WB 0414 Digimag by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc.

WBapr14pgs_SS 1.07.31 PM_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/14/14 9:11 AM Page 1

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 2

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 3

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_SS_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 2:01 PM Page 4

■ table of contents

Volume 6

Number 2

www.woodbioenergymag.com

FROM THE EDITORS Biomass Power Is Hot!

PRODUCT NEWS Processing In The Wood Yard

IN THE NEWS Farm Bill Defines BCAP Program

CLASSIFIEDS New Section Gets Great Results

A MATTER OF POWER Nippon Paper’s Cogeneration Plant Cover photography:

OUT TO SEA Febreco Moves Pellets And Chips

BOILERS AND DRYERS Büttner, Hurst, PHG, Wyssmont

Nippon Paper Industries USA (Dan Shell)

32 4

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_SS_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/7/14 2:31 PM Page 5

table of contents ■

advertising index Advertiser Index is a free service for advertisers and readers. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

28 Co-Publisher/Adv. Sales Manager ■ David H. Ramsey Co-Publisher/Executive Editor ■ David (DK) Knight Chief Operating Officer ■ Dianne C. Sullivan Publishing Office 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 Editor-in-Chief ■ Rich Donnell Western Editor ■ Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor ■ David Abbott Associate Editor ■ Jessica Johnson Associate Editor ■ Jay Donnell Art Director/Production Manager ■ Cindy Sparks Ad Production Coordinator ■ Patti Campbell Circulation Director ■ Rhonda Thomas 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: susan@hattonbrown.com International Sales Murray Brett ■ Aldea De Las Cuevas 66, Buzon 60 03759 Benedoleig (Alicante) Espana +34 96 640 4165 ■ Fax: +34 96 640 4022 E-mail: murray.brett.aba@gmail.com Classified Advertising Sales Bridget DeVane ■ Tel: 334.834.1170 ■ 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 ■ IronWorks

Aebiom Bioenergy Conference Agra Industries Amandus Kahl Hamburg Arjes Gmbh BM&M Baker-Rullman Bandit Industries Biomass Engineering & Equipment Bliss Industries Buttner Classen Apparatebau Continental Biomass CPM/Roskamp Champion Dieffenbacher Gmbh Duratech Industries Int’l European Biomass Conf & Expo Hurst Boiler & Welding Innovative Controls Kice Industries Lundberg Megtec Systems Metal Detectors Mid-South Engineering Morbark Paratherm Peterson Pacific Phelps Industries PHG Energy Price LogPro LLC Process And Storage Solutions Rotochopper Southern Environmental Sunomi LLC Terex Environmental Equipment Valmet Corporation West Salem Machinery Williams Patent Crusher Wolf Material Handling Systems World Bioenergy 2014 Wyssmont

13 44 11 39 41 41 2 33 12 31 10 16 34 7 42 38 15 42 17 14 19 39 13 48 36 47 45 24 40 45 35 23 43 37 3 44 9 43 25 45

+32.2.400.10.29 800.842.8033 770.521.1021 +49.0.3695.85855.0 800.663.0323 920.261.8107 800.952.0178 317.522.0864 580.765.7787 +49 2151 448.0 +49(0)6222.57260 603.382.0556 800.428.0846 +49 (0) 7262.65.103 888.795.1977 +39.055.5002280 229.346.3545 865.671.7700 316.744.7151 425.283.5070 920.336.5715 541.345.7454 501.321.2276 800.831.0042 800.222.3611 800.269.6520 501.375.1141 615.471.9299 501.844.4260 866.354.7277 320.548.3586 850.944.4475 404.467.8800 800.953.5532 +46.60165000 800.722.3530 314.621.3348 763.576.9040 +46.36.15.23.84 201.947.4600

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 ® 2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Printed in USA. Wood Bioenergy (ISSN 1947-5306) is published six times annually 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 non-qualified U.S. subscriptions and all Canadian and foreign subscriptions (U.S. funds) are $50.00 per year. 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 ordering change of address, please specify both old and new. Application to mail at periodical postage prices is pending at Mongomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Wood Bioenergy, P.O. Box 2419, Montgomery, AL 36102-2419 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40624074 Return Undeliverable CANADIAN Addresses To PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 6

■ from the editors

Biomass Power

On A Hot Streak F

unny how certain segments of the wood energy industry run hotter than others at certain times, at least from our perspective. Certainly it’s our responsibility to report on what is hot and not try to force something else on the reader, if it isn’t there. We’re referring specifically to our bread-and-butter stories on new project installations, where we travel to the site, interview the operations team, comb through the mill, take a few photos and write and publish an article about it. Not to brag (okay, we’re bragging), but we do this better than anybody. For decades we’ve done the same kinds of articles “from the field” in our other wood industry magazines—Timber Processing, Panel World, Timber Harvesting and Southern Loggin’ Times. From when this magazine was created in 2009 through 2012 and into 2013, it seemed like wood pellet projects—both industrial export pellet and domestic production pellet—received much of our attention as far as actually visiting the pellet facilities and writing them up. But that trend has changed dramatically. Hello wood-based biomass power generation plants! This issue, as you’ve already noticed on the cover, features Nippon Paper Industries USA’s new $85 million, 20 MW cogeneration facility at its pulp and paper manufacturing complex in Port Angeles, Wash. At peak power the facility will require 140,000170,000 tons of biomass annually. Our previous issue, February, featured the greenfield $500 million, 100 MW Gainesville Renewable Energy Center in Gainesville, Fla. It will use 1 million tons of woody biomass annually. In our December 2013 issue, the lead story was ReEnergy Holdings’ $34 million retrofit

(coal-to-wood) Black River 60 MW facility at the Fort Drum U.S. Army post near Watertown, NY. Going back to our October 2013 issue, we showcased the Piedmont Green Power greenfield $210 million, 53 MW biomass plant in Barnesville, Ga. The facility is using in excess of 500,000 tons of wood residue annually. And even back in our August 2013 issue, we featured the upgraded Vaskiluodon Voima power plant at Vaasa, Finland on the coast of the Baltic Sea. This series of articles confirms two things to us: 1) wood biomass power is indeed taking hold; and 2) we’ll travel anywhere to write about it—from the Northwest U.S. to the Northeast U.S. to the Southern U.S., to Northern Europe. Of course trends change, and we’re sensing that another new wave of wood pellet facilities is coming on. We look forward to doing those articles as well.

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 7

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/7/14 3:07 PM Page 8

■ in the news More Pellet Output For UK’s Drax? UK-based Drax reports it is developing options to add 2 million tonnes of its own wood pellet production, focusing on North America and 250,000-500,000 tonne plants. The company is already building pellet plants in Amite, Miss. and Morehouse, La. with a combined pellet production capacity of 900,000 tonnes, and is building a port facility at Baton Rouge with an export capacity of up to 3 million tonnes. The company is targeting commercial operation at Amite in the first quarter of 2015 and at Morehouse in the second quarter of 2015, with each plant requiring another six months to reach full capacity. The UK’s largest power station, Drax is set to become the UK’s largest single renewable electricity generator through the operation of the new biomass facilities currently being launched. The biomass conversion will ultimately see three of the six generating units at the power station converted to burn sustainable biomass in place of coal. The first unit has been running successfully on biomass since last April, with the second planned for April of 2015 and the third in 2016.

Farm Bill Includes BCAP Funding The Agricultural Act of 2014 (also known as The Farm Bill) includes the Biomass Crop Assistance Program to support the establishment and production of eligible crops, including woody material, for conversion to bioenergy in selected BCAP project areas, and assist agricultural and forestland owners and operators with the collection, harvest, storage and transportation of eligible material for use in a biomass conversion facility. The USDA has budgeted $25 million for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 for BCAP, with not more than half of that amount paid per year for collection, harvest, stor-

age and transportation matching payments. To be considered for selection as a BCAP project area, a project sponsor must submit to the USDA a proposal that includes a description of the land and crops, a letter of commitment from a biomass conversion facility that the facililty will use the eligible crops; and evidence that the biomass conversion facility has sufficient equity available if the facility is not currently operational. In making the selection of BCAP project areas, the USDA shall consider the volume of the eligible crops and the probability that they will be used for the purposes of the BCAP; anticipated economic impact in the proposed project area; the opportunity for producers and local investors to participate in the ownership of the biomass conversion facility in the proposed project area; and the variety in biomass production approaches including harvest and post-harvest practices. Once approved, the contract shall have a term of not more than five years for annual and perennial crops or 15 years for woody biomass. USDA will make establishment and annual payments directly to producers to support the establishment and production of eligible crops on contract acreage, with a producer defined as an owner or operator of contract acreage that is physically located within the BCAP project area. Eligible crops are definied as renewable biomass harvested directly from the land, including residue. Eligible land includes primarily non-industrial private forestland. Establishment payments shall not be more than 50% of the costs of establishing an eligible perennial crop, but not to exceed $500 per acre including, in the case of nonindustrial private forestland, the costs of site preparation and tree planting. The annual payment amount will determined by the USDA and can be reduced if the eligible crop is used for purposes other than the production of energy at the biomass conversion facility.

Under the Assistance With Collection, Harvest, Storage and Transportation heading, the USDA shall make a payment for the delivery of eligible material to a biomass conversion facility to a producer of an eligible crop that is produced on BCAP contract acreage; or to a person with the right to collect or harvest eligible material. The USDA may provide matching payments at a rate of up to $1 for each $1 per ton provided by the biomass conversion facility, in an amount not to exceed $20 per dry ton for a period of two years. Other energy developments in the Farm Bill include: ● $75 million for each year from 2014 through 2018 for biobased product manufacturing, which means development, construction and retrofitting of new commercial scale processing and manufacturing equipment and required facilities that will be used to convert renewable chemicals and other biobased outputs of biorefineries into enduser products. ● $20 million for each year from 2014 through 2018 for advanced biofuels ● $20 million for each year from 2014 through 2018 for biomass research and development

Cool Planet Breaks Ground In Louisiana Cool Planet Energy Systems, a technology company producing green fuels and biochar products, broke ground on its first commercial facility in Alexandria, La., dubbed Project Genesis. The facility is designed to produce 10 million gallons per year of high-octane, renewable gasoline blendstocks, as well as biochar, all made from wood residues. The facility will be located at the Port of Alexandria, on the Red River Waterway. “Cool Planet’s unique business model of building smaller, significantly less expensive facilities closer to the biomass feedstock will allow them to expand rapidly,

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 9

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 2:42 PM Page 10

■ in the news

achieve lower scale-up risk, and continuously innovate and improve with each facility,” says Cool Planet Board Member Basil Horangic. Cool Planet strategic investors include BP, Google Ventures, Energy Technology Ventures (GE, ConocoPhillips, NRG Energy), and the Constellation division of Exelon.

Sonoco Completes Boiler Conversion Sonoco dedicated its new biomass facility and boiler at its Hartsville, SC plant, part of a $100 million investment in the Darlington County compound. “We took more than two years to complete final engineering, fabricate the boiler, put together the infrastructure and complete construction of what we believe to be one of the nation’s most state-of-the-art biomass co-generation boiler systems,”

says Sonoco President and CEO Jack Sanders. In 2011 Sonoco committed to a $75 million investment to replace two aging, coal-fired boilers and add the new biomass boiler. The new boiler is fueled primarily by woody biomass from regional logging activity, but can also run on natural gas. The boiler will produce about 16 MW that will be consumed by the manufacturing complex, as well as steam that is used in the paper making process.

Georgia Power Finally Nixes Biomass Plans Georgia Power plans to file a request with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to decertify Unit 3 at Plant Mitchell in Albany, Ga. and cancel a proposed conversion of the coal-fired unit to biomass. The company stated that after extensive review and analy-

sis, the conversion would not be cost effective for its customers. If the request to decertify the 155 MW unit is approved, it will be retired by April 2015—the compliance date of the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) Rule. Since proposing the conversion to biomass in 2008, Georgia Power has worked to assess the project in light of new EPA regulations, as well as changing market and economic conditions. In addition to increased capital costs and costs related to environmental compliance, multiple other factors, such as the recent economic downturn and lower natural gas prices, have significantly reduced the project’s value and benefits for customers, according to Georgia Power. The company also considered switching the unit to Powder River Basin (PRB) coal or natural gas, neither of which proved viable.

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 11

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:27 PM Page 12

■ in the news Fort Drum Nears Purchase Agreement The Defense Logistics Agency Energy, in coordination with the U.S. Army Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF), issued a “Notice of Intent to Award” to ReEnergy Holdings LLC the purchase of up to 28 MW of electricity from the ReEnergy renewable energy bio-

ReEnergy at Fort Drum, NY

mass facility at Fort Drum, NY. This project will include a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement and provide the installation with 100% energy security, according to the Army. This is the U.S. Army’s largest renewable energy project to date. The Notice of Intent to Award is a significant milestone that brings the Fort Drum project closer to contract award. The EITF remains committed to executing large-scale renewable energy projects to achieve the U.S. Army goal of one gigawatt (1,000 MW) of renewable energy by 2025. The EITF currently has eight projects in the contracts and agreements phase representing nearly 175 MW of potential capacity. ReEnergy took over the site in March 2012 and spent $34 million converting the idled coal plant into one that can burn a wide range of wood products and forestry resi-

dues. The 60 MW plant opened last May. The military’s push for renewable energy stems from the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act, which called for 25% of the energy used by the Department of Defense to come from renewable sources.

Port Facility Project A Go In Pascagoula Jackson County supervisors authorized the borrowing of up to $24 million for the Port of Pascagoula (Miss.) to build a wood pellet exporting facility on Bayou Casotte. Florida-based Green Circle Bio Energy Inc., which plans to build a $115 million wood pellet plant in George County, will use the site to export up to 500,000 tons of pellets per year to European utility companies. The export facility will cost $30

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 2:42 PM Page 13

in the news ■

million, with $15 million of that coming from port bonds. The state has put up $10 million for the project, and the terminal operator will invest $5 million. The facility will look similar to a grain elevator or bulk commodities facility, with silo storage facilities, an unloading facility for trucks and rail cars and a conveyor delivery system to the ship loader. An additional $14 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery discretionary grant program will also work in conjunction with the project for intermodal improvements. That TIGER grant will relocate the railroad interchange in downtown Pascagoula and move it east of Miss. 611 and will reroute the Mississippi Export Railroad’s line after it crosses the bridge near the old International Paper Co. site.

Instead of asking for $15 million in bonds, the port asked to borrow up to $24 million to give the project a cushion in case additional modifications to the wharf are needed.

Pellet Plant Gains Steam In Snowflake Southwest Renewable Resources has started up a wood pellet plant at the site of the former Smith Moulding plant near Snowflake, Ariz. The operation currently employs five while running one shift, but will increase to 12-15 employees and run around-the-clock by the end of the year, according to Tracy Wilson, one of three partners in the venture along with Allen Kauffman and Dan Holderman. They bought the pellet-making equipment from the owners of the now defunct Precision Pellet business last December. “These gentle-

men who had the pellet facility we bought did a very good job of creating clean pellets,” Wilson says. “When the logging industry shut down they had to shut down. We bought their equipment, and they trained us and taught us how to operate it, so we’re making a very clean pellet.” Wilson says Southwest Renewable Resources is also busy developing other uses beyond wood stove pellets, including making a product for use as fuel in biomass electric cogeneration plants. 0“We’re getting a lot of interest from overseas,” he says. Based in Apache Junction, Southwest Renewable Resources chose the abandoned Smith site for several reasons, one being that it’s close to I-40 so they can truck-ship. Wilson says Apache Railway might play a part in the company’s shipping strategy. “We’ve been approached by some Asian buyers

April 2014 / Wood Bioenergy

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 2:42 PM Page 14

■ in the news

that are interested in the fact that we’re right by that rail spur that goes behind Smith Moulding. They want to know if we can ship by rail to the West Coast to ship to users, businesses and cogeneration plants in Asia.” Another reason for locating the business in Snowflake is a growing opportunity for obtaining the raw materials. “Logging operations are now under way with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative,” Wilson says, adding that he hopes to make use of some of the biomass from the 4FRI and other thinning operations.

of its wood pellet mill at the company’s LDK-3 sawmill complex in Arkhangelsk. RusForest engaged AS Hekotek, a mechanical engineering company, to build the pellet production facility, which will have an annual capacity of up to 100,000 tons and will allow RusForest to monetize its sawmill byproducts by exporting wood pellets to Europe. Total investment for the pellet plant is EUR 12 million, including value added tax, with approximately 70% financed by local bank facilities.

This report appeared in Arizona Journal.

Ethanol Study Finds Major Gains In 2013

Sweden Firm Opens Pellet Plant In Russia

Renewable Fuels Assn. unveiled a study by ABF Economics entitled “Contribution of the Ethanol Industry to the Economy of the United States” which found that the 13.3 billion gallons of ethanol

RusForest AB, a Swedish forestry company with operations in Russia, is completing construction

produced in 2013 created 86,503 jobs and sustained an additional 300,277 indirect and induced jobs, while contributing $44 billion to America’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and adding $30.7 billion to household incomes. Additionally, the 13.3 billion gallons of ethanol displaced 476 million barrels of imported oil, saving Americans $48.2 billion in oil imports, according to the study. That equals roughly 13% of last year’s expected crude oil and petroleum imports.

PFI Leader Testifies At EPA Hearing Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) Executive Director Jennifer Hedrick presented testimony at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) public hearing on the proposed New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 15

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/10/14 8:57 AM Page 16

■ in the news

New Residential Wood Heaters in Boston, Mass. The draft rule cites PFI’s Standards Program as the model for implementing industrywide fuel standards. “Over the last 10 years, PFI has demonstrated its commitment to industry and consumers by cultivating a strong fuel standards program,” said Hedrick in her testimony. “It is the only North American organization that has both created and implemented a third party pellet accreditation program based on industry best practices. PFI’s Standards Program showcases our industry’s commitment to providing consumers with a reliable, efficient and environmentally sound fuel.” Under the Pellet Fuels Institute Standards Program, outside auditing agencies—which themselves must be certified by way of a strict qualification process overseen by the program’s accreditation body,

the American Lumber Standard Committee—subject participating wood pellet manufacturers and their products to rigorous testing procedures. Only if the independent third party auditing agency determines that both the manufacturer’s wood pellet fuel and also their production processes consistently meet the quality stipulations outlined in the standards program, will the PFI program then allow an official quality mark to be issued for that pellet manufacturer and displayed on their product packaging. She also emphasized the need for parallel stove emissions requirements that are both achievable and affordable. “The EPA’s inclusion of the Pellet Fuels Institute standard in the NSPS demonstrates the understanding that it’s not simply the fuel or the stove, but the synergies of both components that contribute

to optimal heating performance and a clean burning, efficient and enjoyable product for consumers,” Hedrick said. Hedrick joined members of PFI and other contributors to the densified biomass industry at EPA’s day-long hearing which provided the opportunity to comment about the proposed rule. The Pellet Fuels Institute will be submitting detailed written comments in response to the proposal prior to the May 5 deadline.

New York Steps Up For Wood Energy New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that $3 million has been awarded to 18 research institutions, technology developers and biomass-fuel businesses to encourage the growth of high-efficiency, low-emission wood-fired heating equipment. These projects

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:05 PM Page 17

in the news ■

support the governor’s Renewable Heat NY program, which looks to encourage the expansion of the high-performance biomass heating market and raise consumer awareness, support the development of advanced technology heating products, develop local sustainable heating markets and encourage the use of this renewable fuel. “By investing in advanced biomass technologies across the state, we are actively reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and building a greener New York,” Cuomo says. “We are supporting projects that phase out old, inefficient and polluting technologies and helping to grow the biomass clean energy industry.” The funding is awarded through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Energy and Environmental Performance of Biomass-fired Heating Equipment program. In addition, as part of the Renewable Heat NY initiative, NYSERDA is developing a Biomass Heating Roadmap for New York State, which will be released this year to assess policy strategies and economic and environmental impacts. Some of the award recipients include: —Clarkson University (Saranac Lake), $267,500 – Two automatic high-efficiency and lowemissions wood pellet boilers made by Evoworld (Troy) will be installed in residential locations by Clarkson University. One boiler will be placed in a shipping container outside one of the homes, while the second boiler will be placed in the basement of a second home. The advanced wood pellet heating systems will include thermal storage tanks and bulk pellet storage to enable a fully automatic system with maximum seasonal efficiency. This project will evaluate for two years the performance and emissions of these made-in-New York units under the cold winter conditions in Northern NY.

—Research Foundation of SUNY Canton (Canton), $163,000 – Automatic wood pellet heating systems will be installed in three buildings in St. Lawrence County to demonstrate how these systems will operate. Systems include a high perfor-

mance wood pellet boiler, thermal storage and bulk pellet storage. This project will support high-efficiency, low-emission goals, as well as the bulk wood pellet market, and will be included in SUNY Canton’s heating curriculum and available to the public

April 2014 / Wood Bioenergy

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 2:42 PM Page 18

■ in the news

during open houses at Cornell Cooperative Extension at Canton. —Northeast Forests LLC (Thendara), $98,000 – This project will evaluate the costs and processes involved in producing and supplying low-moisture-content wood chips. The results will be shared with the forest product community. The intent is to encourage the use of low-moisture wood chips for better combustion that can lead to the creation of moisture-content industry standards, as has already occurred in Europe. —University at Buffalo Research Foundation (Buffalo), $300,000 – The university is working with Econoburn (Brocton) to develop a commercial two-stage wood hydronic heater with improved combustion chamber design and added sensors and controls to improve efficiency and lower emissions. —Hydronic Specialty Supply (Cassadaga), $227,500 – This project will develop Made-in-NY residential and commercial firewood gasification boilers that can maintain high efficiency and low emissions due to an innovative staged-combustion design with smart sensors and controls for optimizing performance. These boilers, coupled with thermal storage, are expected to demonstrate results of double the efficiency of conventional wood boiler technologies, and a corresponding decrease in wood use. —Advanced Wood Combustion Technologies LLC (East Aurora), $49,000 – The project goal is to create a two-stage retrofit prototype for single stage outdoor wood boilers that can become commercially viable. The goal of the retrofit is to increase thermal efficiency by 40% and greatly reduce fine particle and carbon monoxide emissions. —Clarkson University (Syracuse), $102,000 – Clarkson will evaluate a commercial pellet boiler that has an electrostatic precipitator emission control technology, which

is part of the eight million BTU combined heat and power system at SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry’s new Gateway building. Emissions from both premium wood pellets and willow pellets will be examined. Data will benefit a companion Cornell University air quality modeling project. —Cornell University (Syracuse), $125,000 – This project, in conjunction with the previous Clarkson project, will conduct field measurements of the combined heat and power system at SUNY ESF during the use of two types of wood pellet fuels. The goal is to advance air quality modeling capabilities for use in urban environments.

Amer Plant Undergoes Torrefaction Testing A consortium consisting of Topell Energy, three electricity companies (Essent, Nuonand GDF SUEZ) and ECN has successfully completed a large scale co-firing test with torrefaction technology at the Amer power plant in Geertruidenberg in south Netherlands. Nikolaus Valerius, head of the Dutch Essent power plants, comments, “We tested the torrefaction technology at the Amer power plant where we have been producing green electricity with sustainable biomass for over 10 years. In the test, we efficiently dried biomass and converted it into light, dry and very energy-dense ‘biopellets.’ The successful large scale cofiring of the biopellets is an important step in our contribution to a renewable energy supply where green materials are most efficiently and sustainably used.” In the trial, a total of 2,300 tons of biopellets were transported, handled, co-milled and co-fired. Rob Voncken, CEO of Topell Energy, comments on the process: “The co-firing test took place in percentages ranging between 5% and 25% (on one mill) between 1st November and 30th December

2013 at the Amer power plant. No adverse effect on milling and burning was detected in any of the tests. The trial therefore confirms that high quality biopellets can be produced and co-fired at large commercial scale. Together with its high energy content and density, this confirmation makes torrefied biomass a potential better alternative to conventional wood pellets to substitute fossil fuels.” After this successful trial, some of the parties involved are now discussing the next steps to mobilize larger quantities of torrefied pellets for the production of green electricity, in view of the requisites of the Dutch Energy Agreement which will come into force in 2015. Essent is the largest producer of renewable energy in The Netherlands. The total production capacity of Essent/RWE in The Netherlands is 4,500 MW. Topell Energy is a Dutch clean technology company.

Leidos Seeks Buyer For Plainfield Facility Leidos announced that its Plainfield Renewable Energy project in Plainfield, Conn. has achieved commercial operation and is attempting to sell the facility. The facility will power the equivalent of 37,000 homes using a variety of fuel sources, such as wood from construction and demolition debris, recycled wood pallets and land clearing materials. Connecticut Light & Power will purchase 80% of the power from the plant based on a 15-year off-take agreement. Leidos will operate the plant and commence marketing efforts to sell the facility to renewable power plant investors in an effort to maximize the value of the investment for shareholders. Last October Leidos, acting in its capacity as a secured lender, reported it had reached an agreement to assume ownership of the 37.5 MW facility.

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/7/14 8:34 AM Page 19

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:27 PM Page 20

■ biomass power

Nippon Paper Diversifies:

Green Power Investment

By Dan Shell PORT ANGELES, Wash. till working through its startup phase and undergoing final control tuning and preparing for environmental testing, Nippon Paper Industries USA’s new $85 million biomass cogeneration facility is ramping up on schedule after cranking up in late December. “We’re still going through a shake-out phase, still have some testing to do, and there are lots of pieces that have to work together on a project this size,” says Nippon Paper Manager of Co-Gen and Power, Steve Johnson. The 20 MW cogeneration CHP plant will provide 20 MW annually of certified renewable energy while also providing process steam, heat and hot water for paper manufacturing operations. The facility is scheduled to operate 355 days a year, with two short, planned outages for maintenance and cleaning. The project developed as a result of two primary factors: Senior Steve Johnson plant executives had been thinking of ways to diversify the operation to an extent; plus, the facility’s 50-year-old existing boiler would have trouble meeting new environmental regulations. Realizing the boiler had to be replaced, mill officials decided to investigate generating power.

Phelps truck dump is automated, operated by drivers.

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:27 PM Page 21

biomass power ■

Fuel storage tower, right, rises up 115 ft.

GE generator delivers 20MW.

During a fall 2013 dedication ceremony in Port Anthat connect to a BPA substation, and already had an apgeles, company officials also noted the move into proved BPA Interconnection Agreement to deliver power generation (Nippon Paper Industries is also expower through BPA. panding cogen operations in Japan.) is a way to help Operating since 1920, the paper plant was purchased bolster Nippon’s overall business in the face of lagging by Nippon in 1989, and the company has made more paper demand. “In this environment, we had to look to than $300 million in investments in the facility since other opportunities in order to sustain and grow our then. Today, the plant produces 165,000 tons of lightbusiness,” said Masaru Motomura, Nippon Paper execweight mechanical papers annually, featuring two pulp utive vice president. mills and two paper machines. Four years ago Nippon plant officials began seriously studying the co-gen project’s potential, doing pre-engiBoiler Systems neering, energy market analysis and projections and Factory Sales & Engineering (FSE) was awarded the more before developing a firm business plan proposal co-gen plant’s EPC contract soon after the project reto take to Nippon’s board. The plan was approved in ceived permit approvals in 2011. The company delivlate 2010, and plant officials quickly began the arduous ered an innovative boiler water, air and shoreline perthat’s twice as large as the mitting process. boiler it replaced, but proWhile some wood bioenvides significant emissions ergy projects on the Olympic reduction: a 68% decrease in Peninsula have met with particulate emissions, with a solid opposition, the town of 19% reduction in overall Port Angeles and the suremissions. According to Niprounding community were pon, the boiler was designed very supportive in welcomto meet current proposed ing the Nippon venture, says EPA MACT regulations. Johnson. A traditional two-drum, Also aiding the project membrane wall boiler, the was Nippon’s prior relationunit at Nippon’s co-gen plant ship with regional power features a taller combustion provider Bonneville Power area that allows more fuel Administration: For decades residence time and provides Nippon had benefited from more complete burning of two hydroelectric generating biomass at moisture contents stations on the nearby Elwha up to 50%. The boiler is atop River that provided almost a Detroit Stoker combustion half of the paper plant’s system featuring an over-fire power needs. Though the air supply that greatly ingenerating stations were recreases combustion rates. tired and the dams removed According to Chris in 2011, Nippon owns high Cogen plant has a high thermal efficiency. Culpepper, vice president voltage transmission lines

April 2014 / Wood Bioenergy

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:27 PM Page 22

■ biomass power

Trace CEMS booth is climate-controlled

Boiler control room integrated by Innovative Controls.

and engineer with FSE, the boiler is a standard unit that’s been engineered to meet Nippon’s specific needs. The large furnace area means a lower volumetric heat release that helps reduce carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide emissions. Taking the biggest bite out of emissions are a dust collection system that removes larger particulate from the gas stream that’s later combined with ash, plus a high-capacity PPC electrostatic precipitator (ESP) that removes fine particles. Continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) required for the plant’s air quality permit are provided by Trace Environmental Systems. Components include a CEMS Flow 500 stack flow monitor, analyzers for such pollutants as nitrous oxide, carbon Graham condenser monoxide and sulfuric dioxide and Trace’s DAS 2000 reporting software. To meet requirements for installing the CEMS as close as possible to the stack itself, Trace provided the full package in an innovative, sealed and climate-controlled office booth located near the ESP system. Adding to the co-gen plant’s thermal efficiency is a Direct Contact condensing economizer installed downstream of the dust collectors. The unit sprays water through the boiler emissions stream, with hot combustion gases traveling though the water spray. This simultaneously cools the gases and warms the water and provides a much more efficient heat transfer than indirect condensing systems, according to Direct Contact. Water purity testing The plant pumps the hot water to the

paper mill where it’s used in heat exchangers to deliver clean paper-making water. Hot water is further used in a closed loop heating system that reduces overall fuel requirements and raises the thermal efficiency of the plant to almost 70%. The boiler generates up to 225,000 lb./hr. of steam at 900 PSI for the cogen plant and paper mill. According to Project Manager Gary Holmquist, extracting steam at intermediate pressures to use in plant operations greatly improves thermal efficiency, and he believes Nippon’s thermal efficiency could double that of a power-only generation plant.

Plant Flow Before a single kilowatt can hit the switchgear, fuel must be procured, and the Nippon plant has plenty in the region, with plentiful biomass that has traditionally been piled and burned. According to Nippon officials, studies commissioned by the company and the Washington Dept. of Natural Resources showed more than 200% of the projected biomass requirements for the plant are available within a 100-mile radius. The more than 60-year-old boiler Nippon replaced with the new project formerly burned 70,000-80,000 tons of biomass annually. Now fueling the new cogen operation, that figure will at least double, to about 140,000-170,000 tons in the future as the facility ramps up to peak power. “We’re still figuring out the overall supply and balance between sawmill residuals, non-paper chips and woody

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 23

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:27 PM Page 24

■ biomass power

biomass,” Johnson says, adding that woody biomass will likely make up 90% or more of fuel requirements. Incoming biomass loads are directed to the Phelps automated fuel dump operated by the drivers themselves, who secure their rigs on the dumper ramp and initialize the lift

and dump process. At the base of the dump, biomass initially encounters a West Salem Machinery screening system and pulverizer. A Con-Vey conveyor system moves fuel from the unloading/ screening area to the large 115-ft.tall Atlas fuel storage building, and

from there to a fuel distribution conveyor that feeds the biomass metering system going into the boiler. The turbine is a General Electric (GE) extraction/condensing unit, coupled with a GE 25 KVA generator. A NALCO water treatment system provides pure filtered and softened water for the turbine. Two steam lines, 45 and 150 PSI, respectively, feed from the turbine to the paper mill. Another key vendor in plant construction is Innovative Controls, which implemented programming, startup and certification for systems controlling the automated fuel unloading/handling system, boiler and cooling tower. The company also helped integrate controls systems for the water treatment system, ESP, burner and turbine/generator. In addition, Innovative Controls provided all control panels, and implemented the boiler control room’s Emerson Delta V hardware and GE RX3i processor installation.

Power Sales Looking to jump into the sustainable “green” energy market, Nippon Paper sought to leverage its existing assets (co-gen experience, transmission line ownership and existing BPA Interconnection Agreement) to help pave the way. “It’s all being sold as renewable energy with corresponding credits” available under state guidelines and policies, Johnson says, noting that the plant has already signed short- and medium-term contracts and is still negotiating additional long-term contracts. In fact, when developing the cogen plant venture initially, Nippon Paper obtained pre-certification for the project from the California Energy Commission for use in meeting California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. The BPA Interconnection Agreement provides the ability to deliver Nippon’s green power to all BPA-supplied locations in Washington and Oregon as well as California.

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 25

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:27 PM Page 26

■ port facility

Fibreco’s Focus

Pellet Logistics One million tonnes of wood chips are shipped from Fibreco each year, with much of that volume going to Japan for use in manufacturing paper.

By Andrew Macklin PORT OF VANCOUVER, BC he logistics of moving wood pellets from remote locations across Canada to export markets in Europe and Asia have never been easy. Many locations lack the necessary rail structure, road network, or water access to be able to efficiently move pellets overseas. But with the pellet market driving forward in Canada, transportation companies have begun working together to build better systems for material handling from the plant to the consumer. “We’ve gotten better as an industry in terms of logistics,” explains Kerry Lige, president of Fibreco. “I think historically each of us in the chain tended to look inward in terms of our little operation.” Cooperation in the logistics chain has allowed companies like Fibreco to see steady growth in annual exports. In 2012, Fibreco exported 1.6 million tonnes of pellets and 500,000 tonnes of wood chips. Situated in the Port of Vancouver, Fibreco provides overseas shipping for Pinnacle Renewable Energy, Premium Pellets, and Pacific Bioenergy’s wood pellet plants across British Columbia, as well as wood chips from

sawmilling operations across the province. Shipments of pellets from BC producers remain focused on European markets despite the recent announcement of the first shipment from Fibreco to South Korea. “The pellet business is fundamentally European driven,” Lige says. “Specifically the electricity business in the U.K.” The same cannot be said for Fibreco’s chip exports. Much of the chip volume is sent to the Asian market, with Japan the primary customer. “In the chip business, our customers are primarily in Japan,” Lige says. “We export the wood chips for the purpose of manufacturing pulp, newsprint. There is some biomass chips that we send over to Japan for some of the electrical companies but that is a small portion of the wood chip business.”

Operations Pellets and chips arrive at Fibreco by rail car, each of which holds a capacity of 95 tonnes. The company has the capacity to dump approximately 13,000 tonnes per day on average using a specially designed rotational system that flips the wood chip car in order to collect

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:28 PM Page 27

port facility ■

the contents into a storage hold before it is moved to temporary storage. The chips are stored outside in the open air, while the pellets are moved into storage silos and sheds. The silos and sheds are equipped with dust and smoke suppression systems for fire prevention, and the air inside the shed is exchanged four times an hour to create safe working conditions for the staff. Once a pellet ship is ready to be loaded, the Inside the pellet shed at Fibreco, where pellets are stored before being loaded for shipment. pellets are pushed inside the shed area using Cat and Komatsu wheel loaders equipped with an air filtration system and a modified WBM blade. Ships are general bulk carriers, loaded with 10,00050,000 tonnes of chips or pellets depending on the order, with one to two ships loaded per week at the Fibreco dock. For loading the ships, Fibreco uses a straight chute with a shirt to contain the materials, loading at a rate of close to 1,000 tonnes per hour. As for chips, dedicated wood chip carriers up to 35,000 tonnes are loaded at 1,000 tonnes per hour via an articulating The modified wheel loader blades allow Fibreco to push pellet and chip volumes across the spout powered by 2,100 property, making for efficient product movement on site. HP of pneumatic air to achieve optimium compaction. years. Rather than chastising other parts of the chain, According to Henry Zea, the assistant terminal manlike trucking and rail, they are now working together to ager at Fibreco, trimming the hatch is the most difficult create a more efficient process for their customers. Fipart of loading; it’s important to find an effective way breco has had an MOU in place with CN Rail for three to fill the corners of the hold when dumping the materiyears and information is exchanged more freely than in als in the center of the hatch. An inefficient system can years past. significantly slow down loading times, waste man“We need to support each other as part of the logispower, and ultimately lose significant revenue for the tics chain,” Lige says. “We find solutions together that company. we didn’t in the past.” Fibreco has experimented with different systems for That cooperation is providing stronger, more effibetter material distribution during the loading process cient, and more cost-effective systems for moving wood and continuously looks for greater efficiency in this pellets and wood chips from BC to customers worldarea of its operation. wide. Improving the logistics chain is also a priority for FiThis is an edited version of an article that appeared in Canadian Biomass magazine. breco, something that has come a long way in recent

April 2014 / Wood Bioenergy

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:28 PM Page 28

■ heat energy

Büttner: Complete Dryer Islands

Büttner supplies direct and indirect heated drum dryers.

Büttner offers integrated dryer/energy system concepts, proven technology and expert knowledge all from one source for complete dryer island or standalone dryer system components. For the biomass industry, Büttner supplies direct and indirect heated single path drum dryers. In addition flash-tube pre-dryers, either utilized in combination with a drum dryer or as a stand-alone solution, are part of the dryer technology portfolio. The product line is complemented by ultra-low temperature belt dryer systems utilizing hot water as heat source. The choice of drying technology is greatly dependent on the customer’s site situation and the available heat source/fuel. In order to supplement the dryer systems, Büttner offers a wide range of thermal heat generators, ranging from multi-fuel suspension burners to large grate fired furnaces. The furnace, utilizing step-grate technology for biomass combustion, can be equipped with dust injection systems for more efficient combustion. As part of the aftermarket service, Büttner offers various retrofit packages for all types energy systems/boilers. The retrofit packages include gas/suspension dust burners to utilize natural gas or wood dust as alternative fuels. Besides many other packages, fuel feeder replacements, grate repairs and complete control system replacements are offered. Waste heat such as boiler stack exhaust Multi-fuel suspension burner can be utilized

as a heat source for pre-drying hog fuel and bark. Predrying of biomass for boiler fuel greatly improves the boiler efficiency by providing a balanced fuel moisture feed with fuel of higher heat value. Büttner’s multi-fuel suspension burner, type BCB, for fuels like wood dust, gas and oil, is utilizing staggered combustion air supply technology to guarantee highest combustion performance combined with best emissions control. The fully automatic burner control system allows for flexible fuel mix and ratio selection. The burner can be utilized as a stand-alone burner system or in combination with the grate fired furnace for direct heat supply to the dryer system. Several successful dryer applications in the biomass industry are the indication for Büttner’s dedication to these important markets. Büttner’s advantage is to be able to offer the most efficient and cost effective dryer technology as well as the best suitable energy system all from one source. Visit buettner-energy-dryer.com

Hurst: New Integrated Control Systems

Comprehensive line of high efficiency control systems

Offering integration and scalability, the new, high efficiency Integrated Control Systems from Hurst Boiler for boiler room monitoring and communications provide advanced supervisory boiler controls for all new and legacy Hurst products. Hurst Boiler is proudly introducing its comprehensive line of high efficiency integrated boiler control systems featuring graphical visualization and information collection to facilitate easier and better operational management of boilers and supporting peripherals. Each integrated control system provides cutting edge PLC control, variable frequency drives and HMI interfaces devices. Integration has become essential for efficient opera-

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_cs_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 4:33 PM Page 29

heat energy ■

tion and shared duty load. Hurst developed and offers a full line of processor based smart controls fully compatible with all Hurst designs including alternative fuel models. Precise control of fuel and combustion air can result in very high efficiencies. Hurst intelligent control systems allow you to harness these savings while increasing overall boiler plant productivity. Now it is possible to monitor and manage your steam and hot water operations from an on-site touchscreen, secure internet, or through a (SCADA) building automation system. “Large facilities such as manufacturing, refining, schools and hospitals have multiple boilers for redundancy and turndown,” states Hurst Boiler. “Our new, highly advanced integrated control systems are easy to use and provide many efficiency enhancements. Our trusted, reliable boiler now becomes a source of diagnostics and information to meet the needs of our customer. They want to know more about their energy usage, predictive maintenance and better analyze their utilities operations. The Hurst integrated controls family gives them that opportunity.” All Hurst Integrated Control Systems are designed as complete monitoring and automated control systems, providing intuitive control of the boiler, fuel feed and peripheral equipment operation. Through the HMI (human machine interface), the operator is given a “dashboard” view of all the motors, devices and processes relative to easy operation of the boiler. From the main operators view, all points of the system are visible and easily accessible. All Hurst customers can upgrade to this technology. These integrated Hurst control systems are easily adapted to any existing Hurst boiler system: Oxymaster, Feedmaster, Firemaster, Biomaster and Boilermaster. Visit hurstboiler.com

PHG: Downdraft Gasification Systems

PHG Energy municipal wood waste gasification plant

When the use of wood waste to produce steam, thermal or electric power brings with it a compelling business case and a strong sustainability case, the technology has met its first two major goals. Add in the flexibility to accept other waste streams without basic equipment changes, and the ability to even repurpose the type of power produced, and the options for deployment become both varied and economically worthwhile. Thoroughly vetted with more than 50,000 hours of commercial production run time, PHG Energy’s patented downdraft gasification systems offer the wood industry the ability to convert waste through a nonburning thermo-chemical process to produce a fuel gas that can be utilized much like natural gas: fire kilns, power steam boilers, run drying equipment, and produce electricity on site through ORC technology or steam turbines. This is not incineration with the accompanying ash and emissions problems. This is a clean conversion of waste with 95% of input realized as Producer Gas. The remaining 5% of input is a high-carbon biochar that has industrial and agricultural value. PHG Energy offers several sizes of gasifiers and systems starting at 12 tons per day average material throughput; and ranging to 300 tons per day and more handling capacity. Review PHG Energy case studies on industrial and municipal projects. Visit phgenergy.com

Wyssmont: Continuous Tray Dryer A recent increase in capacity required an additional L-size TURBODRYER to dry pellets. This design is capable of operating at temperatures up to 250°C to dry or torrefy the pellets. The TURBODRYER is a proprietary continuous tray dryer design that consists of a stack of rotating circular A stack of rotating circular trays in a trays in a sealed sealed enclosure enclosure. Material is fed onto the top tray, and after each revolution is wiped onto the next lower tray. The internal TURBO-Fans circulate heated gas in the enclosure to provide the drying medium. Receive a copy of the brochure. Visit wyssmont.com

April 2014 / Wood Bioenergy

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WBapr14pgs_SS_Wood Bioenergy Magazine 3/6/14 2:13 PM Page 30

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:15 PM Page 31

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 32

■ product news Mills To Run Flail Debarking/Chipping A project is under way for CBI to design and build three flail debarking and chipping systems for Rentech’s Canadian wood pellet facilities scheduled for installation this spring. Rentech is converting

two decommissioned wood fiber board mills in Ontario for pellet production. As part of the conversion of these facilities, the CBI systems will deliver uniform 6 mm – 8 mm microchips in a single pass that can immediately be dried and milled into feedstock for pellet manufacturing. “Traditionally, debarking and chipping in front of a pellet operation has been done with drum debarkers and disc chippers,” says Anders Ragnarsson, founder and president of CBI. “These systems are overall more expensive and have a tougher time debarking frozen wood. It has been proven beyond any doubt over the last several years that making microchips is a more cost effective way to produce raw material for a pellet production line.” Regarding the Rentech projects, Ragnarsson says they went back and forth with numerous iterations, and came up with a debarking line consisting of a feed conveyer, 2roll flail debarker, and a 1200 HP CBI Magnum Force 8400 Stationary Chipper with 5-pocket microchip rotor. Each system will have production capabilities of up to 120 tons per hour.” He says CBI worked in close cooperation with engineers and operating personnel at AgriRecy-

cle and Rentech to design the best solution for producing feedstock from hardwood species. AgriRecycle was contracted by Rentech as consultants to assist in the design, construction and operation of both pellet plants as well as evaluate options for new chipping lines. Mike Ferguson of AgriRecycle knew firsthand the benefits of CBI from having one of CBI’s 6400 machines with a microchip rotor that fed his pellet plant, Ozark Hardwood, for years. Two CBI flail/microchipping systems will be installed at Rentech’s Wawa facility, and a singular CBI flail/microchipping line installed at Rentech’s Atikokan facility. At Atikokan, CBI will also deliver a Grizzly Mill to grind the bark into the proper size for boiler fuel. These CBI systems will eliminate hammermilling of wet product prior to the dryer. The CBI systems produce a properly-sized chip that can be fed directly into the dryer. The resulting product is then hammermilled immediately after drying. Ragnarsson indicates that CBI’s solution reduces Rentech’s capital and operating expenditures due to the elimination of the hammermill prior to the dryer. “There’s a great deal of excitement here on all our behalves about what these systems can and will deliver, and the new standard they will set in producing raw material for a pellet mill,” Ragnarsson says.

looked outside the industries he already knew. “I got to know some scrap people in the area when I was overseeing a large demolition project,” Wright recalls. “They have a rough job and they run their machines hard and in difficult environments. However, they had nothing but good things to say about their Sennebogen equipment.” Wright recently took possession of a Sennebogen 821 M at the Scotia Atlantic Biomass facility, 40 miles east of Halifax, NS at Middle Musquodoboit. Formerly known as Enligna Canada, the 157 acre plant is now operated by Viridis Energy of Vancouver. As Plant Manager of the operation under three ownership groups over the past 15 years, Wright has proven he knows his way around the wood pile, too. The new 821 M log-loader was acquired to feed a CBI 6400 T chipper that completes the primary processing of scrap wood and roundwood for the pelleting process. The plant capacity is 120,000 tons per year, and Wright aims to keep the plant supplied with wood by running the chipper through seven 12-hour shifts per week. Dependability was a key factor in his choice of log loaders.

Article contributed by CBI.

Log Loader Feeds Wood Yard Chipper Miles Wright has worked in tough job sites for more than 30 years, from diamond drilling across Canada to forestry products in the Maritimes. But when he needed a new log loader for the pellet mill he now manages, he

“As our other loaders were getting older, I got concerned about their electronics. They were very computerized and not easy to troubleshoot. I liked Sennebogen’s idea of simplicity for low longterm cost of maintenance.” Wright looked at all the top names in material handlers, but

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 33

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 34

■ product news

chose to work with the local Strongco dealership and its Territory Manager, Mark Haggett. Haggett arranged for Wright to see similar Sennebogen machines in action. “The 821 is perfect for us,” Wright says. “It’s compact, maneuverable and it’s good on fuel. Our chipper is remote controlled and runs on a track, with the control in the cab of the Sennebogen. So it’s a one-man job. With approximately 150 truckloads a week coming in, the 821 can maneuver very easily around the yard, especially with its 360° working capability.” Haggett explains that while many of the machines in the region are larger, the 54,000 lb. 821 model is an excellent fit for Scotia Atlantic Biomass. “They receive and handle a real mix of wood here, from mill residues to deadwood to low-grade hardwoods, so you can expect the occasional log to break and wedge itself into the feed. With a compact machine and grapple like this, the operator can reach right into the chipper and pick it out, with no major loss of uptime.” The 821 is also a cost saver in such a large, paved yard as this one. The log loader is able to move quickly around the piles while saving fuel with its light weight and efficient hydraulics. Wright’s chipper is currently set to put through about 50 tons/hour, producing a very fine chip that needs little secondary processing before it is processed into fuel pellets. The plant has the equipment and capacity to change up its mix of input woods or end product, and is confident that its new Sennebogen 821 is more than able to keep up with the required pace. “The plant runs 24/7, but we like to limit the chipper to 12 hours a day to keep noise down for our neighbors,” Wright says. “The 821 is very capable for what we’re asking it to do. It’s getting the job done, with the volume that we need.” Article contributed by Sennebogen.

Drax Power Contracts For Ash Segregation Clyde Bergemann Doncaster (Clyde Bergemann Materials Handling Ltd) based in the UK has won a Biomass Ash Segregation System Contract with Drax Power Ltd., the owner and operator of Drax Power Station. The station is the UK’s largest power station, responsible for meeting 7-8% of the UK’s electricity needs. Drax is executing plans to transform the business from a coal-fired to a predominantly biomass-fuelled renewable power generator, and is set to become one of the single largest renewable power plants in Europe. The power station has historically burned up to 10Mte’s of coal per annum, but since 2003 has been burning sustainable biomass in place of some of its coal. Over the years Drax has progressively increased the amount of biomass burnt, culminating last year in the full conversion of one of its generating units to burn solely biomass. This is the first of three that Drax plans to convert. As part of the requirements for this conversion, the fly ash produced when burning biomass needs to be handled differently due to its distinct characteristics and chemistry. Drax also wanted to separate the biomass ash from the coal ash for commercial reasons. Clyde Bergemann’s turnkey solution proposed the installation of a new, separate biomass ash storage silo in the vicinity of the current storage bunkers to receive and store ash from existing pneumatic ash systems. The innovative solution is able to cater for the wide range of material characteristics expected while retaining the accuracy required when monitoring the material discharged. The new ash segregation system utilizes a dry dustless unloading facility to transfer materials from the silo to tankers while also retaining the capability to discharge onto the overland conveyor system Drax currently uses to transfer ma-

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 35

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 36

■ product news

terial to their current disposal area. Steve Cragg, Managing Director of CBD, comments, “I am delighted that Drax has placed its trust in Clyde Bergemann to deliver this important project and we look forward to a successful and ongoing relationship with the company.”

Zilkha To Collaborate With Valmet Zilkha Biomass Energy LLC and Valmet have signed a five-year collaboration agreement in the field of steam exploded black pellets, with the purpose to bring steam ex-

ploded black pellets to the market. “Valmet is a highly regarded technology provider in the pulp, paper and energy industry. Their network will provide a great channel for introducing manufacturers to the advantages of the Zilkha Black Pellet,” says Jack Holmes, CEO of Zilkha Biomass Energy. Steam exploded black pellets provide a number of benefits compared to traditional wood pellets, according to Zilkha, including improved durability, water-resistance, higher energy content, lower shipping costs, and reduced dust problems. Due to their properties, these black pellets can be handled in similar manner to fossil coal. This significantly reduces, or even removes, the need for expensive investments in logistics and plant rebuilds.

Site Prep Tractor Shows Versatility

The Cat 586C Site Prep Tractor is a multi-purpose, heavy-duty machine with the muscle to run power-hungry mulchers and brushcutters. “The tractor runs cool and doesn’t collect debris, so you’ll spend less time cleaning and more time working,” says Matt McDonald, Caterpillar Forest Products product specialist. “Plus, you can tackle a variety of projects with one machine, lowering your owning and operating costs.” The 350 HP engine and oversized hydraulic system push more flow to the attachment for faster recovery without slowing other functions. A high capacity cooling system and on-demand reversing

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 37

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 38

■ product news

fan keep the machine running cool. HJM Forest Resource Management, LLC, DeKalb, Miss., ran a pilot machine to provide feedback for finetuning the tractor. One of the company principals, Jimmy Wayne McGowen, reports that the radiator and air filter stayed clean and the pressurized engine compartment kept debris out. “We have to blow out our older machines like crazy,” McGowen says. “We don’t have to with this machine. That’s a big thing for us, because we were spending a lot of downtime keeping our older tractors up.” Both Cat’s HM825 Mulcher and BR624 Brushcutter are available as attachments. HJM Forest Resource Management was equipped with the mulcher. McGowen says the tractor and attachment’s ability to handle big timber was an advantage when they were clearing standing timber to widen power line right-ofways. “The attachment is equipped with a hydraulic push bar and that’s a big plus,” he says. Visit cat.com.

Track Carrier Works With Mulching Mower Head, Stump Grinder

Bandit Industries has enhanced its line of track carriers with the new Model 3750. Designed to operate with extremely low ground pressure, this machine can be equipped with either a mulching forestry mower head, or a hydrostatic stump grinding head. The Model 3750 combines the smaller size and lighter weight of the Model 3500 with the larger cab and forestry mower head of the Model 4000, and it rides on a CAT 315 undercarriage with 800 mm wide pads. This gives the Model 3750 a ground pressure of just 3.9 PSI. The Model 3750 is available with up to 275 HP and features an 84 in. wide Bandit-designed forestry mower than can mulch up to a height of 72 in. After an extensive period of field evaluation, the compact Model 3000 is also gaining considerable popularity as a lightweight, highly mobile land clearing machine ideally suited for construction site and right-of-way clearing where space is limited. Visit banditchippers.com.

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/7/14 2:11 PM Page 39

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 40

■ product news Stump Cutter Moves From Job To Job

400-500 yards per hour. Visit terex.com/environmental-equipment.

Card Breaker System Enhances Chip Quality

Rayco’s T260 self-propelled stump cutter is easy to transport from one job to the next, weighing at 22,500 lbs. with an overall width of 93 in. A 260 HP Cummins QSB6.7 turbo diesel powers the T260 and it travels on a heavy duty steel track undercarriage with 2-speed final drives. The T260 utilizes a 40 in. diameter by 3 in. thick cutter wheel with 36 Monster Tooth cutter tools to power its way through stumps. Cutting dimensions allow for 108 in. cutting width, 40 in. cutting depth, and 59 in cutting height without repositioning. Visit raycomfg.com.

Terex Launches Grinder, New Color

Terex Environmental Equipment launches the TBG 640 horizontal grinder and with it a new color scheme which has been introduced in 2014 for the large biomass and recycling equipment. The TBG 640 is capable of working in the most demanding environments. Biomass and bioenergy industries will find this product an ideal fit. It features a hammermill of 65 in. wide and 34 in. diameter, the infeed opening is 41 in. high and 63 in. wide and an engine with 700 HP, with 755 Tier 4 option. The TBG 640 is capable of producing green waste between 300400 yards and scrap wood at

Bandit Industries now offers a Card Breaker System for hand-fed and whole tree drum-style chippers. The Card Breaker works similar to a screening system, restricting oversized material from exiting the machine. The system is optional for most Bandit drum-style chippers, creating a higher quality wood chip that is suited for use in expanding biomass energy markets. “Chips of relatively uniform size and shape are much preferred for use in biomass fuel wood applications,” says Jason Morey, Bandit Industries sales manager. “By creating a better chip, our customers can have a better product to sell on the biomass fuel market.” Bandit’s Card Breaker doesn’t subtract from Bandit chippers’ legendary throwing power; in fact, it benefits from it. Chips leave the drum at tremendous speed, with larger sized chips hitting the Card Breaker installed in the discharge. This breaks the chips down further, resulting in a more uniform chip ready for biofuel applications. The Card Breaker System functions without the need for additional chip accelerating devices, and overall machine production is unaffected. Visit banditchippers.com

Mulcher Carrier Offers Agility, Better Access

Tigercat has added a model to its expanding line of mulcher carriers. The new 470 mulcher is equipped with the Tigercat FPT C87 Tier 4i 245 kW (328 HP) engine. It is nar-

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 41

product news ■

row and agile with extremely low ground pressure, rated at 20,9 kPa (3 psi). The 470 is best suited to tough terrain and sensitive site ROW, pipeline maintenance and oil and gas exploration projects. The 470 is equipped with an efficient, high capacity cooling system with a variable speed fan and automatic reversing cycle, a dedicated attachment pump and an efficient closed loop track drive system. Inside the cab, the operator has ergonomic electronic joystick steering with CRF (counter-rotate function) for turning on a dime at the touch of a button. The heavy-duty steel engine enclosure and pre-cleaner guard eliminates the requirement for a rear canopy. All structural components are designed for full time forest duty. Visit tigercat.com.

Tampereen Will Install Heating Plant Valmet will supply a wood chip fired heating plant to Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy, located in the Hervanta area of Tampere, Finland. The new 49.5 MW plant is part of Tampereen Sähkölaitos Group’s

investment program, through which it intends to increase the share of renewable fuels in its production. The new plant, fired by wood chips and peat, will reduce the need to use heavy-fuel-oil-fired heating plants, thus lowering the carbon dioxide emissions generated in district heat production. The plant will serve as a base-load power plant annexed to Tampere’s district heating grid and it will primarily serve the Hervanta area. The new wood chip plant will begin producing heat in May 2015. In the heating plant solution, based on Valmet’s HYBEX bubbling fluidized bed combustion technology, special attention has been paid to reducing noise and emissions through noise suppression technology, machinery choices, a triple-field electrostatic precipitator and a flue-gas scrubber, among other things. The plant will be operated remotely from a control room in Lielahti using a Metso automation system. The value of the order is around EUR 27 million. Valmet and Tampereen Energiantuotanto have collaborated extensively in recent years in mat-

April 2014 / Wood Bioenergy

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 42

■ product news

ters related to heating plants. In spring 2013, Tampereen Energiantuotanto inaugurated a 33 MW pellet-fired heating plant delivered by Valmet to Tampere’s Sarankulma district; the plant is the largest of its kind in Finland.

Bandit Adds Seven Dealers In U.S. Bandit Industries continues to expand its dealer network in North America, adding seven dealers to serve customers in the United States.

Bandit’s newest dealers will serve customers in northern Louisiana, central and southern Mississippi, central and southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, eastern Tennessee, central Virginia, western Kansas and South Dakota. Equipment Inc. operates four locations in the Southern U.S. Jackson, Miss., Hattiesburg, Miss., Shreveport, La., and Mobile, Ala., carrying hand-fed chippers and stump grinders. Visit equipmentinc.com A-Ok Power Equipment, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., serves four locations in southern California - Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Anaheim and Solvang, carrying and servicing hand-fed chippers and stump grinders. Visit aokpowerequipment.com Fairbank Equipment Inc. serves western Kansas and South Dakota, carrying and servicing hand-fed chippers and stump grinders. Visit fairbanksequipment.com Stowers Machinery serves eastern Tennessee and now sells and services Bandit’s Beast XP-Series horizontal grinders and forestry mowers. Visit stowerscat.com Chipper Pro LLC and Forest Pro Inc., serving central Virginia, sells whole tree chippers, and provides parts and service. Visit forestproinc.com Quality Equipment and Parts Inc., serving Lake City in central Florida, offers service, parts and Bandit large equipment sales, including Beast Horizontal grinders, whole tree chippers and forestry mowers. Visit qamparts.com Forestry 21 Equipment, serving Alabama’s whole tree chipper needs, offers sales, service and parts for Bandit’s line of whole tree chippers. Visit forestry21.com.

Barry Equipment Receives Honor Peterson Pacific, a Eugene, Ore.-based manufacturer of horizontal grinders, drum and disc chippers, blower trucks, and screens, named Barry Equipment,

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 43

product news ■

Co. of Webster, Mass. as its 2013 Dealer of the Year. This is the second time in two years that Barry Equipment has won the award. “Barry Equipment Co. has achieved this award twice due to their assembly of a world class sales and product support team. Their support after the sale is unsurpassed within our industry and Barry’s dedication, focus and vision to the Peterson product line, and the markets we serve, make them a tremendous partner and raises the bar for dealer performance,” says Brian Gray, Eastern Sales Manager of Barry’s performance. Barry Equipment Co., Inc. was established in 1985 and is a family owned and operated equipment dealership located on Interstate 395 in Webster, servicing New England and New York State.

Horizontal Grinder Offers High Production

The new 5710D horizontal grinder is latest design of high production grinders by Peterson. Powered by a Tier IVi Caterpillar C27 engine making 1050 HP (783 kW), the 5710D has the power to handle the toughest jobs. At 88,500 lbs. (40,150 kg), the 5710D was designed for operations that require frequent moves between jobs without a special permit. An optional transportation dolly allows the Peterson 5710D to be easily moved, and then set up

for operation within minutes. With a feed opening of 60 x 40 inches (152 x 102 mm) combined with Peterson’s high lift feed roll, the 5710D can readily reduce a wide range of material including stumps. The 5710D utilizes Peterson’s Impact Release System that can be set in the detent mode to provide consistent product sizing or switched to the floating anvil mode for a primary reduction where accurate sizing is less critical. The floating anvil mode provides a high production primary reduction with more protection from contaminated feedstocks and reduced fuel consumption. The 5710D features a large grate area that enables the 5710D to produce materials to exact specifications. The quick-change multiple grate system makes it easy to customize grate configurations to

April 2014 / Wood Bioenergy

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 44

â&#x2013; product news

produce a variety of finished materials. Grates are removed through an enlarged access door on the side wall of the 5710D. Another major innovation included on the 5710D is Petersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Impact Cushion System. Urethane cushions allow movement of the compression roll/anvil housing pivot shaft, cushioning impacts due to contaminants in the feed material.

Shear pins above the cushion and a sensing circuit that stop the engine help protect the shaft from catastrophic damage in the event of a severe impact. Visit petersoncorp.com

Wolf-Tek Launches Land Application Wolf-Tek, a leader in land-based technology, announced the launch

of Wolf-GIS, a land management app with advanced mapping features on smart phones and tablets that were previously only available with mapping hardware. Utilizing GIS (geographic information systems) and patented TractLock technology, the Wolf-GIS app enables users to quickly and accurately measure, upload and download detailed information about

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 45

product news ■

areas of land using their mobile devices. The app has the potential to increase efficiency and productivity across a variety of industries, from forestry to real estate to agriculture. Bud Flora, vice president of marketing for Wolf-Tek, comments, “It

brings GIS technology that was previously only available on complicated equipment designed to be used by trained professionals and makes it portable and available on an affordable app with an intuitive interface that anyone can use.”

The capabilities of Wolf-GIS include: ● Accurate location info: current latitude and longitude, compass, and the ability to jump to a specific lat/long position ● Measurement: measure dis-

April 2014 / Wood Bioenergy

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 46

■ product news

tances and areas of land ● Tract-Lock: patented technology that tracks your location and notifies you when you stray past a boundary ● Shapefile compatibility: shapefiles are the industry standard for recording geospatial data, and Wolf-GIS empowers users to download, display and edit them for a variety of purposes ● Access to public records: download public records on properties via their shapefiles, including ownership records, tax history, land measurements, boundary specifics, plus information on utilities and zoning ● Edit maps: track and upload data on sections about sections of a map, from simple notes to graphics to photographs ● Portability: take it to the job site ● Weather data for selected locations

Google Maps support Previously available on the web, Wolf-GIS is now launching as an app in both the iTunes and Google Play stores. The initial launch includes two versions: Wolf-GIS Basic and Wolf-GIS Pro. Visit wolfgis.com or wolf-tek.com ●

Zilkha Project Selects Support Platform

Aconex, a provider of construction project management software, is supporting Zilkha Biomass Energy in the design and building of a black pellet fuel plant at Selma, Ala. With an output capacity of 275,000 metric tons per year, this will be the first full-scale commercial black pellet production facility in the world. The plant is expected to be completed and fully operational by early 2015. Zilkha is using the Aconex On-

line Collaboration Platform to manage project information and processes across a multi-company team of contractors, consultants, subcontractors and vendors involved in construction. The Aconex platform provides a secure, neutral collaboration system for managing workflows and processing RFIs, documents, drawings and correspondence. The Zilkha Black Pellet is made with compressed green wood that is pre-dried to reduce moisture content. It has higher energy density than conventional white pellets, without the safety risks, according to Zilkha, and is waterproof to decrease storage and transportation costs. “As a nextgeneration renewable fuel, black pellets can seamlessly replace coal, which is currently the world’s primary source of energy,” the company states.

■ CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS ■ ■ bio works

■ employment opportunities SEARCH NORTH AMERICA, INC. FOREST PRODUCTS RECRUITING SINCE 1978

The Jobs You Want — The People You Need

1615

IT'S YOUR MOVE...

geo@TopWoodJobs.com www.TopWoodJobs.com (541) 954-8456

WWW.SEARCHNA.COM

CONTACT CARL JANSEN AT 541-593-2777 OR Carlj@SearchNA.com

Top Wood Jobs Recruiting and Staffing George Meek

VISIT US ONLINE: woodbioenergymag.com 3779

Wood Bioenergy / April 2014

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 47

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!

WB_0414_ASM_Layout 1 3/6/14 3:16 PM Page 48

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!