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from the editors ■

Show

Daze T

he even numbered years are a bit of a blur for the staff of Wood Bioenergy magazine— though as we age, aren’t all the years a blur?— obviously, we produce our Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo in the first quarter of the “even” years, in Atlanta. You’ll find our third, and final, installment of conference review elsewhere in this issue. And if we’re going to toot our own horns, this year’s programming was one of the best we’ve had, and the momentum going into 2024 is incredible. Make plans now, so we can see you in Atlanta, March 12-13, 2024!

But before the next Atlanta conference, the WB staff heads to Portland, Oregon to participate in the Timber Processing & Energy Expo, held in the fourth quarter of the even years on the West Coast, at the Portland Expo Center. At this large-scale trade show, those affiliated with the industry come from around the world to see the newest technologies and machines for the primary production of wood products.

Yes, TP&EE caters to and recognizes that the main focus of the show floor is primary wood products manufacturing, but there is also a strong presence and emphasis put on the energy production portion of the wood industry; this is where TP&EE gets the second half of its name. Overall, TP&EE recognizes where its focus is, but WB staff would be remiss if we overlooked the subsector of heat energy and the important role it plays in the wood processing industry, including lumber drying systems. After all, this aspect of wood-to-energy existed long before large industrial wood pellet plants and woody biomass-fueled electricity generation facilities came into vogue.

The following list of heat energy technology and dry kiln manufacturer companies will have their options on display September 28-30. For all those interested in walking the sold out show floor, pre-registration is free to wood industry mill personnel—and can be completed online, timberprocessingandenergyexpo.com.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

American Wood Dryers BID Group Brunner-Hildebrand Hurst Boiler KDS Windsor Mühlböck Nline Energy Nyle Dry Kilns SolaGen USNR Valutec Wellons Westmill

Head on over to Portland—there’s great networking opportunities, the chance to see some new drying technology and take in the beautiful Pacific Northwest weather.

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■ table of contents

www.woodbioenergymag.com

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22 22

BIOENERGY SHOW ’22 The Final Chapter

14 MICROCHIP MAKER Logger Fulfills Enviva’s Needs

25

PRODUCT NEWS Oregon Tool Celebrates Anniversary

18 ASSET PROTECTION Options To Mitigate Risks

Cover Photography:

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FROM THE EDITORS Come On Over To Portland

Logger Bob Lussier relocated from Connecticut to South Carolina 20 years ago, and not long after made the switch to in-woods chipping. Now, his main chip market is Enviva’s Hamlet, NC pellet plant. (Jessica Johnson photo)

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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.

Baker Rullman Manufacturing

29

920.261.8107

Bandit Industries

9

800.952.0178

BID Group

17

843.563.7070

BM&M Screening Solutions

26

800.663.0323

Brunette Machinery

10

800.686.6679

Clarke’s Industrial Sheet Metal

12

541.343.3395

Continental Conveyor

19

418.338.4682

Fagus GreCon

8

704.912.0000

Flamex

7

336.299.2933

IEP Technologies - Hoerbiger

26

855.793.8407

Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. Street Address ■ 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317

Messersmith Manufacturing

28

906.466.9010

Metal Detectors

6

541.345.7454

Mailing Address ■ P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Tel: 334.834.1170 ■ Fax: 334.834-4525

Mid-South Engineering

27

501.321.2276

MoistTech

28

941.727.1800

Publisher/Adv. Sales Manager ■ David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer ■ Dianne C. Sullivan

Morbark

32

800.831.0042

Nestec

11

610.323.7670

Editor-in-Chief ■ Rich Donnell Managing Editor ■ Jessica Johnson Senior Editor ■ Dan Shell Senior Editor ■ David Abbott

Precision-Husky

2

205.640.5181

Process & Storage Solutions

30

866.354.7277

Rawlings Manufacturing

29

866.762.9327

Schaeffer Oil

31

800.325.9962

SonicAire

21

336.712.2437

Stela Laxhuber GmbH

27

+49 8724 899 0

Ultra Air Systems

27

615.647.6110

Volume 14

Number 5

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Publisher/Editor Emeritus ■ David (DK) Knight Art Director/Production Manager ■ Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator ■ Patti Campbell Circulation Director ■ Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing ■ Jacqlyn Kirkland Advertising Sales North American Sales Representative Susan Windham ■ P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery AL 36102-2268 334.834.1170 ■ Fax: 334.834.4525 E-mail: windham.susan4@gmail.com International Sales Murray Brett ■ 58 Aldea De Las Cuevas, Buzon 60 Benedoleig 03759, (Alicante) Espana +34 96 640 4165 ■ Fax: +34 96 640 4048 E-mail: murray.brett.aba@abasol.net Classified Advertising Sales Bridget DeVane ■ Tel: 334.699.7837 ■ 800.669.5613 E-mail: bdevane7@hotmail.com A Hatton-Brown Publication Other Hatton-Brown Publications:

Timber Processing ■ Southern Loggin' Times ■ Timber Harvesting Panel World ■ Power Equipment Trade

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.

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All advertisements for Wood Bioenergy are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarisms, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Wood Bioenergy. Copyright ® 2022. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Printed in USA.

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■ in the news Enviva Continues Growth Expansion Enviva reported several operational developments in its second quarter statement. It announced four contract additions: —Conversion of an MOU with an industrial products customer to a take-or-pay off-take contract, with a tenor of 15 years and deliveries starting in 2023; volumes anticipated to ramp to approximately 600,000 metric tons per year by 2031 —Conversion of an LOI with a German manufacturer to a take-orpay off-take contract, with a tenor of 10 years and deliveries starting in the third quarter of 2022, with volumes expected to be approximately 60,000 MTPY —First take-or-pay off-take contract with a new German customer that delivers wood pellets into the European thermal heating market;

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contract tenor is five years, with deliveries expected to commence by the end of 2022, and then volumes ramping to approximately 150,000 MTPY —A new tranche of contracted deliveries to a longstanding European Union-based customer which is expected to total 720,000 incremental metric tons through 2027 John Keppler, chairman and CEO, also noted the company recently commenced construction of its plant in Epes, Ala.; is making swift progress on plans to start construction of a new plant in Bond, Miss.; and has recently filed for a permit for expansion of its plant in Ahoskie, NC. Enviva also emphasized that EU policymakers are currently updating the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), which was put in place in 2009 and revised in 2018 (RED II), and establishes common rules and targets for the development of re-

newable energy across all sectors of the economy to help the EU reach its ambitious energy and climate goals. These were increased by the European Green Deal with the goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030.

RED III is part of a package amending or creating 15 climate and energy laws to increase and accelerate climate mitigation, which includes reviewing existing criteria for sustainable biomass. The final law will be a negotiated piece of legislation reflecting a compromise position of the “trilogue” which includes the EU Parliament, EU Council of Ministers, and EU Commission.

Both the Council and the Commission have published proposals and positions on RED III which outline which renewable energy sources qualify for subsidies and keep the biomass sustainability framework from RED II largely intact. The proposal from the EU Parliament will

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in the news ■

likely be finalized this fall in a plenary session.

According to leading scientific advisory panels and policy makers, in order for the EU to reach its objective of climate neutrality by 2050, biomass use in power and heat plants alone will need to double.

Enviva also noted that the Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), Taiwan’s state-owned electric company, announced plans to convert a large coal-fired unit of the Hsinta Power Plant to biomass in order to meet the Taiwanese government’s policy objectives around increasing renewable energy generation. The project is scheduled to produce approximately 3,000 gigawatt hours of renewable energy after 2025, which translates into demand for roughly 1.8 million MT of biomass annually.

Given Enviva’s size, scale, and track record delivering into the Asian market, we expect to be an impor-

tant partner in Taipower’s biomass supply chain.

Enviva is making solid progress on its path to more than double production capacity over the next five years, from 6.2 million MTPY to approximately 13 million MTPY. Enviva’s Lucedale, Miss. plant, the first plant in Enviva’s “Pascagoula Cluster,” continues to ramp production, and is on track to reach nameplate capacity of 750,000 MTPY by the end of this year. Recently, Enviva commenced construction of the fully contracted 1.1 million MTPY plant in Epes, Ala., the second plant in the Pascagoula Cluster. The third plant will be built in Bond Miss., subject to receiving permits.

Arbios Bio-Oil Project Gains New Name Arbios Biotech (Arbios) and the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation announced the naming of the Arbios

commercial scale facility in Prince George, British Columbia, which is now known as Arbios Biotech Chuntoh Ghuna and means “The Forest Lives.”

The Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and Arbios Biotech have been working in close partnership to develop the renewable biofuels facility, including the site preparation. The facility is located on the unceded and traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh.

A phased approach is being taken for the development of Arbios Biotech Chuntoh Ghuna, which will initially consist of one processing line.

The facility will use the innovative Cat-HTR process to convert 25,000 dry tonnes of woody biomass including sawmill wood residue into 50,000 barrels of sustainable bio-oil per year, producing a direct substitute for fossil crude.

“We are honoured and delighted that the Lheidli T’enneh First Na-

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■ in the news

tion have named our first commercial scale facility,” says Alan Nicholl, President and CEO, Arbios Biotech. “We look forward to continuing to work together as we strategically use our resources to bridge to a lower carbon future and use advanced technology to drive higher environmental and economic value from lower value residues.”

Arbios Biotech is a joint venture between technology pioneers Licella Holdings Ltd (Licella) and integrated forest products company Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor). Licella is a leader in the field of Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL).

Sierra Pacific Creates Wildfire, Fuels Post Sierra Pacific Industries has named Matt Pontes as its first Director of Wildfire and Fuels Management. “We are excited to have Matt’s strategic leadership in this

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newly created position developed to protect our timberlands, ecosystems and rural communities,” says SPI CEO Mark Emmerson.

Pontes will guide the company’s work in wildfire suppression and resiliency efforts, leveraging his experience in public and private organizations combined with his strong understanding of wildfire and natural resources management.

“I am extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity to join the leadership team, family culture and crew at SPI,” Pontes adds. “This new role aligns with my passion in wildfire, forestry and natural resources. With SPI’s proven track record of success in healthy forest management and sustainability, I look forward to partnering with agencies, landowners and communities to strategize on wildfire resiliency. Our future depends on long-term solutions that will better protect California’s forested land-

scape and vital natural resources.”

Pontes brings more than 30 years of experience in forest and wildfire management, fire response and recovery, and public agency leadership. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry & Natural Resources Management from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Sierra Pacific Industries is a thirdgeneration, family-owned forest products company based in Anderson, Calif. SPI owns and manages more than 2.3 million acres of timberland in California, Oregon and Washington and is one of the largest U.S. lumber manufacturers. The company also produces millwork, windows and renewable energy.

Enviva Addresses Property Loss Enviva Inc. announced the establishment of the Enviva Heirs Property Fund (EHPF), an initiative ded-

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■ in the news

icated to ending involuntary land loss across the U.S. Southeast. Enviva has formally committed $250,000 on an annual basis to provide support to landowning families in the U.S. Southeast through direct financial support for professional services, identifying pathways for families to capture sustainable land value, and through public policy advocacy at the state and federal levels.

EHPF’s efforts will begin in 2022 in Mississippi and North Carolina, and will expand to include direct financial aid to landholders incrementally throughout Enviva’s operational footprint in the coming years, in addition to the national policy work currently underway.

The issue of heirs property predominantly affects Southern Black landholders, and has been a significant driver of Black land loss over the last century. The Federation of Southern Cooperatives, a non-profit association of Black farmers, landowners and cooperatives, estimates that 60% of African Americanowned land in the South is held as heirs property, and from 1910 to 2007 it is estimated that Black farmers lost approximately 80% of their land, from about 20 million acres to about 1.9 million acres today.

To eliminate the systemic hurdles resulting in involuntary land loss, the Fund will act on the following three functions for landowners: l Achieve Clear Title: Assist landowning families in achieving clear title to their land, thus removing the land from being vulnerable to involuntary loss. EHPF will connect families with the professional services necessary to secure clear and marketable title. l Unlock Sustainable Value from Land: Assist families in receiving value from their land for generations, which they are unable to do until they achieve clear title.

Through existing partnerships, EHPF will connect, educate and train families on resources and topics related to best practices for forest/land management, sustainable farming techniques, and merchan-

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dising. In parallel, EHPF will help families connect with the broad universe of federal and state benefits to landowners that hold acreage in clear title, such as grants for growing crops or building on their land, federal loans, and other governmentally bestowed benefits. l Advocate for Changes in Public Policy: Advance policy solutions at the state and federal level to prevent involuntary land loss. EHPF will partner with several organizations that specialize in land loss prevention policy to resolve the ongoing, systemic land loss problem across the American South.

Strategic Biofuels Gathers Support Strategic Biofuels announced that the Port of Columbia, home to the Louisiana Green Fuels (LGF) project, has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA through its Port Security Grant Program (PSGP).

The PSGP is part of a series of grant programs created by Congress and implemented by DHS to help strengthen defenses around the nation’s critical infrastructure. The PSGP specifically provides funds to state, local, territorial, and private sector partners to help protect portwide risk management and transportation infrastructure in support of the National Preparedness Goal.

A total of $100 million was awarded under the Port Security Grant Program to 213 recipients across the country. The $1 million awarded to the Port of Columbia was the largest award to the 15 Louisiana recipients.

The LGF project has continued to benefit from the State of Louisiana and federal government’s desire to support Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) innovation and development to meet climate goals.

Strategic Biofuels has been a leader in Louisiana since successfully completing the first CCS test well last summer. Most recently, the federal Inflation Reduction Act enacted

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in the news ■

August 16, 2022 increased the IRS Section 45Q sequestration tax credits the project will receive on the approximately 1.4 million tons per year of CO2 it will sequester from $50/ton to $85/ton.

In addition, on August 1, Act 163 signed by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards went into effect, expanding the eminent domain acquisition of the pore rights necessary for underground CO2 storage in Caldwell Parish and directly supporting the LGF project.

Louisiana Green Fuels will produce renewable diesel fuel from Renewable Fuel Standard compliant forestry waste and will produce all its own green power from sawmill and forestry waste materials. The plant and its accompanying Class VI Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) wells will produce renewable diesel fuel with a carbon footprint that is nearly a 400% reduction compared to fossil diesel, making it the most deeply carbon-negative liquid fuel in the world.

California Ethanol Project Gains Ground IHI Power Services Corp. (IPSC), an owner and operator of power plants across the U.S., announced it has deepened its partnership with California Ethanol + Power (CE+P) via a 15-year asset management deal to oversee its forthcoming Sugar Valley Energy campus outside of Brawley, Calif.

The project is expected to produce approximately 70 million gallons of extremely low-carbon, fuel-grade Essential Ethanol from locally grown sugar cane; up to 49 MW of baseload electricity produced from biomass; and 737 Mcf of pipeline quality biomethane.

IPSC was originally tapped to support a 15-year operation and maintenance (O&M) contract for the 160-acre ethanol biorefinery, bioelectric generation plant and wastewater treatment facility project back in March of this year. Now, due to its impressive portfolio, proven track record of success and full range of O&M services, CE+P made the strategic decision to add asset management services to IPSC’s project scope.

“Sugar Valley Energy is a part of a multi-billion-dollar wave of new energy investment taking place in California and particularly in the Imperial Valley, adding resilience to our state’s energy portfolio and creating thousands of jobs,” comments CE+P President and CEO Dave Rubenstein. “IPSC’s experience, vision and commitment to sourcing employment in the Valley provide significant confidence that Sugar Valley Energy will deliver on its promise for the region.”

The completed Sugar Valley Energy campus will support an estimated 200 permanent new jobs onsite and in the Imperial County community, as well as hundreds of agriculture-related jobs associated with cultivating sugarcane. Construction of the facility alone is estimated to support more than 9,000 jobs in various trades. The project represents a $1 billion investment in the Imperial Valley region. ➤ 12

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■ in the news

11 ➤ CE+P is a development company that intends to develop, construct, operate and own numerous facilities that will convert locally grown sugar cane into Essential Ethanol sustainable, renewable, and extremely low carbon transportation fuel that will assist California in meeting its groundbreaking AB32 requirements.

Red Rock Makes Progress On Testing Red Rock Biofuels LLC, a nextgeneration producer of low-carbon biofuels, and Frontline BioEnergy, a leading provider of waste and biomass gasification solutions, announced they have successfully tested their innovative technology that gasifies Red Rock’s residual woody biomass feedstock into high quality syngas for production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)

and renewable diesel.

The test runs, which the companies completed at Frontline’s headquarters in Nevada, Iowa, used Frontline’s patented TarFreeGas and PMFreeGas technologies. The tests demonstrated TarFreeGas gasifier production of high-quality syngas with excellent tar conversion, as well as PMFreeGas removal of char and ash from the syngas. The resulting syngas was shown to be suitable for further processing into SAF and renewable diesel. Additional independent analysis of the test results will also be conducted to further verify the results.

“We’re very pleased with the outcome of the steady state test runs,” says Chip Cummins, interim Chief Executive Officer of Red Rock Biofuels and Executive Director at RPA Advisors. “These results validate the significant engineering work that has been done and clearly prove that

Red Rock’s sourced residual woody biomass can be used as feedstock on a commercial scale to deliver renewable jet and diesel fuels in support of the aviation industry reaching net-zero emissions.”

The woody biomass feedstock for the tests was locally sourced in Oregon from the same providers that have agreed to support Red Rock’s feedstock supply once the plant is operational.

Red Rock Biofuels was founded to tackle the growing need for lowcarbon, renewable jet and diesel fuels and the growing problem of catastrophic wildfires. By utilizing forest residue that is burned in the winter creating CO2, the facility will enable forest management that improves forest health and resilience. The facility at Lakeview, Ore. will also be one of the first SAF plants in North America to produce drop-in fuels from woody biomass and is designed to produce approximately 20 million gallons per year of low-carbon intensity renewable biofuels.

New Sawmill Will Process Salvage Logs Tahoe Forest Products (TFP), in a partnership with Washoe Development Corp., an affiliate of Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, announced they have leased 37.2 acres and plan to build the first major sawmill in the region in decades near Carson City. Salvage logs have been purchased and a log deck is visible at the site.

Northern Nevada and California were severely impacted by wildfires, which were fueled because forests have not been thinned, cleared or maintained for almost three decades, according to Washoe Tribe. Initially, TFP plans on processing mostly large fire salvage logs removed from the recent Caldor Wildfire, but eventually they plan to also add a small log line to effectively process thinnings, which hopefully will help to reduce the number of wildfires in the area.

“This project came about be-

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in the news ■

cause there was no reasonable market for salvage logs and thinnings from the Tahoe Basin or from the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest,” says Jon Shinn, CEO of TFP. “A local sawmill is one of the critical missing links in beginning to address forest health and resilience, not to mention critical post-fire cleanup efforts from catastrophes like the Caldor Fire.”

Logs will be processed into a wide range of products, including dry-surfaced 2 in. construction lumber, timbers, fence posts and landscape products from wildfire damage, and boards and “factory” lumber for windows from the pine. Additionally, bark will be sold for landscaping and other uses, chips and sawdust will be sold to agricultural end-users and to power plants, while planer shavings will go for animal bedding.

Idaho Project Plants Seedlings Converting an all-but-dead timberland at risk of significant wildfire into a strong future forest is a massive undertaking, but the Idaho Dept. of Lands (IDL) is one step closer to achieving that in the Packer John State Forest. This spring 610,300 seedlings were planted over nearly 2,000 acres. Now those baby trees are growing thanks to a nearly $300,000 grant from the Arbor Day Foundation.

A major Douglas fir tussock moth infestation peaked in Packer John in 2019 and was the final blow to the forest’s health after several years of drought and previous insect damage.

This was also devastating for Idaho Public Schools, as these schools are the owners/beneficiaries of the land and the funding grown out of timber. The forest was made up mainly of Douglas fir, subalpine fir, and grand fir, which are susceptible to tussock moth damage.

With that in mind, the IDL was quick to sell the damaged timber for wood products through salvage sales. That made it possible to get as much value out of the trees as possi-

ble, as well as remove the significant wildfire risk.

All trees within the salvage sale areas were harvested except for ponderosa pine and spruce trees, which are not preferred by tussock moth. Those species make up a small percentage of trees within the harvest areas, leaving a mostly blank canvas for a new forest. The new trees will be more ponderosa pine and western larch.

A grant from the Arbor Day Foundation totaling $296,600 covered the cost of the more than 600,000 trees. IDL was selected for the grant because of the unique nature of the project, which is to ensure that land impacted by the tussock moth outbreak can be restored to a healthy and functional forest by essentially starting over with tree species better adapted to the site.

Paper Excellence Purchases Resolute Richmond, BC-headquartered and privately held holding company, Paper Excellence Group, a manufacturer of pulp and paper products with seven facilities in Canada, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Domtar Corp., is acquiring Montreal-based Resolute Forest Products. The cash consideration represents an enterprise value of $2.7 billion, as reported by the companies.

Resolute will become a whollyowned subsidiary of Domtar and continue to operate on a businessas-usual basis under the Resolute name. The Resolute management team will remain in place at the company’s headquarters.

Resolute owns or operates 40 facilities, as well as power generation assets, in the U.S. and Canada in four business segments: market pulp, tissue, paper and wood products. It operates four pulp mills, four tissue facilities, seven paper mills and 22 wood products facilities including 17 sawmills with 2.9 billion BF of capacity, two reman facilities, two engineered wood products facilities and a wood pellet plant. It also has 13 power generation assets, in-

cluding seven hydroelectric facilities and six cogeneration facilities.

Paper Excellence states it intends to support Resolute management’s existing growth strategy. Furthermore, the Group intends to form long-term partnerships with one or more universities in Quebec and Ontario to spearhead innovation in the field of fiber-based biomaterials.

Domain Acquires Acreage In Southeast Domain Capital Group, LLC, a private investment management services firm, and its subsidiary, Domain Timber Advisors, LLC, announced the acquisition of nearly 3,400 acres of timberland in middle Georgia and south Alabama, further enhancing the company’s substantial Southeast timber portfolio.

Domain Timber’s most recent acquisitions increase the total acreage of timberland under the company’s management to more than 264,000 acres. Domain continues to research opportunities for additional, strategic acquisitions in the Southeast to meet the region’s demand for wood products.

Forest Service Okays TWISP Plan Forest health operations should begin next year following final approval in late July of the Twisp Restoration Project (TRP) on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in north central Washington. The project seeks to improve forest health and wildfire resistance across 24,000 acres, focusing on the wildland-urban interface and ensuring a network of safe and efficient roads for travel and evacuation.

The TRP includes treatments on 550 acres of private land and 40 acres of U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands. The project size was reduced by more than half after fire activity during the planning stages.

Project scope includes harvest of 50-54MMBF across 8,100 acres, roughly 75% Douglas fir, followed by ponderosa pine.

October 2022 / Wood Bioenergy

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■ chipping company

Three Men

& A Chipper

By Jessica Johnson BENNETTSVILLE, SC hen logger Robert (Bob) Lussier relocated his logging and timber buying business from New England to the Southeast 20 years ago he had no idea what a microchip was. Fast forward, and like many loggers working in the Carolinas, Enviva’s behemoth industrial wood pellet plant in Hamlet, NC is one of his major markets. Lussier’s Great Woods Companies almost exclusively chips its first thinnings for Enviva.

His personal story is not unlike others, having been raised in a rural community, starting his company, procuring timber for his crew, running a machine himself every day, and getting the wood marketed. Having been the first person to run a rubber-tire Tigercat fellerbuncher in southern New England, Lussier had relationships with folks in the Carolinas and Virginia. His Tigercat dealer was Tidewater.

In 2009, the opportunity to work for a timber buyer in South Carolina presented itself to Lussier. He and his wife, Cindy, came down in June and talked about it.

After they returned he talked to his workers about the proposition. Then, after some deliberation and number crunching, Lussier and his business drove 900 miles south. Now he says, he wishes he had done it earlier.

The move south was the best thing he could have done for the business, he believes, and the success he’s had since in a new area is a testament to his grit.

But success over the last 39 years doesn’t mean suc-

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cess has been easy or is guaranteed for the next 39— though Lussier is quick to say he doesn’t want to work for another 39! Lussier believes there are a lot of changes coming to the industry in the next 12-18 months, and his personal plan for the future is to bring on an operations manager.

While the plan might be a forced slowdown with the end of the tunnel being retirement, Lussier, 57, isn’t gone just yet and he’s got plenty still on his proverbial plate—and mind.

Business Awareness A Board Member for the South Carolina Timber Producers, active in the Forestry Assn. of South Carolina and the current President of Team Safe Trucking, Lussier has a very full plate indeed. “People need to get involved, that’s been the problem. Us Baby Boomers, we became loggers because we didn’t like other people,” he says.

“Most of us are not people persons. We want to be in the woods where nobody bothers us,” Lussier says.

“We’ve been our own worst enemies, because we’ve done a disservice to the younger generation because we didn’t speak up. Our timber industry in the South has a 60-year old system and it’s broken.”

Now, Lussier has the chance to help fix the system of working 12 plus hour days, seven days a week. He got a hard lesson on how the system worked when he moved from New England to South Carolina, and he’s been trying to improve it ever since.

Cindy Lussier handles all office work for the companies and is trained to run some equipment and drive set-out trucks. She’s in every sense of the word Lussier’s right hand (wo)man.

Every weekend the pair sit down and she brings a box with the bills and reports, going through everything so Lussier knows what has been taken out and what has gone in that week. Cindy ex-

plains this helps him know where he is at financially, and exactly what everything is costing him.

Lussier admits that the pair started the practice, but for a while he quit because it was just easier to let Cindy handle it. But then he realized he had no idea why more money than he thought was being spent from the account. After reviewing cost increases he found where the money was going, and the ritual resumed.

“I don’t go to the office much,” he says like the true logger he is. “She prints my reports, I look at them. We keep track of a lot of little things. How much we pay for everything—from tires to shop rags. And we pay essential bills every week. Help is paid every week.”

This level of cost control allowed Great Woods to know that his single crew with just three machines, moving between 75 and 80 loads per week, couldn’t keep up with the volume he was able to purchase and consistently haul to his main chip market, Enviva’s Hamlet, NC. So, Great Woods was able to add Goodnow Timber as a contract chipping crew a few years ago—to great success. In doing so, Lussier was able to help another New England family, Chris and Jennifer Goodnow, drive south and restart their business 900 miles away.

Lussier says both his contract crew and his own are great assets. The current 75-80 loads range could be higher, but like every logging operation Great Woods struggles finding truck drivers.

With three in the woods full-time, and four drivers cross-trained enough to load themselves if needed, Lussier is satisfied. The crew has been together for a long while, and Lussier’s two pile system—everything with leaves goes in one and everything with needles goes in the other—keeps things simple and quick. Lussier, who runs the loader, takes out logs, and chips

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mostly everything else for Enviva.

While the crew is mostly older, one new member represents the younger generation. “It is hard to find guys to work in the woods. But the crew I have is amazing. Without them I am not who I am. I am just the director, and the guy who signs the checks,” Lussier says emphatically.

He works hard to create a culture within Great Woods that isn’t just a family—it is a family with pride.

Making sure employees know they are a part of something, they are involved in decisions and they are able to make decisions for themselves. Gone are the days where you could tell an operator or driver to do the job the way you want or they can forget about it.

Pursuing Quality And the Great Woods crew really stepped up when in July 2021, Bob Lussier suffered what could have been a fatal injury. During a routine chipper knife change, he was cut in multiple places, and in some instances down to the bone. He was helicoptered to a hospital where ultimately, he retained his arm. But the sound of steel-onsteel triggers Lussier. Being around chipper knives is emotionally taxing for him. “I still have post-traumatic stress disorder,” Lussier says. “I sold that chipper two months ago. The person that bought it came to our parts shop and I had to give him all the knives, for me to still go around chipper knives...” he adds, trailing off for a moment. “I can do it, and I try not to show a weakness, but inside I am still really nervous around them.”

Lussier says that looking back, he’s frustrated with himself. He’s the one who does all of the company’s safety meetings. He’s been around this equipment for 30 years. “I should have paid better attention to what I was doing,” he says. But always in a hurry, isn’t that almost like a logger’s motto? He was off the plan he had initially set. And that’s when it all happened, in a blink of an eye.

“The biggest thing I learned was don’t be in a hurry,” he adds. “Think about what you’re working with and how dangerous it is. We don’t have a lot of accidents in the woods anymore but when something happens its more catastrophic.” Lussier is very fortunate to live to tell the tale, and serve as a living reminder that safety always has to be everyone’s top priority no matter how veteran the operator.

Thinking Ahead For Lussier, one of his goals with his various involvements is help other loggers be aware of how critical the work of the associations are and how much they need to get involved. “Loggers need to learn the difference between ‘no’ and ‘know.’ A lot of loggers can’t say no because they don’t know. Sometimes working harder does not mean making more money,” he emphasizes.

Recently, he and Cindy completed a cost of business study, taking each of them about 40 hours to complete

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Bob Lussier's small but productive in-woods harvesting crew chips both softwood and hardwood as a main supplier for Enviva's Hamlet, NC facility.

their portions, and through that study, they learned that the only way you can combat inflation is to work closer to the mill, and to produce more tons with less equipment. Now he knows when he can say no.

“Our analysis was very different from what we’ve seen in the industry, our analysis was essentially cost per hour,” he explains. Frustratingly, he had markets that weren’t interested in even meeting with him to look at the numbers he had, to discuss why he needed the rates he had asked for.

The lack of willingness to even look at the analysis is why Lussier is worried about the sustainability of the industry. Sure, we all use forest products every day. At a regular rate there is new mill announcement after new mill announcement. But Lussier wonders if the mill doesn’t care how sustainable loggers are and timber dealers are and truckers are, will there not be an ability to remain sustainable as an industry?

“I have invested heavily in land as part of our retirement portfolio,” he adds. “We have all these mills around, but if Bob decides to retire and then we don’t have any of the logging crews that are capable of keeping our management goals met, what happens to the retirement?”

An answer, in his mind, is thinking outside of the box: viewing markets and suppliers as a partnership.

While Lussier admits there aren’t many guys out there like him left, there are some young loggers, and keeping the industry that has given him so much going is what he’s dedicating some of his time to. It’s a worthy cause, because what happens if there’s none left?

Bob Lussier, and his company Great Woods Companies, are the Timber Harvesting Logging Business of the Year for 2022. A version of this article appears in the September/October issue of Timber Harvesting.

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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.

FLAMEX Wood pellet production involves operations that are often conducive to the generation of sparks and fire. Size reduction processes, such as the hammermilling of dry wood material, are often a source of sparks that are transported in the material flow through the pneumatic system. Fires and burning embers may also result from the drying process due to the presence of high temperatures and possible upset conditions with the dryer.

Other processes such as pelletizing, pellet cooling, screening and product load out may also produce ignition from sparks, overheated pellets and mechanical friction sources.

If not addressed, fires and explosions resulting from normal production processes can have devastating consequences for a business large or small.

This is an ever-present problem in the industry that requires continual management to ensure workplace safety, asset protection and business continuity. The design, installation, operation and maintenance of automatic fire protection systems play a critical part in the effort to mitigate these hazards.

Spark detection and extinguishing systems have long been recognized by the industry and loss control community as an effective measure in the prevention of fire and explosions in dust collection and air filtration systems. Introduced to North America in the late 1970s, the Flamex spark detection and extinguishing system became the first system of its type to gain a factory mutual approval. These systems have proven to be an invaluable part of an overall protection design in wood pellet facilities.

Flamex Inc. has been involved in protecting industrial facilities from the hazards of fire and explosion for over forty years. We specialize in the prevention of ignition in facilities that handle combustible dusts. Our experience in the industrial wood pellet industry has given us a deep understanding of the risks inherent in the production process and how to address them in a manner that eliminates or minimizes production downtime.

As part of a major global fire protection organization, Flamex Inc. has a wide range of detection and suppression components available to meet the specific protection requirements of varied applications that may be present within a single manufacturing facility. We continually strive to improve our product offerings in step with the latest technological advances.

FAGUS GRECON Preventive fire and explosion protection using new detection technology to identify dangerous ignition sources in and around a dryer.

Common causes of fires are heat, sparks, embers, and hot particles. One of the most efficient measures to prevent fire or dust explosion is the early identification of the ignition source.

Sparks and embers are often the source of larger fire and explosion events. Preventive fire and explosion protection is an important measure, not only to protect production, but also the company and the people working within.

Fagus GreCon’s new DLD 1/9 Spark Detector offers additional protection to industries with new intelligent detection technology (IDT). IDT not only identifies hazardous moving ignition sources before a fire breaks out, but the DLD 1/9 detector is also able to differentiate between dangerous sparks or harmless incidence of extraneous light due to leaky/damaged pipes or an opening of an inspection flap.

The system provides excellent preventive protection, as it does not wait for an actual fire or explosion to erupt. The system prevents the development of a fire or explosion by the early detection and elimination of the ignition source. With a GreCon system it is possible to detect and eliminate ignition sources before a fire or a dust explosion occurs. IR detectors monitor the conveying paths and activate high-speed water extinguishing within milliseconds. The diversion or shut-off of product flow is also an option if extinguishing with water is not possible for the application.

Fagus GreCon’s protection concept allows for protection without production interruption, that not only help protect in and around the dryer and grinder, but also protects downstream processes as well.

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IEP TECHNOLOGIES The new eSuppressor by IEP Technologies is a high-rate discharge extinguisher used for explosion suppression and isolation systems. Its electro-mechanical actuating mechanism, using no pyrotechnic devices, is unique to the industry. The eSuppressor features include pressure monitoring, lock-out/tag-out capability and LED indication of device status. A key benefit is that all safety functions are fully monitored, which is not possible for any device employing pyrotechnic actuators. The eSuppressor has full redundancy and third party SIL 2 certification.

The eSuppressor is designed to discharge suppressant in milliseconds within a process vessel or to mitigate the propagation of flame through interconnected ductwork. It is used in conjunction with IEP Technologies’ range of control panels and detectors. IEP Technologies sophisticated computer modeling techniques determine the quantity and size of suppressors to be used. These techniques predict reduced explosion pressures based on actual process conditions and detector settings.

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MID-SOUTH Some equipment in a plant’s process is seen as directly responsible for making product and adding to the bottom line. Other equipment is viewed as necessary support. And then there is dust collection equipment—frequently considered only as a cost which gets little attention unless a safety problem occurs.

In our 50+ years in the wood industry, Mid-South Engineering has seen both healthy and neglected dust collection systems. We have the ability to help you review your dust collection considering the safety of plant personnel and the protection of assets while potentially reducing the costs related to system operation.

Our expertise and experience allows us to troubleshoot and engineer industrial-grade solutions for deficient dust control systems for a variety of industries. Typical problems can include, a control system not meeting current needs; out-of-balance issues, either due to poor original system design or system modifications; systems compromised by material accumulation, and/or ventilation or filtration equipment whose performance has deteriorated over time.

A properly designed and maintained dust control system will be more operationally effective and efficient using less air than a poorly designed system. Increased dust collection effectiveness means reducing process area dust accumulation mitigating the safety risks associated with airborne combustible and/or harmful dusts. Further, a reduction in airflow equates directly to less fan horsepower utilized, thereby reducing operation expenses.

In addition to improved safety and power demand savings, a properly optimized system may also result in benefits to your employees’ personal health and productivity. The quality of the breathable air in a manufacturing environment has real costs.

The EPA has estimated that the costs of healthcare and lost productivity from workers exposed to poor quality air exceeds tens of billions of dollars each year. OSHA similarly reports that reduced worker efficiency and increased absences because of air quality problems cost U.S. companies upwards of $15 billion annually.

A poorly optimized dust and fume control system has a cost in both operational efficiency and employee health.

Mid-South Engineering can provide design services to address these problems and put you back on track for maximized efficiency and performance.

SONICAIRE In the wood industry, sawdust is inevitable. Because of this, you must mitigate the hazards of fugitive dust in your facility. You already know that wood is highly flammable, but the accumulation of wood dust can be even more dangerous. As soon as your dust dries, it becomes combustible, meaning you must take extra care in its management.

It builds up in your rafters, on your equipment, and hides in places you may never consider. To remove it, you have some options which vary in efficiency.

You can clean it yourself or hire a crew, but each option comes with steep costs. Daily management of dust is a strain on your operating procedures that can cost thousands in cleaning costs and lost production.

It’s far easier (and cheaper!) to prevent the dust from ever reaching those hard-to-reach places.

SonicAire fans are engineered to keep combustible dust from becoming a problem. Using BarrierAire technology, SonicAire fans prevent dust from settling in hard-to-reach areas, making it easier to keep your facility clean and safe. Dust settles back to the ground where staff can quickly sweep it up as part of your facility’s daily housekeeping. No extra work is required.

SonicAire recognizes your facility is unique. That’s why we have expert engineers create a customized plan just for you, ensuring your SonicAire fan system addresses problem areas and that fugitive dust is a worry of the past. You’ll have the opportunity to ask our engineers all your questions, and with the zone control kit, you’ll fully control exactly where your fans blow.

Of course, your facility is responsible for complying with OSHA regulations in many areas, including dust control.

Fortunately, with SonicAire, dust control is one item you won’t have to worry about. We guarantee compliance on dust, so once you install these fans, you won’t ever have to worry about it again.

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Wood Bioenergy / October 2022

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Wrapping It Up

Wood Bio Conference EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third of three parts in the coverage of the Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo held March 29-30, 2022 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center and hosted by Wood Bioenergy magazine. Part one in the June issue focused on the keynote talks from producer and consultant personnel.

Part two in the August issue highlighted several presentations delivered by representatives of equipment and technologies companies.

The next Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo will be held March 12-13, 2024 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Ga. ATLANTA, Ga.

C

ory Richardson, director of sales at ESI, spoke on the utilization of biomass as a fuel to produce various forms of energy, recognizing that in recent years biomass power plant construction has been minimal and there have been closures, but that some resurgence is ongoing.

He pointed to ESI’s work, and if each of ESI’s completed biomass projects was operating at 100% capacity at the same time they would generate 600 MW of power, handling more than 5.5 million tons/hour of biomass and pellets, while treating more than 300 million pph of flue gas in a variety of air quality control equipment.

He singled out several ESI Cory Richardson power projects, such as Green Power Solutions in Dublin, Ga. and DCO Energy in Albany, Ga.; and ESI pellet projects such as Fram at Appling, Ga. Richardson pointed to past project drivers in biomass power, namely a beneficial waste stream (bark, mill waste) chiefly at pulp & paper mills and forest products mills; versus today with a shift to utilization of biomass to aid in utilities easing dependence on coal through capitalization of Renewable Energy Credits, and advancing into global climate change initiatives and CO2

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reduction, carbon intensity ratings and credit/debit systems for compliance.

Richardson closed by emphasizing ongoing projects in renewable energy, from traditional biomass-fired power and steam facilities, to continued expansion of pellet production for European and Asian markets, to sustainable aviation fuel, to green hydrogen powered by biomass, to CO2 capture.

Tom Thorn, commercial manager, Energy Div., Arkema-ArrMaz, spoke on innovative solutions for wood pellet manufacturing.

He touched on the background of his company, which included Arkema’s acquisition of ArrMaz in 2019, creating one of the world’s leaders in specialty surfactants.

He addressed a range of wood pellet industry challenges, including binder supply shortage, and revealed his company’s PelleMax 308 binder technology, a 100% biorenewable, hydrophobic liquid, derived from forest-based materials, non-lignin based and added directly to feedstock in place of starch.

The binder reduces energy consumption during the pelletizing process, allowing increased throughput rates, maintains wood pellet properties and extends the life of pellet mill die and rollers, according to Thorn.

The binder is sprayed directly onto the pellet mill feedstock prior to pelletizing and oftentimes at the bucket elevator and/or after the hammermills.

Tom Thorn Once the feedstock and the binder are exposed to heat and pressure in the pellet mill, it helps bind together the wood particles to form the pellet.

Thorn said field results have shown no negative interactions between starch and PelleMax, an increase in production rate, decrease in energy consumption and once PelleMax treatment was exhausted these positive trends all reversed.

Thorn also revealed Pelletrol 401, a product that is

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sprayed directly onto wood pellets as they are conveyed to storage or loadout, and which mitigates airborne dust during storage and transportation of pellets without sacrificing properties, as it coats and encapsulates the pellets. Field results showed an 89% reduction in dust level and visual warehouse dust was greatly reduced.

Steve Jaasund, Geoenergy Products Manager for LDX Solution, addressed the benefits of RCOs for wood dryer VOC control, which is not a common practice. He noted the principle of operation for an RCO is similar to the RTO while the catalyst allowed lower combustion chamber temperature and offers significant energy savings.

He spoke on scenarios for catSteve Jaasund alyst deactivation such as poisoning, sintering and masking, but noted poisoning is not a likely problem for wood fired dryers as common poisons are not present in flue gases, alkali sintering occurs at higher temperatures than are typical for an RCO, and while masking can occur if particulate concentration is too high, he recommended ensuring that particulate loading (inlet fly ash) is low enough, upsizing the wet ESP during the initial design and/or adding a second field to the wet ESP, implementing catalyst washout on an as-needed basis, and conducting regular catalyst performance testing.

His energy consumption chart showed significant annual savings (annual fuel cost, annual electric cost) with an RCO system compared to RTO at various gas prices, with RCO payback in a few years. The path forward, Jaasund said, is to install test blocks or thief baskets in existing RTOs operating on a wood fired dryer, and he noted existing RTOs can be catalyzed easily.

Grigorii Bunimovich, director at Matros Technologies, also addressed RCOs, and in particular catalyst monitoring and maintenance. He pointed out that using catalysts in postdryer RTOs provides substantial energy savings that well-justify the initial costs.

He said annual testing of worked catalyst samples generates recommendations on cataGrigorii Bunimovich lyst maintenance involving periodic regeneration via bakeout and gradual increase in RCO temperature.

He emphasized a new tubular reactor as part of catalyst activity testing that enables testing actual VOCs of interest with any type of commercial catalyst. The experimental destruction efficiency is close to one achieved in the RCO. He also pointed to the use of a stirred reactor for quick express testing with model VOCs.

Bunimovich said catalyst sample held for a year in the RTO operating after the wood dryer and WESP retains appreciable performance; and that for enabling catalyst application, the WESP should provide good PM removal and exclude liquid carryover.

More specifically he emphasized the efficiencies of base-metal catalyst that has demonstrated high efficiency for removal of methanol, formaldehyde and other HAPs and VOCs along with exceptional thermal resistance and high durability.

Jarrad Markley, APC product manager at TSI, spoke on specifying and selecting the right pollution control system for a pellet plant. He first reviewed the composition of the dryer island, and the company’s offerings, including heat sources (burners, furnaces), rotary drum dryers and material cyclones; and air pollution controls systems including wet ESPs and RTOs. Jarrad Markley He noted that the emission control selection process is sometimes underappreciated, but “unless the buyer digs into furnace and dryer specifications as well as some of the details surrounding the various APC equipment offerings, the ‘inexpensive system’ could end up costing more in the long run.”

More specifically he pointed to furnace discharge O2, dryer leakage and dryer discharge temperatures as items that can affect APC operations and result in bottlenecking at the APC system unless mitigation is built in.

After upstream equipment is determined, Markley reviewed tips for selecting APC system, such as proper wet ESP sizing, minimizing water carryover, conservative RTO media bed velocities, ID fan with ample headroom.

Markley emphasized the importance of staying engaged with all parties supplying the dryer island and driving the values toward a conservative design. “Be particularly engaged with the pollution control equipment selection,” he said. “Generally I find customers are not interested because it is ‘non-production’ equipment; however, it can be a real nuisance when not sized appropriately and with headroom.”

Ray Ganga, senior staff consulting engineer with Wellons, spoke on biomass fuels and related energy systems. After reviewing Wellons’ range of boiler and furnace systems, he touched on fuel mix considerations including ultimate and elemental analysis, detailed mineral ash analysis, particle size distribution, bulk density, and other concerns.

Ray Ganga He discussed agricultural wastes and their implementation in various projects,

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such as a 55 MW bagasse fired power plant at US Sugar in Clewiston, Fla.; a 20 MW rice husk fired power plant at Biopower in Pichit, Thailand; a 23 MW dry grain biomass CHP plant at Koda Energy in Shakopee, Minn.; and a 3450 KW egg layer chicken manure fired power plant at GENRF in Gettysburg, Pa. Ganga noted there are too many factors in each fuel with a special emphasis on the vast array of potential biomass fuels and fuel mixes as well as the desired outcomes to do the same thing each time.

“Biomass by itself is highly variable and when you throw in variations in climate, soils and possible fuel mixes that can include animal wastes, the possibilities approach being infinite. The key is in the approach.”

Wendy Owens, CEO of Hexas Biomass, spoke on alternatives to wood in pellet production, including vines, veggie stalks and various dedicated energy crops.

She pointed to an ag waste problem, crop waste burning health issues, wood fuel related deforestation in developing countries, the potential for economic development in the sale of ag residue pellets and tremendous Wendy Owens global availability of ag waste.

What customers want she said is low cost, high quality plant-based raw materials, consistent properties, reliable supply, usable in existing facilities, and meets sustainability objectives. She reviewed her company’s Xanograss and cited its benefits including climate resiliency, superior carbon sequestration, no pesticides, no food crop displacement and a 15-year high yield.

She also said XanoFiber can become many different products, from boards to biofuels, paper to bioplastics.

XanoFiber pellets perform better than conventional non-wood biomass pellets, she said, and are a drop-in solution that is conversion ready.

Rakesh Govind, president of PRD Tech, spoke on water resue in the bioenergy sector.

He noted that at present, the agricultural production of biomass for food and fiber requires 86% of worldwide freshwater use; the use of water for agriculture competes with other uses, such as urban supply and industrial activities; an increase in demand for food in combina- Rakesh Govind tion with a shift from fossil energy toward bioenergy puts additional pressure on freshwater resources; in the future, scarcely any new land will be available so all production must come from the current natural resource base, requiring a process of sustainable intensification by increasing the efficiency of land and water use.

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He added that the production of energy and fuels (conventional, unconventional, renewables) demands water resource withdrawal: shale gas (large volume of water required in short period during initial fracking); conventional biofuel feedstock (irrigation); thermoelectric power plant (cooling); fuel processing/refining (process water, steam, cooling).

Govind said water reuse is the single most important strategy to combat water scarcity, and coupled with wastewater treatment can provide sufficient water for agriculture and bioenergy production.

He pointed to on-site, decentralized wastewater treatment as essential for water sustainability and reuse; that without on-site treatment and reuse, ground water table will continue to decline, resulting in non-usable water; the bioenergy sector consumes a large amount of water, which can be treated on-site and reused; and he revealed his company’s NextGen Bioreactor system that offers substantial advantages in cost-effective on-site wastewater treatment in a compact footprint.

Larry Sullivan, bioenergy sector sales manager with Forest2Market, addressed developments with EPA RFS (Renewable Fuel Standard) compliant wood.

He reviewed the types of biofuels—solid, liquid, gaseous and offered several conclusions with RFS, biofuels and the future, namely that forest resources offer a significant volume without a Larry Sullivan significant impact on current non-fuel users; agricultural interests are far more involved in the biofuels markets but corn stover setbacks slowed interests; forest resources face new federal and state policies related to fire control meaning more clearing in the West; and forest resources offer significantly more stable pricing than agricultural commodities.

“The U.S. will likely move to an EU model limiting food-based fuels and a carbon reduction strategy,” Sullivan said.

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Doosan Delivers Dozer To Mulching Business Doosan Infracore North America recently delivered a Doosan DD100 9-metric-ton dozer to a Best Line EquipBest Line’s ment customer in Armand Pennsylvania, Cencetti, left, Ratoskey and and Rob Trainor Inc. Owners Ray Ratoskey with Trainor and Rob new Doosan Ratoskey operate DD100 dozer a grinding and mulching business in East Norriton near Philadelphia. The company sells topsoil, mulch and other products to customers in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Best Line Equipment transported the first Doosan DD100 dozer from its Allentown, Pa. location to Ratoskey and Trainor on August 4.

Upon arrival, the machine quickly went to work in a large pile of dirt that will be turned into topsoil.

Best Line Equipment is one of the top North American Doosan dealers and has nearly a dozen authorized Doosan dealerships in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The 122 HP DD100 dozer delivers more pushing power, superior traction, greater visibility, easier operation and advanced technologies.

It’s built for the most demanding conditions and features a dual/single flange-type roller with several track guard options. Electrohydraulic controls make the new Doosan DD100 dozer easier to operate.

Designed with operators in mind, the DD100 features an 8 in. Smart Touch display, giving operators complete control from a convenient, easy-to-read touch screen. It also offers superior visibility with minimized front pillars, maximum glass area and a standard rearview camera, plus LED lights and front, rear and side wiper blades.

HDI has also set plans for its

13-metric-ton dozer—the Doosan DD130—and will be shipping a pilot machine later this year.

Brunette Offers Whole Log Chipper Since 1942, Brunette Machinery has been supplying the forest industry with custom-engineered solutions designed Brunette whole with its customers’ log chipper needs in mind.

Brunette’s extensive product family continues to meet the highest performance and reliability criteria.

Brunette drum chippers lead the market in versatility and longevity and help take control of a facility’s chip supply. Brunette’s robust chippers produce first-rate microchips for use in the biofuel industry.

Wood processing and material handling machinery from Brunette can handle the toughest conditions and the whole log drum chipper is no exception. Able to process logs up to 24 in. in diameter, and a 40 in. wide throat, the Brunette whole log chipper has a powered upper pressroll and powered lower bedrolls to control log feed. This means the machine produces high quality microchips consistent in thickness and size from treelength material.

The high inertia rotors are constructed from heavy-duty steel and can process high volumes while using less energy. Two rotors are available for the whole log chipper—the standard rotor, for up to 1 1/4 in. nominal pulp chip, and Brunette’s unique microchip rotor which is designed to produce a 1/4 in. nominal chip. Each rotor can be outfitted with a standard Brunette quick-change knife system or the Key Knife system.

This chipper features a hard-surfaced anvil with a break-away support frame for protection from foreign materials. The rear access platform and hood make knife maintenance easy and safe. The

Brunette whole log chipper includes a common sub-frame which ties the infeed, chipper, motor, and HPU together for rigidity, and one lift installation. Visit brunettemc.com.

MoistTech Eliminates Drifting, Recalibration MoistTech supplies solutions that can deliver instant, non-contact moisture analysis to ensure the accuracy and quality of the final product. Incorporating a system directly into the line or in the laboratory allows for an immedi- MoistTech ate adjustment pronon-contact cess when needed, moisture creates constant con- analysis trol of the products, and allows the data to tie directly into PLC. A common problem seen with moisture sensing technology is the need for recalibrations due to drifting issues. Not anymore—MoistTech’s series of near-infrared moisture sensors eliminate the issues of drifting, causing the sensor to read and report incorrect data and creating downtime to address the issues. Diamond standard sensors are designed to incorporate small changes in the production line without skewing the measurements, such as height and color variations and particle size.

MoistTech’s process begins with calibrating the sensor to the exact specifications of the product by running numerous tests. Once the sensor has been introduced to the customer’s product and process, it has the ability to maintain the data and calibration without needing any monthly or annual maintenance.

The on-line moisture control system from MoistTech is fast and easy to install on processing lines.

Once the sensor is in place, you can use an external display or PC to display real-time moisture levels. Visit moisttech.com.

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Oregon Tool Marks Year 75 hen Oregon Tool’s founder, W Joseph Buford Cox, first invented the Cox Chipper Chain in

his basement, he didn’t envision what the company would become 75 years later. Today, Oregon Tool manufactures the “World’s #1 Saw Chain,” and its products are sold in 110 countries. As a young man, Cox set out from his hometown in Oklahoma to find work. He worked as a machinist in Colorado, a construction worker in California and a welder in Arizona and Texas Founder before he made his way to OreJoe Cox

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gon. This was during the Great Depression, and work was scarce.

Luckily, Cox found a job in logging. He learned every job in the business, felling trees using an ax or a two-man crosscut. Eventually, he was handed a new type of power saw.

While the saw was powerful, it simply didn’t work as efficiently as felling trees with a handsaw. At the time, power saws used scratcher chains, with tooth configurations like that of a handsaw. They took significant effort to operate and had to be sharpened frequently.

Tapping into his industrial background, Cox knew there had to be a way to improve the power saw.

Cox did figure out a solution, and he found the inspiration in an unlikely place. While searching for

salvage timber after a forest fire, he noticed tiny tunnels carved into a stump by the larvae of the timber beetle.

Timber beetles lay their eggs under bark.

When the eggs hatch, the larvae bore through the Timber beetle gave Cox timber with vora- an idea. cious precision.

With their two serrated jaws, they chew through solid wood, leaving nothing but sawdust in their wake.

Cox took some larvae back to his Portland, Ore. home and studied them under a microscope. It seemed the larvae were cutting the

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wood in all directions, not just back and forth like a common handsaw or the scratcher chain of a power saw. Turning his basement into a workshop, Cox designed a chain that would mimic the jaws of the timber beetle—it not only changed his life, but also revolutionized the industry.

Cox’s invention became known as the Cox Chipper Chain, and it was faster and more efficient than a scratcher chain and didn’t have to be resharpened as often. He patented his chain and in 1947 established the Oregon Saw Chain Corp., which would later become Oregon Tool. The company sold $300,000 worth of saw chain the first year, and sales reached $7 million in 1955. By 1980, the company was manufacturing products in 17 plants across five countries, employing more than 4,000 and reaching more than $250 million in sales.

Today, Oregon Tool continues to manufacture the “World’s #1 Saw Chain” as well as a variety of other precision cutting tools for forestry, lawn and garden; farming, ranching and agriculture; and concrete cutting and finishing.

Written by Jason Landmark, President, Forestry, Lawn and Garden at Oregon Tool

Andritz Announces Biomass Projects Andritz has received an order from Toyo Engineering Corp. in Japan to supply a 50 MW PowerFluid circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler on EPS basis. The boiler will be part of the biomass power plant in Gobo, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Startup is planned for 2025.

The Andritz CFB will be designed with a reheat system and high steam parameters and integrated into a biomass-fired power generation facility to be fueled by wood pellets and palm kernel shells. The project is the 12th to be conducted in cooperation with Toyo Engineering. l Andritz has received the Final Acceptance Certificate for a biomass handling plant at Eldorado’s Onça Pintada site in Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul. This 50 MW plant is part of the first thermoelectric power plant in Brazil to consume eucalyptus stumps and roots.

The receiving system consists of two truck dumpers coupled to respective hoppers. There is a belt conveyor to receive the material from these hoppers and transport it to the pile. A stacker-reclaimer with a ca-

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pacity of up to 40,000 m³ has the functions to form the pile and feed a second belt conveyor, which is responsible for transporting the material to the power boiler.

BID Group Launches Global Learning Center BID Group announced the launch of its Global Learning Center. Over the last year, BID has created a dedicated team of experts working on the management of its Global Learning Center and the creation of content.

The team members have years of expertise in learning management and the wood processing industry. BID has also invested in the expansion of its campus in St. George, SC, where there are four classrooms with scaleddown and full-size equipment for a hands-on learning experience.

The Global Learning Center is now fully operational and has already started welcoming new students.

source), fully automatic, non-toxic, and non-corrosive.

THIA is heat-activated and can even stop a fire before it starts if the temperature gets hot enough. Each THIA tube is installed directly to spots where fires are likely to start.

These tubes don’t require bulky valves, hoses, or wires, which make them great as stand-alone units.

For more information, contact Ryan Wood at

Schwab To Distribute Proteng System Schwab Brothers Hydraulics has entered into a partnership with Proteng, a maker of automatic fire detection/suppression systems, to serve as a distributor for Proteng’s THIA system.

Schwab Brothers will bring the product to market in the forest products industry, buying the units at wholesale and selling to the end users, as it does when manufacturing its CHAD mobile hose crimping device.

Several THIA systems are already in use on logging machines operated

by M.A. Rigoni, the affiliated logging company owned by the Schwab family. THIA stands for Tube + Heat = Instant Action. Proteng first used the system to protect racecars, then in boats, airplanes, buses, RVs, buildings, and now forestry equipment.

The system consists of a polyamide tube that is filled with FM-200 fire retardant and sealed using hydraulically crimped brass ends. FM-200, or hepafluoropropane, is a state-of-theart substance that eliminates many of the drawbacks of other retardants.

Proteng fire suppression devices are self-contained (require no power

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Ryan@schwabhydraulics.com or call 850-843-8615 (office) or 850838-6487 (cell).

Tigercat Launches First Grinder

Tigercat reveals the 6900 grinder, the first production grinder designed and built by Tigercat. The 6900 is a heavy-duty upswing grinder made for high throughput material reduction and mulch production.

The 6900 is designed for extreme duty and long life, utilizing only the highest quality components. The upswing rotor and large infeed opening with outward wing walls maximize processing capacity.

The grinder’s upper frame pivots on the undercarriage, allowing the operator to adjust the infeed angle or discharge height for different material lengths. The adjustable angle eliminates the need for outriggers. The pivoting upper frame allows transport on a trailer without the need to fold the discharge conveyor.

The machine has remote control functions for simple operation and mobility on site, along with an easy-to-use 10" display screen for

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machine monitoring and function adjustment.

Maintenance is made easy with convenient service access. The split hog box opens over center to fully access the rotor and screens.

The anvil and screens are hydraulically retractable. The single discharge conveyor is open on the bottom for clean operation and easy servicing. A tool storage area is mounted on the side of the machine that hydraulically raises and lowers for added convenience.

An optional large diameter magnetic head pulley is available to effectively remove metal from the end product. The machine is also prepared to accept over-band magnet systems. Visit tigercat.com.

Komatsu Buys Silviculture Firm Komatsu is acquiring Bracke Forest AB, headquartered in Bräcke, Sweden, which develops, manufactures and sells application-specific attachments for silviculture. Since 2014, Bracke and Komatsu have engaged in joint development by sharing respective technologies and experience.

Komatsu will continue to incorporate Bracke’s technologies and expertise in the field of planting in order to accelerate the pace of mechanization. The Brake D61EM-23M0 performs automatic traveling, stopping and planting.

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