WOOD PALLET ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
Project Details
Total Cost
Project 1: $250,000
Project 2: $195,000
BCBN Investment
Project 1: $100,000 Grant
Project 2: $11,000 Grant
Status
Completed
Location
Province-Wide
Comprehensive studies further British Columbia’s wood pellet industry
Project 1 – Next generation torrefaction pilot plant technology evaluation
Project 2 – European carbon neutrality of woody biomass project
Torrefied biomass holds the potential for a number of advancements in second generation solid biofuels, such as higher energy density, hydrophobicity, compatibility with coal handling systems and reduced risk for explosions and fires.
To better understand the opportunities and challenges, BCBN and the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (“WPAC”) engaged NORAM Engineering and Constructors Ltd. in 2010 to undertake a review of the global torrefaction and bio-char technologies in development. Due to the fact it contains commercial, confidential information, the study is not publicly available.
In addition, given the wide-scale public debate around sustainability issues, BCBN and WPAC supported a study of forest sustainability and carbon balance of European Union importation of North American forest biomass for bioenergy production. The study, entitled “Forest Sustainability and Carbon Balance of EU Importation of North American Forest Biomass for Bioenergy Production” was co-supported by a coalition of European and North American industry stakeholders and was released on September 24, 2013.