2007 Residual wood conference a
big-time success

Logging & Sawmilling Journal’s Residual Wood Conference—held in October in Vancouver—was a tremendous success, selling out for both attendees and exhibitors

The 7th Biennial Residual Wood Conference held in Vancouver in October was a tremendous success, reflecting both the high interest in best utilizing residual wood from the forest industry and a very strong line-up of speakers and exhibitors. “This was the most successful residual wood show we’ve ever had,” said show manager Jan Raulin. “We were sold out for both attendees and booth space.”

A major focus for the conference was using residual wood to generate energy, and the wood-to-energy outlook looks very bright, driven by high energy prices. At the time of the conference, the price of oil—an energy benchmark—was well on its way to the $100 a barrel mark, breaking all previous records.

One of the conference speakers, Jim Bowyer, president of Bowyer and Associates, noted that a consensus is emerging that peak petroleum production is in sight. While there has been a tremendous focus on ethanol and biodiesel production from agricultural products as a result, this development could also open the door for energy from residual wood products, Bowyer said.

“In the future, all of these liquid fuels will be made from the cellulosic parts of forest and agricultural plants, and wood will be a preferred raw material,” he explained. “The biofuels and biochemicals potential is stimulating forest industry investment and new co-operation between the forest and energy sectors.”

Dick Carmical, general manager of The Price Companies of Monticello, Arkansas, also spoke at the conference and said it was time for countries to turn their problems—such as America’s “addiction to oil”—into opportunities. He noted that there are huge opportunities for the forest industry to produce energy from biostock, such as healthy and diseased trees, underbrush, sawdust, wood chips, wood pulp and black liquor.

A move to bioenergy could have a dramatic effect on the US financial situation, essentially turning the US trade deficit into a trade surplus, he added.

A presentation made on behalf of Hakan Ekstrom of Wood Resources International noted the tremendous potential for forest residuals in the bush.

“Substantial volumes of biomass are left after a traditional clearcut when only sawlogs are being removed. With the increased demand for renewable resources for energy, there is renewed interest in collecting branches, tops and stumps to supply district heating plants,” the presentation noted.

“Large volumes of beetle-killed wood in British Columbia are going to be available for energy consumption, including wood pellet production, over the next 10 years.”

Ekstrom’s presentation pointed out that Europe has set aggressive goals for renewable energy by 2020, and that the United States has also set some aggressive goals. “Over the next 10 to 15 years, as fossil fuel sources continue to get more expensive and as concern about global warming intensifies, North America is also likely to increase consumption of renewable energy, thus increasing demand for wood residuals.”

Craig Sutherland, deputy chief forester of BC, said that there are going to be increasing amounts of residual wood in the province because of the mountain pine beetle infestation. “Fibre supplies in BC are more dynamic than ever,” he said. “New markets are emerging, and competition is increasing for residuals.”

Janice Larson, of the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum, said that the province has “enormous” bioenergy and renewable energy resources. “The mountain pine beetle can be the platform upon which we expand and develop bioenenergy opportunities.”

The dinner speaker at the Residual Wood Conference, Fred Deneke, spoke about the “25 x 25” initiative, the goal to have America’s forests, farms and ranches provide 25 per cent of the total energy consumed in the United States by the year 2025.

Woody biomass, Deneke noted, is available year round from multiple sources, and its net energy ratios are large and positive. “Rising fuel and energy costs and advances in technology are improving the economy of forest-based biorefineries.

“Forestry and agriculture can play a major role in helping the United States achieve energy independence,” he said. “An enormous and historical opportunity is on the horizon. We have the technology, capacity and leadership to offer new energy solutions.”

At the mill level, Bill Adams of Domtar Pulp and Paper Products spoke about green power generation at the company’s Kamloops, BC, facility, and the industry’s tapping into biomass energy.

“The BC pulp and paper industry is already North America’s single largest producer and consumer of biomass energy.” Kamloops Pulp, in particular, employs three turbine generators and four biofuel boilers as part of its green power generation system. The 60 MW of biomass power generation produced by the Kamloops operation supports BC’s goal of green energy production and provides surplus energy for the community, said Adams.