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 beginning 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 proximity 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 lo cal 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. Ar bor 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.

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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 tre mendous 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

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 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

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 load ed 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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sissippi for more than a dec ade. 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 Luce dale, 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 Pasca goula 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.

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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 coun ties that had been legally transferred to the State in 1941. The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that no contract was breach ed 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.

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 Su preme 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. Un der 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 Chi cago.

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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 chem ical 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.