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■ table of contents
www.woodbioenergymag.com
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24 6
FROM THE EDITORS Biomass Shunned
28
AFFORDABLE ENERGY The Latest From The EPA
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IN THE NEWS Pellet Producers Dominate
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DRY END PRODUCTION Machines To Get It Done
16 PINNACLE LAVINGTON Co-located Pellet Plant
Cover Photography: Pinnacle’s Lavington facility is in the valley of British Columbia, where environmental sensitivity is important—one of the reasons for the selection of a set of Stela belt dryers. (Jessica Johnson photo)
24 MORBARK LEGEND Burkholder Retires
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Wood Bioenergy / August 2019
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table of contents ■
advertising index Advertiser Index is a free service for advertisers and readers. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.
Volume 11
Number 4
33
Acrowood
13
425.258.3555
Amandus Kahl Hamburg
11
770.521.1021
Andritz Feed & Biofuel
37
800.446.8629
Arco International
27
+39 030 93 076 70
Bandit Industries
2
800.952.0178
Biomass Engineering & Equipment
22
317.522.0864
BM&M Screening Solutions
14
800.663.0323
Bruks Siwertell
26
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Cogent Industrial Technologies
12
604.207.8880
Continental Conveyor
35
418.338.4682
CPM-Roskamp Champion
30
800.428.0846
CV Technology
3
561.694.9588
CW Mill Equipment
27
800.743.3491
Evergreen Engineering
31
888.484.4771
LundellTech
36
608.354.9380
Metal Detectors
20
541.345.7454
Mid-South Engineering
36
501.321.2276
MoistTech
37
941.727.1800
Morbark
40
800.831.0042
Morillon SAS
23
+33 (0)2 41 56 50 14
Peterson Pacific
39
800.269.6520
Precision-Husky
21
205.640.5181
Process & Storage Solutions
38
866.354.7277
Process Barron
9
205.663.5330
RUF US
19
440.365.0400
Schutte Hammermill
27
800.447.4634
SonicAire
10
336.712.2437
Stela Laxhuber GmbH
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+49 8724 899 0
Art Director/Production Manager ■ Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator ■ Patti Campbell Circulation Director ■ Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing ■ Jacqlyn Kirkland
Vermeer Manufacturing
15
641.628.3141
West Salem Machinery
27
800.722.3530
Williams Patent Crusher
7
314.621.3348
Wyssmont
32
201.947.4600
Advertising Sales
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■ from the editors
EPA Says
Go Coal Go! R
esponding to the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan (CPP)—itself a bureaucratic response to an executive order that was essentially dead on arrival when released in fall 2015 and immediately tossed into legal and administrative limbo—the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now followed the Trump Administration’s executive order by rescinding the CPP and replacing it with the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. In doing so, the EPA has provided emissions reduction guidelines, best systems for emissions reduction and a framework for planning and implementing new reductions. Most significant for the wood bioenergy industry, however, is that as part of rightfully altering the CPP that over-reached in many areas, the EPA has kicked biomass to the curb as a viable way to reduce carbon emissions. What the EPA has done with ACE’s approach to shunning biomass is create a bureaucratic contrivance that makes a decent case—as long as the EPA and power producers ignore the rest of the world’s approach to carbon reduction and basic principles of sustainability. By propping up fossil fuels (that are already heavily subsidized), the EPA is ignoring the basic policy principles supporting the U.S. pellet export industry. In fact, the pellet industry has repeatedly proven its sustainability and contribution to global greenhouse gas reductions as evidenced by activities such as Enviva’s procurement
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tracking program and peer-reviewed scientific research showing virtually no impact on timber inventory or environmental quality. The new EPA rule also ignores a mountain of research and demonstrations that biomass is the perfect fuel for co-firing with coal and enabling a transition to a more renewable energy environmental, as the only truly renewable baseload fuel. With its new ACE, the EPA is missing an opportunity to highlight and promote biomass as a robust, reliable— and renewable—energy source that complements current coal-fired infrastructure and investments.
Wood Bioenergy / August 2019
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■ in the news
Pinnacle, Tolko Teaming Up Again Pinnacle Renewable Energy has entered into a limited partnership agreement with Tolko Industries Ltd. to build Northern Pellet Limited Partnership, a new industrial wood pellet production facility in High Level, Alberta. The facility will use wood fiber sourced primarily from Tolko’s existing sawmill in High Level. The facility is expected to have a run-rate production capacity of 170,000 to 200,000 metric tons per year. Annual production volumes from the mill will be sold through Pinnacle’s contracted backlog of long-term, take-or-pay off-take contracts. Under the terms of the partnership, Pinnacle and Tolko will each own a 50% interest. “We look forward to expanding our business relationship with Tolko, growing our production platform in Alberta and further diversifying our regional fiber supply,” comments Rob McCurdy, CEO of Pinnacle. “We have established a strong working relationship with Tolko through the construction and operation of our jointly-owned Lavington, BC production facility, which was completed safely, on-time and on-budget. Our partnership with Tolko offers Pinnacle the ability to diversify the business further and position the company well to implement our growth strategies.” Under the terms of the Partnership, Pinnacle will operate the facility and manage all aspects of customer relations, marketing, sales and logistics. Tolko will supply both heat energy and fiber to the facility under long-term supply agreements. The facility, which will be built on land owned by Tolko, will begin construction in the third quarter of 2019. Initial wood pellet production is expected to commence in fourth quarter 2020. The capital cost of the facility is expected to be $54 million.
Scott Bax Becomes Pinnacle COO Pinnacle Renewable Energy announced that Scott Bax, senior vice president, operations, is succeeding Leroy Reitsma as Scott Bax Chief Operating Officer, reporting to CEO Rob McCurdy. Bax joined Pinnacle in 2013 and has been instrumental in the safe and cost-effective production of quality wood pellets from Pinnacle’s facilities. Prior to joining Pinnacle, Bax acquired more than 20 years of forestry experience in various logging and wood manufacturing operations throughout Canada and the U.S. Reitsma is transitioning from his current role to focus solely on
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Pinnacle’s U.S. development projects. Reitsma joined Pinnacle in 2007.
Activities Trending Positive For Enviva The world’s larger producer of wood pellets, U.S.-based Enviva, reports it executed a new, firm 5year take-or-pay off-take contract with RWE Supply & Trading GmbH to service its growing demand for wood pellets in the Netherlands and elsewhere. Deliveries under the contract are expected to commence in 2020 with volumes of 200,000 metric tons of wood pellets. Enviva’s previously announced 18-year take-or-pay off-take contract with Sumitomo Corp. to supply wood pellets to a new biomass power plant located in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan is now firm, as all conditions precedent to the effectiveness of the contract have been satisfied. Deliveries under this contract are expected to commence
Enviva has another pellet mill in North Carolina gearing up.
in 2022 with volumes of 440,000 metric tons of wood pellets. Enviva also said it expects the Hamlet, NC wood pellet plant to achieve commercial operations this summer and reach its nameplate production capacity of approximately 600,000 metric tons in 2021. The partnership is finalizing construction of the Hamlet plant and has begun commissioning major process islands. Enviva continues to make progress on pre-construction activities for a deep-water marine terminal in Pascagoula, Miss. and a wood pellet production plant in Lucedale, Miss. In addition, Enviva continues to evaluate additional development locations to support existing and anticipated future off-take contracts, including sites in Alabama and Mississippi around the planned Pascagoula terminal, as well as locations near Enviva’s existing terminals in the Port of Chesapeake, Va. and the Port of Wilmington, NC.
Graanul Invest Buys Texas Pellets Mill Graanul Invest affiliate Woodville Pellets, LLC submitted the winning bid in an auction con-
Wood Bioenergy / August 2019
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in the news ■ United Kingdom Goes For Net Zero Carbon The United Kingdom has become the first major economy in the world to pass law that requires the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, compared with
the previous target of at least 80% reduction from 1990 levels. The UK has already reduced emissions by 42%. The UK’s 2050 net zero target was recommended by the Committee on Climate Change, the UK’s independent climate advisory body. Net zero means any
Graanul has purchased the longtroubled Texas Pellets mill.
ducted on May 9 for the assets of Texas Pellets, Inc. and German Pellets Texas, LLC (Texas Pellets). The assets include Texas Pellets’ Woodville, Tx. pellet manufacturing plant and its Port Arthur, Tx. port terminal. The transaction was approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas after a hearing held on May 15. In connection with the acquisition, Graanul Invest received financing from funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC. The estimated manufacturing capacity of the wood biomass pellet plant in Woodville is 450,000 metric tons of pellets per year. The Port Arthur terminal has a total storage capacity of 68,000 metric tons, and is capable of loading vessels up to approximately 60,000 metric tons. Acquisition of Texas Pellets’ assets enables Graanul Invest group to expand its business to the U.S. to ensure greater security of supply to its customers. It also provides better logistical solutions for entering the Asian market, in particular the fast-growing markets in Korea and Japan. With 11 pellet plants located in the Baltics, the Estonia-based Graanul Invest group’s annual production volume is 2.2 million tons of pellets, making it the biggest pellet producer in Europe. Acquisition of the Texas Pellets pellet manufacturing plant offers a possibility to increase the groups production capacity up to 25%.
August 2019 / Wood Bioenergy
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■ in the news
emissions would be balanced by schemes to offset an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, such as planting trees or using technology like carbon capture and storage. The law comes shortly after the
UK went two weeks without burning coal for electricity, the longest stretch without coal since the industrial revolution. The target was announced earlier by outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May, who called it a crucial plan for protect-
ing the planet. The plan will require Britain to add vast amounts of renewable energy. “The UK kickstarted the Industrial Revolution, which was responsible for economic growth across the globe but also for increasing emissions,” Chris Skidmore, energy and clean growth minister, comments. “Today we’re leading the world yet again in becoming the first major economy to pass new laws to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050.”
Attis Completes Deal For Biofuels Plant Attis Industries, a diversified innovation and technology holding company, finalized a deal with motor fuels distributor Sunoco to purchase an ethanol plant for $20 million in Volney, NY. The former Miller brewing site was closed in 1994 before reopening in 2008 as an ethanol plant. One project Attis has planned is extracting wood biomass from the surrounding area to produce cellulosic fuel. New York has set ambitious goals to adopt the use of renewable energy. The self-sustainable plant could help New York meet objectives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Biorefinery Pilot Plant Gets Going FPInnovations and Resolute Forest Products Inc. announced the commissioning of a new TMP-Bio plant in Thunder Bay, Ontario. With the capacity to treat 100 metric tons of biomass annually, the biorefinery pilot plant produces lignin and sugars for use in the development of innovative bioproducts, such as wood adhesives, animal feed and composites. The organizations joined forces in early 2018 to build the plant at Resolute’s Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill, focusing on developing new ways to efficiently manufacture and market innovative wood-based biochemical products. The C$23 million project is part
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Wood Bioenergy / August 2019
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■ in the news
11 ➤ of an initiative to renew and transform the forest products industry, building on investments by Resolute, the Ontario Centre for Research and Innovation in the BioEconomy (CRIBE), and Natural Resources Canada. The project also has the support of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, FedNor, the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, in addition to contributions in research and applications from the Québec Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks and the Nova Scotia Innovation Hub. TMP-Bio is a patented technology developed by FPInnovations for the commercial production of large quantities of bio-sourced chemicals, such as high-quality cellulosic sugars and H-lignin, and is a step toward opening up new markets for the forest products sector within the biochemical products supply chain.
ber. The company will permanently shut down the bleached board machines, as well as the extrusion plant, wood yard, pulp mill and a significant portion of the energy complex. Approximately 530 jobs at the facility will be impacted by these closures. Georgia-Pacific will continue to operate and invest in the Crossett mill to support its consumer tissue and towel business. Until the assets are shut down in October, Georgia-Pacific employees will continue to operate the mill in its current manufacturing configuration. Georgia-Pacific will begin discussions with union leadership and the hourly and salaried workforce on how the process will work for employees affected by the job reductions, including the potential to transfer to other Georgia-Pacific locations.
GP Shutting Down Crossett Wood Yard
The Canadian Bioeconomy Conference and Exhibition (CBCE) will take place in Prince George, BC June 10-12, 2020. “Since the first conference in 2004, the Canadian Bioeconomy Conference and Exhibition has de-
Georgia-Pacific is shutting down the equipment and processes supporting the bleached board operations at its Crossett, Ark. as of Octo-
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Bioeconomy Event Planned For 2020
veloped a reputation for being one of Canada’s leading conferences on the topic, providing a venue for community leaders, industry members, and policy makers from across Canada and around the world,” says Rob van Adrichem, Chair of the CBCE Board of Directors. The Canadian Bioeconomy Strategy reports that more than 21 million tonnes of raw biomass was transformed into bioproducts in Canada in 2017 alone. Of that total, 60% came from forestry. Total revenues in 2017 surpassed $4 billion. Visit bioeconomyconference .com.
Port of Baton Rouge Keeps Growing The state of Louisiana is outlaying funds to complete a $20 million rail project that will enhance the transfer of commodities from Louisiana producers to export vessels at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge in West Baton Rouge Parish. Located in Port Allen, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge is overseeing nearly $60 million in rail infrastructure projects. In 2018, Union Pacific Railroad completed a $12 million interchange track
Wood Bioenergy / August 2019
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in the news â–
project expanding potential delivery from 45 railcars to as many as 110 railcars on one train. The new funding commitment will bring four rail tracks deeper into port property to serve the Louis Dreyfus Co. (LDC) Port Allen elevator facility. Measured by tonnage, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge is one of three Louisiana ports among the top 10 in the U.S. Beyond the rail access project, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge will begin a third major rail project in the near future. A rail logistics facility, known as a chambering yard, will be built along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and expedite rail service to the LDC’s grain elevators, expedite rail delivery of wood pellets from Drax Biomass, enhance rail operations throughout the port, and make the port more attractive for prospective new tenants. LDC and Drax Biomass will pledge proceeds from expanded shipments as a match for state and port funding of the future chambering yard.
Pinnacle Provides Update On Upgrades Subject to completion of consultation and environmental permitting processes, Pinnacle will commence upgrades at its Williams Lake and Meadowbank production facilities, located within the Cariboo region of BC with the installation of new fiber drying and air filtration equipment and improvements to access infrastructure. The upgrades will allow the two facilities to process a broader array of available fiber sources in the region, and achieve a series of safety and environmental advancements. Upon completion of the upgrades, the Williams Lake and Meadowbank facilities will have an increase of 80,000 metric ton combined overall production capacity. The equipment, technology and infrastructure improvements will result in improved facility operating efficiencies, lower emissions, local employment opportunities and greater overall facility safety. The
capital cost of the upgrades is expected to be $34 million. Pinnacle expects the facility upgrades to be completed and commence commissioning by the end of the fourth quarter 2019. l Pinnacle also updated the situation at its Entwistle production facility, which sustained a fire and explosion in the dryer area on February 11. On March 29, Pinnacle resumed operations at the facility at 25-30% of production capacity with dry fiber. The company plans to restart the dryer in the fourth quarter. Capital costs and other expenses required to replace the dryer and restore the Entwistle facility are estimated to be $21 million to $25 million. Capital costs to replace the dryer area are estimated to be in the range of $13 million to $15 million. Pinnacle expects substantially all of the capital replacement and expenses related to the Entwistle incident to be recoverable through insurance.
AltaGas Power Sells Equity In Two Plants Officials with Atlantic Power Corp. announced an agreement to acquire equity ownership in Craven County Wood Energy in North Carolina and Grayling Generating Station in Michigan for $20 million from AltaGas Power Holdings, subject to approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Closing is expected by mid-2019. Craven County Wood Energy is a 48 MW biomass plant in service since October 1990. Atlantic Power will acquire a 50% interest in the plant, with the remaining 50% interest held by CMS Energy. Craven County has a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Duke Energy Carolinas that runs through December 2027. The plant burns wood waste, including wood chips, poultry litter, forestry residues, mill waste, bark and sawdust. Grayling Generating Station is a 37 MW biomass plant in service since June 1992. Atlantic Power will acquire a 30% interest in the
August 2019 / Wood Bioenergy
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■ in the news
plant from AltaGas, and remaining interests are held by Fortistar (20%) and CMS Energy (50%). Grayling has a PPA with Consumers Energy, the utility subsidiary of CMS Energy, which runs through December 2027. The plant burns wood waste from local mills, forestry residues, mill waste and bark. Both plants are operated by an affiliate of CMS Energy.
Washington Commits To Clean Energy Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a suite of clean energy legislation into law, ushering in aggressive timelines for decarbonizing Washington’s economy and transforming the state’s energy landscape. Inslee, who co-founded the U.S. Climate Alliance after President Trump declared his intent to remove the U.S. from the Paris climate accord in 2017, has vocalized the need for climate action at all levels of government around the world. Washington this year became the fourth state to enact legislation to transition to 100% clean electricity. The Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act commits Washington to aggressively transform its electricity system and to transition to 100% clean electricity over the next 25 years.
ReEnergy Black River Continues To Operate The ReEnergy Black River facility at Fort Drum—the U.S. Army installation near Watertown, NY—is still operating and has never stopped operating, according to a company spokesperson in early July. It is also still operating under the terms of the 20-year renewable energy supply agreement that commenced in 2014. The facility, which has 60 MW of generation capacity, originally burned coal to produce electricity. ReEnergy converted the primary fuel source to sustainably har-
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vested local biomass, investing more than $34 million to renovate the facility and develop a state-ofthe-art producer of green energy. Under the terms of the 20-year renewable energy supply agreement, ReEnergy Black River provides 100% of Fort Drum’s electrical load. The contract was the largest renewable energy project in the history of the U.S. Army. The facility’s remaining electrical output is sold to the region’s power grid. The Army reportedly has been looking at altering the agreement. If that happens, Larry Richardson, ReEnergy CEO, says he would be forced to shut down the mammoth facility. Reportedly the Defense Logistics Agency, a Dept. of Defense agency, has proposed using the electricity from the plant only for backup purposes, rather than 100% of Fort Drum’s energy needs. The Army apparently communicated to DLA Energy that its energy supply requirement at Fort Drum has changed because the cost of electricity is down and it could get a better deal to obtain power from national grid. The plant procures 60 to 70 trucks, each carrying about 30 tons of wood material, each day. The plant is the only market for lowgrade fiber in this part of the state. U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer has reportedly urged the Army to fully honor its contract with ReEnergy at Fort Drum. Schumer was involved in the development of the 2014 contract between the Army and ReEnergy.
Greenbacker Buys Eagle Valley Plant Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC announced the acquisition of the 12 MW Eagle Valley Clean Energy (EVCE) biomass power plant in Gypsum, Colo., which generates electricity from the combustion of waste wood. The plant sells 100% of its energy under a long-term contract with Holy Cross Energy, a not➤ 38
Wood Bioenergy / August 2019
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■ pellet producer
Pinnacle Lavington
Steady Performer
By Jessica Johnson
A
lmost as if it is hiding among Pinnacle Renewable Energy’s attention-grabbing greenfield projects of late in Entwistle, Alberta and Smithers, British Columbia, plus Pinnacle’s partnership with Westervelt in the Southern U.S. pine belt and a majority ownership of the pellet plant in Aliceville, Ala.—the Pinnacle pellet plant in Lavington, BC stands strong on its own. The 300,000 tonne facility, co-located with a Tolko Industries sawmill, was commissioned in September 2015—the fourth greenfield undertakings for the Canadian pellet leader—and has run steady for going on four years. A departure from the drum drying technology prevalent in other Pinnacle plants at the time, Lavington relies on two low heat, low speed Stela flat belt dryers to further
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process sawmill dust that is blown over the railroad tracks from Tolko’s mill. A seamless process now, Lavington Mill Manager Jamie Colliss states, more than 15% of the fiber intake is from Tolko next door. He wishes it Jamie Colliss could be more—noting the ease and almost second nature in accepting the dust and shavings via steel tubing in the wood yard. Like other Pinnacle plants, Lavington only processes sawmill residuals from Tolko and other area mills that truck fiber in. Sawdust and shavings are stored separately in the fiber yard, only the sawdust is processed through the Stela dryers with mixing of fiber streams happening after
Wood Bioenergy / August 2019
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pellet producer ■
drying. Colliss says the choice to go with a belt dryer was a departure for Pinnacle—most other mills were running traditional drum dryers at the time. Going with the belt dryer was the right decision, he adds, and obviously the Pinnacle corporate team agrees—Stela belt dryers have since been installed in the new 125,000 tonne Smithers facility with technical modifications based on the experience at Lavington, as well as planned to be installed in the recently announce Williams Lake plant upgrade and expansion. While there was a learning curve with the natural gas dryer that produces 14.9 tonnes/hr., Colliss says after about 18 months the process was appreciably well tuned. “We continue to get better,” he adds, “but overall the dryers are fine-tuned and it’s 15% of the fiber intake at Pinnacle’s Lavington facility is blown over an excellent drying system from the safety side.” from an adjacent Tolko sawmill. Low temperature means lower fire danger. The dryers heat to between 100-110°C, where a tradibrings the team, families, partners and vendors together to tional drum dryer might have an inlet temperature of show that Pinnacle truly cares about making Lavington a 450°C. Incoming raw material moisture is at 45% and is safe place to work. Scott Bax, Pinnacle’s newly promoted dried down to 8%. The belt system offers more automation COO, says, “innovative ways to engage employees on possibility. Owning Safety, like Pinnacle’s Safety Champions Academy is an example of Pinnacle learning about safety chalSafety Pursuit lenges from Pinnacle and Pinnacle engaging employees on For Pinnacle, safety isn’t just important, it’s a core the value of caring about working safe. For ourselves, our value. The lower temperature dryers are just one piece of families, and our teammates.” the design in Lavington that was done with safety at the In addition, Colliss’s on site staff is challenged to do adforefront. Colliss says one of the things that he admires ditional training of their choice each year—though it must most about his employees is their embracing of not just the apply to what they are doing—one or two of these courses lip service to safety as a core value, but their commitment help the employees create value. “We invest in our people to living the lifestyle. by training them. Our goal is to continually get better,” he To that end, Pinnacle hosts “All In” Owning Safety emphasizes. Days at each plant site once every two years. For eight The facility uses a Digital Action Tracking System hours production ceases and all 32 employees gather. Sen(DATS) to allow employees a forum to communicate ior management from Vancouver will be on hand, as will about things they are seeing, opportunities for improvevarious other entities, such as the railroad police and ment, job observations and more. Colliss says DATS is foWorkSafe BC, the province’s safety regulator, to give precused on creating an environment to engage employees on sentations and talk about safety. Colliss says the day really safety. The employees also have the chance to share things that are really good, and commend each other for a job well done where they went through all the proper procedures. On the day of WoodBio’s visit to Lavingiton, the facility celebrated 800 days with no lost time accidents. “People are the most important part of the operation. Anyone can build a plant, but without the people it will just sit here. They have to believe in it. We want to truly own safety,” Colliss says. “Day in and day out, we see what they do, and how by being safe they make Pinnacle Lavington successful.” He is proud of the plant’s team, as most are new to the industry—many coming from the oil patch. Though, as part of Pinnacle’s investment in its team, there is significant focus on promotSelection of two Stela belt dryers was driven by environmental sensitiviing from within. For example, Colliss says both ties in the area, as well as the safety elements of the low temp machines. of his production supervisors came from hourly
August 2019 / Wood Bioenergy
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■ pellet producer
Committed to safety, Pinnacle leaned on supplier CV Technology to fortify the plant with vents.
32 staff the facility—some internal promotions but mostly outside of the industry recruits.
positions, one from Burns Lake and one from the Lavington facility, and Dylan Leclerc and Eric Jarvis are great examples of values based leaders.
that allows the burning material and combustion pressures to release to a safe location outdoors, thus preventing permanent structural damage. The indoor drag chain conveyors, however, were more complex as free rupture vents cannot be installed indoors without causing additional hazards themselves. Thus, CV Technology supplied Interceptor-LT flameless vents also installed per NFPA 68’s guidelines. The indoor explosion vents operate under the same premise as the free explosion vents. However, instead of exhausting to the ambient environment, they exhaust into a large cavity made of stainless steel mesh. This cavity of stainless steel mesh provides a breathable membrane that allows for the initial pressure wave to be exhausted through. However, it retains
Safe Design With a focus on safety, Pinnacle Lavington was designed to mitigate as much dust as possible. Allied Blower supplied the ventilation system in the facility. Lavington has five SonicAire fans installed, with five more to be installed in late summer. Colliss says it’s evident in the plant’s design the importance of trying to control dust: “It’s easy to keep clean, because the plant processes were designed to be airtight. Eliminating the source of dust is the most efficient way to keep a plant clean.” In addition to SonicAire fans and dust control in the design, Pinnacle partnered with CV Technology to help fortify the plant focusing on three specific areas: the drag chain conveyors, the hammermills and the dust collection system. These are considered high risk areas with regard to a potential dust explosion. CV Technology supplied free rupture vents to the outdoor drag chain conveyors that were installed per NFPA 68 guidelines. The free rupture vents act as an explosion relief system
Seven Andritz 26LM pellet presses get the job done
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With safety in mind, Colliss says its an airtight facility.
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all the burning material and additionally acts as a heat sink, absorbing the heat of the combustion reaction and thus limiting its development. The hammermill systems are protected with free vents ducted to a safe location outdoors; however, because these mills are interconnected to other pieces of process equipment via ducts and chutes, explosion isolation also had to be utilized in order to prevent the spread and speed of explosion propagation. For explosion isolation, CV Technology utilized its Interceptor-HRD chemical suppression system—that consists of a pressure detector installed on the hammermill plenum being isolated, coupled with highspeed suppression bottles installed on the interconnected duct work. The high speed bottles are similar in design to a standard fire extinguisher, but are designed and tested to activate and deliver the suppressant material within milliseconds upon receiving a signal from the pressure detector that an event has occurred. Upon activation, these bottles inject an innocuous powder into the ductwork being isolated, thereby creating a barrier to prevent explosion propagation. For the dust collection system, this same combination of explosion vents coupled with chemical isolation was also utilized.
Plant capacity is 300,000 tonnes
Another important part of the safety equation is the LED technology full-site lighting design from DAGR. Having previously worked with Pinnacle in retrofitting several other facilities with LED lighting, DAGR’s final design covered a wide range of areas and applications, including exterior lighting, high-dust environment storage tent areas and the process building, as well as the office
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and emergency and exits. Exterior mounting heights and lighting angles were carefully adjusted to minimize glare and obtrusive light outside of the property. As part of the design process with a focus on safety and environmental stewardship, Cogent Industrial Technologies was brought onto the project to help establish initial plant standards and provide system design and integration services for the entire plant. Using Cogent’s technical expertise, the plant is equipped with a fully integrated plant IT network, wireless data technologies and highly intuitive operator interfaces. Additionally, Cogent provided on-site support to help the plant achieve a quick ramp-up to full production and smooth transition to operation.
Mill Flow More than 15% of Lavington’s intake is Tolko sawdust and shavings blown over. The rest, as many as 50 trucks per day of sawdust and shavings, are brought into the facility via B trains or walking floor trailers. Drivers unload via one Phelps tipper. Dust and shavings are stored in two MegaDome pre-engineered fabric structures—provided by BuildWorks Con-
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struction—on 10 ft. high concrete lock-block walls, creating a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters. Plant operators, in preparation for the Stela dryers, mix sawdust in the wood yard; depending on how dry the fiber is dictates how fast the belt dryer will operate as well as the temperature. Shavings are mixed after the sawdust is dried. From the mixing of the product streams, material is conveyed to two Bliss 4460 hammermills and then to the pelletizer building. Raw material is pressed into pellets using seven Andritz 26LM pellet presses before cooling and conveying to rail loadout. Pinnacle’s relationship with Andritz is strong with over 50 pellet mills in service. Continental Conveyors supplied the mix of conveyors throughout the plant as well as storage and reclaim solutions. Lavington has minimal finished pellet storage on-site. Finished pellets are stored in silos equal to the capacity of one 100 MT rail car. Operators will load one silo and once its full switch over to the other, then load rail cars. Rail cars travel to the Port of Vancouver and are shipped internationally via FibreCo terminal for exporting. The entire plant shuts down every two weeks for a minimum of 12 hours for scheduled maintenance and improvement projects.
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Morbark’s Legendary
Larry Burkholder By DK Knight
weeks on the job Morey branded hose close to Morbark’s Burkholder a part-time sales assisfounder, the late Norval tant and was told to report to Morey, who grew up on a Morey’s brother, Ralph, who small farm and never went beyond seemingly could never find a good elementary school, say that he was fit, or a person who could tolerate very astute at reading people, parhis antics. But Burkholder was an ticularly the ones he hired to help exception. strengthen and expand his sawmill, Although he saw promise in logging and biomass equipment Burkholder and wisely acted on Larry Burkholder, at the start of his career and now. his advice, Norval Morey likely business based in the tiny, rural community of Winn, Mich. had no idea just how much BurkMorey evidently saw a lot of potential in young Larry holder, then 25, would contribute to Morbark’s sum and Burkholder, a nearby farm boy who was intrigued by what substance over the decades as the company grew, introthe entrepreneur was attempting to do. He joined Morey’s duced innovative products, led the wood-to-energy moveloose, cash-strapped, small-time circus on October 7, 1962 ment, and became a major global manufacturer. as a bookkeeper. That was five years after Morey had begun Burkholder became good friends with Morey and reseriously tinkering in a small blacksmith shop to improve mained very close to him as he developed into a legendary Morbark’s first product, a portable pulpwood debarker. salesman who would remain with the company and its afBurkholder, previously employed as a local bank teller filiates/successors for almost 57 years, an incredible and who also worked on the side as a small business bookstretch apparently unmatched by any Morbark associate. keeper and income tax preparer, quickly found that Now 80, Burkholder, who retains a good sense of Morey’s books were a mess and the business was barely humor, retired on June 28, no doubt to the glee of Morscraping along. A few days into the job, Morey pointed to bark’s competitors. His superiors had beckoned him from a basket containing a large stack of accounts payable and a his Florida-based sales territory to the Michigan plant for a few accounts receivable and told the new hire to go routine visit, only to surprise him with an appropriate celethrough them, later asking, “I don’t think I could go broke bration. It was marked by a brief interruption of assembly in less than a year, do you?” line work; the presence of family members and former coRecalls Burkholder in his distinctive raspy voice: “I didworkers; a video filled with accolades and best wishes n’t know what I had gotten myself into. I told him he had from relatives, customers, friends and co-workers; heartto cut expenses and the quickest way to do it was to trim felt comments by sales management and others; and ample personnel.” Morey promptly reduced the employee count applause all around. It was a fitting salute to his body of from 19 to 10 and the business gradually stabilized. work and strong corporate and customer impact, not to Even though he had no interest in sales, after a few mention his inspirational example, mentoring value, stam-
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ina and resilience. Lon Morey, son of Norval Morey and former Morbark CEO, appeared in the video, saying: “Ever since my dad hired you and until his passing, the two of you had that special bond that most people only dream of. Your name will live on in the Morbark family and the industry as much as his does because you’ve always been a major face for the company. Next to my father I know of no one who has as much respect for and knowledge of this company and this industry as you do.” Another video spokesman, Mark Rau, Morbark Inside Sales Coordinator, hit a grand slam with these words: “Larry, in your honor I think they should change the name of Morbark to ‘Morburk’ for just one day.”
Sales Standout Known as Burk in industry circles, the outgoing, sincere, business-minded Burkholder excelled at sales, helping his region frequently earn the highest annual revenue. On one occasion he was a major factor in Morbark’s achieving a 90% market share for industrial equipment in Florida. He assisted customers in capitalizing on business opportunities, at times guiding them through federal and state grant processes to purchase millions of dollars of equipment. According to Morbark officials, some of the customers he cultivated remain among Morbark’s largest, and some represent three or more generations in a family business. John Foote, Morbark Senior Vice President, believes Burkholder pioneered consultative selling in the chipping/grinding sector. “He thinks like a businessman who just happens to be selling equipment. Larry’s all about helping others grow. He has had a hand in training or influencing almost all the sales representatives at Morbark today, teaching us that sales is more than ‘memorizing and
Larry Burkholder was beloved by many; his family celebrated his retirement alongside members of the Morbark team at the Michigan plant.
regurgitating feeds and speeds;’ it’s about helping the customer succeed.” Adds Michael Stanton, Director of Industrial Products: “Larry is a true industry expert and is considered a mentor by his customers and peers within the industry. His passion and attention to detail were second to none. His legacy will continue for many years.” While Burkholder’s contributions were most notable in sales, he worked in various capacities, ranging from bookkeeping to marketing to running a dealership. He served as Morbark’s Marketing Manager; Manager of Recycling Systems, Inc., a division of Morbark; and Vice President and General Manager of Morbark of the Lake States, Inc., a franchised dealer based in Wisconsin. In the early years he served on the board of Morbark and Canadian Morbark. Throughout his career he was engaged in industry and community affairs, serving as president of the National Wood Energy Assn. during the 1980s, on the boards or as a member of several industry associations, including the American Loggers Council, Michigan Forest Products Committee and Forest Resources Assn. He also served as chairman of the Isabella County (Mich.) Republican Party.
End Of An Era Burkholder’s retirement signifies the end of a Morbark era, which began changing in 2016 when the Morey family sold to a New York City-based investment group and moved on to pursue other interests, confident that the new owner would take the company to another level, which it has. Burkholder is the last of the ‘old guard group’ that collectively left its stamp on the manufacturer in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Like Norval Morey, Burkholder and a lot of other workers in the early years of Morbark were a tough lot gifted with a high-octane work ethic. They tended to plow right through setbacks. For example, Burkholder was diagnosed with stage 3.5 colon cancer in 2005 at age 65. He underwent surgery and went through chemo and radiation treatments but was sidelined for only weeks before jumping back in. “I never thought I would not survive,” he explains, noting that he kept his mind off himself and on his family and work. He returns to medical specialists once a year for reevaluation. He spent 35 up-and-down years in Norval Morey’s inner circle—the colorful, innovative, headstrong entrepreneur died in 1997—and was probably closer to Morey than anyone at the company. This fact comes through in the book, My Way: The Norval Morey Story, a 205-page biography written by Rich Donnell and May Lamar and published in 2013. In this work Burkholder is quoted or mentioned at least 20 times, far more than anyone else. He recounts how he learned life and business lessons from his older mentor and gives interesting, colorful, and/or entertaining accounts that reflect Morey’s disposition, style and resourcefulness, as well as Morbark’s achievements, challenges and occasional setbacks. It was Burkholder, a walking treasury of stories about
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Burkholder worked in various capacities during his nearly 57 year career at Morbark.
Morey and Morbark, who in 2010 encouraged Lon Morey to pursue such a book and helped get the process in gear. He subsequently provided details, contact information, and lots of stories, many of which did not make it into print. Burkholder and Morey spent a lot of time together, both at work and away from the Morbark campus. “He told me a few times when we had been drinking, ‘you’re like a son to me, but you’re not my son.’ He and I worked, played and laughed together, shared the same political views, and we sometimes fought. He actually fired me two or three times, but he always called me back in. I learned a lot of life and business lessons by being around him. I knew he was smart but I didn’t realize just how smart he was until he was gone. He had absolutely no fear of failure and was truly one of a kind.” It goes without saying that in addition to his official title or responsibilities in the earlier decades of his career, Burkholder performed many unofficial duties. Among other things, he served as Morey’s advisor, critic, driver, handler, sounding board, traveling and drinking companion, sobering agent, political yokefellow and part-time psychiatrist. One who preferred to be in the field on the customer’s turf, where he felt most useful and most alive, Burkholder reflects on his storied career, his journey, with abundant sunshine and satisfaction. While he has made a very good living, he considers the many friendships and relationships he cultivated among customers and fellow salespeople to among his most valuable assets. “I’ve always liked to be around good, honest, hard-working people,” he relates. He says he’ll continue to keep in touch with them. At the top of his list is his Norma, his wife of 62 years and golf partner. Then there are three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, not to mention Lake Isabella, home to a boat he and the family enjoy. Expect him to spend more quality time with them. Travel? Not likely, as he has visited all 50 states and some foreign countries. “I like to grow things,” he says. “I’ve never got the farmer out of me.” (Burkholder can be reached at 941-928-6903; email larryburkholder38@gmail.com.)
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New EPA Rule:
Biomass Burned T he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s final Affordable Clean Energy rule is burning biomass. In June, EPA under the Trump Adminis-
tration submitted its ACE for publication in the Federal Register, replacing the Clean Power Plan (CPP) that had been constructed by the Obama Administration.
The new ACE is in response to President Trump’s Executive Order 13873 - Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth, with special emphasis on coal-fired energy production and carbon dioxide emissions reduction, and state independence to regulate procedures. The ACE claims that Obama CPP was overreaching and drew challenges from a large number of states, trade associations, rural electric co-ops, and labor unions, which argued that CPP exceeded EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act. “Unlike the Clean Power Plan, ACE adheres to the Clean Air Act and gives states the regulatory certainty they need to continue to reduce emissions and provide a dependable, diverse supply of electricity that all Americans can afford,” EPA states. “When ACE is fully implemented, we expect to see U.S. power sector CO2 emissions fall by as much as 35% below 2005 levels.” The ACE rule establishes emissions guidelines for states to use when developing plans to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) at their coal-fired power plants. Specifically, ACE identifies heat rate improvements as the best system of emission reduction (BSER) for CO2 from coal-fired power plants, and these improvements can be made at individual facilities. States will have three years to submit plans, which is in line with other plan-
ning timelines under the Clean Air Act. By 2030, the ACE rule is projected to: —Reduce CO2 emissions by 11 million short tons —Reduce SO2 emissions by 5,700 tons —Reduce NOx emissions by 7,100 tons —Reduce PM2.5 emissions by 400 tons —Reduce mercury emissions by 59 pounds EPA projects that ACE will result in annual net benefits of $120 million to $730 million, including costs, domestic climate benefits, and health benefits.
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What About Biomass? The new ACE states that although biomass co-firing methods are technically feasible and can be cost-effective for some designated facilities, “any potential net reductions in emissions from biomass use occur outside of the regulated source and are outside of the control of the designated facility, which is incompatible with the interpretation of the EPA’s authority and the permissible scope of BSE.” EPA states it sought comment on the inclusion of forest-derived and non-forest biomass as non-BSER compliance options for affected units to meet state plan standards. In response, the EPA received comments both supporting and opposing the use of biomass for
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compliance. Some comments noted that co-firing with biomass cannot be a “system of emission reduction” as it increases CO2 emissions at the source. The ACE states: “EPA is now clarifying that biomass does not qualify as a system of emission reduction that can be incorporated as part of, or in its entirety, as the BSER. The BSER determination must include systems of emission reduction that are achievable at the source. While the firing of biomass occurs at a designated facility, biomass firing in and of itself does not reduce emissions of CO2 emitted from that source. Specifically, when measuring stack emissions, combustion of biomass emits more mass of emissions per BTU than that from combustion of fossil fuels, thereby increasing CO2 emissions at the source. Recognition of any potential CO2 emissions reductions associated with biomass utilization at a designated facility relies on accounting for activities not applied at and largely not under the control of that source, including consideration of offsite terrestrial carbon effects during biomass fuel growth, which are not a measure of emissions performance at the level of the individual designated facility. Use of biomass in affected units is therefore not consistent with the plain meaning of “standard of performance” and cannot be considered as part of the BSER. ACE states that many comments agreed with the ACE proposal that biomass co-firing should not be part of the BSER because it is not sufficiently cost-effective, there is not a reliable supply of biomass fuel accessible nationally, co-firing with biomass has a negative impact on unit heat rate, and co-firing requirements would redefine the source. “Biomass fuel use opportunities are dependent upon many regional considerations and limitations—namely fuel supply proximity, reliability and cost—that prevent its adoption as BSER on a national level…The infrastructure, proximity and cost aspects of co-firing biomass at existing coal EGUs are similar in nature and concept to those of natural gas. While there are a few existing coal-fired EGUs that currently co-fire with biomass fuel, those are in relative close proximity to costeffective biomass supplies. Therefore, even if biomass firing could be considered a ‘system of emission reduction,’ the EPA is not able to include the use of biomass fuels as part of the BSER in this action due to the current cost and achievability considerations and limitations discussed above.” ACE acknowledges that numerous comments sup-
ported the inclusion of biomass as a compliance measure. Some reiterated the EPA’s 2018 policy statement regarding biogenic CO2 emissions, which laid out the Agency’s intent to treat biogenic CO2 emissions from forest biomass from managed forests as carbon neutral in forthcoming Agency actions. Specifically, these comments stated that the nature of biomass and its role in the natural carbon cycle (i.e., carbon is sequestered during biomass growth that occurs offsite) makes biomass a carbon-neutral fuel, and therefore that biomass should be eligible as a compliance option under this rule. Commenters opposing the inclusion of biomass for compliance asserted that biomass combustion does not reduce stack GHGs emissions, as it emits more emissions per BTU than fossil fuels, and therefore should not be eligible for compliance. Some comments noted that the scientific rationale underlying the use of biomass as a potential GHG reduction measure at stationary sources relies primarily on terrestrial CO2 sequestration occurring due to activities offsite (i.e., activities outside of and largely not under the control of a designated facility). “The construct of this final ACE rule necessitates that measures taken to meet compliance obligations for a source actually reduce its emission rate in that: (1) they can be applied to the source itself; and (2) they are measurable at the source of emissions using data, emissions monitoring equipment or other methods to demonstrate compliance, such that they can be easily monitored, reported, and verified at a unit. While the firing of biomass occurs at a designated facility, biomass firing in and of itself does not reduce emissions of CO2 emitted from that source. Specifically, when measuring stack emissions, biomass emits more CO2 per Btu than fossil fuels, thereby increasing the CO2 emission rate at the source. Accordingly, recognition of any potential CO2 emissions reductions associated with biomass firing at a designated facility relies on accounting
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for activities not applied at and largely not under the control of that source (i.e., activities outside of and largely unassociated with a designated facility), including consideration of terrestrial carbon effects during the biomass fuel growth. Therefore, biomass fuels do not meet the compliance obligations and are not eligible for compliance under this rule.”
Reaction William Strauss, a leading proponent of biomass co-firing, well known wood bioenergy consultant and president of FutureMetrics, referred to EPA’s ACE as “Orwellian logic.” Strauss notes that ACE ignores the basis for why using biomass for power and heat is the principal pathway for decarbonization in most other developed countries. “By only counting the CO2 emissions at the source and ignoring the continuous absorption of CO2 by sustainably managed forests, the EPA has excluded a proper consideration of the dynamics that keep the net CO2 added into the atmosphere neutral or even negative,” Strauss states. Strauss notes that in Europe, wood pellets and wood chips are recognized as low carbon fuels because a full life-cycle analysis shows that under well-crafted (and necessary) sustainability criteria,
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the combustion of those fuels is carbon neutral. “The supply chain carbon footprint accounting, given that fossil fuels are used in transportation and in the electricity used to upgrade the biomass into pellets, typically yields an 85% or more reduction in net CO2 added to the atmosphere,” he says. “Because of the carbon benefits, biomass derived fuel makes up about 60% of the total renewable energy in the EU28.” ACE determinations are inaccurate in stating that “accounting for activities not applied at and largely not under the control of the source” is a reason to ignore carbon sequestration under well-managed forest sustainability protocols, he adds. “In fact, UK and EU utilities that are substituting pellets for coal account for ‘activities’ that are across the Atlantic Ocean from their emissions sources! The nearly 9 million tonnes of pellets that will be exported from North America this year for use in power plants are all subject to rigorous requirements to prove that the carbon stock in the landscape that is the source of pellet production feedstock is not being depleted.” Strauss says EPA is ignoring well-established protocols that supported about $1 billion in pellet exports from the U.S. in 2018. Almost all those exports were certi-
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fied by independent third-party entities as sustainably sourced and thus able to qualify as low-carbon fuel for power stations. “It is only with blinders on and with half-baked logic that the EPA is able to ignore the net carbon intensity of coal generation, the consequences of rapidly increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and the benefits of substituting wood pellets produced from renewing forests for coal,” Strauss says. “Amazingly, the EPA’s own estimates show how the ACE rules essentially gut future CO2 emissions reductions.” FutureMetrics has published two white papers (in 2015 and 2017) explaining why it makes good economic sense to consider co-firing wood pellets in utility power stations. “While those papers failed to influence the policy making exercise that appears to have started with a predetermined conclusion that ignores climate change, they are still relevant and have information on job creation and other economics benefits that policymakers should pay attention to,” Strauss says.
Other ACE Notes ACE establishes heat rate improvement (HRI), or efficiency improvement, as the best system of emissions reduction (BSER) for CO2 from coal-fired EGUs. —Heat rate is a measure of the amount of energy required to generate a unit of electricity. —By employing a broad range of HRI technologies and techniques, EGUs can more efficiently generate electricity with less carbon intensity. —An improvement to heat rate results in a reduction in the emission rate of an EGU (in terms of CO2 emissions per unit of electricity produced). —The BSER is the best technology or other measure that has been adequately demonstrated to improve
emissions performance for a specific industry or process (a “source category”). In determining the BSER, EPA considers technical feasibility, cost, non-air quality health and environmental impacts, and energy requirements. —The BSER must be applicable to, at, and on the premises of an affected facility. ACE lists six HRI “candidate technologies,” as well as additional operating and maintenance practices: • Neural Network/Intelligent Sootblowers • Boiler Feed Pumps • Air Heater and Duct Leakage Control • Variable Frequency Drives • Blade Path Upgrade (Steam Turbine) • Redesign/Replace Economizer For each candidate technology, EPA has provided information regarding the degree of emission limitation achievable. States will establish unit-specific “standards of performance” that reflect the emission limitation achievable through application of the BSER technologies. These technologies, equipment upgrades, and best operating and maintenance practices were determined to comprise the BSER because they can be applied broadly and are expected to provide significant HRI without limitations due to geography, fuel type, etc. ACE recognizes that EPA’s statutory role is to deter-
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mine the BSER and the degree of emission limitation achievable through application of the BSER, and that the states’ role is to develop plans that establish unitspecific standards of performance that reflect application of the BSER. States will submit plans to EPA that establish standards of performance and include measures that provide for the implementation and enforcement of such standards. The plan submissions must explain how the state applied the BSER to each source and how the state took other factors into consideration in setting unit-specific standards. These plans are due in three years. The power sector emitted roughly 1.9 billion tons of CO2 in 2017, compared to 2.6 billion tons in 2005—a 28% decrease. Approximately 600 coal-fired electric generating units at 300 facilities could be covered by this rule. EPA will have six months to determine completeness of state plan submissions. Once a plan has been deemed “complete,” EPA will have 12 months to approve or disapprove that complete plan submittal. EPA has up to two years to promulgate a federal plan after finding that a state plan submission is incomplete, finding that a state plan has not been submitted by the deadline, or disapproving a state plan. States must provide increments of progress if the
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compliance schedule for a state plan is longer than 24 months after the plan is due. On October 10, 2017, following a review as directed by President Trump’s Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth Executive Order (to “suspend, revise, or rescind” the CPP, “as appropriate and consistent with the law”), EPA proposed to repeal the CPP. Traditionally, according to ACE, rules issued under CAA section 111 were based on add-on controls or lower-emitting processes/practices/designs that can be applied to individual sources. The CPP was much broader and designed to reduce emissions by shifting the balance of coal-, gas- and renewable-generated power across the nation’s power grid. Current market trends and other factors have most states on track to meet their CPP targets—even though CPP was never implemented. EPA modeled several scenarios for CPP implementation and assessed other evidence, demonstrating there is likely to be no difference between a future scenario with the CPP and one without it, according to EPA. The final ACE rule returns EPA to its core mission of environmental policy rather than energy policy and market-shaping, according to EPA. The Obama Administration issued the CPP in August 2015. Soon after the final rule was published in October 2015, 150 entities including 27 states, 24 trade associations, 37 rural electric co-ops, and three labor unions challenged the CPP in court, highlighting a range of legal and technical concerns. By December 1, 2015, a bipartisan majority of the United States Congress formally disapproved of the CPP pursuant to the Congressional Review Act. On February 9, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the CPP, immediately halting implementation, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has been holding the CPP litigation in abeyance since April 28, 2017. The proposed CPP repeal received 1.5 million public comments, included two public hearings and three listening sessions across the country, and was available for 192 days for public review and comment.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The following companies submitted these editorial profiles and photos. Also look for their advertisements in this issue of Wood Bioenergy.
ANDRITZ
In the private market, as well as the industrial market of large scale power stations, there is a demand for environmentally friendly fuels. This necessity is a consequence of the 2005 Kyoto Protocol, which calls for a reduction of greenhouse emissions, and includes more than 160 countries, representing over 55% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Andritz manufactures and supplies every key processing machine in the pellet production line as well as single machines for the production of biomass pellets, solid biofuel, and waste pellets. Andritz design solutions are centered on highly advanced key machinery for wood grinding and pelleting. If correctly managed, biomass is a sustainable fuel that can deliver a significant reduction in net carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels. The amount of CO2-neutral fuel produced with Andritz equipment replaces almost 5 million tons of oil per year. With over 350 reference plants worldwide and more than 250 LM Series pellet mills in operation in North America alone: Andritz pellet mills produce more than 50% of all biofuel pellets in the world and Andritz has held a market share of over 50% since pioneering the biofuel pelleting industry in the 1980s. When it comes to the future of your business, our commitment covers your operation’s entire life cycle. From the first feedstock analysis in the field to nonstop biofuel production in the plant. How can we help fuel your business?
BIOMASS ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT Turn to Biomass Engineering & Equipment (BE&E) for the latest receiving, storage, reclaim and load out technologies. We design our equipment with quality in mind because we want your operation to run as profitably as possible— something impossible with second-tier machinery. We’re confident our products will perform well, so much so that we back them with the industry’s leading warranty.
BE&E offers material handling solutions from the wood yard to reclaim and load out. For the wood yard, we offer top-tier log decks, log troughs, roller debarkers and drum chippers. Our decks are designed to run with less horsepower and smaller components than traditional designs (shafts, bearings, gearboxes). Our other wood yard equipment is as equally well made. Other receiving equipment we offer includes metering bins and receiving bins for trailers with moving floors. We also offer mobile, moving-floor SMART containers for material receiving and discharge. For storage, we offer stationary SMART containers, which clients can stack for added capacity. Our SMART containers are robust units with simple hydraulics and allsteel construction. Their modular design means you can add additional units later for more capacity. For reclaim, dry end handling and other transfer needs, we offer our state-of-the-art SMART conveyors, which we have developed it into three series: a standard series for typical volume requirements, a tall series for large capacity requirements, and a medium series for capacities between those of an standard- and tall-series conveyor. SMART conveyors are designed for shorter downtime with features like three-piece split sprockets, removable heads on our M- and T-Series, and curve wear strips on our S-Series that personnel can replace from outside the conveyor. Not that downtime is a problem—our clients regularly report dramatic decreases in maintenance. SMART conveyors offer dust-tight performance and can handle steep inclines. They are available in stainless steel, galvanized and painted finishes. Beyond equipment, BE&E provides engineering services. Our team can help you design the perfect plant layout with 3D modeling software. 3D design prevents the conflicts that come from doing large projects in 2D. Installations go faster because more install teams can work in parallel.
CONTINENTAL CONVEYOR Continental provides a full range of mechanical bulk handling and storage equipment including en-masse chain conveyors, screw conveyors, belt conveyors as well as storage and reclaim solutions. Robust designs coupled
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with over 50 years of wood industry and related experience assures quality conveying systems that provide maximum plant uptime. En-masse chain conveyors offer steep angle conveying solutions with capacities up to 930 m³/hour while slewing screw reclaimers for stockpiles or silos can reclaim up to 1200 m3/hour. All equipment is purpose designed and built by a team of experienced engineers, technicians and craftsmen for the exacting requirements of the pellet, biomass, fuel or wood processing industries serviced. Contact us to see how we can help you move your bulk materials.
We offer a wide range of hydraulic unloaders, called Hydrascrew to offer reliable discharge solutions for non free flowing materials from flat bottom silos which promote first in first out operational conditions. The Hydrascrew is suitable for wet or dry products such as sawdust, wood chips, wood and pellets; for silos from 8 ft. to 82 ft. (2m to 25m) with discharge capacities from 20m³/hr to 500m³/hr. They are hydraulically powered to provide high torque across the speed range with low energy consumption. Its robust industrial design and build quality can provide decades of reliable service. We also a range of hydraulic unloaders, called Hydracone, for hopper silos from 8 ft. to 33 ft. (2m to 10m) with cone angles of 30⁰ or 45⁰ with variable speed discharge, offering capacities up to 200 m3/h for sawdust, wood chips or wood pellets. With Hydracone, your hopper silo becomes flexible. You will be able to store alternatively different products in your hopper silo. We can customize our unloaders to suit your application. More than 17,000 Morillon systems have been installed in the world.
SCHUTTE HAMMERMILL
MORILLON
To invest in wood and biomass processing promises to be the winning choice. It will generate double benefits: economical and ecological. You wish to give more value to your materials? You wish to store them in good conditions? You wish to feed your process automatically and safely? We advise you to store in silos. The many benefits to storing products in silos include smaller storage footprint, known quantity stored, health and safety, ease of automation, but you need to be certain of reliable discharge without issues such as arching, segregation and funnel flow. Founded in 1865 in France, Morillon is a specialist of silo unloading systems, taking part in the woody biomass action by offering wood and biomass extraction systems. We design, manufacture and manage commissioning and maintenance worldwide.
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From size reduction of raw material to finished pellets, Schutte Hammermill offers the highest-quality equipment on the market, coupled with nearly 100 years of industry knowledge. Today, we’re putting that experience to work in new and innovative ways, becoming a rising leader in the growing industry of biofuel production, offering custom configured, turn-key solutions and systems from size reduction to pelleting. Since 1928, no other manufacturer has sold more wood grinding hammermills than Schutte Hammermill. We offer wood grinding equipment in a wide variety of sizes and styles, providing a consistent and precise finished particle size, which is ideally suited for downstream pellet production. From single units to complete turnkey systems, all of our products are custom configured to suit your application and production goals. With more than 6,500 installations worldwide, Schutte Hammermill equipment promises durability through quality and more productivity through efficiency. The perfect blend of
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time-proven technology with cutting-edge innovation for today’s rapidly changing applications. As the exclusive distributor of Graf pellet mills in the U.S. and Canada, we can also offer the ideal pelleting solution for wood and biomass applications. Graf’s robust and reliable pellet mills are constructed of stainless steel and are easy to use and maintain. With capacities up to 5 TPH, easy to change dies, and precision engineering, these durable, custom-configured machines promise efficiency, reliability, and superior pellet quality. Our Graf line features everything from pellet mills to coolers, crumblers and sieves. Schutte Hammermill is also the North American supplier of Graf aftermarket parts and replacement dies. Graf engineered parts, stocked in Buffalo, NY, means quality replacement parts are available with a shorter turn around, for less equipment down time. All of our equipment for biofuel production is custom configured to suit you, your material and your production goals. From single units to complete turnkey systems— along with complimentary material testing and a complete line of replacement parts, dies and roll shells. Find out more about how Schutte Hammermill solutions can help improve your size reduction and pelleting processes.
WEST SALEM MACHINERY
West Salem Machinery (WSM) is a leading manufacturer of screening, grinding and milling machinery for fiber preparation and energy. Dry milling or green milling—we build the machines you need to get the job done. WSM 4400 Series hammermills are widely used by some of the largest pellet producers to create finished fiber in dry milling applications. Field-proven and reliable,
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these high capacity milling machines provide superior “fine grind” processing performance and uniform particle sizing. Rugged design and construction—the hallmark of all WSM products—provide reliable operation, low maintenance and long machine life. When these machines are combined with WSM vibrating screens and metering feeders, you have a complete, fully integrated milling island. For high capacity green milling applications we designed the WSM Super Shredder. These machines are a truly massive shredding machine designed for the highest capacity processing requirements. Mill duty construction delivers 24/7 operation while producing premium quality feedstock. These machines deliver high tip speed for small, consistent fiber sizing, increased screen area for maximum throughput, and flexible/interchangeable tooling with replaceable tips. The Super Shredder is efficient and durable, built for the toughest applications. Like the 4400 Series
hammermills the Super Shredder is available as a component or part of a complete milling island. In addition to our grinding and milling machines we offer a complete line of screening machines including disc screens, vibrating screens, oscillating screens, and the revolutionary Titan trommel Screens. WSM can supply magnetics, support structures, discharges conveyors, and complete systems for pre-grinding, post-grinding, screening, sorting and conveying. Along with fully engineered systems, we offer project management and startup assistance. We also offer bark processing for energy systems. To make sure all of that delivers just what you need, our test facility in Salem, Ore. is ready to demonstrate product sizing and energy usage with whatever feedstock you’re working with. Let us know more about your application and we’ll start putting together the machine or the system that you need.
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■ in the news
14 ➤ for-profit Rural Electric Cooperative providing electricity to more than 55,000 members. Additionally, the transaction definitively concludes several legal disputes that had arisen between the plant and third parties and returns the plant into good standing with all contract counterparties, a critical feature of the transaction, according to Greenbacker. Charles Wheeler, CEO of Greenbacker, comments, “While this is our first biomass facility to date, it is a well-established facility with a successful operating history. We plan to continue this success by utilizing the facility’s current operations and maintenance team to operate the plant, a team which has managed the facility on a profitable basis since inception.” With the addition of this biomass facility, the company now owns 366.3 MW of generating capacity (including “to be constructed” assets) comprising 61.5 MW of wind facilities, 292.8 MW of commercial and residential
solar facilities and 12 MW of biomass facilities.
U.S. DOE Provides Funding For Bioenergy The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) announced more than $79 million in funding for bioenergy research and development including biofuels, bioproducts and biopower. Among the areas of emphasis for the funding: research to lower the cost and improve the reliability of biomass handling and preprocessing; technologies to reduce emissions and increase efficiency of wood heaters for residential heating; integrate new technologies and processes in experimental prototype systems to improve and verify real-world performance and lower the cost of drop-in biofuels; identify and develop cost-competitive drop-in renewable jet fuel with improved energy density and lower particulate matter emissions; identify biofuels or bioproducts
technologies with the greatest potential for reducing water consumption, energy consumption, and/or emissions relative to existing conventional fuels or products.
UT Group Receives Biofuel Study Grant Researchers at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) have been awarded a grant for nearly $1 million to determine the key issues surrounding development of year-round woody biomass feedstock systems for commercialized biorefineries in the Southeastern U.S. While corn- and stoverbased ethanol plants have had success in the marketplace, facilities producing wood-based cellulosic biofuels have seen few positive results. The study’s goal is to boost efforts to develop a viable cellulosic biofuel sector by improving woody biomass feedstock logistics for biofuel production. Grant funding is provided by USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
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