions (KPS), a subsidiary of Koch Engineered Solutions, for Strategic’s Louisiana Green Fuels (LGF) project in Caldwell Parish, La. The companies have agreed that KPS will construct the renewable fuels plant on a lump sum turnkey basis with parent company-backed guarantees with liquidated damages for performance and schedule delays. KPS has served in a project management role for the LGF project since its inception. Last month, Strategic Biofuels announced that LGF had moved into the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) or FEL-3 phase of engineering. Upon completion of FEED, expected in the first quarter of 2023, KPS will provide Strategic Biofuels with a lump sum turnkey price for the plant, which will allow Strategic Biofuels to secure project financing and begin construction. Once in operation the project will convert forestry waste feedstock into cleaner-burning renewable diesel, approximately 34 million gallons of renewable fuel per year. The project will achieve negative carbon footprint through Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS). LGF recently conducted a successful test well project to gauge geological makeup and sequestration parameters. “Achieving this agreement with Koch further demonstrates our shared goal and commitment to ushering in a new wave of commercial carbon capture projects, changing the industry by offering cleaner solutions, and ultimately pushing the boundaries of what is commercially
Wood Bioenergy / June 2022
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■ in the news
scalable,” says Dr. Paul Schubert, CEO of Strategic Biofuels. Strategic Biofuels LLC is a team of energy, petrochemical and renewable technology experts focused on developing a series of deeply negative carbon footprint plants in northern Louisiana that convert waste materials from managed forests into renewable diesel fuel and renewable naphtha. The fuel qualifies for substantial carbon credits under the Federal Renewable Fuel Standard Program and under the California Low Carbon Fuels Standard.
Drax Officially Opens Demopolis Pellet Plant Drax Group has opened a new pellet plant in Demopolis, Ala. At full capacity the plant, which is Drax’s second production facility in Alabama, will produce 360,000 tonnes annually. “Drax’s wood pellet plant that’s being commissioned in Demopolis represents a major investment that will drive long-term economic growth and spark significant job creation in Marengo County. The opening of this facility is an exciting development for this rural region, and I look forward to seeing Drax develop new growth plans in Sweet Home Alabama,” com-
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mented Governor Kay Ivey at the official opening. Will Gardiner, Drax CEO; Mayor Woody Collins; Ashley Coplin, executive director of the Demopolis City Schools Foundation; and Matt White, Drax Executive Vice President, Pellet Operations also participated in the ceremony held April 5.
Weyerhaeuser Partners In CCS Project Occidental’s Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV) and Weyerhaeuser Co. announced an agreement for the evaluation and potential development of a carbon capture and sequestration project in Livingston Parish, Louisiana. The lease agreement provides OLCV with exclusive rights to develop and operate a carbon sequestration hub on more than 30,000 acres of subsurface pore space controlled by Weyerhaeuser. OLCV will use the land to permanently sequester industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) in underground geologic formations not associated with oil and gas production, while Weyerhaeuser continues to manage the above-ground acreage as a working forest. The lease agreement, with the potential to expand acreage, is a pivotal step in OLCV subsidiary
1PointFive’s vision to develop a series of carbon capture and sequestration hubs within the U.S. 1PointFive plans to build, acquire and operate multiple sequestration hubs on the Gulf Coast and across the U.S., some of which are expected to be anchored by Direct Air Capture (DAC) facilities, to offer storage capacity to point-source emitters, such as manufacturing sites and power plants, with a capacity to sequester up to hundreds of millions of metric tons of anthropogenic CO2. Weyerhaeuser has identified multiple locations for potential CCS projects across a portion of its 7 million acre footprint in the U.S. South using proprietary geological data covering its lands. The expansion into CCS is part of Weyerhaeuser’s previously announced plan to grow its recently formed Natural Climate Solutions business, including through CCS, forest carbon offsets, renewable energy development, mitigation solutions and conservation. 1PointFive is a Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) platform that is working to help curb global temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2050 through the deployment of decarbonization solutions, including Carbon Engineering’s Direct Air Capture (DAC).
Wood Bioenergy / June 2022
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in the news ■ B&W Enters Kiewit, Fidelis Biomass Project Babcock & Wilcox is partnering with Kiewit Industrial to deliver Fidelis New Energy’s planned netnegative carbon impact biomass power plant at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The 200 MW electricity plant will be the largest of its kind in the world, according to the participants. The planned facility, called Project Cyclus, will provide power for Fidelis’ 73,000 barrel-per-day Grön Fuels facility, which will produce sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel, green hydrogen, and bioplastic feedstock with a net-negative carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint. Fidelis will sequester the biogenic CO2 in a carbon sink developed and secured by its subsidiary Capio Sequestration pursuant to the previously announced operating agreement between Capio and the state of Louisiana. B&W will provide engineering, design, equipment and technology services to support development of the biomass-fueled plant. The company’s B&W Renewable business segment will design and supply a biomass-fueled bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) boiler, while its B&W Environmental segment will provide its OxyBright oxy-combustion technology to isolate and capture CO2 for long-term sequestration, as well as a full suite of environmental technologies to control other emissions, including nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, particulate and volatile organic compounds. The plant will utilize these technologies to produce clean energy with a net-negative carbon impact of over two million tons per year.
mass plant in Port Talbot, South Wales, from Glennmont Partners. MGEP has been operational since May 2019 and is one of the largest biomass plants in the UK with a net capacity of 41.8 MW. The acquisition is Greencoat’s third investment in large-scale bio-
energy plants, following the acquisition of Templeborough Biomass Power Plant in 2019 and Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant in 2020. MGEP combusts low-quality waste wood, which is contracted to be supplied under a long-term, fixed-price supply agreement with Esken, the
Greencoat Buys Margam Facility Greencoat Capital announced that funds managed by Greencoat have agreed to acquire 100% of Margam Green Energy Plant (MGEP), a waste wood-fired bio-
June 2022 / Wood Bioenergy
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■ in the news
largest supplier of waste wood feedstock to the UK biomass sector.
Microsoft Is Counting On Freres Biochar ACT’s Freres Biochar CO2 Removal Project was selected by Microsoft for its 2022 Carbon Removal Program. Freres Engineered Wood is certified as a Carbon Removal Supplier through the Puro.earth marketplace for its biochar product, which stores carbon and has a halflife of thousands of years. ACT helps organizations around the world reduce their carbon footprint by backing high-impact climate projects that generate renewable certificates and carbon credits. As part of its path to its carbon negative goal by 2030, Microsoft will purchase biochar-based carbon removal credits from Freres, via ACT. “As part of the path to our car-
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bon-negative goal by 2030, we are glad to purchase biochar-based carbon removal credits via ACT, from the Pacific Northwest-based supplier Freres,” comments Elizabeth Willmott, carbon program director at Microsoft. Biochar is the solid, carbon-rich product produced when biomass is converted to energy in an oxygencontrolled environment. A byproduct of Freres’ biomass cogeneration operations, biochar helps climate conscious companies decrease their carbon footprint using CORC carbon offsets. Biochar production, in conjunction with forestry product systems, provides the opportunity to treat underused biomass, such as forest fuel load reductions, slash from tree harvest and mill residuals, in an economic and environmentally beneficial way. The boiler is fed with a wide range of biomass feedstocks sourced
from the local region, including bark and waste from the on-site production of timber products. During production, part of the biomass volatilizes into combustible gasses that are used to produce bioenergy. In addition to the excess energy created during the production process, two byproducts result from biomass combustion in a boiler: l A non-combustible ash product, which is essentially dirt and sand that can be absorbed by trees during their lifecycle l Biochar, a latticework of thermally altered, stabilized carbon Biochar is used commercially as a soil amendment or greenhouse additive to increase soil fertility, to remove pollutants from stormwater and wastewater, to remediate contaminated soils, to reduce odor emissions from composting operations, to replace vermiculite in potting media, to filter drinking water and more.
Wood Bioenergy / June 2022
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■ conference recap
Wood Bio Speakers
Present The Big Picture By Rich Donnell ATLANTA, Ga. oing into the seventh Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo, organizers said the lineup of keynote speakers, on paper, was the best in the history of the event. The real thing was even better. Speakers from their wide-ranging perspectives provided a crystal clear picture of how the wood-based energy industry shapes up today and what to expect moving forward.
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The avalanche of insightful information prompted one attendee to comment, “You never get to hear so many important people from the leading companies talk at one event, but we heard them here.” “Here” was the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Grand Ballroom North, which is where the event has been held since its inception, and this time during March 29-30. Several “big picture” keynote talks were interspersed between two-dozen technical presentations on subjects such as Fire Prevention, Raw Materials, Process Optimization and Developing Technologies. And when not enjoying the presentations, the attendees were able to comb the exhibit area, where 50 leading equipment and technology companies set up shop. “The mood was fantastic,” comments Jessica Johnson, managing editor of Wood Bioenergy magazine, which hosted the event. “I think it was a combination of people so looking forward to getting out in-person and the tremendous momentum of the wood-based energy industry.”
As evidenced in the keynote talks, the momentum is not only the result of a growing number of production-related projects, but also due to the increasing awareness of the environmental benefits that wood-based energy brings to discussions on carbon emissions, carbon capture, climate change and forestland management.
Novo Power “Novo Power’s success has also provided a clear test case to prove the viability of adding one to two more biomass facilities in the state for the purpose of forest and watershed restoration,” Brad Worsley said. “We need to see more utilization of these underutilized assets to attack two of the greatest natural resource issues we now face, fire and water.” Or perhaps a better term is “forest restoration,” which was addressed by lead-off keynoter Brad Worsley, president of the biomass-fueled 27 MW power generation operation, Novo Power, based in Snowflake, Ariz. and the only industrial scale such facility in the state. Worsley has had a bird’s eye view of the federal government’s evolving stance on biomass as part of the forest restoration equation. Worsley reviewed the facility’s history, starting up in 2008 but succumbing to bankruptcy in 2010, before selling to Novo Power in 2013. The facility has come on strong in recent years, with 341 uptime days last year. Meanwhile, as Worsley noted, due to increasingly catastrophic fires on Arizona’s national forests and a
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conference recap ■
general deteriorating condition of those forests, the Forest Service came up with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) and initially contracted with a company to mechanically thin 300,000 acres over 10 years, but the project fell extremely short of the stated objectives and a major reason was due to the limited capacity for biomass disposal. The Forest Service then sought out proposals to restore and utilize more than 500,000 acres over a 20year contract. Two of the proposals that came in included a sawmill and an oriented strandboard mill, but the Forest Service cancelled the process last September, fearing it would potentially be too risky financially for any one company and possibly for the agency itself. Both of the proposals included Novo Power as part of the solution for biomass disposal and utilization, noted Worsley, who is a co-chair of the 4FRI Stakeholder Group. Earlier this year the Forest Service announced a national effort to increase forest restoration, driven in part by the Arizona situation. And as recently as March, the agency released its latest Arizona 4FRI preferred plan, which would implement restoration activities on 991,000 acres over 20 years, including a combination of mechanical thinning and prescribed burning. The plan also emphasizes the role of the forest products industry and specifically logging firms, sawmills and biomass facilities in northern Arizona. At the same time, Novo Power has proven that biomass power is a well-vetted technology. Worsley noted that the Forest Service is at a tipping point, as the increased cost of fighting forest fires each year has led to a practice called “fire borrowing” which robs Forest Service budgets set aside for restoration in order to fund the cost of fighting wildfires. “With the realities of changing climates, the current pace and scale of wildfire is unsustainable,” Worsley added.
Enviva Thomas Meth, chief commercial officer and cofounder of Enviva, spoke about recent developments with the world’s largest producer of industrial wood pellets, including a new plant in operation at Lucedale, Miss. and one beginning construction in Epes, Ala. (And shortly after the conference ended, Enviva announced it will build a plant in Bond, Miss.) These plants will contribute to the company’s goal of more than doubling its production capacity over the next five years to 13 million metric tons annually. Meth said everything Enviva does has a purposeful foundation that includes the displacement of coal and fossil fuels, enhancing forest growth and stewardship, and fighting climate change. Meth said Enviva has displaced 16 million metric tons of coal and avoided 31 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Meth said that as of 2025 and moving forward, wood
Thomas Meth ended his talk with a note that caught everybody’s attention: “Pellet production capacity which is nearly 46 million metric tons in 2022 (industrial 26.4 million and heating 19.4 million) will be falling significantly behind demand to the degree that by 2027 the demand (including evolving co-firing policies) could be nearly 23 million metric tons per year greater than supply.” pellets will be cheaper than fossil fuels (including fuel and carbon cost) in Europe; and while replacing oil with biomass requires incremental processing, the latter adds substantial value to be economical. Biomass also compares favorably with other renewables when you consider system costs. And bioenergy with carbon capture storage (BECCS) can deliver large amounts of negative emissions with geological storage, without land use change and at moderate cost. Meth addressed a range of potential applications including biorefineries, fertilizer, green steel and aggregates, industrial chemicals, process heat, health products, and fuels.
Drax Group The United Kingdom-based company, Drax Group, which is largely responsible for the beginning of the modern era wood bioenergy industry, was represented by Matt White, executive vice president, North America Pellet Operations. White noted Drax has undergone a fundamental transition in the past year, including the acquisition of Canada’s Pinnacle Renewable Energy, positioning Drax as the world’s leading sustainable biomass generation and supply business with assets in North America and the UK, and customers in Europe and the Far East. At the end of last year Drax revealed a new set of strategic objectives, “underpinned by our belief that biomass will play an increasingly critical role as the world seeks to reduce its emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.” Drax believes the global market for sustainable biomass will grow significantly, which will create growth opportunities to sell pellets to customers in Asia and Europe, and that Drax is well positioned to meet that demand with up to 17 pellet plants and capacity of 4-5 million metric tons and $4 billion in long-term contracted sales to third parties.
June 2022 / Wood Bioenergy
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■ conference recap
“Biomass is unique in its ability not only to produce stable, reliable and renewable electricity,” Matt White said, “it is the only technology that can also remove carbon permanently from the atmosphere.” With Drax rolling out its Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage technology, it aims to generate 12 million tonnes of negative emissions by 2030. Recognizing that a decarbonized power system will be the backbone of a net-zero economy, Drax remains on track to complement the growth of wind and solar with a portfolio of renewable low carbon power that is dispatchable and reliable, White said. White noted that Japan is accelerating its coal closure—7GW will come offline by 2030—with biomass use doubling over that time. In the EU, the European Commission predicts biomass use to expand by as much as 70% to meet demand for industrial decarbonization. White also noted that the U.S. long-term strategy set out by the administration recognizes for the first time the need for negative emissions to meet net carbon neutrality. While obviously continuing to feed its own power generation complex in the UK, Drax intends to double annual sales to third parties from 2Mt to 4Mt by 2030, while increasing annual pellet production capacity from 4Mt to 8Mt. He said they have 1Mt of that growth already “in-flight” with two more plants currently commissioning, and an additional 3Mt will come as they develop new-build opportunities for large plants and satellites primarily in North America. White said with the first phase of BECCS at its UK operations, Drax will permanently remove at least 8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, and that by 2030 Drax could deliver more than 15% of the negative emissions the UK requires from BECCS to achieve Net Zero. “The Drax Power Station will become the world’s largest carbon removal project globally, completing its journey from what was once Western Europe’s largest source of carbon,” White said. “There is enough sustainable biomass globally for BECCS to provide up to 4GT of negative emissions a year. We have also begun our journey of exploring where next we can optimally deploy BECCS technology, including in North America,” White said, with Drax targeting 4Mt of negative emissions outside the UK. As for the Drax Power Station, White noted they have reduced CO2 intensity by more than 90% since 1990 by displacing coal with bioenergy.
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White emphasized Drax’s procurement from sustainably managed forests, and that in addition to certification schemes, Drax places additional processes of checks and audits to ensure compliance. “We also commission studies which go back to the forests we source from which shows that carbon stocks in the U.S. Southeast have increased by over 90% since 1950.”
U.S. Endowment Pete Madden, who previously spoke at the Wood Bio Conference when he was president and CEO of Drax Biomass NA, returned this time as president and CEO of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. Madden emphasized the Endowment’s mission to collaborate with public and private sector partners to advance systemic, transformative and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. It was established in 2006 at the request of the U.S. and Canadian governments in accordance with the Softwood Lumber Agreement. The group manages a perpetual endowment of $270 million and also raises funds to make grants, loans and capital investments. It has awarded more than 200 grants, committing $93 million of its own funds to leverage $875 million from partners. “When possible, we favor market-based approaches to drive outcomes,” Madden said. Given increasing challenges with catastrophic wildfires, drinking water sources and a high proportion of smaller diameter material from private and federal lands that do not have a market, the Endowment began to focus on wood-to-energy as a priority and as a solution. As an example, in 2018 the Endowment approved the development of the Restoration Fuels facility in John Day, Ore., intended as a commercial demonstration facility to prove production of torrefied fuel, facilitate large-scale customer trials, and prove out cost structures
“We are just getting started,” Pete Madden said of the Endowment, noting that they have established a new carbon fund to help landowners and the forest products sector develop new markets and value streams, and the Endowment is developing an impact investment fund so that it can leverage larger amounts of capital. “This is going to be an incredible decade for our sector.”
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of integrating this product with existing mills to provide markets for sawmill residuals and small diameter thinnings from restoration and other forest treatments. Today Restoration Fuels, LLC is a 100% subsidiary of the Endowment, with initial production of 30,000 TPY and expanding up to 100,000 TPY. Construction of the $25 million project, which sources biomass from nearby national forests, was completed in 2021. It features a range of proven technologies, including low-temp belt drying , a rotary kiln reactor equipped with burner and economizer to recycle thermal energy for the torrefaction and drying process, densification with CF Nielsen briquetting presses and an integrated, centralized control system. When the pandemic hit, the facility was about 75% complete, and so the project team had to overcome labor shortages, supply chain delays and various other pandemic issues. “The Endowment and our Board stuck with our vision for this project, and we have begun to produce torrefied fuel, biochar and other high-carbon products,” Madden said.
Strategic Biofuels Stan Parton, VP Forestry at Strategic Biofuels, and well known for his prolonged career with The Parton Group and Forest2Market, addressed one of the more interesting projects in the works—Strategic Biofuels’ $2.507 billion Louisiana Green Fuels project at the Port of Columbia, La. Parton noted it incorporates proven and leading edge technologies including CCS, “which makes this project the most environmentally beneficial fuels project in the world. But importantly, it converts those environmental benefits into real economic returns.” The company describes the project not as a liquid biofuels project, but rather a CCS project based on the production of renewable diesel and biopower, he said. In the past 18 months it has gone from concept initiation into final plant design. Significant investment has been raised. Parton said capital has been spent to advance the project by “de-risking” critical aspects of the project. The operation will use RFS (Renewable Fuel Standard) compliant forest feedstock for the biorefinery (a little less than 1 mm green t/y), which will produce 33 million gallons per year of diesel (88%) and naphtha (12%). The diesel will be an RFS qualified 2nd generation fuel capturing RIN (Renewable Identification Number) credits. The 85 MW of electricity required to operate the plant will be from on-site biomass power—71 MW from wood fuel and 14 MW from refinery system generated excess steam. The environmental and commercial benefit comes from CCS capturing 1.25 million metric tons per year of CO2, equivalent to the emissions from approximately 300,000 vehicles. The refinery generated CO2 is separated using a Rectisol separation system and the
“I wasn’t sure I was going to see this kind of project occur during my career,” VP of Forestry Strategic Biofuels Stan Parton said. “I have long been an advocate of biomass being a great but underutilized tool in combating climate change. This project is rapidly becoming a commercial reality.” biopower plant generated CO2 is separated using an Amine separation system. The site was selected for two reasons: the proper geological structure for CCS and the availability of supply of biomass feedstocks. The region has recently experienced reduction in demand for thinnings materials associated with the closure of several areas pulp mills. The growth-to-removal ratios and thereby sustainability of supply is very positive with an annual excess of pine of 43% and 73% when considering all wood types. Because CCS is a cornerstone of the project and its economic returns, last year, only months into the project, an over one-mile deep test well was bored and strata samples collected. The samples confirmed that upper impermeable confining layers exist over lower porous sequestration layers. Water injection tests were conducted to confirm the ability of the sequestration layer to receive the deposit. The test revealed that the capacity of the layer is an order of magnitude over what is required. It is expected that over the 30-year life of the project, the CO2 bloom will be confined to less than two miles from the injection site. To establish environmental benefit, renewable diesels are compared to fossil diesel which is given the benchmark Carbon Intensity score (CI) of 100. The carbon emissions associated with biofuels are calculated and expressed comparatively as their CI. A fuel that has a CI of 50 has half the emissions associated with using fossil diesel. First generation renewable diesel, primarily derived from fats and oils, have CIs which range from 20 to the low 50s. The CI associated with woody biomass biodiesel is between 11 and 25. The RIN values are fixed by the fuel and process used to produce the fuel, i.e. the RIN classification. Unlike the EPA RINs, the LCFS (low carbon fuel standard) values can receive enhanced credits by actions which reduce the CI. “When we incorporated using grid green power and CCS of the biorefinery CO2, the CI score dropped to -101,” Parton said. “We then determined that it was economically viable to generate our own green power on site and capture its carbon emissions
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even considering the 20 MW required to operate the high pressure CCS compressors. This dropped the CI to -278, we think the lowest CI in the world. In addition to the RIN value, the LCFS credits add an additional economic benefit of almost $12 per gallon.” Using the ARGUS forecast for RIN and LCFS values and diesel and naphtha values, and related revenue streams and credits, the venture should result in a good return for investors after covering the $2+ billion plant cost, Parton said. Parton credited Dr. Paul Schubert, founder and CEO of Strategic Biofuels, for advancing the project so quickly. “He has led the assembly of all required and top quality companies in their respective areas of responsibility of the project. The companies are cooperating as a team, meeting their respective timeline targets driven by the development process gates of FEL1 and FEL2 and now FEL3. We expect FEL3 final design and final cost completion by early 2023 with FID shortly thereafter. We will then enter into an approximate two-year construction period.” Startup and commissioning is expected late 2025/early 2026. Within two years after startup, Phase 2 will commence, which will increase the plant capacity by 25%. One year after completion of Phase 2, Phase 3 will be undertaken which will double the plant capacity. Another genuine goal of the project is to improve the quality of life of the local community, Parton added, including people who will work in the plant as well as the logging and wood supply community. An example he offered is that a STEM program has already been established at the local high school by Hatch, a project engineering company. “It’s a great project for the community. It’s a great project for our investors. It’s a great project to demonstrate the full extent of the environmental benefit that can be derived from using biomass as an energy source and a carbon source alternative to fossil carbon,” Parton closed.
FORISK Consulting Amanda Hamsley Lang, COO & VP of Client Services with FORISK Consulting, spoke about timber supply and outlook, noting part of FORISK’s role is tracking mill investments and capacity changes and trends to help clients make decisions on which timber markets to pursue for mill expansions and timberland investments. Lang said wood pellet production capacity reached 20 million metric tons in North America in 2021, increasing 12% over the previous year, and growth is expected through 2022, reaching 23 million metric tons, with much of the growth in the U.S. South. Lang said U.S. softwood lumber production will increase 10% this year and growth will continue. She showed a map of announced investments since 2020 in the U.S. South, including 47 mill capacity increases, including 12 new mills and four reopenings.
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Amanda Hamsley Lang noted that as the export wood pellet market matured, two main types of projects developed: large projects (400,000 plus metric tons facilities) and “pellet box” mills, which are either co-located or near large sawmills and consume only dry material as feedstock. Lang said FORISK has identified eight such pellet box projects that are operational or in development, including one being built by Rex Lumber near its sawmill in Brookhaven, Miss. FORISK forecasts pine sawtimber inventories to increase through 2027 before declining through 2035 in the South. Deferred harvest during the Great Recession (2007-2009) along with improved genetics and silvicultural practices, which have increased timber growth rates by an average of 1% per acre per year for the past 10 years, lead pine sawtimber inventories to peak in 2027 at a level nearly 75% higher than in 2007 for the region. Lang added that the supply story varies across the region, with some states projecting continued increases in inventory while other states begin to see contraction much sooner depending on local market dynamics. She added that decreased harvesting activity during the Great Recession resulted in fewer replanted forest acres, leading to a dip in the forest inventory for pulpwood-sized trees. Lang said the average pine growth-to-drain ratio for the South in 2020 was 1.31, indicating a general oversupply of timber, with tight markets in north Florida and south Georgia, and areas of coastal South Carolina and North Carolina, central Texas and Louisiana with relatively balanced timber supply and demand. She said northern Mississippi, Alabama and northeast Georgia show an oversupply of pine growth relative to demand. But fast-forwarding five years to 2025, the timber supply becomes more balanced across the region, with an average pine growth-to-drain of 1.04, a period during which 10 sawmills and 11 pellet mills come on-line in the region. Lang also addressed forest carbon markets. “They are interesting, in part, because they force us to revisit the fundamental business model associated with owning forests as financial investments,” she said. “The actual production process, the use and absorption and sequestration of carbon itself, has value to the marketplace.”
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“How might carbon initiatives affect forest growthto-drain (supply-demand balances) moving forward?” Lang asked. For industrial markets with strong wood demand and capital investment, expect minimal impact from carbon as the local forest industry economics drive wood flows. In markets that are “out of balance” with excessive or accumulating forest supplies and thin markets, expect forest carbon programs to provide incentives to retain land in trees. What if the marketplace decides that trees are more valuable as stores of carbon and sources of other environmental benefits and services? “In that world, wood users would compete with that opportunity cost when procuring raw material,” Lang said. “Forest owners would require a certain level of payment to offset their carbon storage role.”
Fram Renewable Fuels One of the pioneers of the modern-era wood pellet industry, Harold Arnold, president of Fram Renewable Fuels, was a repeat speaker at the conference. Fram operates three wood pellet facilities— Appling County Pellets, Telfair Forest Products and Hazlehurst Wood Pellets, all in Georgia. He referred to several developments in the past year that have impacted wood pellet international markets, including a hike in summer consumption due to no wind, creating tight supply, which continued to tighten into 2022 as prices approached $300 with little spot volume availability (given the nature of the pellet industry’s long-term contracts); followed by Russia reducing gas supply by 20% and subsequent gas (and also oil) price increase; and the invasion by Russia of Ukraine in March, adding additional uncertainty to the
Harold Arnold referred to biomass as “the oldest new fuel,” and that it is sustainable, proven, reliable, accepted, quickly deployable, a least cost renewable option and offers net zero carbon emissions. He pointed to industrial power plants, CHP plants, home heating, district heating, commercial heating and process heat and steam as end-use applications for pellets. Despite the attributes and markets, Arnold noted that not everyone takes to wood pellets and pointed to examples of international protests.
energy markets. Meanwhile European wholesale electricity prices skyrocketed in the past year. Looking ahead, Arnold was bully on the wood pellet industry, citing global industrial pellet demand forecasts of more than 30 million metric tons by 2030 and potentially 38 million; and global heating pellet demand approaching 30 million as well come 2030. He pointed to a significant spike in Asia demand in the next couple of years. Arnold also pointed to potential markets for sustainable biomass, including biodiesel, bio plastics, biochar, aviation fuel and green methanol. The forecast of nonutility pellet demand to 2030 potentially explodes to more than 20 million, he added.
FutureMetrics William Strauss has long been a proponent of pellet fuel substituting for coal as a strategy toward decarbonization. He said in addition to immediate advantages and deployment, it is carbon neutral in combustion and is the only pathway to carbon negative baseload power generation. William Strauss, president and founder of FutureMetrics, addressed pellet fuel as a significant part of the strategy to decarbonize the power sector in many countries, but what about the U.S.? First he emphasized that the reason this industry exists is because of climate change and the need to mitigate CO2 emissions, showing a staggering chart of increasing climate risk index; another graphic that the world potentially will release (through the use of fossil fuel) most of the geologic carbon sequestered over hundreds of millions of years over a span of 250 years from 1895 to 2145; and a chart that showed the global atmospheric CO2 concentration continues to set a record high at above 420 PPM as recently as earlier this year. This is a proven and widely used strategy for decarbonization of the power section, Strauss said, noting that at least one Panamax size vessed is loaded every day with about 65,000 metric tons of pellet fuel that replaces coal in utility power stations in Europe, the UK, Japan and South Korea. He said the UK is the largest importer of industrial pellet fuel (about 9.2 million metric tons in 2021 of the 22-23 million imported worldwide in 2021), and that the UK grid is currently supported by about 3,000 MWs of generation capacity from 100% pellet fuel.
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The leading exporter is the U.S. at 7.5 million in 2021 (up from 1.9 million in 2012), to as many as two dozen countries. Russia/Belarus/Ukraine exported 3.2 million in 2021 (with Russia at 2.24 million), and this presents a significant disruption moving forward. “The spot market for pellets is way into record territory,” Strauss said, citing COVID and Russia, with spot prices ticking up to $300 this spring. Meanwhile, most coal fueled utility power stations are losing money on every MWh generated, he said, especially adding in the cost of carbon emissions. “But what about the U.S.?” Strauss asked. “Will we see co-firing or full-firing of pellet fuel in the U.S.?” Coal fueled generation in the U.S. still accounts for 20% of U.S. power, and as of January there were 479 units generating power from coal with generation capacity of 226,978 MW. Close to half of those units (mostly older ones) have announced a date for retirement in the near future. However, there are 37 units less than 15 years old and some of these are located near existing pellet factories and/or in highly productive wood baskets. Without the need for transoceanic shipping, the delivered cost per metric ton will be significantly less than what is being paid for pellet fuel in the UK, EU, Japan and South Korea, Strauss said, adding there would be no
need for the CAPEX and OPEX associated with the port pellet storage and ship loading infrastructure; no shipping costs; no need for port unloading, handling, and loading the pellet fuel for transport to the power stations. The demand for renewable carbon neutral fuel that replaces coal may reach 43 million metric tons per year in 2027. “Will U.S. policy evolve and join the other nations that include this strategy in their decarbonization strategies?” Strauss asked. He pointed to a plant in Germany that will be co-firing soon, and even at 30% cofiring yields a savings of nearly $85/MWh over coal. Based on known and evolving policy growth, new pellet fuel production capacity will be needed, Strauss said, as by 2027 demand could be about 22.6 million tonnes per year greater than supply. Even greater technical, production and cost advantages can be claimed by using “Version 2.0” steam explosion pellets, Strauss said, citing as one technical example better grinding characteristics allowing a more seamless integration with existing coal pulverizers. Strauss concluded his talk addressing bioenergy carbon capture and storage, and specifically mentioned that it will be implemented at the Drax Power station in the UK, and when fully deployed about 2,000 MWs of generation CO2 emissions will be pumped under the North Sea resulting in the permanent removal of 3.7 million tonnes of CO2 per year from the atmosphere while generating on average about 8% of the UK’s power demand.
AFRY Management Consulting “Coal to biomass conversion costs will vary depending on each coal station set up, target generation profile and type of biomass fuel,” Pedro Campilho said. “CCS will add a significant cost but additional benefit.” Pedro Campilho, principal with AFRY Management Consulting, also addressed converting coal power plants to BECCS. “Is it an economic reality or sustainability risk?” he asked. Campilho said IEA’s World Energy Outlook net zero emissions scenario charts a narrow but achievable roadmap to 1.5°C stabilization in rising global temperatures by 2050 and that the required BECCS capacity could reach 152 GW, generating 842 TWh of electricity. “Going forward, BECCS capacity is likely to be developed using different biomass feedstock, based on both domestic and international supply chains, applied
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The conference managed to squeeze in some fun, including Dustin Stratton of BID Group winning the $500 cash prize drawing, presented by Wood Bioenergy Managing Editor Jessica Johnson.
to existing and new assets with different capacity sizes,” he said. He pointed to several BECCS projects in the pipeline, with projects beginning commissioning more rapidly from 2025 onward, while regulatory support for BECCS commercial implementation still needs to be
defined. He mentioned Drax and Teeside in the UK are both bidding for funding. He said China has multiple CCS pilots and large scale plants, but there’s no indication of rapid CCS expansion or any focus on projects that involve carbon removals. Coal phase out and conversion to biomass is an obvious path to BECCS, and he noted that all G7 countries have committed to ending new support for coal-fired power and China has pledged to end support for building new coal plants abroad. Campilho said black pellets have a set of advantages compared to white pellets, including better transport efficiency, higher heating value, better grindability, higher bulk density and higher water resistance. However, the post-combustion flue gas capture process will impact the power plant performance by sacrificing a portion of steam from the power cycle and by additional electricity consumption. A postcombustion carbon capture plant could represent an investment cost between 650-850 million EUR for a coal station converted to biomass with a gross installed capacity of 600 MW, equivalent to 3.8 million tonnes of CO2 captured, he said. Next issue: Look for continued coverage of the Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo and its nearly two dozen technical presentations.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The following companies submitted these editorial profiles and images to complement their advertisements placed elsewhere in this issue. All statements and claims are attributable to the companies.
BANDIT Since 1983, Bandit has manufactured equipment for a multitude of wood waste processing markets. The vision since the beginning is to build quality, highly productive, easy to maintain equipment providing years of dependable service. The commitment for quality, innovation, and dedication is instilled in every employee and is one of the main reasons why Bandit became an Employee-Owned Company (ESOP) in 2018. These core values ensure each Bandit machine will leave the factory ready to exceed your expectations. A full line of whole tree drum-style chippers are available with capacities ranging from 20 in. to 36 in. diameter. Most models can be ordered as towable, or track and select models are offered with a cab and loader option. Each Bandit chipper Bandit offers entire range of in-woods machines to meet is known to provide unmatched pulling and compressing customer needs. In December, Bandit purchased the Trelan Co. adding more versatility to the whole tree chipper line. Trelan chippers serve as a great solution to produce a dimensional clean chip ranging from 3/4 in. to 1 1/8 in.
CW MILL In-woods harvesting? Do you need to go into the woods to grind? Look no further than a HogZilla track mounted tub grinder. HogZilla track mounted tub grinders come standard with a CAT engine, torque converter drive and are available in models HTC-1464T and HTC-1462T. CW Mill Equipment Co., Inc. has been manufacturing track mounted tub grinders for over 20 years. A HogZilla tub grinder on tracks is one of the most rugged, heavy-duty track mounted machines on the market, and customers will attest to that. A HogZilla on tracks is unparalleled in production and mobility, for convenient one-person operation, saving hours a day mobilizing the grinder from pile to pile. It also allows CW Mill builds each HogZilla custom. for grinding in wet weather or on soft terrain, eliminating the need to build roads to get HogZilla moved and eliminates towing a truck and grinder on the job site, therefore saving hours a day, resulting in increased production. Cleanup around and under the grinder is easier, which in turn reduces maintenance. Because the HogZilla on tracks is operated using a remote control, allowing for one-person operation, the loader/excavator operator can stay in the cab while moving the track mounted HogZilla to different locations using a remote control. The hydrostatic tracks reduce the amount of support equipment and manpower required to move the grinder while offering the convenience of wireless remote-control navigation through difficult job site conditions. Hydrostat pumps driven off the front of the engine allow grinding to continue while moving the HogZilla. Most other grinders require the operator to stop grinding before moving the grinder. HogZilla Monster grinders on tracks were designed for performance, built for reliability, and have been proven on the toughest jobs with years of service. CW Mill is always looking ahead to see what can be improved for our customers, and in fact, each HogZilla is built custom, how the customer wants.
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PRECISION HUSKY Since 1964 Precision Husky Corp. has led the industry in producing the highest quality, most rugged equipment available. That fact is evident in the Precision Husky whole tree chippers. Built heavier than the competition, Precision whole tree chippers are equipped with sturdy trailer frames, oversized hydraulic stabilizers and the field-proven, industry-leading Precision chipper. Available in four sizes, from the 58 in. to the 86 in. models, roundwood capacities range from 18 to 30 in. in diameter. Each model comes with different number of knife options for many different applications and production rates and may be fitted with conventional or disposable knives. Depending on application and production, power options range from a Caterpillar or Cummins The Precision Chipper is a “cut” above the competition. 500 HP (373kW) diesel engine to larger 1050 HP (783kW) engine. The engine is fitted with a totally enclosed, wet hydraulic PT Tech HPTO (hydraulic power take-off), which acts as a torquelimiter by slipping to absorb the shock load. A microprocessor controller provides push-button engagement of the HPTO. The controller is capable of monitoring clutch pressure, temperature, filter condition, engine speed and clutch output speed. The Precision whole tree chipper can be built with or without our heavy-duty Husky loaders, may be trailer or track mounted, end or top loading. The XL-175 comes standard on models 1858 and 2366, while the heavier XL-245 are mounted on the larger 2675 and 3086 units. Models 2675 and 3086 come standard with a 15 ft. long chain infeed conveyor to allow the larger diameter stems to be consistently fed into the chipper.
VERMEER The Vermeer WC2500TX tracked whole tree chipper is equipped with a tracked undercarriage to aid in maneuverability in the woods, boasts a compact design and packs a 600 HP (448 kW) engine to meet production demands. The 20 in. (50.8 cm) high-mount tracked undercarriage makes this a fully mobile unit, allowing operators to efficiently and effectively move the machine around jobsites without the need for additional support equipment. The D4 undercarriage is designed for tough jobsite conditions with high-mounting structures for nearly 29 in. (73.7 cm) of belly clearance and rising chain rollers for material cleanout. The tracks can be single or double grouser depending on the terrain of your operation. The whole tree chipper can be equipped with either the microchip drum that produces chip sizes between 1/8 in. (3.2 Vermeer WC2500TX whole tree chipper packs power mm) to 5/8 in. (15.9 mm) or the macrochip drum that proin compact design duces chip sizes between 5/8 in. (15.9 mm) and 1 1/4 in. (31.8 mm). The knife setup is quick and simple with knife position being set by two bolts — no babbitting needed, which makes changeout on job sites easy. The WC2500TX whole tree chipper is equipped with proven technologies including SmartCrush, SmartFeed and EcoIdle system. With SmartCrush technology, the machine can automatically increase down pressure when difficult material enters the cutting drum and adjusts variable-speed dual-infeed conveyor chains. SmartFeed is a patented feedsensing control system that monitors engine rpm and automatically stops or reverses the feed roller and infeed conveyor when feeding larger, hardwood materials. EcoIdle is an engine control system function, which automatically lowers engine speed to 1400 RPM if no material has been chipped for 30 seconds.
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WESTTECH The Woodcracker C has a slim design with a big cutting volume: The tree shear can cut up to 60 cm diameter. By mounting it to different carrier vehicles, the harvester head can be used not only for conventional harvesting, but also for working in open areas, hillsides, next to streets or for safe tree fellings. The harvester head can be equipped with different options. For collecting small trees and cutting them all at once, there is an accumulator option available. The accumulator can be mounted through quick-change. Therefore, the machine operator can work quickly in weak wood and place the material bundled on the ground. While working with big material, the machine operator can dismount the accumulator to reduce weight and to harvest big trees individually. Woodcracker C—the versatile single The Woodcracker C series is available in four different sizes from 33 cm to 60 cm cutting diameter and got further developed in the three additional grip harvester head forms for special applications: The Woodcracker CL for weak wood, the Woodcracker CB for short rotation harvesting and the Woodcracker CS for strong wood and safety tree felling. Sharp tools simplify the work immensely. That’s why the Woodcracker C’s blade is so important. The blade in the cutting unit is made out of high-strength steel and is easily resharpable. The blade is impervious to dirt and closes in a self-cleaning counter comb, which conserves the blade, because it always cuts on wood. If the blade has to be renewed, however, it can be easily disassembled and changed. The patented blade fixture is equipped with a strong main bolt with a special safety nut, which makes the cutting unit durable and sturdy. There are four mounting options available for the tree shear. The simplest method is rigid mounting, e.g. to an excavator, which has a slewing drive. Likewise, there is the possibility of a cylinder slewing system, which can swivel 48°, which is very low-maintenance. For using the full radius of movement of an endless 360° rotation, the felling head can be equipped with a tiltator. To work even faster, the fourth option is a power tiltator. This rotating assembly provides more strength by the means of double torque at the same speed.
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Biotreatment Of VOCs And Contaminants
In Exhaust Gases And Wastewater By Dr. Rakesh Govind
V
olatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in almost all exhaust gases exiting industrial processes, especially in the wood and bioenergy sectors. These VOCs include methanol, formaldehyde, terpenes, esters, aldehydes, and hydrocarbons. Technologies used to treat these contaminants in exhaust gases include adsorption, thermal oxidation, catalytic oxidation, rotor concentrator, regenerative thermal oxidation (RTOs), and biological technologies. Thermal destruction, such as RTOs, catalytic or non-catalytic, relies on the use of natural gas to attain destruction temperatures and produce significant quantities of carbon dioxide, an earth Example of biofilter, left, and bioscrubber, right warming gas. In addition, they also emit nitrogen oxides, often controlled by manipulating air Key: 1. inlet exhaust gas 2: treated exhaust gas 3: recycle flow 4: nutrients 5: mist eliminator 6: spray nozzle 7: Biomesh Biomedia 8: blower intake rates. With growing concern about climate change and increasing costs of natural gas, 9: aeration pipes 10: pump with self-cleaning filter use of RTOs is becoming economically infeasible and environmentally destructive. Possible implemenwhere the biomedia, with active biofilms growing on tation of carbon tax, which seems inevitable will further its surface, treats the compounds while they are flowerode the cost-effectiveness of these technologies in the ing through the packed biomedia bed. Bioscrubbers have major advantages over biofilters. near future. Bioscrubbers operate at superficial gas velocities in Biological treatment has several advantages, which inthe 300 – 500 ft/min range, which results in a smaller cludes ambient temperature and pressure operation, no diameter bed, than in a biofilter, which is operating at consumption of natural gas, minimal emission of carbon superficial gas velocities, typically in the range of 30 – dioxide, ability to simultaneously handle a wide variety of 100 ft/min. contaminants, and very cost-effective compared to other Bioscrubbers have a significantly lower cost, since treatment methods. the bioreactor can be a large vessel, while the biofilter is usually a larger diameter, vertical vessel, with a large Biotreatment Of Contaminants volume of biomedia. The gas residence time in a biofilBiotreating contaminants in exhaust gases can be ter is limited to under 1 minute, while a bioreactor can achieved either in a bioscrubber or a biofilter. A biohave a water residence time of a few hours. scrubber is a gas absorber, which transfers the conBioreactors use moving biomedia to provide a large taminants from the exhaust gas into the liquid water surface area for the active biofilms, and biofilm thickphase, and then treats the contaminants biologically ness in a moving biomedia is controlled due to the sheer in a bioreactor. A biofilter is a combination of a force of the water as the media moves around in the scrubber and bioreactor into a single packed bed, bioreactor, while the biomedia in a biofilter gets
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clogged due to biomass growth, as the biomass accumulates within the biomedia. It is significantly easier to provide dissolved oxygen in the bioreactor while biofilters get limited oxygen, especially when the VOC concentration is large in the influent gas. The major disadvantage of a bioscrubber is the inability of water insoluble compounds to get transferred into the water phase, and which either results in the use of a large water flowrate, which increases pumping costs, or results in a lower treatment efficiency in the absorber. To overcome this disadvantage for water insoluble compounds, such as pinenes, a microemulsion in water is used in the absorber.
Microemulsion Absorber A microemulsion is a dispersant of a surfactant in water, which creates a hydrophobic (hates water) cavity in which water insoluble contaminants, such as hydrocarbons, methane, pinenes, etc. can absorb, and the hydrophilic (water loving) part of the surfactant is oriented in the water phase. The ability of a microemulsion to absorb water-insoluble compounds like pinenes, hydrocarbons, etc. can be increased 10 -100 fold, while retaining its ability to absorb water soluble compounds, such as methanol and formaldehyde. This allows a microemulsion to absorb a wide variety of contaminants, both water soluble and water insoluble. The absorber, with a high surface media, is then followed by a bioreactor, in which the contaminants within the microemulsion are treated biologically. The biomedia moves around within the water in the bioreactor tank, which is also aerated to provide dissolved oxygen.
Biomesh Biomedia For both the absorber and the bioreactor, a high surface area media, like the Biomesh Biomedia, has shown very good performance. Biomesh Biomedia consists of
a plastic (polypropylene) spherical mesh, within which a piece of open cell foam is enclosed. The open cell foam provides a very high surface area while the plastic mesh protects the foam from getting clogged by the suspended solids in the water phase, and by the solids entrained in the gas phase, entering the absorber. Biomesh Biomedia is manufactured in 1 in., 2 in. and 3 in. diameter sizes. This Biomesh Biomedia can be used both in the absorber and in the bioreactor. Major advantages of the Biomesh Biomedia over other types of biomedia include significantly higher surface area (> 1000 ft2/ft3) than typical plastic media; low bulk density (2.7 lbs/ft3 when dry); good distribution of gas and liquid in the absorber; low gas-phase pressure drop; the ability to handle solids in the influent gas, and not require a wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) as in the case of oxidizers; provides a very high surface area for active biofilms, when used in a bioreactor as moving biomedia; and it is cost-effective, when compared to plastic and other medias.
Applications A microemulsion absorber with bioreactor process has been analyzed as an example. A venturi scrubber was designed to draw in the exhaust gas, only from the dryer and press (60,000 acfm), to remove entrained solids and lower the temperature. Humidified exhaust gas from the venturi scrubber and exhaust gas from the press were then combined and treated in an absorber, packed with Biomesh Biomedia using a microemulsion in water as the scrubbing liquid. The microemulsion liquid with the contaminants absorbed in the emulsion were then treated in a moving bed bioreactor, with Biomesh Biomedia and aeration to biologically treat the contaminants. The treated water was then recycled back to the venturi scrubber and absorber, which minimized the net water consumption. Makeup water with the microemulsion surfactant were added, since there was a constant blowdown from the bioreactor to remove excess biomass. Dr. Rakesh Govind is president of PRD Tech, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. email: rgovind837@aol.com; web site: prdtechinc.com.
June 2022 / Wood Bioenergy
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Dryer Specialists Working Together In a sales cooperation, Büttner Energie- und Trocknungstechnik GmbH and NEW eco-tec Verfahrenstechnik GmbH are pooling
their dryer expertise. The Krefeld, Germany-based dryer and energy plant specialist, Büttner, and the belt dryer supplier from Muhldorf am Inn, Bavaria, are cooperating to expand their portfolios to flexibly meet customer requirements
with the appropriate dryer. Belt dryers from NEW eco-tec are characterized by their special design and air flow to dry a variety of products, including feedstocks for pellet production, digestate, sludge, various waste fractions, or fuels for biomass heating plants. They are also ideally suited for drying sawdust and wood chips, bark and OSB strands. NEW eco-tec offers compact belt dryers, including containerized modular design—the drying systems are integrated into containers that plant operators can place in a modular system. This means that the belt dryers can not only be expanded as required, they can also be transported very easily and, if necessary, the location can also be changed with little effort. The first projects have been initiated and the sales teams of both companies are already working together on projects from the wood-based panel industry and the biomass and waste recycling sectors.
Partnership Enhances Data Intelligence Remsoft’s collaboration with ForestPHD, an Australian-based developer of Sticks, opens new opportunities for forestry companies to drive more accurate harvest, delivery and wood flow schedules and budgets. The partnership will enable the use of forest machine data in Remsoft Forest Intelligence solutions. ForestPHD’s Sticks cloud solution enables data collected by forestry equipment to be analyzed for better understanding of harvesting operations, wood flow logistics and value recovery.
John Deere Expands Self-Repair Resources John Deere announced it will enhance the capabilities of existing diagnostic tools and expand their availability. In 2023, the company
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Wood Bioenergy / June 2022
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will roll out an enhanced customer solution that includes a mobile device interface, and the ability to download secure software updates directly to embedded controllers on select John Deere equipment with 4G connections. John Deere will expand its offerings by giving customers and independent repair shops in the U.S. the ability to purchase Customer Service ADVISOR directly through JohnDeereStore.com. Customer Service ADVISOR has been available through John Deere dealerships, enabling customers to diagnose, troubleshoot and repair their own equipment. With the ability to purchase directly from John Deere, equipment owners and independent repair shops will have expanded access to Customer Service ADVISOR, in addition to existing
access to replacement parts to complete needed repairs.
Pewag Purchases Wallingford’s Inc. Pewag group, a leading global company in traction chain devices and industrial chain solutions, has completed the acquisition of Wallingford’s Inc. and BABAC Inc., a U.S.-based provider of forestry traction devices, forestry supplies and snow chains. Wallingford’s and BABAC are now consolidated as part of Pewag’s traction and forestry segment. The acquisition of Wallingford’s and BABAC is a strong fit with Pewag’s North American forestry business and in particular its forestry traction devices business. It is part of the strategy of Pewag to be a leader in this seg-
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ment globally. Moreover, the high-quality forestry traction devices, developed and manufactured by Pewag in Austria and Czech Republic, will be integrated in the portfolio of Wallingford’s. Pewag operates modern chain production facilities in Europe and in Pueblo, Col. President of Wallingford’s Inc. Chip Wallingford comments, “We are very excited to be part of the global Pewag group, which will add value and quality to our product portfolio, improve our position in the North American forestry
market and will definitely give a further push to our professional customer service.” Founded in 1975, Wallingford’s Inc. is an international wholesaler of tire chain, logging and industrial supplies. Products are predominantly sold to distributors in North America. The sales and marketing office is located in Oakland, Me., with a distribution, assembly and administrative facility in New Hampton, NH, and Canadian distribution centers in Edmonton, Alberta and Montreal, Quebec.
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