Biomass Magazine - July 2014

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JULY 2014 | BIOMASS MAGAZINE

INSIDE

JULY 2014 | VOLUME 8 | ISSUE

Subscriptions Biomass Magazine is free of charge to everyone with the

exception of a shipping and handling charge of $49.95 for anyone outside

the United States. To subscribe, visit www.BiomassMagazine.com or you

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more information, contact us at 701-746-8385 or service@bbiinternational.

com. Advertising Biomass Magazine provides a specific topic delivered to

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advertising opportunities, please contact us at 701-746-8385 or service@

bbiinternational.com. Letters to the Editor We welcome letters to the editor.

Send to Biomass Magazine Letters to the Managing Editor, 308 2nd Ave.

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16 NEWS

17 COLUMNEPA, White House Signal Biomass SupportBy Bob Cleaves

18 FEATURE Fire Threat Turns Energy AssetPlacer County, Calif., will utilize forest slash to reduce wildfire risk and open-pilburning while generating renewable power.By Anna Simet

20 CONTRIBUTION Tucker RNG: Litt le Machine, Big ImpactAfter more than a decade of development, a distributed-scale, fast pyrolysissystem is producing power at ReVenture Park in Charlotteville, N.C.By Maureen Essen, Caroline Morris and Nate Anderson

POWER

06 EDITOR’S NOTEBuy Local, It’s Cheaper By Tim Portz

07 INDUSTRY EVENTS

08 BUSINESS BRIEFS

10 Q2 BIOMASS CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

52 MARKETPLACE

18

Court OrderedOxford County Free ofFossil FuelPage24

www.biomassmagazine.com

July2014

PlusVermont's Vision for

Community-Scale Wood HeatPage30

AndBioenergy Pans Out In Gold

CountryPage18

ON THE COVERWith his hands full ofwood pellets, OxfordCounty AdministratorScott Cole stands outsidethe county courthouse,which has installed a

state-of-the-art pelletboiler heating system inits basement.

PHOTO: TRISH LOGAN, TRISH LOGANPHOTOGRAPHY

PELLETS

22 NEWS

23 COLUMNThe Beauty of Local Wood HeatBy Maura Adams

24 FEATURE Pellets Warm County SeatsAfter many decades of oil use, the Oxford County Courthouse in South Paris,Maine, is utilizing local and renewable heat.By Tim Portz


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Hazlehurst, Georgia, USA

A S T E CW O O D P E L L E T P L A N T S

Modular design with replicated 20 TPH rated “ lines”

One source for equipment and construct ion

No add-on equipment needed to reduce VOC emissions

Quick setup and startup with guaranteed product ion

24/7 support, parts and service

Any hard wood or soft wood species

t c .. is a me f st I r t i , .. y m anies,

bi lli n o r r y cor on r t i ta a, , . A.


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BIOGAS

38 NEWS

39 COLUMNCommunity Digesters:

Opportunities, Challenges and StrategiesBy Surya Pidaparti

40 FEATURECalifornia Craft Brews and Biogas BargainsIn a bid to utilize waste and slash energy costs, California beer makeare looking toward biogas energy.By Chris Hanson

JULY 2014 | VOLUME 8 | ISSUE

THERMAL

28 NEWS

29 COLUMN

Wood Stove Politics:Democrats, Republicans and Unlikely Bedfellows

By John Ackerly

30 FEATURE Vermont’s Wood Heat RenaissanceSince the 1980s, Vermont’s wood heat ambition has made it a nationleader and role model for other states.By Anna Simet

ADVANCED BIOFUELS & CHEMICALS

46 NEWS

47 COLUMNPathway to NowhereBy Michael McAdams

48 DEPARTMENTMobilizing PyrolysisPortable pyrolysis units are helping solve some of the economic chainvolved in biomass energy projects.By Kolby Hoagland

INSIDE ADVERTISER INDEX¦

2014 National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo 56

2015 International Biomass Conference & Expo 53

Agra Industries 26

Airoflex Equipment 28

Astec, Inc. 4

BBI Project Development 54

Continental Biomass Industries, Inc. 42

CPM Wolverine Proctor, LLC 46

Dieffenbacher 8

Fagen Inc. 2

Hurst Boiler & Welding Co. Inc. 27

KEITH Manufacturing Company 7

New Holland Agriculture 9

Parr Insturment Company 50

Pellet Fuels Institute 55

PHG Energy 34

Retsch, Inc. 44 & 45

SAMSON Materials Handling Ltd. 43Seeger Green Energy, LLC 15

Terex Environmental Equipment 35

TerraSource Global (Jeffrey Rader) 12

Tramco, Inc. 14

Uzelac Industries 38

Vecoplan LLC 13

Vector Systems Inc. 22

WASTECON 2014 36

WB Services, LLC 16

West Salem Machinery Co. 37

Wolf Material Handling Systems 51

30

Biomass Magazine : (USPS No. 5336) July 2014, Vol. 8, Issue 7. Biomass Magazine is published monthly by BBI International. Principal Of fice:308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, ND 58203. PeriodicalsPostage Paid at Grand Forks, North Dakota and additional mailingof fices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Biomass Magazine /Subscriptions, 308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, NorthDakota 58203.

TM

Please recycle this magazineand remove inserts orsamples before recycling

COPYRIGHT © 2014 by BBI International


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6 BIOMASS MAGAZINE | JULY 2014

Buy Local,It’s heaper

Every year, I look forward to the dis-tributed and onsite bioenergy projects is-sue of Biomass Magazine . It has become anannual favorite of our staff, readers andadvertisers, and for good reason. Biomass

was the earliest source of light and heat, warming and illuminating small bands of ancient humans. Today, it continues toexcel as an energy source in smaller appli-cations. This month’s stories clearly dem-onstrate that biomass streams are beingcaptured and converted in myriad ways todeliver heat and power to their host envi-

ronments. What I find particularly exciting is that strong economic advan-tage was a commonality amongst this month’s stories.

In “California Craft Beers and Biogas Bargains,” (page 40) staff writ-er Chris Hanson's appropriately titled feature, we learn that in the explod-ing craft brewery sector, anaerobic digestion is often the most economic

wastewater treatment solution available.Biomass offers the same economic advantage in providing building

heat, as Managing Editor Anna Simet reveals in “Vermont’s Wood Heatenaissance” (page 30). In the article, Tim Ma er, now CEO of Com-

munity Biomass Systems, said of his early days in the Biomass EnergyResource Center, “When we first started, we usually saw a 30 to 35 percentfuel cost reduction from oil to wood chips. At the peak, it had grown toan 80 percent cost savings. It’s eased back a little now, to about 70 percent,but that’s still the real driver.”

That’s still the real driver, which should be music to the ears of every-one who cares about this industry. Most of us are drawn to this industrybecause we believe that for our energy cycle to be sustainable, it needs acontinued, steady progression toward biogenic, rather than geologic, car-bon inputs. For almost everyone else, biomass-derived energy has to makeeconomic sense to attract their attention. The externalities and true costsof carbon arguments, while extremely valid, do little to move people. In-dustries need low-priced energy. Counties need to reduce their heatingexpenses. Brewers want cost-effective water treatment solutions, and con-sumers want c eaper power. T is mont ’s stories prove t at in t e rig tsituations, biomass doesn’t ust compete with fossil inputs from a costperspective, it dominates.

TIM PORTZVICE PRESIDENT OF CONTENT& EXECUTIVE EDITOR

[email protected]

EDITOR’ NOTE

DIT RIAL

PRESIDENT & EDITOR IN CHIEFTom Bryan [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT OF CONTENT

& EXECUTIVE EDITORTim Portz [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Anna Simet [email protected]

NEWS EDITORErin Voegele [email protected]

STAFF WRITERChris Hanson [email protected]

COPY EDITORJan Tellmann [email protected]

MAPS & DATA MANAGERKolby Hoagland [email protected]

ART

ART DIRECTORJaci Satterlund [email protected]

GRAPHIC DESIGNERElizabeth Burs lie [email protected]

PUBLISHING & SALES

CHAIRMANMike Bryan [email protected]

CEOJoe Bryan [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Matthew Spoor [email protected]

MARKETING DIRECTORJohn Nelson [email protected]

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORHoward Brockhouse [email protected]

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERChip Shereck [email protected]

CIRCULATION MANAGERJessica Beaudry [email protected]

TRAFFIC & MARKETING COORDINATORMarla DeFoe [email protected]


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INDUSTRY EVENTS¦

2014 Pellet Fuels InstituteAnnual Conference J ULY 27-29, 2014Omni Orlando Resort at Champions GateOrlando, FloridaThe PFI Annual Conference is the annual opportunity for members of

the densified biomass fuel industry to gather for three days of educa-tional opportunities, vendor exhibits and networking. Attendees includemanufacturers, retailers, industry suppliers, government of ficials, andmore. If you would like to be added to the email distribution list for thePFI Conference, please send an email to [email protected] | www.pelletheat.org

National AdvancedBiofuels Conference & ExpoOCTOBER 13-14, 2014Hyatt MinneapolisMinneapolis, MinnesotaProduced by BBI International, this national event will feature the worldof advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals—technology scale-up,

projectfi

nance, policy, national markets and more—with a core focus onthe industrial, petroleum and agribusiness alliances defining the nationaladvanced biofuels industry. With a vertically integrated program and au-dience, the National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo is tailoredfor industry professionals engaged in producing, developing and de-ploying advanced biofuels, biobased platform chemicals, polymers andother renewable molecules that have the potential to meet or exceed theperformance of petroleum-derived products.866-746-8385 | www.advancedbiofuelsconference.com

International BiomassConference & ExpoAPRIL 20-22, 2015Minneapolis Convention Center Minneapolis, Minnesota

Organized by BBI International and produced by Biomass Magazine,this event brings current and future producers of bioenergy and bio-based products together with waste generators, energy crop growers,municipal leaders, utility executives, technology providers, equipmentmanufacturers, project developers, investors and policy makers. It’s atrue one-stop shop — the world’s premier educational and networking junction for all biomass industries.866-746-8385 | www.biomassconference.com

International Fuel EthanolWorkshop & Expo J UNE 1-4, 2015Minneapolis Convention Center Minneapolis, Minnesota

The FEW provides the global ethanol industry with cutting-edge contentand unparalleled networking opportunities in a dynamic business-to-business environment. The FEW is the largest, longest running ethanolconference in the world—and the only event powered by Ethanol Pro-ducer Magazine.866-746-8385 | www.fuelethanolworkshop.com


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PEOPLE, PRODUCTS & PARTNERSHIPS

Business BriefsSuperior Industries addsterritory sales managers

Superior Industrieshas appointed KevinKrieger as territory salesmanager throughout theMountain and North-

west regions of the U.S.He most recently servedas a territory managerfor Fenner Dunlop. Thecompany has also ap-pointed Bill Humphreyas territory sales managerthroughout the GreatLakes and Ohio River

Valley regions. He was

most recently employedby Aggregates Manu-facturing International.Krieger and Humphrey

will work closely with dealers in their respec-tive regions to bring innovative conveyingequipment to bulk materials producers.

Mascoma adds scientificadvisory board member

Mascoma Corp. has added JohannesPieter (Hans) van Dijken to its scientific ad-

visory board. Van Dijken is a microbiologistand yeast researcher. He currently serves asa professor emeritus of industrial microbiol-ogy at the Delft University of Technology inthe Netherlands. Van Dijken has consultedfor Mascoma since 2007.

Babcock & Wilcox to acquire Megtec The Babcock & Wilcox Co. has an-

nounced its subsidiary, Babcock & WilcoxPower Generation Group Inc., has signeda definitive agreement to acquire industrialprocess solutions provider Megtec. Megtec,

which employs approximately 600 people in10 countries, will operate as B&W Megtec,a wholly owned subsidiary of B&W PGG.

The purchase was expected to close June 30. The acquisition is expected to expand B&WPGG’s role as an environmental productsand solutions provider beyond its histori-cal focus on utility markets, to a variety of

industrial applications for customers thecompany has not traditionally served.

Genomatica adds

executive vice presidentGenomatica has appointed Kaspar

Evertz as its executive vice president, com-mercial. He will leadthe company’s businessdevelopment, licensingand technology transferteams with a focus onlicensing its processtechnologies, and thedelivery and executionof those licenses. He also will be responsib

for securing strategic partners to supportthe development of additional commercialprocesses through sponsored developmentprograms. Evertz previously served as exective vice president and managing director oindustrial projects at Ferrostaal AG GmgH

Dieffenbacher USA, Inc. 2000 McFarland 400 Blvd. | Alpahretta, GA 30004Phone: (770) 226-6394 | [email protected]

Biomass Pelletizing & Energy SystemsPellet Plants | Dryers | Furnaces | Steam Boilers | Thermal Oil Heaters | Cogeneration

R ot ar y D r yer P elle t P r ess

H ea t En er g y S y s t em

www.dieffenbacher.com

Humphrey

Evertz

Krieger


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Professor wins NSF award Tae Seok Moon, an

assistant professor ofenergy, environmentaland chemical engineeringat Washington Universityin St. Louis, has receiveda prestigious FacultyEarly Career Develop-ment Award from the National ScienceFoundation for his project, titled “Engineer-ing Biological Robustness through Syn-thetic Control.” Moon received a fi ve-year$400,000 grant to understand the principlesof biological robustness by using syntheticDNA in basic bacteria cells. The researchcould have implications for biofuel produc-

tion and several other industries.

Verdezyne reaches productionmilestone

Verdezyne Inc. has produced more than1 metric ton of biobased dodecanedioic acid(DDDA) using its proprietary yeast platformand downstream process. The Michigan Bio-

technology Institute and the Michigan StateUniversity Bioeconomy Institute worked

with Verdezyne to run the bio-based DDDAprocess at the 4,000-liter scale. This produc-tion confirmed the scalability of Verdezyne’sprocess and produced polymer-grade mate-rial for potential customers and partners.

Attorney named as Rising Star Anna Wildeman,

an attorney at MichaelBest & Friedrich LLP,has been named one ofSuper Lawyers Maga-zine’s 2014 Washington,D.C., Rising Stars. Sheis a member of Michael

Best’s Energy PracticeGroup and Agribusiness,Food Processing & Distribution Group.

Andritz to market TornadoPulper technology

Andritz Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of theinternational technology Group Andritz,

signed an agreement with Bolton-Emerson Americas LLC giving Andritz exclusiverights to market and sell the Tornado Pulpefor solid and liquid fuel applications, as welas biochemical processes.

ABC presents projects of the year The American Biogas Council has

named Stockton, Iowa-based AgriReNewand Stanley, N.Y.-based Lawnhurst EnergyLLC as the Agricultural Biogas Projects ofthe Year. Harvest Power’s Energy Garden iLake Buena Vista, Fla., was named MerchaBiogas Project of the Year. The ABC namethe Michigan State University South Campu

Anaerobic Digester in East Lansing, Mich.as the Institutional Biogas Project of the

Year, while the Village of Ridgewood Biogproject in Ridgewood, N.J., won Biogas Proect of the Year.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

SHARE YOUR INDUSTRY NEWS: To be included in the Business Br

send information (including photos and logos, if available) to Busin

Briefs, Biomass Magazine, 308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks

58203. You may also email information to evoegele@bbiinternatio

com. Please include your name and telephone number in all corresp

dence.

SMART ISHELPING ALTERNATIVE

ENERGY BECOME MAINSTREAM.

© 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its

subsidiaries or affiliates. New Holland Construction is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. NHBM06149440

PROUDLY SUPPORTING AMERICA’s ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.

EWHOLLAND.COM/NA

Moon

Wildeman


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Atikokan Generating Station, Ontario Power Generation Inc.

Location Atikokan, Ontario

Engineer/builder Aecon, Doosan, Nordmin

Primary fuel Industrial pellets

Boiler type Suspension fire system

Nameplate capacity 211 MW

Combined heat & power No

Government incentives 10-year PPA

IPP or Utility Provincial utility

Groundbreaking date October 2012

Start-up date Q2 2014

Commissioning of the material handling systems is underway. Project is on target to reach commercialoperation in early summer.

Eagle Valley Clean Energy, Evergreen Energy

Location Gypsum, Colo.

Engineer/builder Wellons Inc.

Primary fuel Forest restoration residueBoiler type Stoker

Nameplate capacity 11.5 MW

Combined heat & power Yes

Government incentives Federal 1603 grant

IPP or Utility IPP

Groundbreaking date November 2012

Start-up date December 2013

The facility was placed into start-up service in December.

Drax Power Station, Drax Group plc

Location Drax, Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Engineer/builder Shepherd Group

Primary fuel Industrial pellets

Boiler type Pulverized fueled boiler

Nameplate capacity 630 MW


Government incentives ROCs

IPP or utility IPP

Groundbreaking date July 2012

Start-up date April 2013 (1st unit)

Thefirst two of four storage domes, rail receipt/unloading, and distribution systems are completeand are serving thefirst converted unit.

Biomass-to-Energy Plant-Green Energy Team LLC, Standardkessel Baumgarte Group

Location Lihu'e, Hawaii

Engineer/builder Standardkessel GmbH, Germany

Primary fuel Woody biomassBoiler type Stoker

Nameplate capacity 7.5 MW


Government incentives No

IPP or Utility IPP

Groundbreaking date January 2013

Start-up date Fall 2013

Procurement and manufacturing are complete. Balance of plant and instrument, electrical and controlinstallation is ongoing. System-related commissioning has begun.

Completion of wood pellet productionfacilities Enviva Pellet Southampton and Vulcan

Renewables, as well the FCPC RenewableGeneration and UC Davis Renewable Energy

Anaerobic Digestion biogas facilities, werecelebrated in Q2 of this year.

The biomass power sector saw monumen-tal accomplishments, as Drax Power Stationbeganfiring one of its three boilers completelyon biomass, and Atikokan Generating Station,Eagle Valley Clean Energy and the Biomass-to-Energy Plant entered commissioning phases.

Biogas facilities Sacramento BioDigesterand The Plant verify the expansion of food wastesystems in the sector.

In the advanced biofuel sector, cellulosicethanol plant Abengoa Bioenergy Biomass ofKansas and renewable diesel facility GreenEnergy Products are currently undergoing com-missioning. At Abengoa's plant, lignin residue

resulting from the manufacturing processwill be combusted on site to generate

biomass power.The pellet section of the Biomass

Construction Update notes the arrival oftorrefied and Black Pellet production on acommercial scale with the construction ofthe Merrit Wood Pellet & Torrefaction Plantby Diacarbon Energy, and Selma Conver-sion by Zilkha Biomass Energy. Diacarbonis incorporating a proprietary pyrolysistechnology, while Zilkha is installing itssteam explosion technology. While employ-ing distinctly different processes, both Diacarbonand Zilkha will produce a densified wood product

that handles and combusts like coal while pos-sessing the emission qualities of biomass.

The biomass installations included in theupdate do not denote an exhaustive list of bio-mass construction projects, but ones of promi-

nent standing across the biomass-to-energysectors. With construction season pushing intohigh gear, more projects will reach completionwhile others move from the drawing board tosinking concrete and steel into the ground.

If you would like your project includedin the update please send an email [email protected].

BiomassBiomass Power Pellets Biogas Advanced Biofue

CONSTRUCTION UPDATETorrefied Biomass in Production on Commercial Scaleby Kolby Hoagland

AMITE BIOENERGYPHOTO: TIM PORTZ


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CONSTRUCTION UPDAT

Enviva Pellets Southampton LLC

Location Franklin, Va.

Design/builder Unavailable

Feedstock Hardwood and softwood

Pellet grade Utility

Fire prevention technology Unavailable

Annual capacity 500,000 metric tons

Exporting Europe

Export port Enviva Port of Chesapeake


Start-up date 1st half of 2014

Project is under commercial operation.

Vulcan Renewables LLC

Location St. Augustine, Fla.

Design/builder Vulcan Renewables

Feedstock Softwood

Pellet grade Premium and industrial

Fire prevention technology Water Deluge System

Annual capacity 150,000 short tons

Exporting Europe and Korea

Export port Port of Jacksonville

Groundbreaking date January 2013

Start-up date February 2014

Construction was complete in February.

Allendale Pellet Plant

Location Allendale, S.C.

Design/builder Unavailable

Feedstock Southern yellow pine mill residue

Pellet grade Industrial and EN Plus

Fire prevention technology Firefly

Annual capacity 60,000 metric tonsExporting Europe

Export port Unavailable

Groundbreaking date May 2014

Start-up date October 2014

Site work is done and concrete work is beginning.

Amite BioEnergy, Drax Biomass International Inc.

Location Gloster, Miss.

Design/builder Haskell Company

Feedstock Southern yellow pine

Pellet grade Industrial premium pellets

Fire prevention technology Fire Eye

Annual capacity 450,000 metric tonsExporting U.K.

Export Port Port of Greater Baton Rouge

Groundbreaking date August 2013


The project is continuing on schedule, targeting the first quarter of 2015 for the start of commercialoperations, with full capacity to be reached six months later.

Fram Renewables Fuels - Hazlehurst

Location Hazlehurst, Ga.

Design/builder Astec Inc.

Feedstock Softwood

Pellet grade Residential and industrial

Fire prevention technology GreCon

Annual capacity 500,000 short tons

Exporting Europe

Export port Port of Brunswick

Groundbreaking date Feburary 2013

Start-up date January 2014 (line 1)

Construction of line 1 is under commissioning. Civil and electrical work is in progress for lines 2 and 3.Lines 4 and 5 will be constructed in 2015.

Merritt Wood Pellet and Torrefaction Plant, Diacarbon Energy Inc.

Location Merritt, British Columbia

Design/builder Ausenco/Diacarbon

Feedstock Sawmill residuals

Pellet grade Wood pellets and torrefied wood briquettes

Fire prevention technology Unavailable

Annual capacity 50,000 metric tons wood pellets, 35,000 torrefied wood

Exporting Pellets to Korea

Export port DeltaPort

Groundbreaking April 2014

Start-up date September 2014

Retrofitting of the existing pellet plant is underway, with installation of the torrefaction equipment tobegin in June.

Morehouse BioEnergy, Drax Biomass International Inc.

Location Beekman, La.

Design/builder Haskell Company

Feedstock Southern yellow pine

Pellet grade Industrial premium pellets

Fire prevention technology Fire Eye


Exporting U.K.

Export port Port of Greater Baton Rouge

Groundbreaking date August 2013


The project is continuing on schedule, targeting Q2 2015 for the start of commercial operations, with fullcapacity to be reached six months later.

Selma Conversion - Zilkha Biomass Selma

Location Selma, Ala.

Design/builder Zilkha Biomass Fuels

Feedstock Mostly softwood, some hardwood

Pellet grade Zilkha Black Pellets/premium

Fire prevention technology Spark Detect./Supprs, HRD powder


Exporting Europe

Export Port Port of Mobile

Groundbreaking date April 2014


Construction is underway and on schedule.

ProjectComplete

ProjectComplete


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Biomass Power Pellets Biogas Advanced Biofuel

The Plant, Bubbly Dynamics LLC

Location Chicago, Ill.

Engineer/Builder Eisenmann Corp.

Substrate(s) Food and brewery waste

Digester type Continuous mixed, horizontal-plugflow

Gas cleaning technology Biological desulphurization

Biogas production capacity 42 scfm phase 1; 83 scfm phase 2

Biogas end use Combined heat and power

Power capacity 500 kW

Groundbreaking date November 2012


Construction continues on schedule.

Sacramento Biodigester, CleanWorld

Location Sacramento, Calif.

Engineer/Builder Peabody Engineering, Otto Construction

Substrate(s) Pre- and post-consumer food waste

Digester type Three-stage, high-solids liquid digester

Gas cleaning technology BioCNG

Biogas production capacity 350 scfm

Biogas end use Electricity and vehicle fuel


Groundbreaking date June 2013


Phase 1 is complete, and phase 2 construction continues on schedule. When complete, the digesterwill produce electricity and 700,000 gallons per year equivalent of renewable transportation fuel.

FCPC Renewable Generation, LLC Waste-to-Energy Facility

Location Milwaukee, Wisc.

Builder Symbiont Inc., Miron Constr., Biothane

Pellet mill Food processing waste

Feedstock Anaerobic membrane bioreactor

Type of pellets H2S media treatment system

Fire prevention technology 500 scfm

Production capacity Combined heat and power

Exporting/location 2 MW

Groundbreaking date October 2012


The facility is currently in commercial operation.

UC Davis Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digestion (READ)

Location Davis, Calif.

Engineer/Builder Peabody Engineering, Otto Construction

Substrate(s) Food and ag waste

Digester type Three-stage, high-solids liquid digester

Gas cleaning technology Unison Solutions

Biogas production capacity 150 scfm

Biogas end use Electricity


Groundbreaking date May 2013


Project is complete and operating.

Handling a World of Mate The brands comprising TerraSource Global (Gundlach Crushers, Jeffrey Rader and Pennsylvania Crusher) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE: HI) © 2014 TerraSource Global. All RightsReserved.

Phone: +1 (864) 476-7523 Email: [email protected]

Web: www.terrasource.com/bm

Jeffrey Rader ® EZ-Access® Wood Hogs are designed for safe, fast and easy ac

hammers, rotors and liners, allowing routine maintenance to be performed safelyand with minimal downtime. Our EZ-Access technology even lets operators remo

wood hog’s rotor without moving the feed chute. Plus, our heavy-duty rotor discmaximum flexibility of hammer arrangements, up to 3, 4 or 6 rows for premium efficie

smaller products, while our Duratip® high-alloy hammers with replaceable tips provide incshredding action and quick change-outs.

CRUSH. FEED. PROCESS. CONVEY. STORE.

Wood Hogs and ScreensWood Hogs and Screens

Rader ® Disc Screens (RDS) are the

industry’s #1 scalping screens. Whenit comes to removing oversizerejects from unscreened wood

chips, hog fuel or bark,our RDS is the undisputedworkhorse of the industry. With

more units in operation than all other supplierscombined, you can depend on us to select the ideal disc profile, inopenings and screen size for maximum screening efficiency.

ers

ProjectComplete

ProjectComplete


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UW Oshkosh Foundation, Rosendale Biodigester LLC

Location Rosendale, Wisc.

Engineer/Builder BIOFerm Energy Systems

Substrate(s) Dairy manure

Digester type Complete mix

Gas cleaning technology Biological Desulphurization, moisture removal, activated carbon filtration

Biogas production capacity 380-475 scfm

Biogas end use Combined heat and power

Power capacity 1.4 MW



System is ramping up to full feeding, with a goal of reaching full potential within the next fewweeks.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

UW Oshkosh Foundation, Rosendale Biodigester LLCPHOTO: BIOFERM ENERGY SYSTEMS

Abengoa Bioenergy Biomass of Kansas LLC, Abengoa Bioenergy U.S.

Location Hugoton, Kan.

Engineer/builder Abengoa

Process technology Proprietory process

Biofuel product Cellulosic ethanol

Feedstocks Corn stover, wheat straw, switchgrass

Production capacity 25 MMgy

Type of RIN D3

Coproducts 21 MW of biomass power

Goundbreaking date September 2011

Start-up date January 2014

Project is virtually complete. Boiler and 21 MW cogen plant commissioning was completed inDecember. Commissioning of the ethanol plant is underway.

Enerkem Alberta Biofuels LP

Location Edmonton, Alberta

Engineer/builder Enerkem

Process technology Proprietary thermochemical

Biofuel product Cellulosic ethanol, biomethanol, biochemicals

Feedstocks Sorted MSW

Production capacity 38 MMly

Type of RIN D3

Coproducts N/A

Goundbreaking date August 2010

Start-up date 2014: methanol; 2015: ethanol

Commissioning of the Enerkem Alberta Biofuels facility is nearing completion. In early June, plantstart-up was imminent.

(336) 252-4095

vecoplanllc.com

DESIGNING INNOVATIONRenewable Feedstock Processing Systems

A worldwide leader in size reduction technology for bioenergy, Vecoplan

works with individual customers to design, engineer, manufacture and

implement technologically advanced, material specific, and application

specific shredding, ferrous and non-ferrous removal, size and

density separation, screening and classification technologies and

extremely efficient conveyor and bulk material handling, metering,

storage and unloading technologies.

Contact Vecoplan today to learn more about our existing systems

or to arrange a visit to one, or several, of our installations.


14/56


Green Energy Products, WB Services

Location Sedgwick, Kan.

Engineer/builder WB Services

Process technology Proprietary technology

Biofuel product ASTM 975 biomass-based diesel

Feedstocks Distillers corn oil, organic fat, oils and greases


Type of RIN 1.7 D4 RINs per gallon

Coproducts Steam and biogas

Goundbreaking date Q1 2013

Start-up date May 2014

Commissioning of the plant has commenced and is going well.

Project Liberty, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC

Location Emmetsburg, Iowa

Engineer/builder Poet Design and Construction

Process technology Enzymatic hydrolysis


Feedstocks Crop Residue


Type of RIN D3

Coproducts Biomass power

Goundbreaking date March 2012

Start-up date First half of 2014

Construction is nearing completion. Work is primarily on the back end of the process, the anaerobicdigester and solid fuel boiler.

Green Energy ProductsPHOTO: WB SERVICES

Project LibertyPHOTO: POET-DSM

Biomass Power Pellets Biogas Advanced Biofuel

JETBELTTM

An efficient system requiring less

horsepower than other systems. Used for dry

bulk handling requirements in a variety of products.

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15/56


Quad County Cellulosic Ethanol Plant

Location Galva, Iowa

Engineer/builder Nelson Engineering

Process technology Quad County Corn Processors - ACE


Feedstocks Cornfiber


Type of RIN D3

Coproducts Solid biomass fuel

Goundbreaking date July 2013

Start-up date June 2014

All major equipment has been installed. Piping is being hydro-tested and insulated.

Southeast Renewable Fuels LLC

Location Clewiston, Fla.

Engineer/builder Uni-Systems of Brazil

Process technology Fermentation

Biofuel product Advanced biofuel (ethanol)

Feedstocks Sweet sorghum


Type of RIN D5

Coproducts 25 MW biomass power

Goundbreaking date June 2013

Start-up date January 2015

The project remains on schedule. Foundation work continues, and all equipment has been orderedand is arriving onsite.

Quad County Cellulosic Ethanol PlantPHOTO: QUAD COUNTY CORN PROCESSORS

CONSTRUCTION UPDAT

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16/56

PowerNews

The U.K.-based Renewable Energy Association has published the results of

an analysis that determined the renew-able energy supports more than 100,000jobs in the U.K. and has attracted almost£30 billion ($50.95 billion) in investmentsince 2010.

The report found the U.K. biomasspower sector employed approximately3,320 people in 2012-’13 across the sup-ply chain, with 170 U.K. companies ac-tive in the supply chain. Sector turnover

was £500 million. Annual generation isexpected to increase from 9,275 gigawatthours in 2013 to 22,826 GWh in 2020.

Installed capacity is expected to growfrom 2,024 MW in 2013 to between

2,505 GW and 3,366 GW, depending on which government forecast is refer-enced.

The biomass combined-heat-and-power (CHP) sector in the U.K.employed an estimated 2,180 peopleacross the supply chain in 2012-’13, with140 U.K. companies active in the sup-ply chain. The sector turnover was anestimated £370 million.

The report also includes data onbiofuels, anaerobic digestion, biomassheating and mixed energy from waste.

A proposed project under development bySouthwest Renewable Resources aims to developa unique biomass production facility and up to 25MW of bioenergy capacity in South Sioux City, Ne

The planned facility would house a manufactuing operation for SSR’s patent-pending SouthwestRenewable Fuel. The resulting fuel would be feddirectly into a cogeneration power unit. The exactsize of that unit has not yet been determined, with15 MW and 25 MW configurations currently beingconsidered.

SRR’s biofuel is a mix of biomass and poly-ethylene plastic. According to Tracy Willson, seniorpartner of SRR, the fuel is waterproof. In additionto wood and other types of cellulosic biomass, theprocess can also incorporate nonrecyclable munici-pal solid waste.

Earlier this year, the Nebraska cities of SouthSioux City, Wakefield and Wayne, along with theNortheast Public Power District, entered a memo-randum of understanding with SRR. The four public entities and SRR have agreed to work together tsupply electricity to the three cities and NPPD viathe biomass-fired cogeneration system.

Report highlights UK bioenergy impact

Proposed Nebraska project toproduce biomass fuel, energ

2012-’13 economic impact

No. of U.K. supplychain jobs

No. of companies inU.K. supply chain

Sector turnover(£ millions)

Liquid biofuels 3,510 200 530

Anaerobic digestion 2,640 140 360

Biomass boiler/wood stove 4,510 210 600

Biomass CHP 2,180 140 370

Biomas power 3,320 170 500

Mixed energy from waste 6,550 340 830

SOURCE: RENEWABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION

300 E Industrial Drive | Sedgwick KS 67135

316.772.9084 [email protected]

www.wbservicesllc.com

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17/56


On June 2, U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthyunveiled the Obama administration’s highly anticipatedSection 111(d) carbon emission reduction rules for existingpower plants. The Biomass Power Association was watch-ing this announcement carefully, as it marks the first of aseries of EPA rules due out this summer that will have abig impact on the biomass industry.

After reviewing the proposed rules, our reaction iscautiously optimistic.

The 645-page proposal, known as the Clean PowerPlan, leaves it mostly to individual states to design theirown carbon reduction strategies that, when combined, will

create a 30 percent overall reduction of carbon emissionsfrom existing power plants by the year 2030. The landmarkplan sets what are, in effect, the first national renewableenergy targets that have been implemented as a response toclimate change. While the rules are controversial and will bedebated throughout the 2014 campaign season, they repre-sent a significant shift in energy policy that will undeniablybenefit renewable energy sources.

This includes biomass. The framework specificallymentions biomass several times in a positive light, in oneplace stating, “Burning biomass-derived fuels for energyrecovery can yield climate benefits as compared to burningconventional fossil fuels.”

The Clean Power Plan closely follows the NationalClimate Assessment released in May by the White House,

which contained a chapter on bioenergy that was also verysupportive of biomass. The report recognized bioenergy as“one component of an overall bioenergy strategy to reduce

emissions of carbon from fossil fuel, while also improving water quality, and maintaining lands for timber productionas an alternative to other socioeconomic option.” Critically,the report noted the role of biomass in keeping forestshealthy enough to continue to serve as a carbon “sink”that can capture hundreds of millions of tons of carbonper year. It also observed that bioenergy has the potentialof displacing a not insignificant 30 percent of the nation’scurrent U.S. petroleum consumption.

Based on these signs, it appears that the administra-tion foresees a continued and expanding role for bioenergyin our nation’s energy mix. However, one question looms

large. For the nation to fully embrace biomass, the EPA’s Tailoring Rule decision becomes even more crucial. Bio-mass will need to be recognized under the Clean Air Actas a renewable source of energy with a favorable carbonprofile when compared to fossil fuels.

It will be extremely tough to meet the ambitious newcarbon reduction targets without biomass as an optionfor forested states looking to add a baseload, renewablesource of energy. It will be even harder to keep forestedlands maintained and at a lower risk of wildfire without ourindustry, as the USDA is well aware.

While we are not out of the proverbial woods yet, wehave good reason to be encouraged by the recent signals

from the White House and the EPA.

Author: Bob CleavesPresident and CEO, Biomass Power Association

[email protected]

EPA, White House Signal Support for Biomass

POWER

BY BOB CLEAVES


18/56


¦POWER

DEPARTMENT

F re hreat urns nergy sseabin reek Biomass Energy will reduce the threat o catastrophic wild ire in Placer

ounty while producing 2 MW power, heat and biochar.

BY ANNA SIMET

visit to the current Placer County website yields a powerfulimage of a forest fire overtaking a home, with this bold-faced banner: “Fire season is coming…are you ready?”

There, Internet users are offered a variety of stepsto take to increase the chances of their homes surviving a wild-fire. Though wildfire awareness and preparedness seem to improveevery year, occurrences of devastating wildfires continue to rise,and predictions are pointing to 2014 as potentially being the worst

wildfire season on record. According to the California Departmentof Forestry and Fire Protection, between Jan. 1 and May 3 alone,CAL FIRE has responded to over 1,200 wildfires that have charred

early 2,700 acres. In an average year during the same period, CAFIRE typically responds to fewer than 600 wildfires.

As a response to increasing wildfire severity, hazardous forest

els reduction activities are being advocated and pushed for more thever, a mitigation method that not only helps reduce the spread res, but also poses numerous other benefits, including the poten

production of renewable heat and power. Placer County, in northeaern California is getting close to realizing that benefit, as it is in the prcess of rolling out a 2-MW combined-heat-and-power plant at La

ahoe’s Cabin Creek, which will be fueled entirely by wood generatas a result of hazardous forest fuel removal.

FUELING THE FIRE: The Angora Ridge Forest Fire in south Lake Tahoe, Calif., burned 3,100 acres of forestland and destroyed many homes.


19/56


POWER

Brett Storey, Placer County biomass manager, has been or-chestrating the project since its inception. He was hired in 2006 tofind an economic use for the region’s biomass thinnings, somethingother than open burning, and serious project evaluations on thebioenergy plant were initiated in 2009. From the beginning, oneimportant consideration was the optimal size of the facility. “Thesize was based on how much fuel we could sustain over the life ofthe project, which could be up to 40 years, and we also looked atthe transmission capabilities of the current lines and the potentialto increase that, as well as regulatory agency emission allowances,”Storey says. “That’s how we ended up with a 2-MW system.”

A study commissioned to determine how much fuel was avail-able within a 30-mile radius of the proposed plant indicated over100,000 bone-dry tons annually, roughly six times more than the fa-cility would need. With such an abundance of fuel available, a muchlarger facility could be built, but the current transmission line couldonly handle up to 2.7 MW. “The cost and time it would take to go

through the environmental process for the transmission line wouldmake it unacceptable from an economic standpoint,” Storey says.

Forest waste will be ground and screened in the forest, hauledto the site by truck and then dried and sent through a PhoenixEnergy gasification system. The cleaned up syngas will be sentthrough a GE Jenbacher engine to create power, and the resultingbiochar—about 500 tons annually—will be sold under contract asa soil amendment or a means of water filtration.

In the future, Storey says heat produced on site may be pur-chased by three or four nearby, county-owned buildings. “They willbe upgrading and have expressed interest in purchasing the wasteheat off of this project, so, ultimately, in about fi ve years we will

be a full-service operator using everything we can squeeze out ofthis facility.”He adds that the plant location is in a former landfill area, and

no homes are around it. “Just natural forest all around,” he says,noting that the onsite storage area will be large, as material for sixmonths will have to be stockpiled. “We’re not allowed to go intothe forests in the winter to grind and haul, so we’ll be delivering sixextra months material, in addition [to everyday fuel] to keep run-ning 24/7 all year.

Low-Carbon Profile The environmental footprint of the plant has been careful-

ly considered throughout the development process, Storey adds,including an emissions analysis of forest thinnings piles openlyburned in several areas, compared to what the potential emissionsprofile of the facility would be, taking into account everything from“the chainsaw hitting the tree to grinding and hauling of the trucksto our facility.” The results, which were not actually based on gas-ification but old boiler technology, were still much more favorablethan open burning, according to Storey. “We know that gasifica-

tion reduces those emissions further, but we wanted to show worst-case situation. In the worst case, if you put that forest wothrough our facility instead of open burning, there’s an 88 to percent emissions reduction…on the GHG side, it’s about an percent reduction.”

Numerous project partners and supporters who have comtogether to help advance the project, Story says. Placer Countyan equity partner, the leaseholder of the site and will be the fudelivery operator. “The reason we want to do that is because tU.S. Forest Service is our fuel agreement partner, and what we weable to do is sign a master fuel stewardship agreement—a 10-yecontract that allows us to work on national Forest Service land anremove the material.”

That’s being done on a cost-share basis, he adds. “They figurout what it costs them to open burn [the fuel], so they’ve addethat cost to the agreement, making our cost low enough to makeeconomic for our developer, Tahoe Regional Power Co.”

In addition, the facility will take in fuel from a community fidistrict in the area, which currently has a need to dispose of tmaterial. “They don’t know what to do with it, so they will waa contract with us as well,” Storey says. However, the majority fuel—95 percent—will come from the Forest Service.

Phoenix Energy, the gasification technology provider, will the eventual owner and operator of the project, and already htwo operating small-scale biomass gasification plants in the state. CEO Greg Stangl’s opinion, these systems are ideal for deploymein California. “I believe there is a great opportunity for small, community-scale biomass plants to produce clean, renewable energy fCalifornia, and our third plant shows the technology is gaining m

mentum,” he says. “The piling and burning forest biomass in thopen is a complete waste of a resource and bad for air quality, buis often the only economic option for local communities.”

Electricity from the $12 million project, which was partiafunded with a $1.5 million U.S. DOE grant, will be purchased Liberty Energy.

Cabin Creek Biomass Energy is slated for construction nesummer, with an operational goal of early 2016. It’s a small, simpfacility,” Storey adds, “but we believe it’ll be a trendsetter for foreregions throughout the U.S.”

Aut hor : Anna SiManaging Editor, Biomass Magaz

[email protected]


20/56


¦THERMAL

CONTRIBUTIO

Tucker RN : Little Machine,Big ImpactPublic and private collaboration has resulted in a unique and highly

efficient distributed-scale fast pyrolysis system.

Y MAUREEN E EN, AR LINE M RRI AND NATE ANDER

en the Tucker RNG thermal conversion unit connected

o the power grid for the first time April 23 in Charlotte,.C., Richard Tucker, president of Tucker Engineering As-

ociates, could feel the weight of the world coming off hisshoulders. After more than a decade of developing his high-temperature,fast pyrolysis system, he wasfinally seeing it export electricity for the firsttime. This installation marked a significant step toward commercializinga new and exciting conversion technology, and demonstrates the successof a long-term, public-private partnership.

“It was a really great moment to see the machine doing exactly wh

it was designed to do,” Tucker says. “This has been a long journey forand we couldn’t have done it without the help of the U.S. Forest Servi

he ReNewable Gas Company, and ReVenture Park. Seeing the electrity produced as a result of this technology made it all worth it.”

ucker RNhe Tucker RNG system was initially designed by Tucker over

decade ago. Its research and development has included not only Tuc

Tucker RNG system inventor Richard Tucker (right) and Nate Anderson, project director of the Rocky Mountain Research Station Biomass ResearchDevelopment Initiative, stand in front of Tucker RNG.PHOTO: ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION

The claims and statements made in this article belong exclusively to the author and do

not necessarily reflect the views of Biomass Magazine or its advertisers.


21/56


THERMA

er’s engineering firm, but public agencies and other private companies. Tucker and the team invented solutions to a host of technological chal-lenges that had previously kept pyrolysis from being widely adopted,such as the production of tars, and nagging issues in material handlingand gas cleanliness.

The patented, high-temperature pyrolysis system is a distributed-scale biomass conversion technology capable of processing a broadrange of feedstocks to produce high-Btu gas for a variety of uses, such assteam or electricity generation via an off-the-shelf genset. Heating feed-stocks to up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit in an environment devoid ofoutside air, this technology uses a proprietary gas upgrading and clean-ing system to further refine its gas, producing energy-dense renewablenatural gas with 600 to 850 Btu per standard cubic foot, depending onfeedstock properties. In addition, the system yields a high carbon by-product with an 80 to 95 percent fixed carbon content and usable pro-cess heat for on-site applications, such as drying feedstock. The TuckerRNG system is highly customizable, able to process between 20 and 250

dry tons of biomass per day depending on equipment configuration, which allows the technology to be scaled appropriately to meet specificand changing needs.

The Tucker RNG System is especially well-suited to applications where it can be used to reduce energy costs, process waste feedstocks,and produce heat and electricity for customers interested in green energy.

The system is uniquely engineered for economically ef ficient renewablegas production, and designed and sited in an environmentally consciousmanner. While the unit can use a wide variety of feedstocks, includingmunicipal solid waste and refuse-derived fuels, using woody biomassdecreases total carbon emissions and lessens the environmental impactof the energy produced compared to other sources, including coal. The

system also reduces net carbon emissions by capturing heat and carbongenerated in the conversion process.

Collaborative Approach Tucker RNG’s operating outputs and commercial design suitabil-

ity have been independently evaluated by third-party engineers and sci-entists, and by the U.S. Forest Service. The commercialization of thistechnology is an example of a successful public-private research anddevelopment partnership. In addition to major private funding, the de-

velopment of the Tucker RNG system was partially funded by a researchjoint venture with the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Sta-tion through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Bio-mass Research Development Initiative. The joint venture provided op-portunities for the company to cooperate with researchers and capitalizeon the existing ef ficiencies and engineering of the Tucker RNG system,as well as develop new knowledge that will facilitate decision making byindustry, policymakers and other stakeholders.

“This project is the perfect opportunity to grow ongoing researchrelationships between the forest industry, the U.S. Forest Service and

Tucker Engineering Associates,” says Nate Anderson, project directorfor RMRS BRDI. “It is a chance to contribute to a technology that has

the potential to increase renewable energy production, create jobs anminimize the environmental footprint of producing energy from woobiomass.”

In addition to providing funds to help bring the technology market, the resources of the BRDI project have allowed scientists conduct a full life-cycle assessment of the Tucker RNG system’s proucts and compare their environmental impacts to fossil fuel alternativ

The team is also examining the environmental impacts of harvesti woody biomass from forest ecosystems, developing catalysts for liqufuel and chemical production, developing new products and applicatiofor wood-based carbon products and assessing the potential economimpacts of system deployment.

Private investment has also played a key role in developing anlaunching the first commercial installation of the Tucker RNG systeSpecifically, Tucker Engineering Associates partnered with The ReNewable Gas Company to develop projects domestically, and entrepreneuat ReVenture Park purchased the first installation of the Tucker syste

This location and the business partnership with ReVenture Park, situaton a former Brownfield Superfund site, helped support the remediatiof the large industrial park, resulting in positive impacts on the enviroment and the local community.

While the RNG company is in the final stages of commissionithe first installation at ReVenture Park, Charlotte’s first eco-industrpark, it is also hosting a myriad of visitors from around the world ware interested in the technology. RNG will take on the role of developiprojects, both directly and through partnerships, in the U.S. The team people who supported the first commercial installation, which includprivate investors and government groups like the Rocky Mountain Rsearch Station, sees a bright future for the technology.

“For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of working on thproject has been seeing the different government and private entitcome together to bring Richard Tucker’s technology to fruition,” sa

Van Morris, president of RNG. The team has also received additional support from other RMR

and USDA technology development programs. These collaboratiohave produced a unique and highly ef ficient distributed scale thermconversion system. The group will continue to work together into tfuture to develop new and viable energy technologies and projects.

Aut hor s: Maureen EsHuman Dimensions Research Assoc

University of Montana – College of Forestry and ConservaUS Forest Service – Rocky Mountain Research Sta

[email protected]

Caroline MoDirector of Marketing & Public Relations,The ReNewable Gas Comp

[email protected]

Nate AnderResearch Fore

Rocky Mountain Research StaUSDA Forest Ser


22/56


PelletNews

Humboldt State University, along with 15 regional partners, has receiveda $5.88 million grant from the U.S.

Department of Energy to conduct in-novative biomass research. The award

was made under the Biomass Researchand Development Initiative, a collab-orative effort between the DOE andthe USDA.

Under the grant, a team of aca-demics, industry partners and forest-land managers led by HSU ForestryProfessor Han-Sup Han will build onexisting research on the conversion offorest residues into renewable fuel andother valuable bio-based products. The

three research areas will be feedstock(processed forest residues) supply,mobile conversion technologies, andeconomic life-cycle analysis.

The feedstock supply group willbe led by Han, the lead principal inves-tigator on the grant. Han’s group willfocus on the economics of convert-ing forest residue into high-qualityfeedstocks. The mobile conversiontechnologies group, led by Arne Jacob-

son, director of HSU’s Schatz EnergyResearch Center, will study biomassconversion technologies that convert

slash or wood chips into biomass fuelsand products at or near collection sitesin the forest. Ted Bilek, an economist

with the USDA Forest Service, willlead the economic life-cycle analysisgroup. Bilek’s team will perform eco-nomic analyses and conduct a life-cycleanalysis documenting the economicbenefits and other environmental ef-fects related to utilizing forest residues.

Rentech Inc. has acquired all three of NewEngland Wood Pellet’s manufacturing facilities, a $34.

million investment that adds 240,000 tons to the company’s annual pellet output.

New England Wood Pellet, founded in 1992,has built facilities in Jaffrey, N.H.; Schuyler, N.Y. andDeposit, N.Y. Rentech cited several reasons for the acquisition, including New England Wood Pellet’s stronfinancial profile, the fact that the company commandan approximate 15 percent share of the market forheating pellets in the Northeast U.S. and is well-knowto many popular retailers, and the transaction expandRentech’s current wood pellet offerings to the domestic market.

Rentech will maintain New England Wood Pellebrands, including its bagged New England Wood Pelland Warm Front brands. Julie Dawoodjee Cafarella,

vice president of investor relations and communica-tions at Rentech, said the company will also retain allemployees of the Jaffrey, Schuyler and Deposit facili-ties.

The New England Wood Pellet acquisition comeone year after Rentech’s assumption of Georgia-baseFulghum Fibers Inc., the leading provider of contrac

wood chip processing services in the U.S. The com-pany is also in the process of converting two Wawaand Atikokan, Ontario, wood processing facilities into

wood pellet plants.

DOE grant supports biomass research at HSU Rentech acquires majorUS pellet producer

RESEARCH LEADER: HSU forestryprofessor Han-Sup Han will lead thecollaborative effort.PHOTO: HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY


23/56


The pace of change is really picking up when it comesto use and acceptance of wood pellets and chips for heat in

the Northeast. And that’s a good thing, because the region

has a voracious appetite for fossil fuel, consuming 84 per-

cent of the home heating oil used in the U.S. It’s estimated

that the Northern Forest region spends $6 billion per year

on imported fossil fuel. Beyond concerns about cost, sup-

ply and the environment, depending on fossil fuel is a bad

choice: 78 cents of every dollar spent on home heating oil

leaves our local economy.

That’s why the Northern Forest Center has made

advancing biomass heat a top priority and is working with

a wide range of collaborators to catalyze the market forhigh-ef ficiency, low-emission wood pellet boilers for homes

and small-scale commercial installations (ideal for businesses,

nonprofits and housing facilities).

The center—a nonprofit organization working across

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York—and

many others believe we can build an energy economy that

brings substantial economic benefits to rural communities,

reduces dependence on heating oil, cuts net CO2-emissions

over time, and supports healthy, working forests while pro-

tecting public health and forest sustainability.

When people switch to wood pellets, 100 percent of

the money they would have spent on oil stays in the regionaleconomy. Home and business owners save 40 to 50 percent

on their fuel bills, and what they do spend buys pellets

grown and produced in the region. Demand for pellets

creates jobs in the pellet mills and further down the supply

chain for loggers, foresters and truckers. The mills create an

important market for lower grade wood, which helps forest-

land owners with the cost of stewarding their forests.

We’ve shown how biomass wood heat can benefit the

region through the Model Neighborhood Project. Over the

past two years, participants in the original Model Neigh-

borhood Project in Berlin, N.H., have saved $120,000 and

avoided adding 700 net tons of carbon dioxide to the atmo-

sphere. The total positive economic impact of the project

to date is more than $450,000. Participants in Berlin—and

now also in Farmington and Wilton, Maine—have proven

the new, high-ef ficiency boilers to be reliable, cost-ef ficient

and easy to use. And they’re sharing their stories. They’ve

hosted tours, welcomed media coverage and championed

the systems to potential adopters.

Catalyzing ChangeMore than a few things need to happen for new tech-

nology or systems to take hold. Some of the essentials for

biomass heat include reliable retailers, qualified installers antechnicians, pellet manufacturers, bulk delivery pellet suppl

ers, acceptance by real estate and insurance industries, attra

tive financing options and supportive public policy, includin

alternative energy rebates for new biomass installations.

More and more, these essentials are available in the

northern New England, especially in northern New Hamp

shire and western Maine near the Model Neighborhood

Projects. Two years ago, a high-ef ficiency residential pellet

boiler was a rarity. Now, there are nearly 300 installed in

Maine and New Hampshire.

Since September, Ef ficiency Maine has distributed ov

120 rebates for residential pellet boiler installations, helpingdrive costs down and increase familiarity with these system

This success is a model for how policy, industry and social

connections can combine to drive the market. As demand

has gone up, the average price of installed residential boiler

in Maine has dropped by $3,000, a 17 percent decrease.

Moving to chip-based systems for larger installations,

the state of Vermont has generously funded schools to shi

from oil to biomass and now about 30 percent of Vermon

schoolchildren attended wood-heated schools, and the aver

age school has cut its fuel costs by over 50 percent.

In Colebrook, N.H., the center has been working with

the town to research the feasibility of installing a biomassdistrict heating system that could provide heat to buildings

along Main Street and at some large facilities, including the

hospital.

Regional Impact—A Triple PlayEach one of these installations is an important step to

ward realizing the vision of an energy economy that brings

substantial economic benefits to rural communities, reduce

dependence on heating oil, cuts net CO2 emissions over

time, and supports healthy, working forests.

Wood heat is not new to the Northeast, but wood he

that burns at 85 percent ef ficiency through systems that are

thermostat-driven—entirely automated or nearly so—is a

game changer. It makes wood heat more convenient and

ef ficient than ever before. With a cost per Btu that is signifi

cantly lower than oil, heat from wood is now in a position

compete against the dominance of oil in the region.

Author : Maura AdaProgram Director, Northern Forest Ce

kshort@northernforesthttp://www.northernforest.org/renewable_energy.

The Beauty of Local Wood Heat

PELLETS

BY MAURA ADAMS


24/56


¦PELLETS

Pellets Warm ounty eats A century-old courthouse in western Maine’s Oxford County transitions

away from oil and toward pellet heat.

BY TIM PORTZ

PH T BY TRI H L AN, TRI H L AN PH T RAPHY.

382,000 BTU OF PELLET HEAT: With an of fice just across the hall from the boilers, Oxford County employee Ed Curtis is able to keep close tabs on thecounty’s pellet-driven heating systems. The system is comprised of three OkoFen boilers that share the load. Only on the coldest days of winters will Curtihear all three boilers fire up to serve the heat load.


25/56


PELLETS

For more than 100 years, the red brick Ox-ford county courthouse in South Paris,Maine, warmed judges, commissioners,clerks, auditors and inmates with fossil

fuel-derived heat. Those days are over. The court-house, built in 1895, has just emerged from its third

winter of utilizing locally produced wood pellets to

heat its occupants and daily visitors.Funded largely by an Energy Ef ficiency and

Conservation Block Grant program that was apart of the stimulus package of ficially known asthe 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery

Act, the new heating system has nearly halved thecounty’s annual heating expense. “The genesis ofthe project can be traced back to the stimulus pack-age,” recalls Oxford county administrator ScottCole. “We tried to get it going in 2010, but we real-ized we didn’t have the administrative capacity tohandle it, so we punted one more year and we went

after it with gusto in 2011, and succeeded.” The project was broader and more involved

than simply swapping out the existing heating oilboilers with new pellet boilers. The courthouse,a 17,000-square-foot, two-story structure that issituated over a basement was bleeding warm airthrough large, single-pane windows and a poorlyinsulated attic. This attracted the immediate atten-tion and effort of the project engineer, Rick Grondin of Integrated En-ergy Systems. “We used some of the money to insulate the attic,” he says.“Instead of putting in one more boiler, I first looked to reduce the loadand used dense-packed cellulose insulation in the attic.”

Further driving down the load was a move away from steam fedradiators to a forced hot water system. “It takes a lot less energy to make140 degree water than it does to make 215 degree water,” Grondin notes.

After the completion of the attic insulation and window projects,the heat load requirements were determined, and Grondin went to workon satisfying the new heat load. Complicating the issue was the building’slimited space for its heating infrastructure. “We had a very small boilerroom for all of this,” says Grondin. Through a competitive process, thecounty arrived at a system centered around the use of three pellet boil-ers of Austrian design. “The OkoFen boilers offered a solution that ad-dressed all of the problems.”

OkoFen is an Austrian boiler manufactured, assembled and distrib-uted in North America under a licensing agreement by Maine Energy

Systems. Austrian manufacturers are global market leaders in pellet boilerdesign and manufacturing and their products are beginning to gain mar-ketplace momentum in the U.S. and Canada.

Grondin and the county decided upon three separate boilers that would be connected to the same hot water delivery infrastructure. Theboilers work together, communicate with one another and share the an-nual heating work load. Each boiler is capable of delivering 191,000 Btuper hour at full power. “The boilers are staged,” says Grondin. “Whenyou have a very low load, one fires and then it modulates up to the nextload requirement. If it can’t meet the load at full power, the second boilerfires and ramps up. If the load still isn’t met, the third boiler fires up.”

Largely, two boilers are able to generate the heat that the buildithermostats call for. “Occasionally, the third boiler kicks on the coest days,” adds Grondin.

Fuel Storage Challenges The tight spaces in the boiler room also created fuel storage ch

lenges for the project team. “Fuel storage is tough here,” says Co“The footprint of the building is not conducive to putting in a larsilo, which would have been ideal.” Space around the building is apremium, and snow removal already presents a challenge for Cole anhis team, so a decision to move fuel storage inside of the building wmade. “We really tried to find a place to put a 30-ton silo. In my opiion, that would have been preferable. We just couldn’t do it. Parkingtight. The last thing we needed was one more obstruction outside the building, so we had to convert some space in the basement. I thi

we are a little undersized, but we had to have it that way,” says ColeIn an average winter, the pellet boilers at the courthouse can

expected to consume somewhere between 65 and 70 tons of pelleIf the external silo Cole favored were feasible, around half of the anual usage could have been stored onsite, meaning that only one plet delivery would have been necessary each heating season. Insteatwo fabric storage bags were deployed into the boiler room withtotal storage capacity of just over 16 tons. The county now takes fudeliveries of between 8 and 10 tons of pellets seven or eight timesa given heating season. Pellets are delivered by Maine Energy Systempellet delivery trucks, and pneumatically blown through hoses into t

waiting storage bags in the courthouse.

MAXIMUM CONTROL: County technicians can quickly assess all of the control points of theboiler system including run time, flue gas temperature, water temperature and level of modulatio


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Navigating the Learning Curve All heating systems require some attention and technical acum

for the operators, and both Grondin and Cole recall a learning curvfor the Oxford county maintenance staff. “Thefirst year is more or lea learning experience for the facilities person, because it is somethina little different,” says Grondin. “But really, the only thing they neto concern themselves with is making sure they have pellets to bur

NONTRADITIONAL STORAGE: Project engineers preferred to haveone fabric pellet storage bag per boiler, but space constraints dictatedsystem design to two bags placed side-by-side.

THE COUNTY PELL ET SEAT: After three heating seasons in the bookother cities and schools within the county are taking notice of the succesand ease of the pellet solution and deploying their own biomass solution

¦PELLETS


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ordering pellets and making sure that when theash containers get full, they get emptied.”

Grondin is quick to point out the miscon-ceptions surrounding the technology and itsease of use. “These are fully automated. Whenthinking about these types of solutions, people

tend to think of wood stoves with all of theirmanual operations, manual adjustments dur-ing a fire and then the manual cleaning. This isthe other end of the spectrum in the extreme.Maybe not as good as gas or oil in terms of lowmaintenance, but it’s pretty darn close,” he says.

For Cole, it was important to developsome technical know-how for the systemsin-house. “The operation and maintenance iscertainly trouble free. That said, it is good tohave someone on the staff with a little trainingin troubleshooting the system. Someone has toreally embrace the system and not just call onoutside help right away,” he says, adding, “It’snot an enormous leap (relative to operating anoil-fired boiler), and it is certainly worth thesavings.”

Half-Priced Heat While Oxford County didn’t need to be

convinced of the environmental benefits ofa transition to pellet-derived heat, the budget-constrained county needed the project to de-liver some savings, and the sooner, the better.

Before the transition to pellets the court-

house’s heating oil boilers consumed somewhere between 8500 and 10,000 gallons ofheating oil each winter. With recent heatingoil prices fluctuating between $3.50 and $4.00per gallon, heating the building was costing thecounty between $30,000 and $40,000 a year.

Cole points to a comparison of 118 gal-lons of fuel oil and one ton of pellets, eachdelivering about the same amount of Btu. Ata price of $3.50 per gallon, the heating oil Btu

would cost $413. The county currently enjoysa three-year contract for pellets at $219 a ton,

delivering a nearly 50 percent reduction in totalheating cost. “We’ve cut our fuel costs in half,”notes Cole.

Stimulus Hastens Economic BenefitCole reports the project cost the county

right around $300,000, with the Energy Ef-ficiency and Conservation Block Grant con-tributing $235,000. The remaining funds werecontributed by the county. “We could realizeour savings much quicker because of the grant,

because we didn’t have to amortize the cost ofthe capital,” says Cole.

With such a prominent building installinga pellet-fired heating solution and enjoying theeconomic benefits, it is no surprise that cities andschools in the county are taking notice. “Since

the county installed its system, several of thetown of fices have gone to pellets as well, whichis cool,” reports Cole. This momentum also hasthe net effect of getting more and more of theHVAC technicians in the area comfortable withthese pellet technologies. “What we are noticingnow, after having gone through three winters, is

the familiarity with pellet boilers in the field technicians has gone up,” Cole says. “It’s precool. It’s happening. It’s definitely happening.”

Finally, Cole points to the growing pelsupply chain in the area and the positive ecnomic impact of using local resources to he

local buildings. “It’s defi

nitely a fuel that maksense for this part of the world,” he adds.

Author : Tim PExecutive Editor,Biomass Magaz

[email protected]

PELLETS


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ThermalNews

A recent report published by WilsonEngineering on behalf of the Vermont

Bioenergy Initiative explores the potential

of growing and harvesting energy grasses

for thermal energy in Vermont.

Four different grass energy project

models are evaluated in the paper, includ-

ing an in-depth analysis of the compara-

tive advantages and disadvantages of each.

The paper explores a closed-loop model,

a small-scale, on-farm model, a regional

model, and a consumer model. The

report indicates the regional processingmodel would make sense for Vermont.

It includes a central processing plant that would purchase baled biomass from local

farmers and process that feedstock into

cubes, briquettes or pellets for delivery to

commercial or institutional thermal instal-

lations.

The report also notes millions of

acres of idle and marginal lands in the

Northeast are conducive for growing these

energy crops. As the market for bioenergy

products develops, they could provide am

impact source of feedstock for heat, fiber

or liquid fuels production.

Biomass fuel suppliers serving the

U.K. thermal market are now able to reg-

ister their fuels as sustainable by applyingto the government’s Biomass Suppliers

List. The U.K. Department of Energy an

Climate Change said the list will ensure

biomass supported under the Renewable

Heat Incentive is sustainable. Beginning

this fall, biomass fuels used under the

RHI must certain greenhouse gas (GHG

reduction thresholds.

Producers and traders of wood fuel

who wish to access the growing RHI ma

ket can apply for free to the BSL. Small

and micro enterprises will be able to usea new simple carbon calculator develope

to make the process as easy as possible fo

small businesses.

Larger enterprises will be able to use

the U.K. Solid and Gaseous Biomass and

Biogas Carbon Calculator to calculate the

GHG emissions associated with their fue

Individuals and businesses that self-supp

their fuel are also encouraged to register

self-supplier.

Energy grasses show potential forthermal energy in Vermont

UK opens biomassfuel registration

Net fuel cost comparison

Price per unit Unit Net cost per mmBtu

Grass bales (assumed price of $80per ton at farm gate, and $30 per tontransportation costs)

$110.00 ton $11.18

Wood chips $65.00 ton $8.81

Natural gas $7.00 Mcf $8.38

Grass pellets $200.00 ton $17.79

Wood pellets $230.00 ton $17.83

Propane $2.10 gallon $29.32

#2 Fuel oil $3.50 gallon $31.80

SOURCE: GRASS ENERGY IN VERMONT AND THE NORTHEAST, WILSON ENGINEERING


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THERMA

Wood stoves are finally getting attention in Washing-

ton, D.C., and they will get even more next year. Most of

the focus surrounds the U.S. EPA’s proposed regulations,

but residential heating, ventilating, and air conditioning

(HVAC) tax credits are also on the chopping block.

The sides are not as evenly drawn as one might expect.

Some conservative Republicans supported wood and pellet

stove tax credits this year, and some of the most liberal

Democrats urged the EPA to soften its emission regula-

tions. Republicans are mostly concerned with the economic

impacts of these policies on industry, and Democrats withthe health impacts of wood smoke.

So far, Congressional strategy of the stove industry has

been to mobilize support of Republicans, most of whom

are friends of fossil fuels. Such is the topsy-turvy world of

wood stove politics. It gets stranger.

People who heat with wood and pellets mainly do it

because it’s cheaper than the alternatives. The attraction of

newer stoves—the ones that industry will build in com-

ing years—is that they can be more ef ficient than the old

and will save consumers even more money. Demonstrably

higher ef ficiencies are key in motivating consumers to re-

place an older stove sooner. Despite this, industry isfi

ghtingagainst consumer hangtags that would list the ef ficiency of

the appliance.

Even more surprising and counterintuitive is that the

EPA is also proposing to eliminate consumer hangtags, but

at the same time is spearheading ever more detailed and

clear consumer hangtags for Energy Star products, automo-

biles and other things.

Here is the dilemma of reducing stove emissions, and

it’s not too different from power plants: regulation only

covers new stoves and grandfathers all older ones, which

produce far more smoke. Industry makes a legitimate point

that the focus should be on retiring older stoves, not making

new ones marginally cleaner than they already are. Industry

trade group Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association may

end up going to court with a legal challenge that the EPA

has not “adequately demonstrated” that making stricter

emission standards is the “best system of emission reduc-

tion” because it didn’t suf ficiently show that the alternative

of retiring older stoves isn’t a better system of emission

reduction.

Here is another example of the extreme topsy-turvy

nature of wood stove politics: if a court sided with HPBA

and directed the EPA to regulate existing stoves, conser-

vative Republicans supporting the industry would flee in

droves. One of the only tenets that the Obama administra

tion has to move these regulations forward with Republi-

cans is the assurance that existing stoves will be grandfa-

thered and with no requirement to remove them or stop

reinstalling old ones purchased on the secondhand market

Industry favors voluntary, not regulatory, measures to

remove old stoves from operation. On a national scale, th would cost hundreds of millions. If that were the solution

there would be little support from conservative Republican

who are not fans of “cash for clunker” type programs.

(As some predicted, a program audit found it was not an

ef ficient way to reduce carbon output.) Of all of the letter

to the EPA from conservative Republicans, none suggeste

any large-scale funding to tackle the problem of existing

stoves, and even HPBA has not put effort into that solutio

Democrats and moderate Republicans have been mor

supportive of stoves and boilers as a renewable energy

solution and are making some progress at the state level.

Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Oregon arstarting or expanding rebate and change out programs. and

other states will be joining that list. Democrats in charge o

the EPA are moving much slower, if at all, and still seem to

regard stoves mainly as a pollution problem, not an energy

solution.

The most likely result is an NSPS that enacts stricter

regulations on new stoves and boilers, and a continuation

small, local programs that offer voluntary rebates to remov

stoves from areas with particularly high levels of wintertim

particulate matter. The result will be a very gradual reduc-

tion in wood smoke, as the EPA tries to balance practical

and legitimate concerns. This will be less impactful than

the Democrats wanted, and more intrusive than Republi-

cans wanted. The real beneficiary will be consumers who

heat with wood and pellets, who will finally have access to

cleaner, higher-ef ficiency appliances. Maybe the EPA will

even allow them to see that information on a hangtag.

Author: John AckPresident, Alliance for Green H

[email protected]

Wood Stove Politics: Democrats,Republicans and Unlikely BedfellowsBY JOHN ACKERLY


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