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■ table of contents
www.woodbioenergymag.com
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FROM THE EDITORS Torrefaction Offers Carbon Quality
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CONFERENCE REVIEW Lots Of Presentations To Squeeze In
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IN THE NEWS New Developments
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PRODUCT NEWS Elmia Wood Came Back Strong
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RESTORATION FUELS Aiding Forest Health In Oregon
Cover Photography: Using a mix of old and new machinery and technologies, wholly-owned subsidiary of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Restoration Fuels, has a strong start. (Dan Shell photo).
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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 14
Number 4
28 Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. Street Address ■ 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317 Mailing Address ■ P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Tel: 334.834.1170 ■ Fax: 334.834-4525 Publisher/Adv. Sales Manager ■ David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer ■ Dianne C. Sullivan Editor-in-Chief ■ Rich Donnell Managing Editor ■ Jessica Johnson Senior Editor ■ Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor ■ David Abbott Publisher/Editor Emeritus ■ David (DK) Knight Art Director/Production Manager ■ Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator ■ Patti Campbell Circulation Director ■ Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing ■ Jacqlyn Kirkland Advertising Sales North American Sales Representative Susan Windham ■ P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery AL 36102-2268 334.834.1170 ■ Fax: 334.834.4525 E-mail: windham.susan4@gmail.com International Sales Murray Brett ■ 58 Aldea De Las Cuevas, Buzon 60 Benedoleig 03759, (Alicante) Espana +34 96 640 4165 ■ Fax: +34 96 640 4048 E-mail: murray.brett.aba@abasol.net Classified Advertising Sales Bridget DeVane ■ Tel: 334.699.7837 ■ 800.669.5613 E-mail: bdevane7@hotmail.com A Hatton-Brown Publication Other Hatton-Brown Publications:
Timber Processing ■ Southern Loggin' Times ■ Timber Harvesting Panel World ■ Power Equipment Trade
Air Burners
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772.220.7303
Baker Rullman Manufacturing
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920.261.8107
Biomass Engineering & Equipment
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317.522.0864
Buttner GmbH
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+49 2151 448 844
Clarke’s Industrial Sheet Metal
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Evergreen Engineering
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888.484.4771
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877.774.8778
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501.321.2276
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941.727.1800
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800.831.0042
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610.323.7670
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866.762.9327
Schaeffer Oil
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800.325.9962
Stela Laxhuber GmbH
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Triple Green Products
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855.373.2378
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■ from the editors
Restoration Fuels Offers
Torrefaction Solution F
orest health projects that seek to reduce fuel loads generally work to thin out timber stands and convert to more open landscapes that are more resilient to wildfire. The biggest issues are on public lands in the U.S. West, where timberland managers have been using “stewardship” contracts that are different than traditional timber sales and instead try to address forest conditions over a larger area or in conjunction with other management activities to achieve specific management results. This generally means thinning timber and removing brush. What this nets the stewardship contract purchaser are products that include a measure of sawlog or solid wood product-sized timber, but also a lot of lowvalue biomass that starts adding to costs as soon as it’s picked up and moved to the landing. In 2014, officials with the U.S. Endowment for Forests & Communities saw an opportunity to pursue its goal of supporting rural communities through expanded wood utilization, and began an R&D process that resulted in the establishment of Restoration Fuels and a torrefied biomass plant that started up in 2021. Make an announcement that you’re auctioning off ponderosa pine sawlogs and you’ll usually draw a crowd. Tell them the logs come with five or 10 times as much biomass tonnage that must also be removed and the crowd gets a good bit smaller. Restoration Fuels located the new plant adjacent Malheur Lumber Co. in John Day, Ore., where the Malheur National Forest that surrounds the town is finishing up a 10-year forest stewardship contract and looking to award a similar contract next year. Since the contract was awarded in 2013 to local contractor Iron Triangle, more than 55,000 acres have been treated to reduce wildfire risk and more than 140,000 acres of wildlife habitat have seen restoration activities. To boost local markets, Malheur Lumber added a small log processing line to handle the small logs produced by the contract, and Iron Triangle started up a post and pole plant to handle smaller and shorter solid wood material. Restoration Fuels is still ramping up production, but the value the operation provides in the overall local forest health equation and solution is key.
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Wood Bioenergy has covered the efforts to improve forest health on Arizona national forests through the stewardship process and the big concept 4 Forests Restoration Initiative. The lack of markets for biomass continues to pose a challenge when it comes to racking up the acres treated. Restoration Fuels officials thought they’d have a ready-made market for their torrefied product with a converted power plant in Boardman, Ore., but the utility chose a complete decommission instead. The change has company officials looking at different products and markets than just fuel. The plant is proving that torrefaction is a viable conversion process, with reduced carbon footprint thanks to using syngas produced as a process fuel. Especially promising is the development of high carbon content material (80%+) as plant operators are learning more about tuning the system for custom carbon percentages. Restoration Fuels is still basically just getting started, but it is providing a scalable solution to issues associated with biomass handling and removal that have made forest health challenges so difficult in some areas. Though not a one-size-fits-all solution, the Restoration concept can be adapted to different projects in other locations, officials believe.
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■ in the news Ørsted Takes Step With Carbon Capture Ørsted and the Danish district heating transmission companies Vestegnens Kraftvarmeselskab (VEKS) and Centralkommunernes Transmissionsselskab (CTR) have, with a letter of intent, taken the first formal step to utilize surplus heat from carbon capture and “Power-toX” at Avedøre Power Station for district heating. In connection with the ongoing tender for carbon capture and storage, Ørsted plans to establish carbon capture at Avedøre Power Station’s straw-fired boiler and at Asnæs Power Station. Avedøre Power Station’s straw-fired boiler has been designated to capture and deliver part of the carbon for the first phases of the Power-to-X project “Green Fuels for Denmark,” where the ambition is to develop green fuels for shipping and aviation. Avedøre Power Station’s straw-fired boiler can also supply carbon for storage and serve as a hub for other actors with carbon emissions in the Greater Copenhagen area. If financial support is obtained from the ongoing tender for carbon capture and storage and for the Power-to-X project, enabling both the Green Fuels for Denmark project and the carbon capture project to be realized, the process for carbon capture as well as the later process for the production of green fuels will create large amounts of surplus heat that can be utilized in the Greater Copenhagen area’s district heating supply. Morten Stobbe, Deputy Director of VEKS, says, “With surplus heat from the new technologies, we’re strengthening green district heating and at the same time expanding Greater Copenhagen area’s multipronged district heating system. This provides robustness and shows in practice that district heating is adaptable and an important lever for sector coupling.” The Green Fuels for Denmark project is expected to have 100 MW of electrolysis capacity ready begin-
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ning in 2025 and 250 MW beginning in 2027. Ørsted expects to start capturing sustainable carbon from the straw-fired boiler in 2025. The straw-fired unit at Avedøre Power Station converts approximately 130,000 tons of locally sourced straw into electricity and heat annually. The carbon capture process from the straw-fired boiler is expected to generate approximately 48 MW of surplus heat, corresponding to the annual consumption of approximately 15,000 Danish households. A future final investment decision on the carbon capture project is conditional on obtaining financial support from the ongoing tender for carbon capture and storage or on realizing the parts of the Green Fuels for Denmark project that deal with the production of e-methanol and ekerosene. In addition, VEKS, CTR, and Ørsted must enter into a final agreement on the utilization of surplus heat.
Arbor Gas Inches Closer To Port Allen Louisiana Economic Development reports that Arbor Renewable Gas LLC, a Houston-based company formed in 2019 that produces renewable gasoline and green hydrogen from wood waste and forest residue, is evaluating West Baton Rouge Parish for an $800 million manufacturing and distribution facility employing carbon capture and sequestration emissions-reduction technology. Operating as Magnolia Renewable Fuels LLC, the new facility would produce renewable gasoline from wood waste biomass sourced from Louisiana and Mississippi timber operations. The project would create 32 new jobs and at least 110 indirect jobs, and the company estimates development of the facility would generate up to 880 construction jobs at peak construction. The company plans to locate its greenfield facility at the Port Allen Rail Terminal, which offers railroad and highway accessibility and prox-
imity to timber operations. Magnolia will source from southern yellow pine pre-commercial thinnings. Arbor Gas recently announced a similar project in Beaumont, Texas. “The level of support and engagement we’ve received from the folks at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, West Baton Rouge Chamber, the local community and officials, and the state has been incredible,” Arbor Gas CEO Timothy Vail says. “At full capacity, this plant will have a production capacity of 2,000 barrels per day of renewable gasoline with the potential for further expansion. The product would be blended with conventional gasoline to achieve renewable fuel standards.” Initial plans call for the installation of two product trains, with the capacity for future expansions. Arbor Gas projects that each train will sequester approximately 275,000 tons of CO2 annually. Construction is expected to begin in late 2023, with the first train in operation by the end of 2025.
Enviva Names Meth As President Enviva announced the promotion of Enviva co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Thomas Meth, to President, recognizing the increased role and responsibility for the day-to-day management of the company that Meth has assumed over the last several years, in addition to the tremendous commercial success, market development, and long-term contracted growth he has engineered for the company. “As a visionary and seasoned executive, Thomas has earned the deep respect of our employees, partners and other stakeholders around the globe,” comments Chairman and CEO John Keppler. “When Thomas and I co-founded Enviva almost two decades ago, we each had the same combination of strategic vision for profitably solving climate change and a laser focus on execution. It continues to be a privilege to lead Enviva with Thomas and I am very excited to formalize his increased
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in the news ■
Economics and Business Administration in Austria as well as an M.B.A. from The Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at The University of Virginia. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and two daughters and, in his spare time enjoys skiing, tennis and history.
Enviva Recognizes Port Of Pascagoula Thomas Meth speaks during the Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo hosted by Wood Bioenergy magazine in March in Atlanta.
responsibilities in leading the highperforming company we are today, as we work to create and unlock enormous shareholder value.” Meth holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Vienna University of
Enviva Inc., the world’s largest producer of industrial wood pellets, held a ceremonial gathering at its newly opened terminal at the Port of Pascagoula, Mississippi on June 15 to commemorate the first shipment of sustainably sourced biomass to international power and heat producers, with a majority of the port’s future shipments slated for Japan. Mark McAndrews, Port Director; Jason Eberstein, Vice President of
Government and Community Relations at Enviva; and Randy Bosarge, President of the Jackson County Board of Supervisors, presented Captain Zbigniew Gara with a ceremonial certificate in front of the UBC Sacramento. Approximately 18,000 metric tons of sustainably sourced wood pellets produced at Enviva’s newest plant in Lucedale, Miss. were loaded onto the UBC Sacramento at the Port of Pascagoula destined for the ports of Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, and Fort-de-France, Martinique. “Today is a great day for Enviva, the Port of Pascagoula, and Mississippi, as this terminal marks the culmination of years’ worth of work through our strong partnerships with the Jackson County Port Authority, the Jackson County Board of Supervisors, and the State of Mississippi,” comments Enviva President Thomas Meth. “Enviva has operated in Mis-
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■ in the news
sissippi for more than a decade. Now, with this newly opened terminal, Enviva can continue to increase our presence, well-paying jobs, and our positive economic impact in the Magnolia state.” Through collaboration with the Jackson County Port Authority,
Enviva now owns and operates the deep-water marine terminal in the Bayou Casotte Harbor that serves as the shipment point for pellets manufactured throughout the Gulf region, via Enviva’s newly opened Lucedale, Mississippi plant and Enviva’s forthcoming plants in
Epes, Alabama and Bond, Mississippi. Since 2019, Enviva has invested over $60 million to build the terminal at the Port of Pascagoula which can receive product by rail, barge, and truck as well as support Panamax-sized vessels. The facility currently has two wood pellet storage domes with 45,000 metric tons of storage capacity each.
MDF Or Bioenergy For Roseburg? Roseburg reports it is exploring the feasibility of locating a second medium density fiberboard panel plant or bioenergy production facility within its current Western, U.S. operating footprint. The proposed facility would use up to 300,000 bone-dry tons of wood residuals each year. This fiber would be sourced from current company operations and from existing long-term suppliers. The feasibility study is taking place, with a decision anticipated by the end of the year. In the West, Roseburg owns more than 400,000 acres of timberland in Oregon and operates several wood products facilities in Oregon and Northern California, including an existing MDF plant in Medford, Ore. The company also owns and operates one of the world’s largest wood chip exporting operations in Coos Bay, Ore.
Ruling Stalls Oregon Counties Oregon Court of Appeals reversed a 2019 jury decision that had awarded 15 Oregon counties $1.1 billion over how the State had managed forestlands in those counties that had been legally transferred to the State in 1941. The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that no contract was breached by the State, as had been alleged by the counties. Led by Linn County, the class action suit against the State of Oregon and State Forestry Dept.
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in the news ■
had alleged that a 1941 law required the State to not only return to the counties a specified portion of the revenues derived from management of those forestlands, but that the State had a contractual obligation under the law to manage the forestlands in a manner so as to “secure the greatest permanent value of such lands” as cited in the 1941 law. The counties said the State had breached this contractual obligation by failing to manage the forestlands for maximum value. However, the Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that the provision or phrase was not a term in a statutory contract between the State and the counties, and consequently reversed the lower court and jury decision. The 1941 Act had authorized the State to acquire by purchase, donation or exchange any “public, quasi-public or private owner” land that was “chiefly valuable for the production of forest crops, watershed protection and development, erosion control, grazing, recreation or forest administrative purposes.” The Court of Appeals noted the Act provided a distribution formula for all revenues derived from these lands. In its decision, the Court of Appeals noted that over the ensuing decades, 15 Oregon counties conveyed hundreds of thousands of acres of land to the State pursuant to the Act, which then became state forests. Then in 1998, the State proclaimed the Greatest Permanent Value rule with regard to these lands, defined as “healthy, productive, and sustainable forest ecosystems that over time and across the landscape provide a full range of social, economic, and environmental benefits to the people of Oregon,” and which then directed the state forester to actively manage them in a sound environmental manner to provide sustainable timber harvest and revenues to the state, but not exclusive of other forest resources and environmental goals. The Linn County lawsuit accused the state of a breach of contract for
implementing management plans in reliance upon the GPV Rule that failed to maximize the potential revenue from the lands. Before the Court of Appeal, the State argued that a statutory provision is not contractual unless the legislature clearly expresses its intent to make it so. The Court of Appeals, citing previous cases on State legislative language and intent, agreed that the language and the legislation in this question did not constitute a statutory contract. It’s expected the counties will appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court.
Well Known Timber Firm To Build Sawmill Claw Forestry Services, LLC announced that its affiliate will build a 250MMBF southern yellow pine sawmill in Gloster, Miss. within Amite County. The project represents an investment of nearly $200 million and will create 131 direct jobs and support an additional 200 indirect jobs when operating at full capacity. The new mill will require in excess of 1 million tons of timber annually to produce the stated lumber output. The facility will be located on 65 acres of land, which includes the former Georgia-Pacific site. In connection with the new sawmill facility, efforts are under way to resume operation of the Gloster Southern Railroad. Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for infrastructure improvements and site development. Amite County also is assisting with the project. Claw CEO Billy Van Devender comments: “This project will employ the best complement of modern technologies to meet our growing consumer demand for the highest quality product, in a region where we own significant timberland acreage.” Work at the site will begin late in 2022 and startup of the sawmill is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.
Claw Forestry started in 2000 as a natural resource manager and has evolved as a major timberland owner and investments firm in the U.S. South. Its affiliate companies operate two sawmills in Mississippi—Vicksburg Forest Products in Vicksburg, and Southeastern Timber Products in Ackerman.
Deere Announces New Forestry President Deere & Co. elected Ryan Campbell as President, Construction & Forestry Div. and Power Systems. Campbell leads a team focused on the sustainable, profitable growth of the company’s construction and forestry equipment business around the globe as well as the continued success of the Wirtgen Group. He also has responsibility for the company’s engine and powertrain businesses. Campbell brings 25 years of wide-ranging experience to his current position. Prior to assuming his current role, he was senior vice president & chief financial officer, where he had overall responsibility for John Deere’s finance functions. In this job, he worked closely with other company leaders in launching John Deere’s Smart Industrial strategy. Under Campbell’s leadership, the company also introduced its Leap Ambitions, which align the company’s business and sustainability goals. Throughout his career, Campbell has spearheaded strategic initiatives focused on enhancing the company’s profitability and strategic positioning, developing future leaders. He has been an unrelenting advocate for driving higher levels of commitment to economic and environmental sustainability through John Deere’s digitalization journey. Under Campbell’s leadership as CFO, the company achieved record levels of financial performance. Campbell earned an accounting degree from Simpson College and an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.
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■ in the news Price Becomes 75th FPS President
Justin Price
Evergreen Engineering Co-CEO Justin Price will serve as president of the Forest Products Society for the 2022-23 term. Price takes over from Terry Liles, Director of Raw Materials for Huber Engineered Woods. Price, who has been a principal owner of Evergreen since 2012, has spent his career specializing in engineering for the wood products, renewable power generation, and chemical industries. Before becoming Co-CEO, he led Evergreen’s Major Projects Div. and functioned as the owner’s engineer for a major wood pellet producer as they designed and procured financing for export-scale wood pelletizing facilities in the U.S. Southeast. Evergreen is an engineering consulting company with offices in Eugene, Ore.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Everett, Wash. Prior to joining Evergreen, Price was the Northwest Regional Engineering Manager for a privately held wood products company where he evaluated, designed and executed manufacturing process upgrades at multiple operating facilities. A 2013 participant of the NREL Executive Leadership Institute, Price holds a patent for the design of a wood chip screening machine with a stepped deck. Price’s father, Eddie Price, served as the organization’s president in 1996-97. More information on the Forest Products Society can be found at forestprod.org.
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Restoration Offers Torrefied
High Carbon Opportunities
By Dan Shell JOHN DAY, Ore. estoration Fuels is proving that torrefaction technology is a viable option for converting lower value biomass and mill residuals into higher value carbon products for fuel and other applications. The concept is especially important here in John Day, where the Malheur National Forest surrounding town has almost completed a first major 10-year forest health stewardship project and will soon embark on another. Such projects generate sawlogs as well as lots of small diameter volume that includes post, pole and firewood material, and biomass. According to project task orders, all material needs to be removed to thin landscapes into more historically open and pine-dominant timber stands with reduced fuel loads that are more resistant to fire.
R
Finding markets and outlets for the low value material is key to the success of such projects, which are being implemented across the Western U.S. where public lands are increasingly hard hit by wildfire. Officials with Restoration Fuels believe their high carbon torrefied system can be transferred to other projects as well. As a fully-owned subsidiary of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the plant was created in response to all of the above and to help fulfill the Endowment’s mission to support rural economies while boosting forest health and promoting wood utilization by creating leading edge high carbon fuels and materials. The Restoration Fuels story originally began in 2014 with that objective in mind and worked with multiple groups and organizations including the USDA Consortium for Advanced Wood-to-Energy Solutions (CAWES) formed by the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and
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torrefaction ■
the Endowment. According to Restoration Fuels CEO Matt Krumenauer, the FS played a big role in bringing together a wide variety of stakeholders on the wood bioenergy issue, including seven higher education institutions, the USFS Forest Product Laboratory, plus large private timberland owners, forest products producers and technology vendors. The group focused on cooperative basic research and technologies and ways to accelerate commercialization. Torrefaction and high carbon torrefied biomass material were identified as a technology and product that require less advanced research and also deliver an end product that can be used in a variety of applications, from high carbon sustainable fuel to soil treatments and much more. Torrefaction is the roasting of wood in a high temper-
ature, low-oxygen environment, resulting in a biomass product that has a higher carbon density. Restoration Fuels also re-burns the syngas from the torrefaction reaction, almost eliminating process heating fuel demand and further reducing the facility’s carbon footprint. Construction on the plant began in 2019. It was sited at the back end of the Malheur Lumber Co. facility, near the sawmill’s chipping operations. Officials with Malheur Lumber, which has added small log processing equipment to handle material coming from local forest health projects, have been supportive of Restoration Fuels since the beginning. The plant began testing production capability in late 2021. Equipment has been a mix of mostly used and some new. Key pieces include Hurst Boiler, a low temperature belt dryer, Sensortech moisture meters, Biomass Engineering & Equipment
Advanced torrefied materials like this 80%+ carbon content product have the potential to open new markets and applications.
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■ torrefaction
Restoration Fuels is proving its process on a commercial scale. “We’d ultimately like to be able to help create a ‘playbook’ where something like this can be replicated in multiple locations where we have forest health challenges and a lack of markets.” —Restoration Fuels CEO Matt Krumenauer (BE&E) conveyors and material handling, Clarke’s spark detection system, Coen burners and C.F. Nielsen briquetting machines. New Allen-Bradley controls systems were integrated by Taurus Power & Controls.
Krumenauer is a believer in the Restoration Fuels concept.
The continuous torrefaction process yields a 30% loss in mass: Every ton of raw material results in roughly 0.7 tons of end product. The other 30% is combusted in a thermal oxidizer to provide heat for both the
torrefaction reactor and the chip dryer. Currently all raw material is coming from the adjacent Malheur Lumber Co., which provides screened chips. Raw materials are deposited by wheel loader to the live floor reclaim infeed area, and are moved into a BE&E conveyor system that feeds the belt dryer. Plant operators shoot for a moisture content target of 8% for material coming out of the dryer. Dried material is fed to the refurbished triple pass rotary drum dryer that’s been modified for the high-temp, low oxygen torrefaction application running at around
Heat exchanger burns syngas from torrefaction process.
Two briquetting machines currently handle most output.
Process
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torrefaction ■
300° C. The process takes about 20-30 minutes, then torrefied material is fed via conveyor to a cooling system and into a set of silos preceding the densification area. The torrefier features a dual fire system that begins with propane: “Once we get up to temp and start generating syngas, it drops to a pilot light so there’s minimal propane use once we’re up and running,” Krumenauer says. The system’s Coen thermal oxidizer burns the syngas and features two heat exchangers that provide heat for the torrefier and chip dryer. The densification area currently features two Nielsen briquetting machines. Krumenauer notes that standard I2 pellet size wasn’t a viable option: Torrefied material is more abrasive on pellet machine dies and also requires a more tightly controlled temperature when briquetting since torrefaction reduces the material’s bindOfficials believe the process can work in areas needing forest health work but ing effect. lacking markets for biomass.
Opportunities
Pressing Need
Currently, the densification area is a “planned bottleneck” that’s set to be solved as the plant develops its product line and customer base. “We wanted to get up and running, prove out our continuous operation and engage with more customers before we finalize a product mix,” Krumenauer says. It was initially hoped the Portland General Electric (PGE) power plant at Boardman, Ore. was going to convert from coal to biomass and provide a key market for Restoration Fuels’ products, but PGE ultimately chose to decommission the plant altogether. Krumenauer says that despite the challenges posed by PGE’s decision and pandemic labor and supply chain issues in remote John Day, he believes the Restoration Fuels project is still on track to meet its objectives. “We’re actually finding more opportunities as we discover there’s more than a single torrefied product and also other products with higher values,” he says. Indeed, as operators become more familiar with the process, they’ve been able to produce extra-high 80%+ carbon content material and are able to fine tune carbon content for certain applications and higher value products such as metallurgical coke. “We’re finding a lot of different uses and opportunities, and it all comes back to the goal of providing new markets for low-value residuals from forest health treatments and long-term carbon sequestration,” Krumenauer says.
Helping drive the Restoration Fuels project has been the Malheur National Forest Ten-Year Integrated Resource Stewardship Contract, which was awarded in 2013 to local contractor Iron Triangle, LLC of John Day. As of 2020, task order activities under the contract have reduced wildfire risks on more than 55,000 acres, and led to the restoration of nearly 140,000 acres of wildlife habitat. Iron Triangle significantly invested in its timber harvesting and handling capacity to execute the contract, and also started a post and pole manufacturing operation in Seneca south of John Day. Along with Malheur Lumber’s investment in a small log processing line to handle the smaller material coming off the stewardship, Restoration Fuels aims to provide a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to handling the biomass residuals from forest health improvement operations. The Forest Service is looking to award another, similar 10-year contract next year. Restoration Fuels is currently running at about 30% of capacity, with hopes to have close to its 100,000+ annual ton capacity running next year. Meanwhile, Krumenauer says Restoration Fuels is proving its process on a commercial scale. “We’d ultimately like to be able to help create a ‘playbook’ where something like this can be replicated in multiple locations where we have forest health challenges and a lack of markets,” he says.
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■ conference recap
Equipment Companies
Reveal Latest Developments EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of three parts in the coverage of the Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo held March 29-30, 2022 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center and hosted by Wood Bioenergy magazine. Part one in the June issue focused on the keynote talks from producer and consultant personnel. Part two highlights several presentations delivered by representatives of equipment and technologies companies. Look for part three in the October issue. ATLANTA, Ga. yler Player, president of Player Design Inc. (PDI), addressed the company’s development and technology involvement in collaboration with Active Energy Group (AEG) on the CoalSwitch steam-beneficiated pellet, now in pilot scale production in Ashland, Maine, and undergoing testing at sites in North America and Japan.
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Player pointed to several advantages of the product over white pellets, including energy production, cost efficiency, co-firing with coal, and minimal expenditure to convert existing fossil fuel operations. He addressed impressive performance data of CoalSwitch, noting it has “proven to Tyler Player blend with coal at the conveyor or supplant coal entirely with retrofitting for existing coal fired power stations” and with carbon values comparable to coal. As the venture expands marketing and sales efforts domestically and internationally, the product has
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Conference exhibitors ranged from suppliers of air emissions control technologies to in-woods chipper manufacturers.
achieved Chain of Custody and Controlled Wood Certification compliance with the Forest Stewardship Council. Player said they are focusing not only on power utility partners but other industry coal users. A 70,000 ton full-scale manufacturing plant is planned to be in operation by the first quarter of 2023, while identifying sites for other facilities and increasing production in 2023 and beyond. Dane Floyd, principal at Biomass Engineering & Equipment, in his talk entitled, “The Time Bomb: Dust Safety in Wood Plants,” passionately touched on the recent deaths of three workers at a wood processing plant in Quebec. Floyd reviewed Dane Floyd NFPA (National Fire Protection Assn.) codes and standards, and OSHA standards and proceeded to show photos of various plants which were obviously not in accordance. Floyd addressed how to control dust, as with enclosed “dust tight” bins and conveyors; negative pressure on leaky machines; spark detection and deluge; explosion panels, flameless vents, anti-blowback devices; isolation of conveyors.
He specifically pointed to his company’s SMART conveyor material handling product, referring to reduced power requirements, enclosed dust tightness construction, and other characteristic in compliance with NFPA standards for dust hazard safety. Bijan Shams, president of Cogent Industrial Technologies, addressed the complexity of delivering capital projects, noting that 70% of them fail, while the ones that succeed combine a stellar project execution team and project management team. He addressed the steps of project execution, always with an eye on the outcome of deliv- Bijan Shams ering a safe, reliable and data-driven plant to drive the highest efficiency from assets, people and processes. He also broke down project management into multiple phases and responsibilities, and kidded, “What could possibly go wrong?” He focused on the big picture phases of project management: initiation, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling the execution and closing. He cited the project filer server and project issue tracker as necessary tools throughout the project. Circling back, Shams said the main causes of capital
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project failures are poor project execution and poor project management. Key reasons for execution failure include the wrong technology selection (which can cause headaches for years), neglecting safety and hiring the wrong team. Key reasons for project management failure include poor contracts, lack of planning, poor monitoring and controls, and poor issue management and coordination, all of this leading to delays and overbudgeting. Jason Kovacik, sales manager with Finna Sensors, spoke on production enhancements and profitability by using IoT data-driven moisture control measurement sensors. He reviewed why IoT sensors are trending, including real-time process data, visibility of process trends and conditions, and more focused analysis. Compared to nonJason Kovacik enabled sensors, IoT sensors enable cloud-based updates, remote diagnostics, and monitoring of sensor health and performance. Kovacik spoke on the criteria for integrating IoTenabled sensors into your process, including partnering with the right organization and having a strategy for adoption. More technology-specific, he focused on Finna’s OMNIR non-contact, non-destructive, real-time moisture control measurement, which features white
light, near-infrared energy filtering and resonance frequency of water molecules, and with advantages built into the associated and minimized system hardware. OMNIR can be implemented in numerous areas of a production facility, including pre- and post-dryer. Jaymie Deemer, president of Nestec, Inc., gave an in-depth look at dryer WESP and RTO systems, including the complexities of wood dryer emissions sometimes associated with the dryer technologies and with the particulate materials themselves. Some of these issues, as well as others, can contribute to common ESP and RTO Jaymie Deemer issues and problems. He said, “Wet ESP performance and design of critical components are key to reliable operation,” and pointed to numerous such features in both WESP and RTO design, including, in the former, isolable electric fields, extended flushing, simple electrode alignment, irrigation, plug resistant spray nozzles, power supply, continuous loop blowdown, high temperature water flush, caustic grade; and in the latter, proper media, draft arrangements, multiple burners, and proper construction materials such as mastic coatings to protect the shell from condensation, and which materials to avoid such as low grade stainless steel. Rodney Schwartz, vice president Sales & Business
The OMNI CNN Center’s Grand Ballroom North has hosted the conference since its beginning in 2010.
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Development, Dürr Systems, spoke on the development and testing of new WESP design enhancements including an optimized electrode and tube design. After reviewing various factors that influence WESP performance, and issues and concerns with current designs, he said Dürr approached producRodney Schwartz ers and operators to get their input on current designs. The feedback included: tubes and electrodes get dirty and are difficult to clean, potentially impacting collection performance; capital cost is too high; installation time is too long; foaming problems; mist carryover into RTOs; performance drop when flushed. Dürr promptly set goals for a new WESP based on the feedback, including modular shipping design, better fabrication, flexible sizing, new patentable ideas, online cleaning, offline flushing. Dürr developed a 1/6th to-scale test model and performed testing over 16 weeks with 27 separate flow tests and 55 different particulate removal tests. Testing included various configurations of electrodes, including bottom mounted discharge electrodes that proved highly effective, and including the use of a High Area Trap (HAT) that showed numerous benefits. They then built a to-scale 25,000 acfm pilot WESP that was installed at an OSB customer site in the Southern U.S. and was tested for 10 months downstream of rotary flake dryers. The new designs scored high compared to older designs on filterable particulate removal, organic condensable particulate removal, enhanced spray system cleaning and proved multiple other benefits. The key features of the new product include maximum removal efficiencies, reliable operation, low operating costs, and significantly reduced maintenance. Jeff Nichols, managing partner at Industrial Fire Prevention, speaking on behalf of Fagus GreCon, noted wood and wood products still account for a significant share of dust-related industrial fires and explosions. He addressed GreCon’s range of spark extinguishing, fire Jeff Nichols protection and spark
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The next Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo will be held March 12-13, 2024.
detection products, including the new DLD 1/9 spark detector. He also spoke on the company’s extinguishment systems with atomized water droplet technology for larger spacing, better cooling and less usage. Bernardo Sanson, sales engineer with CV Technology, addressed fire and explosion protection for biomass processes. He reviewed combustible dust basics, including dust ignition, and the multiple hazardous
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areas within the production facility. He clarified the meaning of prevention and mitigation strategies and said a full solution often combines them in the name of optimal safety. Specifically for mitigation, he talked about explosion venting and flameless venting, the latter referred to as a passive mitigation technology using stainless steel mesh to extinguish the flame. For fire prevention he spoke on spark detection and
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advances in the technology such as infrared detection— allowing detection of sparks at lower temperatures—intelligent detectors and remote monitoring. He addressed water mist quick suppression ideally suited for areas with hot bearings, motors, sparking equipment and heat generation. “Biomass Bernardo Sanson processes can have multiple areas with high risk of ignition sources,” Sanson said. “Understanding the risk scenario at each part of the process is crucial to managing these risks.” He added that a combination of explosion mitigation and fire prevention solutions allow for minimal loss in production, minimal downtime and enhanced safety performance. Andrew Johnson, vice president at TSI, spoke on the company’s rich history and development with torrefaction technology, and spoke on customized torrefaction through temperature and process controls. He said TSI built its pilot torrefactor in 2012, installed a scaled up torrefactor in 2013, developed a Andrew Johnson system to torrefy sugar cane leaves and bagasse in 2015 for a plant in Louisiana, installed a torrefactor in Thailand to torrefy pre-made pellets in 2019, installed one in Vietnam in 2021 and this year started construction on a 120K tpy system for the Japanese market. Johnson said their technology has shown a positive experience in power station co-firing and in outright replacement of coal in power plants. He reviewed the technology flow through the TSI system and concluded that “the technology is starting to go prime time,” pointing to applications not only as solid fuel for power production but in metallurgical coal applications, chemical compound recovery, concrete production, polymer extender, pre-treatment for gasification and bio-based hydrogen. Wood Bioenergy editors Rich Donnell, Jessica Johnson, Dan Shell and David Abbott contributed to this story and the accompanying photography.
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■ energy technology
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following companies submitted these editorial profiles and images to complement their advertisements placed elsewhere in this issue. All statements and claims are attributable to the companies.
BAKER RULLMAN Baker-Rullman’s innovative triple-pass drum dryer design offers industry leading performance and efficiency in the smallest possible package size. A properly sized and tuned drum dryer system suited to your input volume is the key to planning an efficient system. Baker-Rullman’s specialized engineers are dedicated to accomplishing these goals with each and every installation. Here are some key factors that have contributed to Baker-Rullman’s unequaled record of dependability: l Three full length cylinders that provide the maximum effective length and residence time in a very compact package. l The drum drive uses specifically designed engineering class bushed roller chains and sprockets. l Trunnion rollers are made from Class 50 cast iron with a minimum roller face hardness of 270 BHN. The inboard tapered roller bearings, which have a ‘B-1-’ life of 15 years, allow the roller to rotate around our stationary roller shaft supported by our hold-down pillow blocks. This design has proven to be more reliable than the commonly used small diameter roller with an integral cast shaft. l The drum tire in our systems is hot forged from a single billet of AISI 1025 steel, then finish machined. There is no weld seam on it, and the steel grain structure is oriented for greater wear resistance and strength. l To achieve efficiencies better than 1,500 BTUs per pound of water evaporated, our design incorporates longer residence times, robust temperature control, and superior drum insulation. l Precise electronic controls eliminate heat surges and fuel waste. l Consistent evaporation in Baker-Rullman’s triple pass dryer design protects woody biomass from under or over drying. Heavier, wetter product moves slower than fine particles, giving uniform drying to all particles. That’s why our rotary dryers have long been known for protecting the integrity of all types of material. Baker-Rullman’s energy efficient, high-performance rotary dryers have developed a global reputation in ultimate reliability. It remains the most trusted dehydration technology for optimizing operating costs, efficiency, and product consistency.
BIOMASS ENGINEERING & EQUIPMENT Turn to Biomass Engineering & Equipment (BE&E) for reliable bulk handling. We supply turn-key systems for the pellet industry and offer drag conveyors, metering bins, trailer load-out stations, and containerized storage with live-floor reclaim, all of which we manufacture at our factories in Indianapolis, Indiana. We’re so confident in these products that we back them with a full, one-year warranty against defects. BE&E is best known for its SMART Conveyor, a premium drag conveyor designed around the challenges that come with handling biomass. SMART Conveyors excel at handling both green and dry materials, including pellets, which they won’t grind up like other chain conveyors are prone to do. They handle pellets gently because they run their chains in channels outside the material path. Because the chains are captured, they cannot ride atop the pellets and damage them. SMART Conveyors are uniquely suited to handle pellets at every stage, from the mill to the load-out station. They’re available in stainless steel to handle fresh pellets, and they can be angled up to 90° for loading silos and other machinery in constrained areas. SMART Conveyors can be modified to accurately distribute material in trailers, clam-shell bins, and warehouse floors. Also popular from BE&E are SMART Containers, sea cans we convert into storage and feed devices by adding a push-pull reclaim system. Unlike slat-floor systems that shuffle the entire material pile toward the discharge area, SMART Containers employ strokers equipped with welded flights, which shear material off the bottom of the pile, thereby providing first-in, first-out material flow without uncontrolled surges. The hydraulics in SMART Containers also differentiates them from slat-floor systems. The hydraulics in BE&E’s containers are designed for simple maintenance, and technicians can access them easily through the container’s doors. And technicians needn’t empty the container to perform maintenance. Neither must they crawl under the floor to access moving components. SMART Containers are available in 20 ft. and 40 ft. lengths and can be stacked up to three units high for additional capacity. Containers can also be placed side by side to increase redundancy and segregate products.
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energy technology ■
BUETTNER ENERGY SYSTEMS Founded 1874, Buettner is a manufacturer of energy systems, dryers and burners, headquartered in Krefeld, Germany. The U.S. branch office is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Since 1995, Buettner has commissioned about 100 energy plants up to a total load of 340 MMBtu (100 MW), many of them combined with Buettner dryer systems (more than 2,000 dryers worldwide). The provided services concerning new plants include sales, planning, construction, assembly, commissioning and performance tests until the final handover to the customers. Apart from new plants, Buettner offers inspections, retrofits, increased performance and upgrades for any own and foreign plants. Additionally, Buettner offers a fast and customer orientated service for spare parts. Customized Energy Systems The setup of the energy systems diversifies according to the demand of the production of pellets. The plants are individually designed for the customers’ demands, like flue gases of required quality, the supply with thermal
oil and the production of steam. Regardless of any connected production lines, there are some core elements found in every energy system. The fuel handling (consisting of fuel bins, conveyors like screws, chain, vibrating or belt conveyors, hydraulic units and the fuel feeder unit) provides the fuel feed to the combustion. The necessary oxygen is supplied by the combustion air system with the primary and secondary air fan. Buettner-Designed Main Components The air-cooled reciprocating grate has a range of 129–1,184 sq. ft. (12–110 m²). Multi-fuel burners (gas, oil, granulates and dust) are available at load levels between 8.5–185 MMBtu (2.5–55 MW). Recirculation gas systems lead to low concentrations of nitrogen oxides. Additionally, the concentration can still be lowered by the installation of a SNCR-system using urea. Cyclones, micro-cyclones or ESPs are also part of our expertise and scope of supply. The boilers are designed as thermal oil heaters and evaporators including economizers. The steam production is either direct or indirect by heat exchangers. By using an RTO, emission limits behind the dryer island can be fulfilled.
HURST BOILER Industrial grade wood fired burners with Hurst “clean-burn” stoker design, as well as modular packages available from 5 MMBTU/HR-250 MMBTU/HR with operating temperature ranges from 200°F to 2000°F— These proven solid fuel burner systems are a leading choice in lumber dry kilns, boiler applications, oil heaters, rotary dryers, brick kilns and more. Hurst manufactures seven different types of biomass stoker/gasifiers, which have used 2,000+ different types of biomass fuels. With installations across all industries worldwide, Hurst is recognized for the highest code standards, innovative engineering and design, Energy Star rating, and renewable, sustainable solutions for green building design and operational efficiency. Hurst STAG systems are a culmination of experience and knowledge of material handling, solid fuel combustion, and controls integration that offers a quality solution for most air heating applications. We are providing our customers the ability to economically and efficiently satisfy their air heating requirements by utilizing readily available waste as a fuel source in lieu of the expensive conventional sources. Hurst delivers the quality and performance that our customers expect in a custom engineered solution to reduce operating expenses and maximize productivity. The Hurst STAG unit can be utilized from 5 MMBTU/HR- 250 MMBTU/HR with operating temperature ranges from 200°F to 2000°F. These systems are frequently utilized in lumber dry kilns, boiler applications, oil heaters, rotary dryers, brick kilns and much more. The Biomasster STAG control system developed for the direct fired burner is a computer based, data driven “SMART” monitoring and control system designed for the optimal clean combustion and operation of the direct fired burner system. Offers real-time modulation and reduces dirty flue-gas residue and hot ash carry-over issues. Hurst equipment features a totally automated system; superior refractory material; automatic ash removal system (in wet and dry systems); ash sifting hoppers; a unique wall/grate interlocking discourages internal fuel leakage; reciprocating grate design—complete burn with automatic dust-free wet ash removal system. The modular packaged design means low cost project installation. Hurst Boiler is a leader in the development of boiler technology as well as sustainable solutions for renewable energy.
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MID-SOUTH ENGINEERING Could an organic rankine cycle (ORC) turbine be a smart addition to your biomass or wood products facility? Mid-South Engineering has helped several clients evaluate this technology and we have the experience and expertise to help answer this question for your process. Because of their unique ability to operate at lower temperatures, potentially even using waste or excess process heat, ORC systems can often make sense where a traditional steam turbine does not. In some cases, they provide a revenue stream for excess fuel or a “heat dump” that provides an offset to your facility’s electrical consumption. Additionally, ORC systems are relatively easier to operate than steam systems and can avoid many of the requirements for training and inspections that come with steam systems. Mid-South begins all evaluations with a heat and fuel balance to help determine the best option for your unique situation. ORC systems are less efficient than steam systems for electrical generation, but they are often incentivized through renewable energy subsidies and credits, so the payback calculations must be given careful attention. Mid-South can help to ensure that all factors are being considered—capital investment, operational cost, system layout, and integration. Contact us today to learn more. Mid-South is a leading consulting engineering firm that provides a broad range of professional engineering services. Our multi-disciplined staff has served state and local governments in addition to industrial and commercial clients with particular expertise within the biomass and building products industries. Combining innovative design tools and practical experience, we help our clients optimize opportunities, increase return on investment, and develop superior quality products.
MOISTTECH MoistTech’s near-infrared (NIR) moisture sensor allows manufacturers the ability to adjust moisture levels on real-time information lowering raw material and fuel costs, higher yields, and more uniform products. NIR moisture measurement is a non-contact measurement that offers clear advantages over the traditional methods, most important being ease-of-use, elimination of hazardous chemicals, and increased efficiency of product testing. With NIR analysis, all manual steps of collecting, drying and accurately weighing samples are eliminated. Continuous monitoring of moisture content provides proactive avoidance of potential issues caused by out of tolerance moisture levels. Evaluating and implementing lean manufacturing principles assists in eliminating waste and improving overall plant production. With the implementation of moisture control systems, manufacturing plants can save a large amount of money in a short amount of time. When considering the many challenges that plant operators are tasked with, moisture control plays a large role. Moisture content can affect product quality and equipment function, making it a crucial focus point in proactive avoidance of quality control issues. Dryer effectiveness is critical, as dryers consume a large amount of energy during operation. The implementation of moisture measurement before and after the dryer provides immediate control over the temperature and operational efficiency Over-drying a product can result in a dusty environment that can lead to a fire or dust explosion. As such, greater plant safety is achieved with a proper moisture measurement system and cost savings are enhanced. The overuse of dryers results in overpaying on energy costs. By implementing a moisture detection process, producers can monitor 100% of their product quality instantly and consistently. Additionally, active adjustments can continuously be made to the process, optimizing the outcome. Real-time process control with moisture detection provides true product data that can be used to improve operation efficiency. This reduces wasted effort and materials, and decreases the frequency of downtime, manual intervention and defective goods. Increased plant efficiency, lower energy costs, higher accuracy, instant return on investment (ROI) and low to zero maintenance are just a handful of benefits seen when implementing a moisture control system.
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PLAYER DESIGN PDI developed its innovative energy system as a practical solution to industry needs; responding to demand for a system that would burn a wide range of fuels, allowing manufacturers to use available and inexpensive materials. PDI Energy Systems can be operated using either wet or dry fuel, or a combination of both. Each PDI energy system is a custom design, utilizing precise calculations of retention time to prevent carry-over of ash, sparks, or other materials. Engineered combustion chambers and individualized burner management programming result in minimal emissions, regardless of the quality of incoming fuel sources. A PDI energy system offers a flexible and efficient approach to meet the energy demands of a modern manufacturing facility. From robust fuel systems and machine bearing mounts, to our process design, every item matters to PDI. PDI’s experience in maintenance and operations is key to how we design our systems and ensure optimum performance for the durability and long life your facility demands. Premium quality refractory installed and ready for production Dampers machine coupled to actuators, with bearings on every shaft Rotation of fuel system conveyors targeting 15RPM for low speed and long life Shaft mounted gearboxes with c-face motors to avoid maintenance Direct drive fans for maximum service life Reinforced dual-pivoting doors for ease of access Complete System Supply PDI offers complete energy system plants. Our team of engineers and construction partners can design, build, and start up everything from a basic dryer furnace up to a fully-functional cogeneration plant. Our facilities can utilize solid fuel, natural gas, propane, or other fuels you may have available. Our engineering team custom designs fuel handling systems, thermal recovery plants, and fully integrates the facility for optimum energy recovery from your fuel. Our design and construction experience with various fuels ensures your system will perform as expected.
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■ product news
Stela Celebrates 100th Anniversary Stela Laxhuber GmbH celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 24 at its operations in Massing, Germany. In the course of a century, the company has developed from a wind well producer to an agricultural machinery dealer to today’s world-renowned specialist for drying systems of all kinds. The new factory halls actually served to celebrate a double birthday party—100 years of stela and 40 years of stela Steuerungstechnik. Also, the recently awarded Bavarian SME Prize—which went to stela this year—was presented by Peter Glas, Vice President of the Lower Bavarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who praised the unconventional approaches to challenges on the part of stela. More than 900 guests from all continents were able to attend the celebration. Welcomed with drinks, small snacks and a delicious ice cream stand, the new and fesA double birthday celebration in Massing on June 24 tively decorated factory halls filled up in no time. As stela has now installed 4,012 plants in 67 countries, the guest list was indeed a long one. The guests also reflected the company’s customer base, as stela offers solutions for the small organic maize farmer as well as plants for huge sewage treatment and OSB plants. One of the guests of honor was Mr. Baumer, who was the first customer to opt for a stela drying system back in 1967. First and foremost, Mrs. Thea Laxhuber, mother of today’s Managing Director Thomas Laxhuber, looked back on the past decades. Her touching choice of words emphasised the diligence that was able to turn an idea into a globally active company despite all the turmoil of the 1920s. As a company supplying energy-efficient systems and despite its growth, stela has also become more energy-efficient itself. Since 2020, the company has been climate-neutral, the vehicle fleet has been converted to electric drives, and “refuelling” is achieved by an in-house solar system. In his speech, Rainer Hettwer, the second Managing Director, referred to this typical stela hands-on mentality when it comes to training future workers for consistent growth. This also explains why 20 years ago stela employed 50–whereas today it employs 220. Christian Thiel, Mayor of Massing, highlighted the social commitment of the family-run company, not only for employees, clubs and institutions in the area, but also during crises abroad, such as the conflict currently being fought in Ukraine. At the outbreak of the war, an opportunity was quickly provided for people in the area to drop off donations in-kind and in money—whereby stela has been taking care of the transport of the necessary goods in an attempt to play its part in alleviating the suffering. The drying of recycling material is becoming increasingly important in times of climate crisis. “When it comes to recycling, we now only talk about raw materials—and no longer about waste,” commented Thomas Laxhuber. In the next few years the company will grow in the area of drying for chipboard and pellet production. The cuisine offered also lived up to the event’s festive setting. A mouth-watering choice of dishes and desserts was followed by a magical evening of music played by the extremely popular Bavarian band LaBrassBanda. Dancing and festivities continued until the early hours of the morning.
Elmia Wood Back On Track A good mood and a longing to meet again characterized Elmia Wood 2022 held in June in the forest of Bratteborg outside Jönköping, Sweden. The three-day event attracted 26,000 visitors and 270 exhibitors from 22 different countries. Anders Roman, program manager for Elmia Wood, comments: “The fair ran smoothly, thanks in large part to great teamwork, but also thanks to the terrific engagement of the exhibitors and, not least, among all the visitors. It’s been fantastic to encounter the joy and energy along the visitor trail. It’s obvious that many people have longed for the fair as a meeting place.”
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product news ■
‘Strongest Link To Success’
John King UK has relocated John King Chains USA Inc. to Birmingham (Trussville), Ala. The need for increased manufacturing space was required and Birmingham was considered to have a major advantage as an industrial center of the South-
ern U.S. with improved logistics and access to high quality subcontractors and experienced labor. John King USA has been importing UK made chains into the U.S. since the 1960s, but has been manufacturing chains and sprockets for
John King Chains USA Inc. in Birmingham, Ala.: Left to right, Brandon Ringstaff, warehouse associate; Frans Piennar, general manager; Ollie Wadsworth, sales director; Gary Booth, production coordinator; Marc Hatcher, welder and robot operator
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John King Chains USA Inc. has moved operations to Birmingham, Ala.
multiple industries domestically for approaching two decades. To lead the charge the management has transferred Frans Pienaar, formally general manager of the South Africa division. Pien-
aar has worked in the industry for more than 20 years and is a chain engineer with huge experience and capability. Oliver Wadsworth, USA Sales Director, comments, “Our principal industry focus is lumber/paper, cement and bakery. The new location and investment in new CNC machinery, robotic welding and increased stock levels of common chain types allow us to react quickly to meet the ever-increasing demand of our USA customers. Our technical group knowledge and know-how has really boosted our reputation of not just being a chain supplier but a material handling solution provider. We are really excited about the future.”
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TEC Is Named Sennebogen’s Best Sennebogen LLC announced its 2021 annual Dealer of the Year winners, including its Top Dealer—Tractor & Equipment Co. (TEC), based in Birmingham, Ala. Employee-owned TEC operates 20 machine sales and service branches. Envimat, a recent addition to the Sennebogen network and the first from South America to win recognition in Sennebogen’s distributor awards, was second, and Tyler Equipment of East Longmeadow, Maine rounded out the top three. Chairman of TEC, Dan Stracener, relishes the recognition for his company and his tight-knit team, which has seen changes at its top level in the past year. Chad Stracener is now CEO after many years of working his way up through the ranks. He is succeeded as President by DeVaughn Pettit. Stracener is impressed by Sennebogen’s continual development of its product line. “They are totally dedicated to the product and that really shines through. They design that into their machines so you can diagnose problems on the spot; things that are simple enough that a customer can even troubleshoot it themselves.”
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