BC pellets sources from residuals & low quality logs

B.C. wood pellets sourced from residuals, low-quality logs, study says

The Westview Wood Pellet Terminal at the Port of Prince Rupert is seen in an undated handout photo. Pinnacle Renewables handout photo

A study commissioned by the Wood Pellet Association of Canada shows that sawlogs aren’t being used for wood pellets in the province.

Citizen staff A study commissioned by the Wood Pellet Association of Canada shows that lumberquality wood isn’t being used to produce wood pellets in B.C.

The study, released in September, is available online here: https://www. pellet.org/wp-content/ uploads/2022/09/WPACfibre_ study_DESIGN_FINAL.pdf. Respected forest experts and registered professional foresters Gary Bull, Jeremy Williams, Jim Thrower and Brad Bennett analysed government and private sector data, audit reports and conducted interviews with pellet plant operators and local communities.

“We reviewed the data for virtually every truckload of fibre for each pellet mill in the province and were able to source forest-based residuals down to the forest harvesting block for each mill,” Bull said in a statement issued in September. “The findings were clear: 85 per cent of the fibre for pellets comes from the by-products of the sawmills and allied industries, and the remaining 15 per cent comes from bush grind and low-quality logs where the only other option is to burn the low-grade logs and brush piles on site in order to reduce fire risk.”

Currently, almost all wood pellets produced in B.C. are certified under the international recognized Sustainable Biomass Program and the fibre is from sustainably managed forests in B.C. certified under t

“Today our sector is taking what was once considered waste and instead is enhancing forest health, creating jobs, and reducing wildfire risk and GHG emissions from slash burning

The Canadian Standards Association, the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the association said.

“The notion of harvesting whole stands of timber or displacing higher value forest products for the purpose of producing wood pellets is counter to the overall economic and environmental objectives of using wood pellets,” Thrower said.

The study also found that the pellet sector create value from mill residues, creating additional revenue streams for sawmills and other facilities, and reduces smoke from beehive burners.

Bioenergy currently accounts for about 10 per cent of total final energy consumptions and two per cent of global electricity generation, and accounts for 60 per cent of all renewable energy in the United States and European Union. “Today our sector is taking what was once considered waste and instead is enhancing forest health, creating jobs, and reducing wildfire risk and GHG emissions from slash burning,” association executive director Gordon Murray said. “British Columbia wood pellets are a vital solution in the global fight against climate change by replacing fossil fuels like coal and providing a gateway to the bioeconomy.”

The study also examined the impact on groups like the Burns Lake Community Forest, which is owned by the Village of Burns Lake. The village equally shares its revenue with the Tsi’lKazKoh and Wet’suwet’en First Nations communities

“As a community forest that surrounds much of the community’s recreational playground, if we didn’t practice complete utilization we would hear about it in town from the public,” community forest general manager Frank Varga said.

“Without the Burns Lake Drax facility, we wouldn’t have a home for a significant component of our low-grade harvesting profile and the level of waste would not be socially acceptable.”

Scan the code to read the September study

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