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â– table of contents
www.woodbioenergymag.com
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FROM THE EDITORS The Heat Is On
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PELLET PRESSES A Few Manufacturers Weigh In
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IN THE NEWS Lights Back On At Aspen Power
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PRODUCT NEWS From Moisture Measurement To Grinding
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Q&A WITH JOHN KEPPLER Enviva Leader Brings Us Up To Date Cover photography:
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ENVIVA-NORTHAMPTON Sticking To A Formula For Success
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HERMANN BROTHERS Figuring Out The Slash Business
Enviva-Northampton (Jay Donnell) Hermann Brothers (Dan Shell)
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Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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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.
Volume 6
Number 4
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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 Montgomery, 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 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.
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■ from the editors
Pellets Production
The Die Is Cast N
ow it gets interesting. Wood pellets production in the U.S., that is. One question we asked Enviva CEO John Keppler (see interview starting on page 18) was whether “overcapacity” had entered the mindset of wood pellet producers. He basically said it wasn’t a concern at this moment, and speculated that future demand will need to be met by pellet plants yet to be built. We figured as much (a day doesn’t go by when a forecast tells us that worldwide pellet demand and production will reach dizzying heights). We heard several such forecasts at our Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo in Atlanta this past March. Keppler added this: that as the industry continues to grow to meet this demand, it shouldn’t forget that its purpose is to deliver a clean, sustainable energy source and that development must be “in tune with the nature of our forest resources.” Well put, John. What prompted the question, even though we knew the answer, was the continuing onslaught of pellet mill project announcements. As we report in our news section of this issue, England-based Drax (or portions of Drax) has made inquiries into building pellets plants in Mississippi and South Carolina, beyond the ones it is already building in Mississippi and Louisiana. We’ve reported on other projects in previous issues—Green Circle, German Pellets, Fram—companies who have already built and started up pellet plants, and now are building more. And Keppler, in our interview, confirmed that Enviva, which operates five pellet mills, is looking hard at adding more capacity toward the coast of North Carolina. From the perspective of the trade press, this is great material. Many of you are aware that Wood Bioenergy magazine is but one of several wood industry magazines that we manage. One of the other ones is Panel World magazine, and one of its subjects is the oriented strandboard (OSB) industry. OSB, if you don’t know, is primarily a structural panel composed of wood flakes and resin that
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has superceded softwood plywood in certain building applications. While indeed wood pellets seem to be cutting in on coal (overseas anyway), the comparison that interests us is the OSB industry in the U.S.—when it emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s—as compared to the rearing of the industrial wood pellet industry that is going on now in the U.S. By 1990, in a span of 13 years, about 30 OSB mills had been built and started up in the U.S. Sixteen of those were built by Louisiana-Pacific. Georgia-Pacific built four, as did Weyerhaeuser, and Potlatch built three in addition to the one it had started up a few years earlier. These companies would build more later, but the fun speculation is whether, looking ahead, the number of U.S. industry wood pellet plants will be flirting with 30 in a similar time span. If that happens, in conjunction with the new pellet plants built in Canada and elsewhere in the world, it will be interesting to see if the overcapacity factor enters the wood pellets picture, just as it did (and still does) in the OSB industry.
Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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■ in the news Aspen Power Could Be Back In Business
issues set it back again. The facility started up with a GE turbine and generator purchased used from the city of Lakeland, Fla. Factory Sales & Engineering supplied a 460,000 PPH boiler. Progress Industries supplied much of the handling mechanisms on the wood yard. In May 2013 a district judge signed an order giving control of Aspen Power to its investors. The
Aspen Power, the biomass power plant that started up in 2011 in Lufkin, Texas, but went down a year later with market and financial issues, appears to be making a comeback. InventivEnergy, LLC has selected NRG Energy Services LLC to restart the plant and operate and maintain the facility. The Aspen power plant had a rated generation capacity of 50 MW but had reached 57 MW before it went down, requiring 1,200 tons of wood daily, when Wood Bioenergy magazine visited it in 2012. Work to restart the facility began in mid-May Aspen Power has had a turbulent timeline. and commercial operations are expected to be achieved this Angelina and Neches River Authorsummer. NRG is hiring the site maity Industrial Development Corp. renagement team and operating staff, portedly issued $53.3 million worth according to Don Poe, president, of revenue bonds to the company NRG Energy Services. for the purpose of building the plant John Keller, CEO and founder of in Lufkin under a loan agreement. InventivEnergy, comments, “We are One of the original partners was very excited to team up with NRG Danny Vines, a native of Lufkin, in bringing Aspen back on-line and who was appointed by Governor combining its top-tier O&M capabiRick Perry to the Texas Bio-Energy lities with InventivEnergy’s proven Policy Council. Another of Vines’ expertise in power plant asset macompanies, Angelina Fuels, was innagement, value enhancement and volved in biomass collection for the optimization.” power plant including the operation An Angelina County judge gave of a John Deere slash bundler. the okay for the plant’s trustee to recommence operations at the bioRusForest Pellet Mill mass facility. U.S. Bank, the finanLands Contract cial overseer for the project, had RusForest AB, a Swedish forefiled a motion for an order authorizstry company with operations in ing their advisor, InventivEnergy, to Russia, has signed a long-term restart and oversee the operation of contract for pellet sales from the Aspen Power while the property is company’s LDK-3 wood pellet for sale. mill in Arkhangelsk. RusForest has Bluewater Energy Solutions had entered into a sales contract for handled the extensive commission60,000 tons of pellets to be sold ing process at the original startup. through one of the leading trading Almost immediately, the produchouses and used as fuel in various tion operations were curtailed European coal-fired power plants. when gas prices plummeted along The sales agreement will be comwith electricity demand and underplemented by spot market sales of cut Aspen Power’s cost dynamics. the company’s pellets. Operations resumed but financial
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RusForest began shipments in March from its new 100,000 tons pellet mill, which was built with an investment of EUR 12 million. RusForest secured financing from CentroCredit, a Russian bank. The mill actually started operations in January. RusForest contracted with AS Hekotek, a mechanical engineering company, to build the facility.
UPM Biorefinery Channels BioVerno UPM has signed a sales agreement for UPM BioVerno renewable diesel, produced in UPM’s Lappeenranta Biorefinery, with NEOT (North European Oil Trade). NEOT specializes in oil and biofuels wholesale. Large Finnish service stations, ABC, St1 and Shell, get their fuels from NEOT. “UPM’s renewable wood-based diesel, UPM BioVerno, is produced using the company’s own innovative process in Finland. Thus it is excellent that we are able to use it in Finnish vehicles as well. We are satisfied with the agreement with NEOT and the fact that UPM BioVerno will be distributed to Finnish service stations,” says Petri Kukkonen, Vice President, UPM Biofuels. UPM BioVerno is made from a pulp production residue called crude tall oil. The Finnish made fuel reportedly works well in all diesel engines and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Extensive fleet tests conducted with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland showed that UPM BioVerno diesel works in cars just as well as any regular diesel, according to UPM. The biorefinery, in development since, 2012 and at cost of EUR 150 million, is reportedly nearing startup and will produce 100,000 tonnes annually of advanced second generation biodiesel for transport.
Biofuels Project Receives Grant U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded a grant of nearly $1.76 million for the con-
Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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■ in the news
struction of water and sewer infrastructure for a new cellulosic biofuel plant in Clinton, NC. Biochemtex plans to invest $200 to build the operation, which the company says will operate as Carolina Cellulosic Biofuels. The plant is expected to produce 20 million gallons per year of cellulosic biofuel from locally grown energy grasses, such as Arundo Donax, also known as Giant Cane, but woody biomass could also be a fuel source as the parent company in Italy has been testing wood chips. The plant is planned for construction on 110 acres on N.C. 24, just east of Clinton. The town has marked that area for industrial development.
More Drax Pellet Plants In U.S.? UK-based Drax, which is converting coal fired units at its electricity facility in Yorkshire, England to woody biomass fuel, and which indicated it wants to add to its pellet production capacity in the U.S. beyond previously announced and ongoing pellet plant construction at Gloster, Miss. and Bastrop, La., has made inquiries about building plants in Magnolia, Miss. and Calhoun Falls, SC. Abbeville County, SC has passed an ordinance that would allow the sale to Drax interests of a 199 acre tract of land about three miles from Calhoun Falls, which is on the western border of South Carolina, 60 miles northwest of Augusta, Ga. Meanwhile an air permit application filed with the Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board for a pellet mill in Magnolia, Miss. reveals Drax interests under the project name of Pike BioEnergy LLC. Drax is already building two other wood pellet mills, at Amite BioEnergy LLC in Gloster, Miss. and Morehouse Bioenergy in Bastrop, La., each 450,000 metric tons production capacity. The company is also building a terminal at Port Allen, La., from where it will export its pellets.
Drax supplies 7-8% of the UK’s electricity demand.
USDA Kicks In New Round Of BCAP U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications from biomass conversion facilities interested in receiving forest or agricultural residues to generate clean energy. The support comes through the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. BCAP provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who establish and maintain new crops of energy biomass, or who harvest and deliver forest or agricultural residues to a qualifying energy facility. Of the total $25 million per year authorized for BCAP, the 2014 Farm Bill provides up to 50% ($12.5 million) each year for matching payments for the harvest and transportation of biomass residues. BCAP matching payments will resume this summer, while crop incentives will begin in 2015. Some matching payments will support the removal of dead or diseased trees from national forests and Bureau of Land Management public lands. This will be turned into renewable energy while reducing the risk of forest fire. With the 2014 Farm Bill requiring several regulatory updates to BCAP, the resumption of payments for starting and maintaining new sources of biomass (Project Areas) has been deferred until a later date when the regulatory updates occur. For more details on applications and deadlines on BCAP, visit a local FSA county office or go online to www.fsa.usda.gov/bcap.
Greenleaf Proceeds On Acquisition Path Greenleaf Power LLC announced the closing of a $100 million growth capital facility, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the continued growth of the company ➤ 12 through acquisitions.
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■ in the news
Based in Sacramento, Calif., Greenleaf Power has acquired five biomass facilities—four in the Western U.S. and one in Quebec— representing approximately 145 MW since its inception. Greenleaf Power is backed by Denham Capital, a private equity firm.
Mohegan Tribe Enters Wood Pellets Northwest Wood Products, LLC, a new subsidiary of the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut, has acquired Pennington Seed’s wood pellet production plant in Peebles, Ohio and
related equipment and assets of Pennington’s Kenbridge, Va. facility. The agreement also includes the acquisition of Pennington’s pellet production plant in Ligonier, Indiana in the near future. Northeast’s primary product will be sold under the trade name ThermaGlo. The pellets will be available in 40 lb. bags for home use, in bulk loads for industrial customers and in container shipments for international markets. Northeast expects to produce more than 130,000 tons of pellets annually at its Ohio and Indiana facilities, which will be in production within a few months.
Good Earth Power Assumes FS Project Good Earth Power and Campbell Global (formerly The Campbell Group) officials are implementing the first phase of the ambitious 4 Forests Restoration Initiative (4FRI) across four national forests in Arizona after the original holder of the 4FRI Phase 1 contract couldn’t obtain financing. The unprecedented initiative covers thinning and ecosystem improvement activities on 300,000 acres during the next 10 years (Phase 1), with an overall goal to treat 2.4 million acres in the region. Pioneer Resources of Montana was awarded the Phase 1 contract by the Forest Service (FS) in May 2012 but couldn’t obtain financing for its business plan, which included a sawmill, fingerjoint plant, furniture component plant and biofuels refinery to process logs and fiber coming off tracts specified in “task orders” generated by the FS and given to the contract holder. The contract was transferred to Omanbased Good Earth Power (GEP) in fall 2013, and in December GEP announced Campbell Global had been hired to manage the woods activities and contractors performing thinning and understory removal. Pioneer had planned to build its facilities in Winslow, Ariz., but Good Earth officials have already
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Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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■ in the news
received approval from the Forest Service to locate facilities in Williams, which is closer to the initial 4FRI task order project areas in the western part of the state. Most of the initial projects are in the Kaibab and Cococino national forests near Williams.
Officials with Good Earth have yet to announce the actual facilities planned for Williams and would need approval from the Forest Service to significantly alter terms of the original contract. At the press conference announcing the new contract holder last fall, Good Earth
Power Global CEO Jason Rosamond said the company would follow the initial wood products facilities plan, but was also exploring wood fuel pellet production and biofuels. Each task order covers a certain acreage and includes specific management activities to be completed in a set time frame, up to several years depending on project size. Steve Horner, Campbell Global’s Area Manager overseeing the projects, acknowledged the task order process is a good year-plus behind, but added that the company is making progress in ramping up project activities. The FS plans to issue another 25,000 acres of task orders in 2014. The 4FRI initiative is heralded as an unprecedented ecosystem-scale project that “goes big” outside of the traditional FS timber/salvage sale programs. After a series of catastrophic wildfires hit the state in the past 15 years, including the 468,000 acre Rodeo-Chediski fire in 2002 and the 2011 Wallow fire that scorched 538,000 acres, federal land managers realized they needed to manage overstocked forests at the ecosystem level. The group chairman and cofounder of Good Earth Power is listed as Alawi Zawawi, who is also the Chairman of the Omani family conglomerate, the Zawawi Group, which the web site states is a large family multinational with numerous businesses in the Gulf, U.S, Africa, India and Europe. Good Earth Power apparently originated as a developer of renewable electricity in Africa.
M-E-C’S Dave Parker Dies In Oklahoma David M. Parker, longtime president, CEO and chairman of the Board of M-E-C Company, one of the major wood raw materials dryer suppliers, died April 29 in Tulsa, Okla. He was 82. Parker was born in Peoria, Ill., where he was active in Boy Scouts and attained the status of Eagle
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Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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in the news ■
Scout. After graduating from Peoria High School, he served in the U.S. Army for two years, receiving an honorable discharge with the rank of Corporal. Parker earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He was a Certified Professional Engineer. Parker began his career with ADM in Neodesha, Kans. in 1957. In 1961 he was instrumental in forming M-E-C Company, where he served as President for 45 years, retiring in 2011. Under his leadership, M-E-C became a major, worldwide supplier of industrial process equipment for many different industries. Major emphasis was placed on supplying drying systems to the forest products industry for preparing wet wood waste for use in the manufacture of fuel pellets, particleboard, medium density fiberboard and ori-
ented strandboard. In 2001, M-E-C purchased assets of Smith Engineering and formed Pro-Environmental, Inc., manufacturer of environmental abatement equipment. After Parker’s retirement, he served as chairman emeritus until his death. Parker is survived by Joan, his wife of 59 years, and three children, Stephen, Pam and Lynn. Also surviving are four grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Funeral services were held May 5 at Moore’s Southlawn Chapel, Tulsa, Okla.
PFI Will Participate In Briquette Studies Pellet Fuels Institute is part of a team led by California’s Humboldt State University (HSU), which was awarded a U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) grant that will be used to
conduct a joint study on bioenergy technology. The $5.8 million grant, one of the largest ever received by HSU, is part of the Biomass Research and Development Initiative, a collaborative effort between the DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that supports renewable energy research in the rural United States. PFI, one of 15 partner organizations chosen by the university, will support two projects funded by this research, both relating to “briquetting,” or the process of densifying forest residues into compact, energy efficient portions for use in biomass thermal applications. “Some of the major barriers to utilizing forest residues are related to the high cost of collecting, processing, and transporting feedstock to conversion locations,” says the project’s lead principal investigator, HSU Forestry Professor Han-Sup Han. “This study will take innova-
August 2014 / Wood Bioenergy
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■ in the news
tive approaches that cost-effectively handle forest residues and produce quality feedstocks in the woods. Furthermore, removing forest residues helps reduce fire risk, supports forest restoration efforts and rural communities and prepares for planting trees.” In the first project, PFI will assess the adaptability of existing commercial biomass briquetting equipment for use as a field deployable system. The mobile system would be usable in or near woods to process a variety of forest residue types. Rather than hauling residues to a facility for processing, this technology would enable manufacturers to densify residues on the spot, allowing for enhanced ease and efficiency of transport. PFI will address issues inherent in creating a field deployable system, including the necessary support and material handling equipment. For the second project, also ex-
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pected to last two years, PFI will conduct a comparison of the logistics, output and economics of on-site versus mobile briquetting units. This study will aim to identify strategies to improve the economics of forest biomass utilization.
Torrefied Pellet Plant Draws Koreans The Suskwa and Gitsegukla First Nations announced plans to build a $26 million wood pellet facility near Hazelton, BC, signing an agreement with a consortium of Korean investors. The facility will produce 200,000 tonnes of white and torrefied black pellets per year, which will be exported to Korea to fuel electricty plants. The plant, called GITXSAN BioEnergy, will be 50% First Nationsowned through their Tricorp development company and 50% owned by a consortium of Korean compa-
nies including Samsung, HosannaGREC, Halla and Hanwa groups. GITXSAN Bio-Energy CEO Haksung Lee said they’re looking to build other plants across the province. Vancouver-based Global BioCoal Energy will be managing the plant’s construction and supplying the technology. Construction should begin this summer. The First Nations also purchased the Morning Glory sawmill to supply raw material to the pellet plant.
EIA Data Confirms Pellets Boom Wood pellet exports from the United States nearly doubled from 2012 to 2013, from 1.6 million tons (approximately 22 trillion Btu) to 3.2 million tons, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration. More than 98% of these exports were delivered to Europe.
Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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Enviva CEO John Keppler
The Champion
Of Wood Pellets EDITOR’S NOTE: In early June, John Keppler, co-founder and the Chairman and CEO of Enviva LP, answered questions posed by Wood Bioenergy to complement an article in this issue on Enviva’s wood pellet operation at Northampton County, NC near Garysburg (see page 22). This wasn’t Keppler’s first conversation with Wood Bioenergy. More than two years ago, in February 2012, Kepper answered questions on Enviva’s growing role in the industrial wood pellet industry. It was only a couple of months earlier that Enviva had shipped its first 28,000 metric tons of pellets from its new terminal facility at the Port of Chesapeake, Virginia. The company had recently started up its wood pellet plant in Ahoskie, NC. Since then, the company has built and started up pellet plants in Northampton County, NC and Southampton County, Va. Enviva continues to operate pellet plants it purchased and expanded in Amory, Miss. and Wiggins, Miss. The combined wood pellet production capacity from these five Enviva facilities today is approximately 1.6 million metric tons. Wood Bioenergy: Going back to 2010, when Riverstone Holdings invested in Intrinergy and then Intrinergy became Enviva, and then looking at Enviva’s current portfolio, can you comment on the progression of Enviva from then to today in relation to your expectations? Keppler: When we set out to build Enviva, we started with a straightforward hypothesis: To rapidly reduce the environmental and climate impacts associated with coal-fired energy generation, utilities worldwide need a reliable, creditworthy counterparty capable of delivering energy resources at a meaningful scale. When Riverstone made its initial investment, Enviva had 32 employees and this hypothesis. Today, we have almost 420 employees and are the largest producer of
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wood pellet fuels serving utility customers. This has been a great story of growth that has delivered real economic benefits to the Southeast U.S. and to our energy utility customers. Wood Bioenergy: Comment about the impact of wood pellets worldwide and also what has surprised you the most during the development of this industry? Keppler: As the markets have grown and the industry has matured, we are delivering the substantial environmental benefits that come with meaningful reductions in coal-fired generation. For instance, our current annual capacity displaces more than 1 million tons of coal per year; based on export numbers from last year, the U.S. wood pellet industry as a whole more than 3 million tons. While this is small when compared to the volume of coal used worldwide, it is real progress towards a clean energy future. Against this favorable impact, what has surprised me is the opposition to our industry by a selection of environmental NGOs (non-governmental organizations) whom I believe share our goal of reducing coal-fired emissions. By providing stable baseload power, biomass can be a critical complement to other forms of renewable energy like wind and solar and helps ensure reliable electricity supply while reducing fossil fuel use. Wood Bioenergy: Have you found consistency and stability in the markets you are now serving? Keppler: The markets are evolving and stability is emerging. The UK government introduced the Contracts for Difference support mechanism that provides longterm price certainty to low-carbon projects. This certainty will serve to reduce long-term risks and ultimately, consumer costs. Outside of the UK, other European and
Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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“One of the most powerful tools we have to educate markets is to showcase the tremendous commercial working forests of the Southeastern United States.” some Asian states are solidifying their regulatory approaches to biomass as well. And I am confident that due to our focus on sustainability, we will be able to meet or exceed any requirements put into place. Wood Bioenergy: What does Enviva do to try and educate those markets? Keppler: One of the most powerful tools we have to educate markets is to showcase the tremendous commercial working forests of the Southeastern United States that have formed the backbone of the forest products sector for decades. We do this by quite literally bringing customers, policy makers—and just as importantly, our critics—through our supply chain, starting in the forest, through tours of our facilities and to our deep water port facility in Chesapeake, Virginia. We enable these folks to see first-hand the sustainability of these vast resources and the market incentives that ensure their long-term viability. This is, after all, a region where the net volume per acre of wood fiber has increased 94% since 1953 and we’re privileged to showcase how our activities contribute to that sustainability. Wood Bioenergy: You’ve built and developed three very large wood pellet mills in a relatively short time? What has been the key to this consistent development, especially considering the need to adapt technologies and equipment to the large wood pellet production process and produce a wood pellet that conforms to international market requirements? Keppler: As Enviva has grown, we have taken lessons from each prior facility and applied them to subsequent developments. We took lessons learned in the development of our facilities in Amory and Wiggins, Mississippi and applied them to Ahoskie (North Carolina). After commissioning that facility, we applied further lessons to Northampton (NC). We have invested heavily in design and have developed what we believe is a best-in-class approach to pellet manufacturing. We are fortunate to have a highly skilled and experienced senior team of engineers and construction executives that has designed, built and commissioned each of our facilities and port terminals. Wood Bioenergy: One of the factors behind the location of the Enviva plants was the opportunity in the timber basket that was created by the closure of the International Paper mill in Franklin, Virginia. We know that IP has opened up some production back at the mill. Given that and any other related developments—such as improved wood products markets overall—please comment on your wood raw material procurement situation and the availability of the raw material itself. Keppler: Although the Franklin mill closure was
part of our decision to invest heavily in the mid-Atlantic, the larger reason was the robust, sustainable fiber basket that has underpinned the forest products industry in this region for decades. This region’s privately owned commercial forests demonstrate growth in excess of harvest year on year, and we provide an important outlet for low grade wood fiber. The additional income provided by our procurement gives landowners an additional financial incentive to sustainably manage their forests and keep their land in timber instead of converting to agriculture or other uses. Wood Bioenergy: As for international markets for industrial wood pellets, obviously we read a lot about the UK and the EU. Are there emerging markets elsewhere that are becoming significant? Keppler: Interest in alternatives to fossil fuels is widespread. The European Union, and the United Kingdom in particular, is the primary driver of growth in the biomass to energy industry. However, we are beginning to see interest in Asian markets—particularly South Korea and Japan. Last year, we sent our first shipment to a South Korean utility and expect to continue sending shipments there in the future. Based on the recent preliminary ruling by the EPA (to cut carbon emission from existing fossil fuel-fired power plants), there may be increased potential in the U.S. market as well. Wood Bioenergy: Comment on the importance of the wood pellet industry to the U.S. Keppler: As an export oriented industry, we are helping improve the balance of trade and bring good, skilled manufacturing jobs to parts of the country hard hit by the recession and other shifts in global economic trends. Exports of wood pellets were valued at approximately $650 million last year, double what they were in 2012, and growth in demand is expected to continue. Wood Bioenergy: We read a lot of forecasts for industrial wood pellet consumption worldwide and what portion of this capacity will be met by U.S. producers such as Enviva. We also read about ongoing and proposed construction of wood pellets plants in the U.S. in addition to Enviva’s. Given that: Does Enviva foresee a real possibility that it will build more production capacity beyond the three large existing plants along the Atlantic Coast and the two smaller plants in the Southeast? Keppler: The strong wood baskets, experienced labor force and proximity of well-developed infrastructure in the Southeast make it an ideal location for the wood pellet industry. Enviva is always exploring options for expansion to meet the growing global demand for solid renewable fuels and it is a matter of public record that we are currently evaluating investing in sev-
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“In addition to sites under consideration throughout the Southeast, Enviva is actively exploring expansion opportunities in the Pacific Northwest to meet growing demand in Asia.” eral new facilities in and around the Port of Wilmington, North Carolina, from which we intend to export our new production volumes. In addition to sites under consideration throughout the Southeast, Enviva is actively exploring expansion opportunities in the Pacific Northwest to meet growing demand in Asia. Wood Bioenergy: Is Enviva considering wood pellet production development outside of the U.S.? Keppler: As we consider expansion into the Pacific Northwest, we are evaluating possibilities in both the United States and Canada. Wood Bioenergy: Even given the currently operating and proposed industrial wood pellet production plants in the U.S., is “overcapacity” still a ways out because of the increasing market demands worldwide, or is this becoming a concern? Keppler: The supply required to meet projected future global demand for sustainably sourced biomass fuels does not currently exist. Virtually every ton of incremental demand will need to meet with supply from a facility yet to be built. As our industry continues to grow to meet this demand, we have to remember that we exist to deliver a clean, sustainable energy source. We only deliver environmental benefits if we develop in a way that is in tune with the nature of our forest resources—this means ensuring increasing timber inventories even after accounting for the impacts of pellet production. Prior to the development of any new facility, Enviva conducts thorough diligence on potential sites, which includes extensive modeling, both by our fiber team and by third party consultants, to ensure that our presence will not result in declining inventories across the forest landscape. Wood Bioenergy: Is any of Enviva’s wood raw material procurement directed toward U.S. markets—for instance, the domestic biomass electricity generation market? Keppler: Yes, Enviva currently supplies wood chips to two power plants in Virginia. Wood Bioenergy: The year 2020 is often referred to for industrial wood pellets markets and forecasts because of governmental renewable energy goals .Looking beyond 2020, are there any issues now percolating that could significantly impact—whether in a negative or positive way—the advancement of biomass power generation overseas? Keppler: Due to government policy and goals, we have a fairly good idea of what the world will look
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like in 2020. However, beyond 2020, indications are that demand for renewable energy resources, including wood pellets, will remain strong as countries increasingly work to confront the challenges of energy and the environment. Wood Bioenergy: What gives you the greatest confidence that Enviva’s position in the emerging biomass power industry is the correct one? Keppler: Enviva’s people are among the best and the brightest in the industry with decades of experience in forestry, energy, engineering, operations and development. Our managers’ and employees’ commitment to safety and reliability is second to none. Our oldest facility in Amory has gone over four years without a recordable incident. One of our newest plants, in Northampton, has operated since inception—more than 500 days—without a recordable safety incident. The Enviva team has proven its capabilities in acquiring and expanding facilities as well as developing and building greenfield plants and operating at an industrial scale. We believe the safety, quality, reliability and sustainability of our operations have helped us become a preferred provider to utilities. Through the great work of the Enviva team, we have never failed to meet obligations to our customers. Wood Bioenergy: Sustainability is an integral part of the international wood pellet industry. How does Enviva approach sustainability? Keppler: At Enviva, we say that sustainability is in our DNA. What we do ties global markets for clean, renewable energy to rural economies in the Southeast, delivering sustainable economic benefits while also delivering a clean fuel to energy utilities. Governments, academics and NGOs agree that, when procured sustainably, wood biomass fuels deliver considerable environmental benefits. This is why we are committed to sustainable forestry and have been since we began our business. All of our plants are now certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) fiber sourcing standard, and the Green Gold Label (GGL) program, which is a European-based program that covers chain-of-custody, processing, and greenhouse gas and energy balance accounting. We also have achieved chain-of-custody certifications to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Programs and SFI. In addition, we contractually require adherence to Best Management Practices in all harvests, regardless of land certification. Finally, we do not accept fiber from tracts that will be converted to non-forest use after harvest to make sure that we are creating incentives to keep forests forested.
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Enviva Pellets
Northampton Follows Suit By Jay Donnell GARYSBURG, NC nviva Pellets Northampton is well into full production mode at its 500,000 metric tons production capacity wood pellet plant here, and has even produced in excess of its “nameplate” capacity. Enviva purchased the 121 acre plant site in August 2011, received its first logs in November 2012, produced its first chip in February 2013 and produced its first pellet in April 2013. The Northampton plant is the second of three wood pellet plant startups that occurred in less than two years in the region for Enviva. The company started up its plant at Ahoskie, NC (365,000 metric tons) in November 2011, and its Southampton, Va. facility (500,000 metric tons) in September 2013. In 2011 it also acquired and expanded a deep water port terminal at the
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Port of Chesapeake with two-dome storage of 90,000 metric tons. Not to be forgotten are the pellet plants in Amory and Wiggins, Miss. the company purchased in 2010 and expanded to 105,000 and 110,000 metric tons, respectively. Add a contract operation with a third party in Bayou, La. at 50,000 metric tons, and Enviva today offers approximately 1.6 million metric tons of U.S. production capacity. Production from the Southeastern plants is shipped from the Port of Mobile through a partnership arrangement. And it’s no secret that Enviva is interested in possibly building new production capacity (see interview with CEO John Keppler, page 18). One reason Enviva chose to locate its three newest plants in the mid-Atlantic was to benefit from the robust wood basket and raw materials supply infrastructure that was already in place. The region’s privately owned commercial forests demonstrate growth in ex-
Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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Wheel loader manages chips pile.
cess of harvest, and Enviva provides an outlet for low grade fiber and residuals. The mid-Atlantic operations primarily use hardwood, though softwood is also part of the furnish. Raw materials include low grade whole trees, tops and limbs, in-woods chips and sawmill residuals such as shavings and sawdust. The company is implementing a proprietary track and trace system to provide data on the key attributes of the forest tracts, including everything from Best Management Practices to conservation value. “Sustainability is fundamental to our business,” states Enviva’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Elizabeth Woodworth, adding that it holds certifications from leading sustainable forestry organizations such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certifications. The quick progression of the three facilities has provided a classic opportunity of applying lessons learned along the way. The intention for the Ahoskie plant was to develop it into the company’s reference case for industrial scale pellet production. Subsequently, Northampton was the first facility developed under Enviva’s “build and copy” approach. For example, the Northampton and Southampton process islands are replicas of the same equipment, process flow and operating profile of the Ahoskie facility with minor modifications for site conditions and layout. Enviva’s senior team of engineers and construction executives has designed, built and commissioned each of their facilities and port terminals. “Given our build and replicate approach, we have been able to standardize the major installed equipment for each of our key process islands; and as we subcontract the major construction trades (i.e. civil, mechanical, electrical) to a common set of providers who typically work with us on each of our facilities in a given region, we are able to improve quality and schedule with each progressive project,” says Norb Hintz, Enviva co-founder and SenOpposite page: Hardwood accounts for most of the raw material.
Screening system precedes hammermilling.
ior Vice President of Engineering. The Northampton plant runs seven days a week around-the-clock and has 82 full time hourly employees. The employees were trained in advance of commissioning at the sister mill in Ahoskie. Their maintenance plan is designed in accordance with equipment manufacturers’ specifications and industry best practices. Enviva’s maintenance team at Northampton has 13 members including a planner, storeroom supervisor, plant engineer and a maintenance engineer. Enviva performs both preventative and predictive maintenance (e.g. vibration, oil, and thermographic analysis) on a regular basis. Enviva implemented aspects of Lean Manufacturing at its Ahoskie plant and continues to do so at Northampton. “Lean methodologies are part of Enviva’s DNA,” says Royal Smith, Vice President of Operations. This culture of continuous improvement embraces the elimination of waste, which leads to enhanced business performance. Also, the Northampton plant has not had a single recordable safety incident in 500+ days (as of July 1) and Enviva has increased its productivity year over year by 24%. Smith adds, “Every day our team members are identifying better ways to run our business. Once these ideas are implemented, we are quickly sharing and adopting these best practices across the company to realize the total potential.” According to Woodworth, one of the attractions to the Northampton site was the proximity of a strong, experienced workforce. Seventy-five percent of the employees live within 10 miles of the facility or in Northampton County. This ensures that the economic benefits of the operation contribute to the local economy. “Anecdotally, we have seen the Enviva effect in the communities where we operate— in Ahoskie, after Enviva commenced operations, we have seen new stores and businesses come into the downtown area,” Woodworth says. The employment makeup is a mix of both experienced personnel who spent years in the forest products industry and newly recruited talent. One of the benefits
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Rotary dryer station
Northampton plant operates 12 pellet presses.
of the “build and copy” approach and the concentration of operations in a particular region means that Enviva can train and share operators, maintenance personnel, spare parts and achieve remarkable economies of scale across its facilities. Most of Northampton’s operators trained at Ahoskie and pulled shifts at that facility before Northampton began commissioning. This familiarity with operations and procedures allowed for dramatic improvements in the production ramp of Northampton over Ahoskie and similarly at Southampton over Northampton. The Northampton plant manager is Roland Burnett and the fiber procurement manager is Ann Hudomint, both of whom have extensive experience in the wood products industry.
Manufacturing Flow Logs, green wood chips and mill residuals are received via truck. This plant processes mostly hardwood with some softwood. Logs are unloaded and stored within the west yard. Chips are unloaded utilizing a hydraulic truck dumper, and the chips are maintained and managed within piles in the west yard with loaders. The logs are managed within piles by a 35 ton portal crane
Each pellet cooler is linked to two extruders.
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operating on a one-third mile long track and fed into a single circular debarking drum where the bark is removed. Bark is transferred to a separate yard pile and used as fuel for the wood-fired burner, which supplies heat to the rotary chip dryer. Once the logs are debarked, they are fed through a chipper. The chips are transferred via rubber belt conveyor to two rechippers. The properly sized chips are transferred to a supply pile within the site yard. The chips are automatically conveyed as needed to the dryer green metering bin, which feeds the chips through the rotary dryer. The dried chips are transferred through a cyclone collector (exhaust through a wet electrostatic precipitator) and conveyed to the hammermill island. The chips are screened and automatically forwarded to the hammermills. The hammermill island contains seven hammermills. The screened chips pass through a metering bin ahead of each hammermill and a cyclone collector following the hammermill. Following hammermill operations, the chips are conveyed to a cooler cyclone prior to storage within the pellet mill feed silo. At the pellet mill building, the silo discharge is conveyed to the pellet mill distribution conveyor at the top level of the mill building. This conveyor feeds the chips
Left to right, fiber procurement manager Ann Hudomint; plant manager Roland Burnett; communications manager Morgan Pitts
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to one of three ripening bins. Each ripening bin supplies four extruders, for a total of 12 extruders (pellet presses). The extruders are fed via screw conveyors. The extruders (non-heated) mechanically force the wood particles through 8 mm openings on a die head, producing approximately 8 mm diameter x 1.5 in. wood pellets. The extruded pellets pass through a collector and onward to a pellet cooler where ambient air cools the pellets. There are two extruders per pellet cooler. The cooled pellets pass through a final screening process, and then onward to the truck loading building. The pellets are transferred via bucket elevator to the top level of the truck loading building, where they are stored within one of six bins. Each bin has three discharge gates for loading trucks located below on the first level of the truck loading building. A third-party contractor operates the finished goods trucking operation at this site. One truck leaves every 28 minutes and each truck carries up to 27 tons of pellets. Enviva’s port facility in Chesapeake is 90 miles away and is capable of receiving more than 200 trucks per day.
Some of Enviva’s key suppliers and equipment manufacturers at the Northampton site include Agra, Aircon, Bliss, BM&M, Büttner, CEM, Flamex, Factory Service & Engineering, Geoenergy, Kahl, P&H, Phelps, Price LogPro, Sennebogen, Volvo and Williams.
Enviva operates testing labs at each of its facilities. The Northampton facility has two technicians. Quality is inspected at several points in the process for specifications such as particle size, bulk density, moisture, fines durability and ash content.
Truck loading building is 90 miles from the port.
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■ grinding story
Bill Hermann
Slash Solutions: Better Grinding, Easier Access By Dan Shell PORT ANGELES, Wash. volving from a major logging contractor into a fiber production and handling operation, Hermann Bros. Logging & Construction plays a major role in chip and biomass output on the north side of the Olympic Peninsula. Since 1984, the company’s Evergreen Fibre subsidiary has held contracts to supply chips to several regional mills, including Port Townsend Paper and Nippon Industries. In the past half-decade or so, as regional biomass proposals made news with potential planned new plants and expansions, Hermann Bros. launched an initiative to make biomass output more productive, efficient and profitable. “We had been doing hog fuel since the 1980s, but when the cogeneration concept got moving, both paper mills had proposed cogen plants in the process,” says Bill Hermann, adding that both mills asked the company to investigate the feasibility of producing forest-based hog fuel. According to Hermann, the company had tried several different systems and configurations, starting with trailer-mounted tub grinders. “They were too slow and would take too long to fill a truck,” he remembers. “We
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tried grinding onto the ground and loading from the pile, but the process was still slow and you had more problems contaminating the material with dirt.”
Better Grinding Four years ago Hermann Bros. purchased its first Peterson 5710 horizontal grinder (it now has two). “That really turned things around. Those machines are efficient, mobile and just plain produce, day in and out,” Hermann says. While Hermann says the Peterson machines are durable and easy to maintain, the key is they must be maintained and kept in good condition. “What people need to understand is that wood grinders are just like rock crushers: They are both self-destruct mechanisms, and if you don’t take the time to maintain them and keep up with the wear parts they’ll eat themselves up,” Hermann says. “Wood is just as abrasive as sand and rocks, and if you don’t keep up the maintenance you’re kidding yourself.” The company operates an extensive trucking shop and service fleet, and Hermann Bros. operators make a point of bringing in each grinder every 1,000 hours of service for a thorough preventive maintenance check.
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Below, specialized biomass hauling rigs feature 6WD tractors, modified trailers to access sites on the rugged Olympic Peninsula. Opposite page, the company's Peterson machines have proved more efficient and productive than the tub grinders initially used for slash processing.
“We bring them in for regular service, but when it comes to wear parts we pay extra close attention,” Hermann says. And no matter the time since the last preventive service, any signs of wear in the grates or infeed or grinding mechanisms mean a quick trip to the shop to fix the problem. A full-time woods equipment mechanic with fully stocked service truck means diligent maintenance is a priority. “That’s a big part of his job, keeping the grinders running, and he’s very dedicated to it,” he adds. The company stays close in tune with machine operations: Working with cedar as a component of forest slash on one job and having a problem with small sticks and bark getting pulled through the grate, Hermann Bros. operators and mechanics added cutting edge (sharp knife) bits. The move fixed the sticks in the final product problem right off the bat, but the new bits had 50% less run time than the old ones. However, the new bits also reduced loading time by more than 10%, from 15 minutes to 13 minutes per load. In addition, the new bits used four gallons less fuel per load. “So even though the new bits cost twice as much in terms of wear time, in the end it was actually cheaper to use them to make a higher quality product with less loading time and fuel used,” Hermann says. “We find that with a lot of things. Issues aren’t what they appear from the first, and problems aren’t unsurpassable.”
Slash Solution While the company was settling on a grinding machine, it was also tackling the issue of slash pile access. “Anyone can grind slash and burn it in a boiler, but moving it from here to there is the big issue,” Hermann says. The company sought a solution to access and
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process a higher percentage of slash to satisfy landowners who didn’t want to burn but needed it removed. “Studies have shown that brush piles can cover up 2%-3% of ground, and leaving them is like giving money away—2% to 3% interest on the owner’s investment—on a tree farm,” Hermann exclaims. The Hermanns started with a highway truck and short chip vans (32 ft.), going up and down the logging roads with limited success. “We tried all sorts of things,” Hermann remembers. “We filled in ditches with gravel, we covered culverts with plywood and filled with biomass and came back and cleaned it out and reworked the road, and finally we decided we had to truly solve the problem.” After much spinning, bouncing, running off the road and cleaning up later, the first major tractor modification was converting some of the trucks to 6WD, which required putting in a raised frame to get over the front axle, a “stepped” design that leaves the 5th wheel the same height as the tractor, while the front is high enough over the axle to accommodate a transfer case. “It turned out mighty convenient that’s where to fit the transfer case, right where they step the frame,” Hermann says, adding that mechanics also figured out if they turned the drop axle around and pushed it instead of pulled it, there’d be room to fit the suspension, and the frame would also clear the drive lines and transfer case. Working with Tulsa Truck, which modified the frames, the Hermanns take a 60 in. wheel base truck and cut it in half about 3 ft. behind the cab. “Then they set the cab part on the rear axle, make a nice steel splice there, and in effect make a Z-frame,” Hermann says. He notes that the company has operated the vehicles almost five years and has had no frame problems during that time. “The design works great, and the trucks are an important part of our transportation setup,” Hermann adds. “Those things will take our chip trailers anywhere a log truck will go.” Yet the trailers provided another challenge, many times tracking incorrectly in tough conditions or coming off the road in tight corners. Working with Western Trailers and Ride Well Corp., Hermann Bros. helped develop a trailer steering mechanism that would enable drivers to maneuver the chip vans through switchbacks, tight corners and other tough logging road conditions. Initially a mechanical, cable-type system was explored but it proved unworkable. Instead, Ride Well came up with a radio-controlled steering system that features a hydraulic smart cylinder as the tie rod. The smart cylinder has a piston sensor inside and a read-out device outside that translates piston position into steering location. There’s a joystick in the cab with steering readout on it, and the driver steers. The steering system is installed on the two front trailer axles, and a lift system picks the third (back) axle up, shortening the trailer’s wheel base. “There was a lot of trial and error, and our guys were really patient working with it,” Hermann says. “And it
August 2014 / Wood Bioenergy
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■ grinding story
the 6WD truck hauls to 50 miles or less since the rigs aren’t as light as they could be, and in several instances Hermann Bros. has made short-term concentration yard arrangements and reloaded material onto better suited highway trucks for a longer haul to the mill. That way, the specialized 6WD rigs shuttle back and forth to in-woods job sites and spend more time doing what they’re designed to do: efficiently access slash locations and move hog fuel out of the woods. Hermann Bros. works closely with large timberland owners in the region who share harvest plans, allowing the Hermann grinding crews to in turn plan their operations among various job sites. Standard procedure is to first send in an excavator machine with brush grapThe Hermanns promote the value of sustainable wood bioenergy on the ple several weeks ahead to consolidate piles and also “fluff” the piles so they’ll air dry a bit back of their biomass hauling trailers. Landowners receive multiple before the grinders show up. benefits by converting slash piles to biomass, says Bill Hermann. “It makes a big difference if we can take just works, unbelievably well, in fact, and very reliable.” just a few percent of moisture content off the material,” The company operates five of the 6WD rigs with Hermann says. He adds that the treelength logging syssteerable trailers, each operating reliably with thoutems prevalent in the region tend to concentrate slash sands of miles on them. The company tries to limit around the landings, and one of the best places to pile
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Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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■ grinding story
and dry slash is on high-lead landings that tend to be at the top of a hill on the end of a spur road.
New Standards “We feel pretty good about where we are with this,” Hermann
says after detailing his company’s efforts to boost efficiency in grinding and accessing biomass, and the future bodes well: Despite cancelling plans to build and operate a new cogen facility at its plant in Port Townsend, Port Townsend Paper did complete a major boiler
Innovative, steerable trailers take Hermann biomass rigs anywhere a log truck will go. Note lifted rear axle, turned tires to reduce wheel base, negotiate switchbacks.
and related fuel handling systems upgrade that will double the facility’s hog fuel consumption. Meanwhile, Nippon Paper in Port Angeles, just down the hill from Hermann Bros.’ main log yard and truck shop facility, is ramping up biomass consumption at its new 20 MW cogen plant that started up at the end of 2013. Hermann says landowners initially viewed biomass as a potentially lucrative profit center, but the low-dollar fiber remains hard to produce efficiently. However, he believes biomass and slash handling considerations are becoming standard in landowner harvest and replanting cycles. “Landowners started out thinking this was going to be another product to sell, but found out it’s pretty expensive to do,” he says, adding that timberland owners have seen related benefits, such as no complaints about burning and no operational hassles associated with slash burning while maintaining the full acreage of the tract in plantable ground. “Every load of hog fuel going down the road is the same as between 1,200 to 1,400 gallons of fuel oil,” Hermann says. “There’s way more benefit in using the stuff to make power or heat the mill than leaving it in the woods.”
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Wood Bioenergy / August 2014
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■ pellet presses
Kahl Pelleting Plants Become Mainstay
For more than 70 years the company Amandus Kahl has built pelleting presses that proved to be successful due to a sturdy construction, economic efficiency, and smooth running performance. Three years ago the current U.S. market leader in wood pelleting had Amandus Kahl present them the modified wood pelleting press type 60-1250 with 600 HP and was soon convinced of its capacity (on average 6 t/h) and its sturdiness. Today, 37 Kahl flat-die pelleting presses are in operation in their four works. Currently, about 60 Kahl pelleting presses produce approximately 3 million t of wood pellets per year in the U.S.—most of them industrial pellets used in power plants for co-firing. This year, Amandus Kahl has accepted an order for another 24 presses by the U.S. market leader that will be commissioned in 2015. Kahl presses demonstrate quality in details such as: reinforced press bodies, robust cutting devices, breathing air filter preventing moisture in the gear interior, oil filter with flow meter, and pan grinder head stop for optimum adjustment of rollers and die. With an improved press control, clear machine monitoring and the use of a traffic light control system, downtimes can be avoided and the service lives positively influenced. The long service life and the simple rework of the pelleting tools, such as die and pan grinder rollers, result in low operating costs and high overall efficiency. Kahl presses can be used economically as a pan grinder mill for other applications, for example for crushing wood chips, torrefied wood, waste tires, domestic and industrial waste and much more. Visit akahl.de.
Andritz Emphasizes Customer Relations Andritz has delivered products and plant solutions for the biomass industry since the 1980s, has gained extensive knowledge and insight into the increasing demands of the specific biomass markets, and put this knowledge into satisfying its customers. When choosing products and solutions from Andritz you receive a qualified and experienced partner with the ability to assist you all the way from an idea to a fin-
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ished product. Andritz wants to be a complete partner and supplier for its customers and offers simple and efficient onestop-shop-concept covering the entire process and supplying all the machines for the line Andrtiz always strives to provide the newest technologies that will ensure: more efficient production; minimizing operation cost; maximizing energy efficiency; environmental protection considerations. Excellent aftermarket service and support sets Andrtiz apart. Its cooperation with customers does not end with the sale or the machine installation. The good customer relationship is extended through important after-sale service and support. Highly skilled and motivated employees stand ready to help you with: after-sales service, support and follow-ups; spare and wear parts, maintenance and repairs; process optimization; training of plant operators. Andrtiz offer customers excellent field services, where our service technicians come to you and your plant to provide assistance. Visit andritz.com.
Bliss Offers Versatility In Pellet Mill Lineup Bliss Industries, LLC is a leading manufacturer of wood and biomass pelleting equipment for residential, commercial and industrial pellet fuel. Founded in 1981, Bliss Industries maintains a reputation of manufacturing the most efficient, reliable and wellbuilt equipment in the industry. Developed from a design concept proven worldwide, the range of Pioneer Pellet Mills continues to expand. Overall reliability, maximum efficiency, ease of operation and maintenance combine to provide lower operating costs to each owner. Bliss offers a variety of models ranging from 21 in. diameter dies to 34 in. diameter dies, with 15 different models to choose from and a horsepower range of 60 HP to 600 HP. The three-roll design along with the feed cone system delivers “even striations” throughout the body of the pellet. The result is uniform wear within the pelleting chamber and a high quality finished product. The Bliss two stage twin drive offers greater flexibility and allows for lower electrical demand at startup. Visit bliss-industries.com.
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â– product news INADCO Offers Moisture Readings
INADCO Moisture Measurement BV offers its new Moisturemeter II for continuous measurements of biomass moisture levels and for real time information on the calorific values of the biomass used. Since 2000 INADCO has been a market leader in Europe for equipment that measures the bulk density of growing media like potting
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soil and peat. Initially the INADCO moisture measurement technology was developed to be used in these potting soil and peat markets and led to the development and introduction of the Moisturemeter I in 2006. Based on the principles of the Moisturemeter I, the Moisturemeter II is a new innovation that makes the technology available for the wide range of biomass materials used and the more industrial uses of biomass like power plants. Currently biomass installations face the problem of changing moisture percentages. The higher the moist percentage in the biomass the lower the energy yield will be in the boiler since the water in the biomass requires the installation to generate more energy for its heating and evaporation. For the highest yield
possible the controls for the combustion process in the boiler always need to be adjusted when moisture percentages change. If controls are not adjusted properly the yield of the biomass will go down and the emissions of carbon monoxide and NOx will increase. The new Moisturemeter II is equipped with a conveyor belt and has an integrated belt scale. As a result the Moisturemeter II can measure biomass while it is being fed into the boiler. This in combination with state-of-the-art laser sensor technology guarantees instant information such as: mass flow; flow of solids; flow of water; moisture percentage, actual and within batch; temperature of the product; total mass, per batch and lifetime; bulk density, actual and within batch; real time calorific value of the dry
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matter (in combination with the fuel value). INADCO CEO Theo Coolen states: “It is very exciting that the technology that made us a market leader in other markets has now evolved into the most accurate biomass measuring equipment on the market. We are very enthusiastic to be able to assist the biomass industry with our expertise and solutions in realizing a higher output at a lower cost both from a financial and an environmental perspective.” Visit inadco.nl.
Chipper Features Slewable Conveyor Reliable and cost-effective, the new robust heavy-duty chipper Doppstadt DH 910 SA-B reduces log and root timber, branches and wooden residues to wood chips.
Consistent, high-quality wood chips are produced from softwood logs up to 900 mm diameter. In the case of hardwood it is possible to chip logs up to 700 mm. Instead of a discharge arm, this chipper discharges the material by means of a slewable rear conveyor thus achieving highest throughput capacities and reducing the fine fraction to a minimum. The standard swivelling range is 60°, extendable to 90°. The final wood chip size is determined by the feeding speed and by different quickly replaceable screening segments. The heavy and solid full-steel rotor provided with chipping knives
guarantees a reliable and high chipping output. An elevated reshredding screen and a rigid cutter bar ensure a uniform wood chip size. The chipping knives can be re-sharpened. They are adjusted from outside the machine. All the control elements are joined on one central panel. A robust steel construction ensures stability and a long service life. The chipper housing is provided with large protection doors on all sides and central lubrication bars facilitating the access for maintenance operations. The 3-axle semitrailer chassis
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of the mobile chipper is equipped with ABS and it can also be towed by wheel loaders or large stackers. After the arrival at the place of operation the machine is ready for use in a matter of minutes and it produces 350 m3 per hour, approximately 10 times the loading capacity of a 7.5 ton truck. Of course the throughput depends on the material and the loading method. The precision chipper is driven by a Mercedes-Benz 8cylinder V-engine. With 450 kW engine output at 2000 rpm it is designed for failure-free continuous operation. Visit doppstadt.com.
Track Grinder Provides Powerful Reduction
The track-mounted mobile Doppstadt AK 635 K grinds log and root timber, waste wood and green waste. A 2.5 ton flail drum processes the material quickly and consistently at up to 1140 rpm. First the material is caught at the impact edge and then it is grinded at the baffle plate equipped with Hardox teeth. The operator determines the final material structure and grain size by means of the fine shredding basket in the discharge area of the shredding chamber. For different materials and shredding structures there are baskets with 30-400 mm mesh size available. They can be replaced in a matter of minutes. The material is transported depending on the load to the shredding chamber by means of the scraper floor and the aggressive feed-in drum. This process is protected by an automatic reversing system. The electro-hydraulic scraper floor speed control enables an optimal utilization of the engine output thus keeping the throughput capacity on the highest possible level all the time. The operator regulates the speed manually by means of a potentiometer thus adjusting the conveying speed to the material. The engine of the grinder achieves a very high torque at an optimal course of torque. Visit doppstadt.com.
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■ product news Optimizing Biomass Moisture Control Moisture content (MC) of biomass received at a pellet plant varies widely. Since the production of high quality pellets depends on finding and maintaining the optimum biomass MC entering the pelletizer, it is important that the MC control system be up to the chal-
gate for MC and controlled to a setpoint value that produces the MC under ideal operation. However, as soon as there is a change in incoming evaporative load, a new setpoint is required that produces the target MC. Since there is no method for automatically adjusting the setpoint, this method is not effective (see Figure 1). Derivation of the mathematical
Figure 1 – Comparison of Dead Times for Various MC Sensing Locations
lenge. Unfortunately, there are three main issues with currently-used MC control systems: (1) the MC analyzer must be located downstream of the dryer; (2) a feed forward signal of the incoming evaporative load is needed but is expensive and problematic; and (3) at times the exhaust temperature is used as a surro-
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model, MC= K1(ΔT)p – K2/Sq, that relates the biomass MC exiting the dryer to the temperature drop (ΔT) of hot air across the dryer and to (S) the evaporative load provided solutions for the three problems listed above: (1) an inside-thedryer MC sensor was invented that consistently reduces the dead time
and thus the MC variation at least 30% (Figure 1 illustrates the advantage of moving the MC sensor inside-the-dryer to reduce dead time and thus the MC variation); (2) a simple, inside-the-dryer evaporative load feed-forward signal is now available; and (3) the delta T setpoint that produces the target MC can be continuously re-calculated following evaporative load changes to the dryer. By combining these three solutions in the patented Delta T system, the biomass MC variation exiting the dryer and fed to the pelletizers is reduced at least 30%. Consequently, the optimum biomass MC for pelletizing can now be easily maintained with at least 30% less MC variation. Visit Drying Technology, Inc., moisturecontrols.com.
CBI Expands Workforce Continental Biomass Industries announced several hirings and promotions. Bill Dicey has been hired as Service Manager for CBI. He has spent the last 20 years in parts and service management. Wayne Pearson has come on as
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Materials Manager, bringing more than 25 years of materials management background predominantly in the capital equipment industry. Nate Eskeland has been promoted to Parts Manager. He is in
his 11th year with CBI, eight of which were in the parts department and three in outside sales. Tim Griffing has returned to CBI as a Stationary Systems Sales Engineer covering North America.
He has more than 20 years of experience in the design and sales of stationary systems for the wide range of markets that CBI serves. Anders Ragnarsson, President of CBI, comments, “The wealth of experience and industry knowledge these people have makes them key additions to the CBI family. We view these appointments as a sign of CBI’s commitment to being the best in our industry.”
Bagging Machine Marks Milestone Premier Tech Chronos, a business unit of Premier Tech’s Industrial Equipment Group, celebrated the sale of the 300th FFS Series Form Fill and Seal bagging machine. The Canadian company Transfobec Mauricie is the new owner of the machine. Transfobec Mauricie purchased a Premier Tech Chronos FFS-200 bagging machine, a reserve supply and a VF-2300 volumetric feeder to meet its bagging needs for the production of a new type of specialized mulch. The FFS Series bagging machines have long been recognized for their reliability and durability. The FFS systems help reduce the costs of packaging materials while offering excellent performance and unmatched longevity. One of the first machines in the series, sold in 1997, is still in operation and has packaged more than 1,500 bags of peat per hour since its installation.
Boiler Plant Bound For Hungary Valmet will supply a complete boiler plant to Hamburger Hungaria Power in Dunaujvaros, Hungary. The value of the order is EUR 50 million. The new power plant will produce electricity and steam for Hamburger Hungaria’s containerboard mill that operates two paper machines. It will replace the existing gas-fired boiler plant that produces steam only, and enable Hamburger
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Hungaria Power to use a wide range of solid fuels, biomass, coal as well as containerboard rejects and sludge in energy production instead of natural gas. The new boiler plant will go on stream by the end of 2015. “Hamburger Hungaria has a state-of-the-art paper production, but neither the cogeneration potential, nor the energy content of its waste have been utilized so far,” says Dr. Szikla, Managing Director of Hamburger Hungaria Power. Valmet’s delivery will include a CYMIC boiler based on circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology and flue gas cleaning to ensure low emissions. The boiler will have a capacity of 158 MW of steam at 113 bar, 520° C. The power plant will produce 42 MW of electricity. Valmet’s CYMIC boiler combines high-efficiency combustion of various solid fuels with low emissions, even when burning fuels with completely different calorific values at the same time.
Orders Announced For France, UK Plants Metso has been awarded four orders from the CNIM group to supply automation to greenfield plants in France and the UK, including greenfield waste-to-energy plants in Battlefield, Shropshire, and in Leeds (UK), and two greenfield biomass-to-energy plants in Estrées-Mons (France) and in Ridham Dock (UK). The CNIM group acts as a contractor in all these projects. Metso will supply an extensive Metso DNA automation system for all process controls and plant information management. The integrated process automation system covers all plant processes from boilers to turbines. The new biomass-to-energy plant in Estrées-Mons is owned and operated by Nerea, a subsidiary of the French group Akuo Energy. Once on line at the end of 2014, it will have an electric output of 13 MW, powering 25,000 households. The plant is part of France’s national green energy
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program CRE, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and curb climate change. It will also supply 25 tons of heat per hour to the food industry. The Ridham Dock combined heat-and-power biomass power plant owned by the German Mannheim energy company (MVV Energie) is located 30 km southeast of London and is designed to have an electrical output of 23 MW. It will use about 172,000 tons of old timber per year to generate almost 188 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to cover the electricity needs of 60,000 houses. The plant is scheduled to be operational in spring 2015. Established in 15 countries, the CNIM Group designs, develops and produces turnkey industrial solutions with high technological content and offers expert research, expertise and operations services in various fields.
Biomass On Tap At Richmond
The 34th East Coast Sawmill and Logging Equipment Exposition was held May 16-17 at the Raceway Complex in Richmond, Va. As the name implies, the event has traditionally focused on lumber manufacturing and conventional logging operations. But biomass processing continues to become an important part of the event, as evidenced by the abundance of chipping and grinding machinery on the grounds, and because Virginia and neighboring states have become a hotbed of biomass and wood pellet production. Jason Morey with Bandit Industries noted, “Our dealer Chipper Pro received some solid chipper leads and had at least four solid demos they were going to do. I am sure we will sell some units from leads received.” Shown from top left, activity during the expo at the Morbark, Bandit and CBI exhibits.The event featured more than 225 exhibits, including Wood Bioenergy magazine.
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