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■ table of contents

www.woodbioenergymag.com

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FROM THE EDITORS At A Renewable Crossroads

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RAW MATERIALS Different Approaches To Biomass

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IN THE NEWS Texas Biomass Plant Turns Over

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A DIFFERENT CONCEPT Breaking Down With Rotary Shear

14 GRAANUL INVEST Questions & Answers With Raul

Cover Photography: Europe’s largest wood pellet producer, Graanul Invest, is led by Raul Kirjanen, who can see the big picture of renewable energy. (Photo courtesy of Graanul Invest)

20 IN-WOODS CHIPPING Chipper Competition Heats Up

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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.

Acrowood

33

425.258.3555

Air Burners

3

561.768.5963

Albach Nordamerika Verwaltung

23

978.939.9111

Bandit Industries

2

800.952.0178

CW Mill Equipment

36

800.743.3491

Forest Concepts

35

253.333.9663

LundellTech

25

608.354.9380

Metal Detectors

18

541.345.7454

Mid-South Engineering

35

501.321.2276

MoistTech

11

941.727.1800

Morbark

40

800.831.0042

Peterson Pacific

39

800.269.6520

Precision-Husky

19

205.640.5181

Process & Storage Solutions

37

866.354.7277

Process Barron

9

205.663.5330

Rawlings Manufacturing

34

866.762.9327

Rotochopper

7

320.548.3586

Publisher/Editor Emeritus ■ David (DK) Knight

U.S. Blades

11

800.862.4544

Art Director/Production Manager ■ Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator ■ Patti Campbell Circulation Director ■ Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing ■ Jacqlyn Kirkland

Vermeer Manufacturing

13

641.628.3141

West Salem Machinery

25

800.722.3530

Wood 2019

36

+358 14 334 0000

Volume 11

Number 3

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■ from the editors

Solutions In Place

But Shallow Commitment T

hree news items in this issue especially caught our interest, as they’re all related in some sense. One is the purchase by the city of Austin, Texas of the Nacogdoches wood biomass 100-plus MW electricity plant that was started up in 2012 by the developers, eventually sold to Southern Power, and which since then has run intermittently at best, as competing and low fossil fuel costs (hello, gas) rendered the plant’s operation not in the best interests of Southern Power (at least that’s how Southern Power viewed it). The city recently purchased it to reduce its considerable monetary obligation over the original 20-year contracted power purchase agreement. The purchase cost to the city: $460 million.

If you’re thinking you’ve heard this story before, well you have in a way. About the same time, the same developers built and started up a similar MW plant in Gainesville, Fla. But Gainesville Regional Utilities ran into the same issues with competing fossil fuels, and so this plant ran intermittently at best as well while GRE was obligated to pay serious dollars to the developers over a 30-year PPA. Alas in late 2017 the city of Gainesville bought the plant from the developers for $750 million to reduce its perhaps-double-that-amount debt obligation within the PPA. While Austin considers what to do with the Nacogdoches facility, the city of Gainesville has managed to get the now-named Deerhaven Renewable plant into real-operation mode.

Enter John Keppler, CEO of the world’s largest industrial wood pellet producer, Enviva, with a column in a Richmond newspaper endorsing, of course, renewable

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energy, and specifically wood biomass energy as the only renewable energy that can run round-the-clock, compared to the intermittent nature of wind and solar.

Most importantly, Keppler says, the majority of Americans wants renewable fed electricity because the notion of climate change is truly beginning to cause concern. “Replacing fossil fuels with wood biomass should be part of our approach to preventing catastrophic climate change,” Keppler says, while referencing a study that points to extreme weather events, rising seas and risks to water supplies if global temperatures creep upward. While many oldtimers may scoff at the thought, have you talked to your young adult children lately? They’re concerned.

About the same time as Keppler’s column, the Committee on Climate Change in the United Kingdom comes out with a study that says the UK can end its contribution to global warming within 30 years, reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero, through the use of renewable fuels and various technologies that currently exist.

Which brings this editorial back around to the front, and the two extremely expensive U.S. biomass power facilities left fluttering in the wind for many years due, when it gets right down to it, a lackadaisical commitment to renewable energy by the U.S. government, brought on by overpowering traditional fossil fuel energy interests.

In the meantime, much of the U.S. wood biomass fuel that Keppler refers to continues to be shipped overseas to foreign electricity plants to address the deeper commitment of Europe to renewable energy.

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■ in the news Nacogdoches Facility Isn’t Done Yet Austin Energy, a publicly owned utility and a department of the city of Austin, Texas, reached an agreement with Southern Power, a wholesale energy operation and subsidiary of Southern Company, to acquire the Nacogdoches Generating Facility, a wood biomass-fueled power plant at Sacul in east Texas, for $460 million.

The 115 MW plant, which commenced commercial operation in 2012, was established with the capability to provide 100 MW of renewable power to Austin Energy under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA). The transaction, which is expected to close in mid2019, will allow Austin Energy to avoid approximately $275 million in additional costs it would have incurred over the remaining term of the PPA through 2032.

“Acquiring the biomass plant relieves our obligation to make escalating capacity payments to a third party and, over time, reduces the associated cost impacts to our customers,” says Jackie Sargent, Austin Energy General Manager.

While Austin Energy will take

ownership of the plant, no immediate changes to the operation of the facility are expected, and its long-term status will be addressed in Austin Energy’s future resource planning efforts.

Southern Power conducted a brokered, negotiated sale of its 115 MW biomass generator with multiple bidders. Austin Energy was invited to participate in that confidential sale process. Austin Energy anticipates that this purchase will eventually have a positive impact on customer bills.

Austin Energy will transfer all the acquired plant assets to the city of Austin immediately after the close of the transaction and will likely contract operation of the plant to a firm that specializes in this type of work. Austin Energy says it will achieve significant cost reductions through refinancing, taking control of the plant’s operations, and no longer having to make payments to a third-party.

In 2008, the Austin City Council approved a 20-year PPA to buy 100 MW of renewable energy from a 115 MW biomass power plant to be constructed near Nacogdoches. At the time, the price of natural gas was at an all-

Austin Energy is acquiring the Nacogdoches Biomass facility.

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time high and projected to go higher due to supply concerns and the possibility of a cap on carbon emissions. Since then, according to Austin Energy, several factors have changed, dramatically lowering energy prices. The widespread adoption of hydraulic fracturing technology increased natural gas supplies which, in turn, drove prices down. Also, the cost of other forms of renewable energy like wind and solar saw significant reductions. The effect of lower prices for natural gas and renewables has been that energy prices have fallen from their 2008 highs to much lower levels.

Austin Energy will no longer be required to make escalating capacity payments which are paid whether the plant runs or not. “We will issue debt with a fixed payment for the next 13 years, allowing us to avoid the increasing payments—like exchanging an expensive escalating lease for a lower cost fixed-rate mortgage,” Austin Energy states.

“Lastly, we will seek operational and fuel management efficiencies which will directly result in lower costs for our customers.”

Austin Energy says it would be premature to speculate about any long-term plans, and in the near term anticipates continuing to use the plant. “That being said, we’ll continue to monitor and assess this facility, just as we do all the assets in our system, and will be prepared to make adjustments as the situation warrants.”

The City Council, as the governing body of the public power utility, has already deliberated and approved the transaction. The deliberation and vote occurred in executive session, pursuant to state law, because the seller’s competitive bidding process required confidentiality as a condition of partici-

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in the news ■

pating in the process.

The project was conceived by Energy Management Inc. and Bay Corp. Holdings. The joint venture was named Nacogdoches Power. In October 2008, Tyr Energy joined Nacogdoches Power to form American Renewables to build and operate biomass generation plants. Tyr Energy provided the development capital for Nacogdoches Power.

EPC contracts and necessary permits were obtained by March 2007.

Southern Power appointed Fagen for the engineering, procurement and construction of the Nacogdoches plant. Minneapolis-based Zachry Engineering was sub-contracted by Fagen to provide overall site design, balance of plant engineering and design coordination.

Prior to actual construction of the plant, American Renewables LLC sold its Nacogdoches Power LLC biomass project to Southern Power.

At the same time, American Renewables and its entities were developing a similar wood biomass electricity plant in Gainesville, Fla., called Gainesville Renewable Energy Center (GREC), which encompassed a 30-year PPA with Gainesville Regional Utilities. Not long after completion in 2013, the $500 million plant ran into similar competitive energy price declines, also forcing it to run intermittently if at all, mainly to maintain system reliability.

In November 2017, GRU purchased the plant for $750 million, saving the city $700 million of payments over the remainder of the original 30-year PPA. The plant is now in operation as Deerhaven Renewable.

Europe continues to be the major destination for globally traded wood pellets. However, Asia has increased its importation of pellets over the past three years, with Japan and South Korea importing a record volume of 4.5 million tons in 2018. A majority of the volume

is sourced from pellet manufacturers in southeastern Asia.

Following the “big five” in 2018 were Estonia, Austria, Malaysia, Denmark and Germany.

The U.S. ships practically all of its pellets to three countries: the United Kingdom, Belgium and

Pellet Shipments Jumped In 2018 More than 22 million tons of wood pellets were shipped globally in 2018, up 21% from 2017. The U.S., Canada, Vietnam, Latvia and Russia accounted for 69% of global exports in 2018, reports the North American Wood Fiber Review.

June 2019 / Wood Bioenergy

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■ in the news

Denmark.

Demand for imported pellets in Japan and South Korea continued a three-year growth trend. In fourth quarter 2018 Japan averaged $182/ton, up almost 6% from the 4Q/17. Pellet import prices to South Korea, which were nominally lower than those in Japan, rose almost 25% during the same period. The lower average cost for South Korea can be explained by that country’s reliance on pellets from low-cost countries in nearby Vietnam and Malaysia. This is unlike Japan, whose major pellet supplier is British Columbia, a more expensive producer of high-quality FSC and SFI certified pellets.

Keppler Says Time For Energy Overhaul John Keppler, chairman and CEO of the world’s largest producer of industrial wood pellets, Enviva, says Americans are tired of half measures on climate change, that seven in 10 Americans want utility companies to overhaul their operations and generate 100% of the nation’s electricity from renewables in the near future.

Keppler in a guest column in the Richmond (Va.) County Daily Journal said renewable energy accounts for just 17% of electricity generation today. “Utility companies often claim an all-renewable future is impossible, since wind and solar only generate power when the wind is blowing and the sun is shining,” Keppler says.

“Fortunately, there’s an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels that utilities can use around the clock. Wood biomass, trees and the parts of trees that the timber industry can’t use, is plentiful and reliable. And it helps utilities dramatically reduce their carbon footprint on a lifecycle basis.

Replacing fossil fuels with wood biomass should be part of our approach to preventing catastrophic climate change.”

Keppler said The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on

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Keppler: Catastrophic climate change is at stake.

Climate Change recently released a report detailing the potential consequences of global temperatures rising 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. It warned of more extreme weather events, rising seas, and risks to water supplies.

“That level keeps rising as we burn more fossil fuels,” Keppler says. “We don’t have much time left to prevent further temperature increases. That’s why Americans are embracing renewable energy.”

Keppler says it would be relatively inexpensive to incorporate wood biomass into the existing energy infrastructure. Many coal plants would only need a few upgrades to use this cleaner form of energy.

For more proof of biomass’ potential, according to Keppler, look to the United Kingdom. The UK cut its carbon emissions 38% between 1990 and 2017. Biomass was responsible for about a third of those reductions.

“Money may not grow on trees, but the solution to climate change does. It’s time for Americans to embrace clean, sustainable biomass,” Keppler concluded

AZ Utility Doing Biomass Testing In a potential break in the Arizona forest thinning and lack of biomass markets logjam, Arizona Public Service Co. (APSC) is test-

ing whether pine trees can be substituted for coal that is burned at its Cholla Power Plant.

The coal plant is scheduled to close in 2025, but converting some of its capacity to biomass generation could help with forest restoration and also save some jobs, APSC officials say.

The facility is currently operating three of its four power-generating units, and plans are to test the feasibility of converting one of the units from coal to biomass fuel.

Burning lower BTU biomass, the converted unit would produce 7080 MW. Converting the unit would greatly help the state’s efforts to thin and reduce fire risks on more than 2 million acres, with a couple of current stewardship contracts having trouble reaching forest treatment goals because of a lack of biomass markets.

Arizona 4FRI Seeks Traction Investors in a company that owns a major Forest Service stewardship contract to treat 300,000 acres in Arizona is changing yet again, as the large volume of biomass generated and a lack of utilization infrastructure and markets in the state continue to pose a challenge to the far-reaching project.

The contract’s implementation

by Good Earth Power is taking another turn as a new group of investors is now involved to try and develop the infrastructure required to handle and utilize such a large amount of boiler fuel biomass coming off the stewardship projects. The new investors include private equity sources and logging interests from Washington state.

Started as a response to the devastating fires that hit Arizona soon after the turn of the century, the 4FRI has sought to bring once opposed organizations to the table to develop solutions to forest health and fire prevention in the state.

The contract was initially awarded in 2012 to Pioneer Forest

Wood Bioenergy / June 2019

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in the news ■

Products of Montana, which wasn’t able to gain financing for its plan to build a pine cutting mill, small log sawmill and biofuel plant to process the material coming off the forests. In 2013 Pioneer sold the contract to Good Earth Power, which had little experience in such ventures and ended up bringing in a new set of investors in 2017.

Biofuels Business Eyes Port St. Joe The BioCarburante Co. (TBIOCC), a Wisconsin-based energy company, wants to build a biofuel plant near Port St. Joe, Fla. to convert 2,000 tons per day of woody biomass into synthetic gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel through a thermo-catalytic conversion.

Larry Hess, CEO of TBIOCC, says the technology was purchased

from Shell Oil Company. The fuel is produced more cost-efficiently and with less of a CO2 footprint, Hess says.

The total investment into the county, according to TBIOCC, would be $450 million over 10 years while creating 564 long-term employment positions from the wood supply to the refinery.

Support from the Board of County Commissioners came in two forms. One is support of TBIOCC’s pre-application for a $25 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., the entity established to disburse $1.5 billion in BP fine dollars into eight northwest Florida counties.

The second is to begin the process, likely through a privatepublic partnership, to facilitate with the St. Joe Company acquisition of the 116-acre site, which once was home to an L&P facility.

The L&P site had a particular attraction: an adjacent rail spur.

Once operational, the biorefinery’s output would be shipped primarily to New Orleans for “blending.”

Elmia Wood 2021 Announces Location Elmia Wood will be hosted May 18-21, 2021 in the timberlands of Småland, 30 km south of Jönköping, Sweden. The land and infrastructure of the Bratteborg venue meets the high demand for access and exit roads, plenty of parking space, open areas for stands as well as for service functions such as electricity, wifi and broadband. But most importantly, the timberland available for live demonstrations is unprecedented, according to show officials. Sandahlsbolagen (Sandahl Group) is the landowner. ➤ 12

June 2019 / Wood Bioenergy

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■ in the news

11 ➤ Bratteborg is a large property. The fair ground comprises 150 hectares of timberland, farmland and open areas.

“Further information on how we will utilize the potential that reside within the Bratteborg venue will follow after the conduction of SkogsElmia on June, 6-8 2019,” organizers say.

Pinnacle Resumes Entwistle Production Pinnacle Renewable Energy resumed production of wood pellets in late March at its facility in Entwistle, Alberta, using dry fiber.

Pinnacle continues to work with Alberta Labour Occupational Health & Safety, fire authorities, insurance adjusters, equipment suppliers, and third-party experts as part of the ongoing investigation of the February 11, 2019 fire in the dryer area of the facility.

Pinnacle is working with its insurance provider to assess the amount of recoveries that it is entitled to as a result of the fire event.

The company expects to provide a further update on the Entwistle facility during the second quarter.

Pinnacle also announced it has entered into a new long-term, takeor-pay contract with Sumitomo Corp., a large, diversified trading company in Japan. These industrial wood pellets will be used to supply its customer in Japan. Under the terms of the contract, Pinnacle will supply 200,000 metric tons per annum of wood pellets to Sumitomo starting in 2022. This represents Pinnacle’s ninth offtake contract signed in Asia and the third contract with Sumitomo since February last year. This will bring the company’s contracted regional sales into Asia to about 48% in 2022.

Royal DSM Reducing CO2 Emissions Royal DSM, a global sciencebased company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, announced that it is reducing its CO2

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emissions at its vitamin production facility in Sisseln, Switzerland by 50,000 tons/year through a new biomass heat and power plant on the site.

The power plant was built, is owned and will be operated and maintained by energy company ENGIE and Swiss energy provider ewz. The plant will generate 267 GWh of steam and 42 GWh of renewable electricity per year and will be one of Switzerland’s largest and most efficient biomass power plants.

Biomass Electricity In U.S. Flattens Electricity generated from biomass and waste totaled 70.6 million megawatthours (MWh) in 2018, or about 2% of total U.S. electricity generation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Adminstration. Expansion in electricity generation from biomass and waste has stalled in recent years, after growing from 2004 through 2014, and in 2018 was 2% below its peak generation of 71.7 million MWh in 2014.

Electricity generation from biomass and waste is a diverse collection of organic feedstocks including wood and wood waste solids, black liquor, municipal solid waste, and landfill gas. These four feedstocks accounted for more than 94% of biomass and waste electricity generation in 2018.

Wood solids were the largest feedstock for biomass and waste electricity generation, accounting for 21.4 million MWh in 2018, or 30% of total biomass and waste electricity generation. Wood solids primarily consist of residues from forestry, lumber production, paper mills, and other allied industries and are used to produce heat and electricity in the electric power and industrial sectors.

Black liquor, a byproduct of making wood pulp, accounted for 28% of biomass and waste electricity generation in 2018, second only to wood solids. Black liquor

has a high heat content, making it desirable as a boiler fuel, and contributes 56% of total electric generation at papermaking plants. Papermaking plants have increased their share of generation from using their own wastes from 66% in 2004 to 75% in 2018.

Working Forests Boost Economics An analysis released by National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) shows that private working forests support a staggering 2.5 million jobs, $109 billion in payroll, and account for $288 billion dollars in sales and manufacturing.

The new report by Forest2Market analyzes Forest & Inventory Analysis (FIA) data from the Forest Service and North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes from the Dept. of Labor to calculate the economic impact of privately owned working forests across the U.S. “This report verifies what we already know—that working forests are the unique place where environmental stewardship and economic prosperity align,” says Dave Tenny, President and CEO of NAFO. “There is a widely accepted view that we must choose between economic growth and environmental stewardship, and this data proves that to be false.”

MTI Awards Funding To Biorefinery Plan Board of Directors of the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) approved a $750,000 award to Biofine Developments Northeast (BDNE). The funding will allow BDNE to carry out the commercial development of the first large scale biorefinery deploying Biofine’s technology in Bucksport, Maine.

This plant will enable the conversion of woody biomass to the chemical intermediate, levulinic acid, allowing economic production of a completely renewable heating oil substitute.

Wood Bioenergy / June 2019

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■ raul kirjanen q&a

The Making Of Graanul Invest

Raul Kirjanen EDITOR’S NOTE: Raul Kirjanen started Tallinn, Estonia-based Graanul Invest in 2003 in a small office, but growth came quickly and hasn’t slowed. By 2005 the company had opened its first wood pellet mill in Imavere, Estonia. Ten more followed and today Graanul Invest is Europe’s largest manufacturer of wood pellets. It also operates its own bulk carrier shipping vessels. The company employs more than 500 through numerous subsidiary companies in the Baltic States. Recently CEO Kirjanen was elected to the steering committee of the Forestry Development Plan as a commissioner of the Estonian Renewable Energy Assn. Kirjanen says the main problem of Estonian forestry is that a significant part of Estonian private forests are in poor condition and thus maintenance and renewal of forests should form the cornerstone of the Forestry Development Plan. Kirjanen is convinced that biomass is the solution to Estonian heat production. “Biomass production creates jobs in rural areas, brings income to forest owners, provides security of supply to the country, and balances the foreign trade balance. This is also the base of today’s renewable energy targets,” he says.

“Organizing demonstrations and making meaningless noise will not help find solutions to our problems today or in the future.” The company has begun publishing an annual Sustainability Report each spring. Its sustainability officer serves on the Sustainable Biomass Program certification standards committee.

Recently Wood Bioenergy magazine caught up to Kirjanen with a few questions: WB: Can you provide a little background on the formation of the company and its entry into pellet production?

Raul: I had my first contacts with the wood pellet business in 1999, so I have been around almost 20 years. At that time we had a problem in the Baltics; sawmills had good business but there was no use of residues. That started to become an environmental issue as the piles of sawdust started to gather. It was also a time when some of the Scandinavian companies were starting to use wood pellets in larger scale for energy. So we connected the dots and saw that there is a business opportunity. Graanul In-

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vest was established in 2003 and the first pellet plant started operation in Imavere, Estonia in February 2005.

WB: Was it always the intention to create a large-pellet-production-capacity, multiple-pellet-mills business, as you have done?

Raul: I think eventually every business is a journey and never a linear journey; you test, you fail, you learn, you succeed. It depends on the people you work with and working together, it depends on how the market develops, how opportunities arise and so on. We were ambitious since day one; when we started we did not start with one pellet mill, but we simultaneously developed two mills at the same time. The second mill is in Alytus, Lithuania. I think we have been lucky with timing but also prepared for opportunity. The pellet business has seen an enormous

“Keeping your image, your name and your promises straight are paramount to your future.” growth story over the years and we have grown with the general market. But we also from very early on understood that there are very few substantial players in the market so that keeping your image, your name and your promises straight are paramount to your future. That concept has helped us a lot.

WB: What has been the inspiration or driving force behind the successful evolvement of the company?

Raul: I think it is combination of things really. It is the growth of the market; when market grows it is always easier to develop and grow your business. Secondly, people, we have a very good, uniform and professional team—a few people but they really know what they’re doing. So we have very seldom been stuck behind an issue that we cannot solve. And finally technology; we believe that

Wood Bioenergy / June 2019

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Raul Kirjanen became interested in wood pellets 20 years ago.

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■ raul kirjanen q&a

“If you look at who are some of the biggest funders of the lobby against biomass-to-energy, these are pulp and paper companies and other renewable energy technologies. I do not really understand why that is necessary. We have one uniform large scale target—to keep the planet in good shape and all parts of that puzzle are important.”

trust in the business and the support will vanish.

On the other hand I think it is a very important step from fossil fuel based energy system to renewable energy system. Photosynthesis is today the easiest way to absorb CO2, so we need to keep the forests healthy and in the growing stage and using wood for energy on a sustainable basis is a very important part of the climate solution for the future. But again we also need to be mindful of biodiversity, other wood consumers etc. The picture is complex. I am more and more concerned that there is too much you versus us discussion in the market. If you look at who are some of the biggest funders of the lobby against biomass-to-energy, these are pulp and paper companies and other renewable energy technologies. I do not really understand why that is necessary. We have one uniform large scale target—to keep the planet in good shape and all parts of that puzzle are important. Stabbing each other in the back will not help any of the industries.

wood pellet processing needs to be energy and cost efficient in order to really provide value to the market. You need to keep the total processing-logistical chain efficient in energy and cost perspective.

WB: What do you feel are the biggest challenges with regard to the continued evolvement and growth of woodbased renewable energy?

WB: Since the formation of the company, what is your perspective on the evolvement of wood-based renewable energy in Europe, and worldwide really?

Raul: Biomass-to-energy is under a lot of attack recently and I think it is important that we are transparent and communicate well both our strengths and issues. Biomass-to-energy is in the European sense really a waste/residues to energy solution and as the industry grows we need to be respectful of that. As it is dependent on public support everybody must understand that there is no question complicated or embarrassing enough that must not be answered. Otherwise the public would lose

Raul: Competition with other renewable energy production technologies and public education that using wood for energy is good for the environment.

WB: How would you describe your company’s approach to and support of sustainability efforts?

Raul: We consider ourselves as garbage guys for the wood industry and a bottom feeder in forest harvesting.

We use what has little value domestically in the Baltics and provide added value for these feedstocks. That is also the reason why we are mindful of our growth opportunities here and take good care that we are seen as an integral part of the chain.

Another important step is to minimize the usage of fossil based energy in the total chain from forest to customer. I feel absolutely no sympathy to technical solutions that use natural gas to dry wood to produce “renewable wood pellets.” This is green washing and makes the industry very vulnerable to attacks from the public.

We need to be mindful what has happened to liquid biofuels in Europe and neither people nor politicians are stupid in this sense. But again it is a journey, technology develops, rules develop etc. The target must be the best final outcome.

Graanul Invest wood pellet mill at Imavere, Estonia, which was the company’s first pellet mill startup in 2005.

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WB: Do you expect continued wood pellet production growth for your company, whether in building new plants or acquiring them? Do

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raul kirjanen q&a ■

you have any current expansion projects going on?

Raul: Every company must have a growth strategy. If we look at wood pellet production in the Baltics, I think we have reached a ceiling; our capacity is 2.3 million tons and we do not see how we can expand that by building new capacity. Acquisitions can of course be an opportunity that will not impact raw material baskets. Further new developments will have substantial issues with wood supply. We will also start cannibalizing our own supply chains and that is not good. But we want to grow; we look strongly at opportunities in forestry. Over the last eight years we have become the largest private forest owner in Estonia with Graanul Invest factory in Osula, Estonia almost 50,000 ha of forestland. We look at energy solutions in the Baltics and internationally, pany. But I pay a lot of respect to all our people; working we have quite a strong development program for producin facilities that operate 24/7 during cold winter or hot tion of different biomaterials etc. And of course we look at summers is very hard work and they have done very well. international business development opportunities in the pellets side also internationally. So we are active like WB: How many individual pellet plants does your never before and we want to grow. As we are a private company operate now? What was the annual pellet procompany we do not need to be loud about it though. duction in 2018? How do these plants vary in size?

WB: How do you view the major industrial pellet markets?

Raul: There are two large markets in the world, Europe and Asia, and if we look at the globe Europe is considerably closer to us. I hope the market will self regulate such that closer production regions to Asia will focus on Asia and those closer to Europe will service Europe; that is also important from an environmental perspective. Of course we have a unique position, with our almost 400,000 ton storage capacity and capability to load up to Panamax size vessels, to be a valve in the market that potentially can help also Asian companies (through swapping or maybe also directly).

WB: How has your company approached the accumulation-hiring-training of the technical personnel that are needed to lead your individual pellet mills?

Raul: Pellet production technology is not rocket science. When we look at people we look at people with technical background or at least an interest in technology, with bright eyes and who are willing to work and develop.

The rest can be learned from colleagues in your own plant or in any other plant of the company. As we operate in the rural areas mostly, we have always had very little movement of people in the company, so those who come have found interesting development opportunities in the com-

Raul: We operate 11 pellet mills from 80,000 metric tons to 350,000 metric tons, each designed according to the sustainable wood supply basket. 2018 was a difficult year for us but we produced around 1.8 million metric tons of pellets.

WB: How would you describe your company’s position?

Raul: Our strength is sustainability and our position in these markets. We very seldom compete domestically and are rather seen as partner than competitor in our raw material feedstock markets. Our volume and sales strategy also provides very good security of supply position and I am sure that our customers value that a lot.

WB: Do you feel that for the most part the forecasts you may have seen on worldwide industrial wood pellet

“I like the timberland business; it is not highly profitable, but has longterm perspective. It makes you humble to understand how trees grow, how much work and effort goes there.”

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■ raul kirjanen q&a

production volumes into 2030-2050 probably appear to be accurate, or are they possibly missing anything?

Raul: I think there are a lot of forecasts and 2050 is so far beyond any understanding how energy generating infrastructure will look like that it is quite useless. I think there are two issues that we need to focus on in the industry: 1) To avoid taking biomass away from the markets with lower payment capacity to deliver it to the markets of higher payment capacity, leaving the people in the lower payment capacity countries without opportunity; 2) To meaningfully manage and understand the environmental impact of the full supply chain—including CO2 emissions throughout supply chain, biodiversity, etc.

If we follow those principles then we ensure a place for the biomass on a long-term basis, maybe not the highest profits short-term, but long-term license to operate. If we fail to do so…

WB: Can you provide some insight on your company’s approach to timberlands ownership and do you expect to increase your ownership?

Raul: I like the timberland business; it is not highly

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profitable, but has long-term perspective. It makes you humble to understand how trees grow, how much work and effort goes there. But it also provides possibilities in the market to trade and provide long-term security of supply to your customers.

WB: What is your opinion of the current effectiveness of the industrial wood pellet supply chain? Are there some improvements that can be made there?

Raul: Last season showed that this chain has a lot of issues. I would say there are two main ones: 1) Paper trading of pellets. There are companies in the market who sell pellets that they do not have and if the market gets tight they fail their obligations. That is a big issue for market stability.

2) Because of the race to the bottom mentality in pricing and the supply chains are very thin, if there are accidents, weather events or something else that affects either the supply or demand side, then fluctuations in the market are huge.

A positive thing in both respects is that market is growing and not only in volume but there are more players and more geographical destinations that will help to solve some of the recent problems in the long run.

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■ chippers & grinders

Bandit Industries Bandit Industries continues to refine machines for changing markets. Bandit’s lineup of whole tree chippers has earned their reputation among industry professionals by standing up to the toughest jobs, producing high quality chips, and helping producers build their businesses. But Bandit continues to refine its lineup of whole tree chippers, adding options and features to make these machines more productive for the men and women who rely on them to get their jobs done.

Last year Bandit introduced new options to its largest drum-style whole tree chippers—the 24 in. capacity Model 3090 and the 30 in. capacity Model 3590.

Model 3090 can now be outfitted with a powerful Cater- Bandit 3590 chipper has a more maneuverable presence. pillar C27, 800 HP engine. This engine powers Bandit’s legendary whole tree chipper drums, which produce a higher quality chip, and throws those chips harder, fully loading chip trailers without the need of an auxiliary blower, which robs horsepower and increases fuel consumption.

Model 3590 rides on a new tandem axle configuration that slims down the width of the machine, making it easier to haul down the road and easier to position in the woods.

Model 3590 has a new track option configuration, giving one of Bandit’s most popular whole tree chippers go-anywhere versatility. The Caterpillar 325EL steel track undercarriage is the same tracks Bandit puts under its largest horizontal grinders.

The 3590 track can be outfitted with a Caterpillar C27, 800 HP diesel engine.

The new Fish Mouth infeed is standard on all Bandit whole tree chippers. This unique design helps funnel whole trees toward the feedwheels, making it easier to feed larger trees.

CW Mill Equipment HogZilla grinders are manufactured by CW Mill Equipment, Co., Inc., based in Sabetha, Kans. The company has been manufacturing electric- and diesel-powered grinders approaching five decades. Decades ago, we saw the grinding industry’s need for higher quality industrial grinders, and have been responding to the wants and needs of the industry ever since. When it came to industrial wood grinding, we started from the ground up with a specific goal to take CW Mill’s HogZilla TC-1564P and TCII-1564P grinders on the toughest applications. We knew that our goal would drive us to manufacture the most reliable, highest capacity grinders, and we did it with the creation of HogZilla.

CW now has a standard grinder lineup of more than 20 models, with tub and horizontal, as well as rubber tire and track options. While there are more than 20 standard models, it is CW Mill’s practice that each grinder is custom built to match a buyer’s focus; the buyer can be sure an optimal solution to grinding is being obtained.

Along with a bigger and better, and more powerful and productive grinder, customer service is a key aspect that CW Mill focuses on. In addition to the relentless operation of our machines, customers appreciate our knowledgeable and committed service staff. We want customers to know that they can always rely on us for support.

CW Mill has worked to combine power with reliability by using innovative components, such as the torque converter drive. Dating back to 1993, the torque converter has been a signature component of a HogZilla grinder. Additional reaction torque is added by rerouting of hydraulic fluid against turbine blades whenever load on the hammermill increases. Because the torque converter fluid absorbs shock loads and torsional vibrations from the hammermill, it affords protection to the engine.

Many customers need both maximum strength and maximum flexibility in a grinder so they can grind everything from the biggest stumps to small brush. Along with excellent customer service, parts availably, and the ability to have your grinder built exactly how you want it, there simply is no better choice other than a HogZilla brand grinder.

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chippers & grinders ■

Morbark Morbark, LLC, a leading manufacturer of forestry, biomass, tree care, sawmill, and wood recycling equipment, listened closely to our customers when developing the 6400XT Wood Hog. The 6400XT includes many feature improvements first introduced in the smaller 3400XT. The infeed bed is 24 in. (60.96 cm) longer than previous Morbark grinders in the 1,000-plus HP Morbark 6400XT Wood Hog horizontal grinder is operator friendly. range and has sloped sides. This configuration improves operator sight lines for more efficient loading of material. The standard removable infeed chain return floor allows excess material to fall away to minimize the wear on the floor, bed chain and inserts.

The 6400XT weighs in at less than 96,500 lbs. (43,772 kg) and measures 11 ft. 5½ in. (3.49 m) wide with the standard Caterpillar 325L undercarriage with 600 mm double grousers, allowing the unit to be transported to nearly all domestic and international markets.

The 6400XT has several operator-friendly features focusing on accessibility for daily maintenance, including: ● The extended 31.5 in. wide (80 cm, 25% increase) platform between the hood and engine for ease of changing grates and access to diesel engine ● A fixed work platform for better access and safety during common grate and hammermill maintenance ● A hydraulic hinged door and hood locking system to provide quick access during grate changes—the hydraulics unlock with a simple turn of a knob ● An independent hammermill drive tensioning system for ease of adjustment ● The larger feedwheel (40 in./101.6 cm diameter, an increase of more than 15%), which raises higher to allow better access to the hammermill during insert inspection The standard engine options for the 6400XT are the Caterpillar C27, 1050 HP (783 kW) or C32, 1200 HP (895 kW) engine, both Tier 4 Final.

Precision Husky Precision Husky builds equipment to work as hard as you do, and for years to come.

Our fuel-efficient, low maintenance and low noise chippers and grinders are being used all over the world to manufacture mulch, compost and boiler fuel and to clear and clean jobsites. ● ProGrind Horizontal Grinders For working with long limbs, our high-speed ProGrind horizontal grinders can’t be topped. We have three models (H-3045, H-3060 and H-4060) to choose from, each with a rugged diesel engine and offering you from 520 HP up to 1200 HP. The dual cutting surfaces at various depths eliminate jams.

Precision Husky chippers push the envelope for chip ● ProGrind Tub Grinders quality and less wear.

Precision Husky also offers six popular models of ProGrind tub grinders, each built with ease of operation, cost and—always—your productivity in mind.

Feedback on our newest offering, the ProGrind 5200 has been fantastic and, frankly, we weren’t at all surprised.

First of all, the PG 5200 contains one of the most aggressive hammermills in the industry. It can cut through mountains of green waste at production rates of more than 100 tons-per-hour! ● Whole Tree Chippers Precision Husky did not invent the whole tree chipper but we do make the best chipper you can buy. Ask any of the more than 5,000 crews that use them every day and have access to our unbeatable parts inventory and service technicians.

The latest generation of Precision-built chippers pushes the envelope of technology to include a 66 in., five-knife option, which allows the chipper disc to operate at a slower rate.

Precision Husky is showing the industry just how outstanding one company can be. We work from a 165,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Leeds, Ala. Our president Scott Smith is a second-generation innovator like his father, company founder and CEO Bob Smith. Together they have helped Precision go from a small regional provider to a worldwide leader in timber processing technology.

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■ chippers & grinders

Rotochopper For more than 25 years, Rotochopper has specialized in profitable, sustainable solutions that transform waste materials into premium products like colored mulch, animal bedding and compost with unmatched efficiency. As a factory-direct, employee-owned company, Rotochopper is uniquely focused on continuing to meet and exceed our customer needs.

Rotochopper was founded on the simple idea of creating a better solution to the problem at hand. Over two decades later, innovation and responsive flexibility continue to differentiate both Rotochopper grinders and the service team behind them from their competition. Following this tradition, Rotochopper continues to focus on innovation and growth, especially where their customers need additional Rotochopper B-66L horizontal grinder handles abrasive solutions and flexibility—and their new aggressive, robust feedstock. and heavy-duty grinder hits the mark.

Rotochopper’s B-66 L-Series horizontal grinder raises the bar as the most advanced fiber processing system on the market, designed to meet the needs of grinding larger, more abrasive feedstock materials and engineered to increase overall production rates with unmatched efficiency. ● The lower, longer, and less drag infeed hopper tackles the toughest grinding jobs with ease. A newly designed aggressive powerfeed pulls materials into the grinding chamber effortlessly and the 38 in. throat opening accommodates some of the toughest material including, large logs, whole trees, and brushy feedstocks. ● Remote monitoring, through Rotochopper’s RotoLink system, provides reporting and tracking data to ensure consistent efficiency, predict maintenance needs and reduce downtime. ● Customer feedback prompted Rotochopper to include the following options as standard features on the B-66L grinder: wear liners, bolt-in anvil, 24 tooth rotor with 2 in. thick drum, and a reinforced case, enabling the B-66L to tolerate substantial wear and tear. ● The B-66 L-Series grinder can be powered by either a 950 or 1050 HP diesel engine. ● Pair the B-66L with the enhanced Generation II Dolly to seamlessly transition from highway transport to work site navigation in minutes. The reengineered Gen II Dolly incorporates a longer, more robust axle spread to more evenly distribute the weight of the grinder, mitigating transport restrictions and obstacles.

Vermeer To help reduce the likelihood of major machine damage caused by certain metal contaminants entering the hammermill, Vermeer has introduced Damage Defense system—an option now available for tub and horizontal grinders. If the mill comes in contact with metal while grinding, Damage Defense system will alert the grinder control and automatically initiate the shutdown process. The system idles the engine down, reverses the infeed or tub and disengages the clutch. Once the contaminant is cleared, normal operation can resume.

“The optional Damage Defense system is ideal Vermeer Damage Defense system for tub and horizontal grinder for any tub or horizontal grinder operation that operations may encounter metal mixed in their incoming material,” says Jeff Bradley, Vermeer product manager for Recycling and Forestry. “The system can be factory-installed on new Vermeer grinders, and is available as a refitted option for many older Vermeer grinder models.”

Vermeer Damage Defense uses exclusive technology to reduce the possibility of severe damage when large metal objects enter the hammermill, and operators can easily adjust the sensitivity settings for jobsite conditions to help reduce nuisance shutdowns. It is integrated into the grinder’s controls system, and features robust components and a weather-resistant box.

Vermeer Corp. delivers a real impact through the manufacture of high-quality tree care, environmental, underground construction, surface mining and agricultural equipment.

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■ raw materials

Acrowood

Air Burners

Acrowood slant disc chipper

Air Burners FireBox

Acrowood has long been known as a chipper manufacturer. From 42 in. diameter disc rechippers to 175 in. diameter whole log chippers, Acrowood and our predecessors Black Clawson and Sumner Iron Works have supplied chippers and forest products equipment for more than 100 years.

Acrowood is among the world’s leaders in whole log and sawmill wastewood chipping and chip screening.

Acrowood’s whole log chippers handle logs from 16-40 in. diameter. Our whole log chipper line is meant to be as heavy duty and robust as any chipper available in the world market. Acrowood’s newly reconfigured spout and disc hardware design produces better chip quality than ever before, is built to last, and provides easy maintenance access. With its durable design many are still in service after more than 40 years of operation.

Acrowood’s line of wastewood chippers features our unique and proven Slant Disc Chipper. Since the 1960s, our SDCs have seen widespread acceptance and use in wastewood chipping applications. In recent years, there has been increasing utilization of smaller diameter stems and the Acrowood SDC has proven to be a great choice for chipping these small diameter stems. This machine is designed to chip trim blocks and edgings in green and kiln dried form. The SDC achieves outstanding reviews from sawmills and chip buyers alike, producing consistently the best wastewood chips from any source; delivering high quality chips for both pulp mill and pellet mill. Both chippers produce 90%+ accept chips while minimizing pins and overthick chips.

Acrowood also specializes in chip screening with a variety of screen designs.With over 50 years in the rotary screen business, Acrowood’s Dual Drive Suspended Screen offers high efficiency and is designed for long life and easy maintenance. This screen’s drive design moves the drive elements to the outside of the frame, so they don’t impede chip flow. Mounting the motor either above or below the decks gives the best access for key drive components; a desirable maintenance access feature.

Test your material in Acrowood’s development center.

Today, in-woods chipping and grinding operations are often not commercially sustainable, especially with fewer takers for grinding and chips from slash and non-merchantable wood from timber harvesting. Many biomass electricity plants have closed or have had economic difficulties. Pulp mills only accept specific material and the mulch market for ground-cover is saturated. Chips hauled from woodlands can end up in landfills already burdened with a biomass waste disposal problem.

Foresters have told us of their concern with spreading chips in the woodlands, because of inadvertent pathogen or pest cross-contamination and changing the forest floor ecology. This can adversely affect natural fauna and flora, as mulch is not found naturally in the forest. Increased danger of spreading wildfires is also a fear.

Burning is the natural answer, but only air curtain burning in above-ground FireBoxes. They are more economical, pollute less than grinding and trucking requiring large diesels, and they are safe and easy to operate alleviating all the concerns above. This was highlighted by the US Forest Service in Tech-Tip publications.

First, FireBoxes eliminate the wood waste, leaving behind only a small amount of carbon ash and Biochar which, applied to the forest, is extremely desirable. Second, burning the biomass in a FireBox is carbon neutral.

No CO2 is added to the surroundings as the tree, while alive, had absorbed the same carbon from the air now being released. That is not so with the CO2 in exhaust gases of grinders and trucks that run on large diesels.

Third, the burn boxes can handle all types of wood waste without pre-processing, including green wood, diseased biomass and mixed-in foreign objects. FireBoxes are whole-log burners in which pathogens are destroyed, and rocks and stones end up harmlessly in the residual ashes.

Finally, FireBoxes have been augmented to recover energy by Air Burners’ revolutionary portable PGFireBox systems. Positioned on a landing, they provide electric power for themselves and other electrically powered machinery thus making the visionary “electric forest” a reality. Forest sustainability at its best.

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raw materials ■

Rawlings

Rawlings VRM Super Hi Inertia wood hog

No cookie cutter machine can meet everyone’s space constraints or challenges. Rawlings has had several customers over the years that did not have the overhead clearance in their existing footprint to allow for a clam shell opening type of machine. The Rawlings VRM hog opens hydraulically from the rear of the machine, allowing full access to the hog’s internal wear components and rotor for ease of maintenance.

All Rawlings Wood Hogs are equipped with the solid

steel Patented Super Hi-Inertia Rotor. The high inertia provides the crushing and shearing power needed to handle really tough jobs like green waste, cypress, redwood, cedar, black spruce, poplar and a wide range of other stringy and fibrous materials. With the increased inertia, the Rawlings solid rotor runs at lower RPMs resulting in the lowest energy consumption and maintenance costs of any wood grinder available. This saves our customers both maintenance and electricity costs.

With more than 40 years of experience in the forest and sawmill related industries, Rawlings delivers custom wood grinding equipment with a reputation for durability, performance and reliability. Since 1976 Rawlings Manufacturing Inc. has been manufacturing and installing custom wood grinding systems. Rawlings offers a complete lineup of wood grinders in a full range of sizes and models.

Each customer’s operation is unique with its own challenges. Our team designs each system specific to the customer’s operation and specification. Add a wide variety of available options such as work platform decks, choice of belt, chain, vibrating infeed and outfeed conveyors, metal, or magnet protection, product screening and separation, and you’ve got the flexibility to customize the perfect wood grinding system.

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■ raw materials

Paradigm Change For Feedstock Size Reduction

D

eveloping costeffective methods for processing biomass into an economic biofuel product is critical to the success of the bioenergy industry in the United States. Size reduction and drying of the material, where used, are two of the most-costly and energyintensive operations that are undertaken during preprocessing. Reducing the energy required during these two phases will lower the cost of processing and ultimately reduce the overall cost to the final user.

In an effort to lower the cost for size reduction, Forest Concepts, LLC has developed a rotary shear for the comminution of biomass feedstocks. Forest Concepts has called Two Crumbler modules in a tower arrangement this rotary shear the data for the techno-economic analysis.

Crumbler, which uses intermeshed rotating disks that shear For this test, approximately 16.5 tons of processed the material rather than using impact to reduce the particle crumbles were collected and stored in super sacks. Samsize of the materials. Forest Concepts, LLC has teamed ples of raw hardwood chips were collected prior to milling with Proton Power, Inc., located in Lenoir City, Tenn., to or crumbling to determine moisture content and particle set up a pilot plant that uses the Crumbler to produce size. Samples were also collected after the Module 1 roughly 1⁄4 in. crumbles that ultimately feed a renewable diesel plant in Rockwood, Tenn.

Crumbler, the Module 2 Crumbler, and from each of the INL (Idaho National Laboratory) was contracted to test streams leaving the screener (Unders, Overs, and Accepts).

Crumbler performance and provide a techno-economic Again these samples were analyzed for moisture content analysis of the process. This demonstration used chipped and particle size. Flow measurements were made at the (roughly 2 in.) hardwood trees, harvested locally near the outlet for the processed material (Accepts) by weighing all Rockwood facility. Following the chipping process, a twoof the product produced over the run time of the test. Fines stage Crumbler process was used to size-reduce chips to (Unders) were also collected, weighed, and time stamped approximately 1⁄4 in. particles. The material produced from based on the run time of the test. The flow rate for the the Crumbler (“crumbles”) is normally dried prior to feedOvers was measured at the point of the discharge from the ing a bank of “CHyP” engines operated at Proton Power to screen by capturing the amount of material that would make renewable diesel. Some of the processed crumbles flow through the process in a one-minute interval and were shipped to INL to be dried using the Biomass Feedmeasuring its mass. Data loggers were used to measure the stock National User Facility (BFNUF) process demonstracurrent, voltage, and power factor to calculate energy used tion unit (PDU) rotary dryer to measure the energy required for each mill. to dry the crumbles to less than 10% moisture content. AdDuring the testing completed at the Proton Power pilot ditionally, raw chips were shipped to INL and dried prior to plant, 16.5 wet tons (9.9 dry tons) of wood chips were hammermilling to compare the two methods and provide processed. Energy data was collected during the test.

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raw materials ■

While the energy to hamEquipment Ownership Cost Operating Cost Lost Material Cost Total Cost ($/dry ton) ($/dry ton) ($/dry ton) ($/dry ton) mermill dry chips (11.2 kWhr/dry ton) is less than Dryer $1.31 $45.39 $ 0.00 $46.70 the energy to create crumHammermill $0.89 $ 3.71 $46.17 $50.77 bles from wet chips (18.4 Conveyors $0.05 $ 0.04 $ 0.00 $ 0.09 kWhr/dry ton), there is a Dust Collection $0.18 $ 0.66 $ 0.00 $ 0.84 tremendous difference beTotal $2.64 $49.80 $46.17 $98.40 tween drying wet chips (2314 kWhr/dry ton) and drying wet crumbles (1220 Equipment Ownership Cost Operating Cost Lost Material Cost Total Cost kWhr/dry ton). The ($/dry ton) ($/dry ton) ($/dry ton) ($/dry ton) throughput through the Rotary Shear $2.50 $ 3.32 $ 0.67 $ 6.49 dryer is also significantly Dryer $1.31 $24.40 $ 0.00 $25.71 higher for the crumbles Conveyors $0.05 $ 0.04 $ 0.00 $ 0.09 compared to the wet chips.

The adjacent tables proDust Collection $0.16 $ 0.65 $ 0.00 $ 0.81 vide the results from the Total $4.02 $28.41 $ 0.67 $33.10 techno-economic analysis.

Because the drying costs Scaling to reference biorefinery prior to hammermilling are so much higher than the drying costs after the Crumbler, ciency & Renewable Energy, and Bioenergy Technologies there is significant costs savings by drying after the CrumOffice Small Business Innovation Research Program under bler when the chip size is much lower.

Award Number DE-SC-0010122.

This article was submitted by Forest Concepts. Visit forestIf the performance of the hammermill comminution concepts.com. The following link will give you access to the enpathway and the rotary shear pathway is scaled to the reftire Techno-Economic Analysis: erence biorefinery, which has a capacity of 95 dry short http://forestconcepts.com/media/Pubs/Pub.Crumbler.P24M.I tons per hour (800,000 dry tons per year), the economic NL.TEA.Final.2019.pdf value of the rotary shear pathway can be further appreciThe following link is to a brief video taken during the collecated. The economic benefit of $65.30 ($98.40–33.10) per tion of data for the TEA at Proton Power’s renewable diesel dry short ton may be as high as $52.24 million per year. plant in TN: This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. http://forestconcepts.com/privdocs/INL.PPI.TEA.2018.06.27.

Dept. of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Energy Effimp4

Albach Diamant Chipper Suits DG Forestry

T

he flow of chips leaving the they comment. “We needed a chipper 270 degree rotatable spout to access landings on very difficult terseems never ending. The selfrain and almost non-existing access propelled whole tree chipper, Diaroads. But on the other hand, we chip mant 2000, designed and developed for biomass plants all over the UK that

by Albach Maschinenbau, comes demand high-quality wood chips. This with plenty of power—Volvo Penta requires a machine that can travel at engines with 612, 700 and 768 HP. legal highway speeds, not compromisThe Albach Diamant comes with a ing its off-road performance or high true 48x38 in. diameter side infeed. quality chipping capabilities.”

DG Forestry chipping operation with The material exits through the hyOther features include 42 in. wheels Albach Diamant 2000 draulically driven accelerator with inwith permanent 4 wheel drive and a dependent variable speed adjustment to blow chips to the turning radius of only 27 ft., allowing flexibility on any far front of the trailer or back in the woods. terrain. ABS, cruise control and numerous other safety and David Roberts and Gary Wright of DG Forestry in Mid comfort features make operating and driving from side to Wales, UK confirm the machine’s quality and reliability. side an easy task.

DG Forestry has operated a Diamant 2000 since 2016 and The heart of the machine is the specially designed rotor purchased two units very shortly apart. and infeed concept. Operating with the Palfinger crane “The main criteria for the Albach is its mobility and casimplifies the process, resulting in large volumes of roundpacity. We chip huge amounts of brush and tree tops in wood or brush material that can be loaded onto trailers poScotland where the larch disease has killed entire forests,” sitioned anywhere around the chipper.

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■ industry event

OLC Delivers

New Products Largest outdoor exhibit space ever in 2019 EUGENE, Ore. arger overall and with more outdoor exhibit space for equipment than ever, the Oregon Logging Conference (OLC) in late February brought loggers, equipment vendors and suppliers and industry officials together for four days of new products and technologies displays along with information and news updates about the industry, professional logging seminars and more.

The 81st OLC’s theme was “Building Products for Building Futures,” and included a keynote from Anthony Davis, interim dean of forestry at Oregon State University, who spoke on the nature of renewable wood products and mass timber building development as ways to reintroduce the industry to the public while also providing much-needed growth in employment opportunities for rural America and elsewhere.

The OLC offered plenty of opportunity for young people to begin building their futures with the second annual Future Forestry Workers Career Day, as more than 500 students from 30 high schools attended the OLC. This year’s event offered students a hands-on experience working forest jobs. Students were able to operate a small excavator, plant trees and run a chain saw.

The high school students, many of whom will be making career choices soon, attended presentations on jobs and job opportunities in the forest, from equipment operation and trucking driving to wildland firefighting.

Miller Timber Services in Corvallis has been a big backer of the career day and dedicated six employees to help out at an indoor booth and on Career Day. “We felt like it was a success in terms of getting exposure to students about careers in the forest industry,” says Miller CTL Manager and forester Matthew Mattioda.

“I think we had some good response and opened up their minds,” he adds. Mattioda notes Miller Timber wasn’t planning on getting applications during the event, but “planting the seed” can help, he believes, as the high-schoolers begin making career decisions in a few years. ● During two OLC Foundation auctions held during two morning breakfasts, more than $28,000 was raised to help provide scholarships to students pursuing careers in logging and related careers. Additional fundraising included $6,500 for the Douglas County Partners for Student Success and the Umpqua Valley STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, Math) hub, raised by the “Dessert for Dreams” luncheon hosted each year by the OLC First Lady. ● Is it time to just put them in the OLC Loader Contest Hall of Fame and give others a chance?

During the OLC’s 10th annual log loader competition, the same two guys who’ve swapped the title back and forth the past few years were at it again: First place was Zane Bryant (Bryant Logging) with a time of 3:03:53, and second place was Bryan Chipps (Green Diamond Resource Company) with a time of 3:09:22, and third place was Justin Jackola (Bruce Burke Logging) with a time of 4:27:34. ● Cindy Koch of Emerald Valley Cruising, a timber cruising company in Salem, Ore., was the winner of the Guess the Net Scale of a load of logs contest on display at the Oregon Logging Conference. Her guess was 5,580 net board feet (6,620 gross board feet). Cindy will receive a Cabela’s gift card. Special thanks to Swanson Bros Lumber and Leonard Maser Trucking for donating the truck for Loggers from across the Northwest made the trip to western Oregon. display at the OLC.

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Doosan DX300LL-5 log loader with Southstar QS500 harvesting head

28 in.

Komatsu 398 processing head

Southstar QS605 grapple processor

Peterson 2710D horizontal grinder

Tigercat 635G 6WD grapple skidder

New Timberpro TL-775D feller-buncher with Quadco sawhead Summit Attachments & Machinery motorized grapple carriage up to 160 in.

Quadco’s 870C Keto Harvester

New Wood-Mizer LX150 Twin Rail Portable Sawmill

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New 32 in. Pierce PD5500M Monoboom Delimber

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Caterpillar 522B track feller-buncher

Deere 2654G track harvester with Waratah HTH623C harvester head

Ponsse H10 harvesterprocessor head

CBI Model 7544 Flail & Chipper

Tigercat LX870D with ER Technology, with 26 in.

5702-26 sawhead

Komatsu XT 445L tracked feller-buncher

Alliance Tire Group’s new Alliance 643 Forestar III LS-2 and Alliance 644 Forestar III LS-2 cut-to-length equipment forestry tires Morbark 800 HP 3400 XT Wood Hog

Olosfors’ new CoverX flotation track

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■ product news

LDX Oversees Dustex, Lundberg LDX Solutions is the new name of the company formed recently that will encompass the Dustex, Geoenergy and Lundberg air emissions control equipment. Mergers of those companies in recent years allowed rapid investment in new product development, but also created some market confusion. LDX Solutions is now the corporate umbrella.

“As one name we can demonstrate the unity of our team’s commitment to better serve our customers,” the company states. “It is our vision to be the preferred partner in achieving sustainability goals utilizing environmentally conscious solutions.”

LDX Solutions offers a complete portfolio of emissions control, chemical process improvement, and energy conservation solutions, Key points of contact remain in place as the business continues to market and support the Lundberg, Dustex and Geoenergy product brands under the company brand name LDX Solutions. The LDX Solutions name will be used on all correspondence and documents.

In addition the website and domain names are changing to www.

LDXsolutions.com and @LDXsolutions.com.

Screen Machine Buys Diamond Z Chipping Screen Machine Industries, LLC of Etna, Ohio has become the parent company of Diamond Z of Caldwell, Idaho. This will create a strong partnership of two material processing pros—Screen Machine in crushing and screening, Diamond Z in chipping and grinding.

Shane Terblanche, President & CEO of Screen Machine, comments: “We have a great opportunity to join our shared vision of providing the most durable and reliable products in our industries with our unmatched focus on customer service.”

Screen Machine began in 1966 as a structural steel company and

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found its niche serving crushing and screening needs for the aggregates and coal industries in the Midwest.

Diamond Z was founded with a clear focus on chipping and grinding and has enjoyed great success as a result of its affiliation with Rule Steel, a structural steel manufacturing company.

Both Screen Machine and Diamond Z will continue to operate as they have done so for many years from their respective facilities in Etna and Caldwell.

Rotochopper Attracts Machine Owners Rotochopper owners and operators gathered at Rotochopper’s manufacturing facility in St. Martin, Minn. for training the last two weeks of February. The customer service department hosts Rotochopper University annually for companies that have purchased Rotochopper grinders during the past year.

The two-day class includes a manufacturing facility tour, equipment operation best practice training, a hands-on demonstration and plenty of networking opportunities allowing machine owners to learn from each other. This year the education focused on “how to properly feed your grinder,” “how to perform preventative maintenance” and “how to troubleshoot.” The hands-on demonstration showed attendees how to install the main rotor bearings on a Rotochopper grinder.

Hands-on at Rotochopper headquarters

Rotochopper offered two session options, with more than 50 students from 32 companies across the U.S and Canada attending.

“Being at Rotochopper University this year has been really interesting,” comments Jason Fenley, AKA Tree Removal, Buford, Ga. “I really enjoyed being able to come to the Rotochopper factory to see and meet the people that are behind the machines that we are operating on a regular basis. Anyone that operates a Rotochopper would benefit from coming here to see exactly how much care and time are put into building these machines,”

BE&E Expands Conveyor Operations Due to the demand for its SMART Conveyors, Biomass Engineering & Equipment announced it is opening a second manufacturing plant in Indianapolis. This plant is solely dedicated to producing the company’s popular twin-chain drag conveyors for the biomass and bulk materials markets.

Adding a second facility will reduce lead times for the conveyors and allow the company to bring more production in house for better oversight and quality management.

The second plant represents several million dollars of private investment. To make use of the plant and to fill demand, the company is adding approximately 20 jobs, according to Dane Floyd, president of Biomass Engineering & Equipment. Jobs will include fabricators, welders and engineers.

The original plant will make assemblies to feed the new facility and manufacture custom, lowervolume machines.

Biomass Engineering & Equipment began

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product news ■

producing SMART conveyors in 2011 in response to an increased use of wood waste for boiler fuel in the wood products industry. As larger and more diverse companies took notice of the conveyors’ efficiency and design, BE&E expanded its conveyor line to three series to handle differing volume requirements: S (standard), M (medium) and T (tall).

“When we started, we were making conveyors that handled four to five tons per hour of material. Now it’s not uncommon for us to get orders for conveyors that handle more than 100 tons per hour,” Floyd says.

Biomass Engineering & Equipment, along with its parent company, Veneer Services, has always been known for its innovative machines. What sets SMART conveyors apart is their low operating costs. The conveyors are uniquely designed for minimal friction and wear so components last longer and less energy is required to operate the machine.

“With this new facility, we’re ready to meet the demand we’re encountering for our conveyors,” Floyd adds. “We’re poised for growth. We’re in a good position.”

fuel and turned into renewable heat.

After burning of the residual wood, the HoSt boiler supplies the produced hot water with a temperature of 135 °C en 6 barg design pressure to the production process of the neighboring IKEA furniture factory Stepnica.

HoSt also supplies the furnace with a capacity of 600 kg fuel per hour and the baghouse filter that ensures low dust emissions of <5mg/Nm3. The wood feeding and storage system is fully compliant with ATEX explosion regulations.

HoSt is responsible for the project supervision and commissioning.

West Salem Provides Materials Testing

HoSt Will Provide Boiler To IKEA HoSt has been selected by IKEA Industry Poland as supplier of a 2.5 MW wood waste boiler for replacement of an old biomass boiler at IKEA’s production site in Stepnica, Poland. Residual wood from furniture production is turned into renewable heat for the production process.

First fire is expected in October.

IKEA Industry is the world’s largest producer of wood furniture.

The furniture manufacturer has 39 production sites including the Stepnica site in Poland. An important principle of IKEA Industry is not wasting a single piece of wood: all wood used for the products is sawn so that unnecessary waste is minimalized. Residual wood from the furniture production, such as sawdust and wood shavings, is used as

At West Salem Machinery’s size reduction and screening test facility in Salem, Ore., customers and prospective customers can have feedstock tested. The testing and refining of processes (and sometimes equipment) often result in improving the customers’ operations or help them to make informed, confident machine purchases.

Whether your business involves green or dry wood fiber preparation; biomass fuel preparation; fiber prep for pellets, briquettes, or co-firing; converting ag-residuals for biofuels; mulch processing; animal bedding; or other fine-grind materials,

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■ product news

WSM’s lab can simulate various size production settings and volumes, as well as provide detailed screen analysis. Depending on the amount of detail required, WSM can supply complete reporting, including sieve analysis and energy usage.

The test facility is equipped with a horizontal grinder, primary shredder, high-speed hammermill, full air discharge capabilities, disc screen, oscillating screen, and screening equipment for sieve analysis. One of its key features is a Variable Frequency Drive system, allowing machines to be run at different speeds to simulate different operating conditions.

WSM invites those interested to come see the testing in person and tour the plant, or WSM can film the test. Either way, WSM provides expert analysis and recommendations on the type and size of equipment.

Dangjin Power Plant Goes Back To Valmet Valmet has received a repeat automation technology order from Asia’s largest capacity biomass

power plant owned by GS EPS Co., Ltd. Phase 2 of the Dangjin 4 Biomass Power Plant is under construction in the city of Dangjin, close to Seoul in South Korea.

The delivery will take place at the end of 2019 with installation and commissioning starting in February 2020. The order was placed by GS Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. (GS E&C), the contractor responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction of the plant.

In 2014-2015, Valmet delivered automation for phase 1 of the Dangjin 4 Biomass Power Plant. Similar to that, the new power plant will have a capacity of 105 MW and run 100% on wood chips. Once the project is completed, the Dangjin unit will be the largest biomass power plant in Asia.

Valmet’s delivery includes a Valmet DNA automation system, a vibration monitoring system, plant performance system, information management system, fuel management system, boiler protection system and boiler environmental package system.

Aries Biochar Gains USDA Certification Aries Clean Energy announced that its Aries GREEN biochar product has earned the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Biobased Product label and certification from the International Biochar Institute (IBI). The product is now able to display the USDA label and the IBI Certified biochar seal.

Third-party verification for a product’s biobased content is administered through the USDA BioPreferred Program, an initiative created by the 2002 Farm Bill (and most recently expanded by the 2014 Farm Bill). One of the goals of the program is to increase the development, purchase and use of biobased products.

Independent labs are also utilized for the IBI certification process. In each instance, samples are tested and the results are sent to USDA and IBI for analysis and final approvals.

The addition of biochar to plants and crops returns carbon to the soil.

It also improves plant life by retaining water due to the carbon content of the product.

“The certification of Aries GREEN biochar by both these groups is a great accomplishment,” says Gregory Bafalis, CEO of Aries Clean Energy. “This will give our product an edge in today’s biochar marketplace. It’s further validation that downdraft gasification is a green solution for wood waste streams.”

A primary goal of the IBI Biochar Certification Program is to create consumer and marketplace confidence and quality assurances around biochar by creating a standardized, recognized system to certify biochar that meets the IBI Biochar Standards.

Morbark Expands Dealer Network Morbark recently added five companies to its worldwide dealer network for tree care products,

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including Morbark brush chippers and Rayco stump cutters: l BrenCo Equipment Supply & Technology, LLC, with four locations in Utah and Wyoming l Edge Equipment, Ltd., in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada l L.F. George, Inc., with three locations in Wisconsin l RPM Machinery, LLC, with four locations in Indiana l Saw House, Inc., in Houston, Texas BrenCo was a Boxer distributor and has added the Morbark tree care line to its offerings. Edge Equipment is the exclusive Morbark and Rayco tree care dealer for the province of Alberta. L.F. George represents the Morbark brush chipper and Rayco stump cutter and forestry mulcher product lines in Wisconsin and the western portion

of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

They also sell Rayco forestry mulchers throughout Minnesota, Iowa, and portions of Nebraska and South Dakota. RPM Machinery sells the Morbark brush chipper and Rayco stump cutter lines on a nonexclusive basis in Indiana. Saw House is the exclusive Morbark and Rayco tree care dealer for Chambers, Harris, Montgomery and Walker counties in Texas.

Rotochopper Names Brinkerhoff As CEO Rotochopper, Inc. announced the appointment of Tosh Brinkerhoff as CEO. Brinkerhoff has more than 20 years of industry leadership experience with an impressive track record in heavy equipment manufacturing.

Rotochopper’s board of directors, along with business partner, Granite Equity Partners, conducted a comprehensive search which led to the selection of Brinkerhoff to lead Rotochopper.

“I am excited to join Rotochopper and I look forward to building on the legacy of leadership, innovation and customer service that has been established at the company,” Brinkerhoff comments.

Brinkerhoff holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Utah University, and an MBA from Duke University.

He was hired into a leadership program at John Deere, where he gained experience in operations, business development, public affairs, and marketing. His experience widened when he joined Geringhoff North America as president and CEO in 2015.

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■ in the news

Taking Greenhouse Gas To Zero

Biomass domes at Drax Power in the United Kingdom (Courtesy of Drax)

T

he United Kingdom can end its contribution to global warming within 30 years by setting an ambitious new target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by

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2050, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) reports.

Ten years after the Climate Change Act became law, now is the right moment to set a more ambitious goal, according to the committee. Achieving a “net-zero” target by the middle of the century is in line with the UK’s commitment under the Paris Agreement; the pact which the UK and the rest of the world signed in 2015 to curb dramatically the polluting gases that cause climate change.

Scotland has greater potential to remove pollution from its economy than the UK overall, and can credibly adopt a more ambitious target of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by 2045.

Wales has slightly lower opportunities than the UK as a whole, and should adopt a target for a 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, compared to 1990 levels.

This is a crucial time in the global effort to tackle climate change, the committee states. Global average temperature has already risen by 1°C from pre-industrial levels, driving changes in the climate that are apparent increasingly. In the last 10 years, pledges to reduce emissions by the countries of the world have reduced the forecast of global warming from above 4°C by the end of the century to around 3°C. Net-zero in the UK would lead the global effort to further limit the rise to 1.5°C. The Intergovernmental Panel on

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Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized the vital importance of limiting further warming to as low a level as possible and the need for deep and rapid emissions reductions in order to do so.

The CCC’s recommended targets, which cover all sectors of the UK, Scottish and Welsh economies, are achievable with known technologies, alongside improvements in people’s lives, and should be put into law as soon as possible, the committee says.

Falls in cost for some of the key zero-carbon technologies mean that achieving net-zero is now possible within the economic cost that Parliament originally accepted when it passed the Climate Change Act in 2008.

The Committee’s report, requested by the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments in light of the Paris Agreement and the IPCC’s Special Report in 2018, finds that:

l The foundations are in place throughout the UK and the policies required to deliver key pillars of a net-zero economy are already active or in development. These include: a supply of low-carbon electricity (which will need to quadruple by 2050), efficient buildings and lowcarbon heating (required throughout the UK’s building stock), electric vehicles (which should be the only option from 2035 or earlier), developing carbon capture and storage technology and low-carbon hydrogen (which are a necessity not an option), stopping biodegradable waste going to landfill, phasing-out potent fluorinated gases, increasing tree planting, and measures to reduce emissions on farms. However, these policies must be urgently strengthened and must deliver tangible emissions reductions—current policy is not enough even for existing targets. l Policies will have to ramp up

significantly for a “net-zero” emissions target to be credible, given that most sectors of the economy will need to cut their emissions to zero by 2050. The Committee’s conclusion that the UK can achieve a netzero GHG target by 2050 and at acceptable cost is entirely contingent on the introduction without delay of clear, stable and well-designed policies across the emitting sectors of the economy. Government must set the direction and provide the urgency. The public will need to be engaged if the transition is to succeed.

Serious plans are needed to clean up the UK’s heating systems, to deliver the infrastructure for carbon capture and storage technology and to drive transformational change in how it uses its land. l The overall costs of the transition to a net-zero economy are manageable but they must be fairly distributed. Rapid cost reductions in essential technologies such as off-

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shore wind and batteries for electric vehicles mean that a net-zero greenhouse gas target can be met at an annual cost of up to 1-2% of GDP to 2050. However, the costs of the transition must be fair, and must be perceived as such by workers and energy bill payers. The Committee recommends that the Treasury reviews how the remaining costs of achieving net-zero can be managed in a fair way for consumers and businesses.

There are multiple benefits of the transition to a zero-carbon economy, the Committee’s report shows.

These include benefits to people’s health from better air quality, less noise thanks to quieter vehicles, more active travel thanks to increased rates of cycling and walking, healthier diets, and increased recreational benefits from changes to land use.

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In addition, the UK could receive an industrial boost as it leads the way in low-carbon products and services including electric vehicles, finance and engineering, carbon capture and storage and hydrogen technologies with potential benefits for exports, productivity and jobs.

Lord Deben, Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change, says, “We can all see that the climate is changing and it needs a serious response. The great news is that it is not only possible for the UK to play its full part, but it can be done within the cost envelope that Parliament has already accepted. The government should accept the recommendations and set about making the changes needed to deliver them without delay.”

Will Gardiner, CEO of Drax Group, which has converted a significant portion of it power generation

plant in the UK from coal fuel to biomass fuel, comments, “We stand ready to implement the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations and scale up the successful BECCS pilot at Drax to create the world’s first negative emissions power station in the mid-2020s.

Bioenergy with carbon capture is the cornerstone around which a low carbon economy can be built. Crucial for tackling climate change, it will also create new jobs and export opportunities for British businesses.”

The committee noted that a netzero target would require a 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It is referred to as “net” as the expectation is that it would be met with some remaining sources of emissions which would need to be offset by removals of CO2 from the atmosphere—by growing trees, for example.

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