Technologies for Utilising Woody Biomass

Bioenergy using wood as an alternative energy source is getting a huge amount of attention - internationally and much closer to home. In the current economic climate, improved processing efficiencies and diversifying your production is paramount to forest products companies.

The keen interest in better utilising wood wastes around the world has been labelled "fibre-fever". Driven by rising fuel prices, climate change concerns and increasingly ambitious Government targets to increase the use of forestry-derived biomass for energy, the role of forests is rapidly changing - from principally supplying logs to being an energy source.

Australia and New Zealand both have a substantial biomass resource. Post harvest residues from the forest and wastes from wood processing and manufacturing operations supply the bulk of the feedstock. In New Zealand for example, currently only 27% of the easily-accessed material (landing residues) is being recovered and it’s been estimated that there are potentially as much as 1.8 to 1.9 million tonnes of residues that could be utilised from landings and rolling terrain. Anecdotal evidence from forest biomass recovery operators is that the published estimates are conservative. Because of the flatter terrain, the opportunities for harvesting in-forest biomass to provide long-term feedstock in certain regions of Australia are even better.

Forest products companies worldwide are now busy investigating the economics and feasibility of procuring, harvesting, handling, transporting and integrating mixed residue streams from harvesting operations. It’s clear from recent research and established commercial operations that poor decisions relating to transport and processing equipment, or matching the various components of the fuel supply chain, will lead to unacceptably high costs and poor quality of the delivered fuel.

Understandably the interest in learning about what’s been developed, what’s been trialled successfully and feedback from those involved in wood wastes recovery and utilisation is very high at the moment. To provide a practical update to forest and wood products companies on new technologies to improve wood wastes utilisation, Residues to Revenues 2009 will run in Melbourne on 15-16 June. The programme will also run for New Zealand forest products companies in Rotorua the week before, on 10-11 June.

In addition to local and international expertise being brought in for the June series, two standout keynote speakers will be providing their expertise to local companies. Don Roberts (Managing Director, CIBC Wood Markets, Canada) will be participating in Residues to Revenues 2009. Don leads CIBC's Paper & Forest Products Research Team and is also responsible for the bio-fuels sector. Don’s primary responsibility in his current role is to lead a team of analysts in advising financial institutions (e.g., pension/mutual funds) on their investments in the global paper & forest products industry. Don will be providing an up-to-date overview of the rapidly changing global bioenergy markets, international trends and developments and opportunities for Australasian forest products companies.

The other key presenter is Don Peterson, President, Renewable Resource Solutions, LLC, USA. Don has been president of RRS since its inception and has been involved in many leading woody biomass projects looking at biomass energy feasibility, wood pellet availability and feasibility and the costs of extracting logging residues for biomass. Don has also worked more recently with US forestry companies and contractors setting up joint venture operations for wood pellet operations. It’s here that Don will be able to provide practical advice on similar operations could be set up on this side of the world.

Further details on Residues to Revenues 2009 can be found on www.woodresiduesevents.com