Europe Massive Municpal Boilers Burning Wood Pellets (Forbes)

[UpStateNY]

It’s a good time to be in the American wood pellet business. Dozens of manufacturers, increasingly concentrated in the Southeast, are now approaching production of 10 million annual short tons of wood pellets.

To a large extent, these pellets will end up as fuel for massive municipal boilers in Europe, where wood is increasingly replacing coal as a means of producing heat and electricity — a move that many governments there consider comparatively clean and climate-friendly. Exports from the U.S., largely headed to E.U. nations, doubled between 2012 and 2013, jumping from 1.6 million short tons to 3.2 million short tons, according to federal statistics, with some industry speculators guessing that those numbers — nudged by tough emissions goals that European nations must meet in the next five years — could increase 10-fold by 2020.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomzell...ts-are-big-business-and-for-some-a-big-worry/


Protesters gather to oppose U.S. wood pellet exports.

 

[velvetfoot]

So,

tough emissions goals that European nations must meet in the next five years

emissions=co2

I guess I made the wrong move putting in a pellet boiler. Pellet prices will never go down here in the US, even with low oil prices.

 

[maple1]

That could be turned into a win-win for everybody if they could work more waste into their pellet recipe.

A good portion of our trees here have been going across the ocean in pellet form for years. There is a huge maple clearcut a couple miles behind me that wasn't there a couple years ago. Kinda sad coming out into it & looking around & seeing emptyness all around - looks like a big desert or something in the winter.

 

[ScotL]

They don't want coal because it's releasing sequestered (below ground) carbon. Now they don't want wood because it comes from trees. They don't like wind power because it kills birds and is unsightly. They surely don't want nuclear power. A few of them like solar, but it's not feasible. There's not many options left.

 

[smwilliamson]

and they don't like meat, and they don't like republicans, and they don't like AC, and they don't like calling Christmas Chirstmas...I hear ya dude. 400 years ago they took pains in the ass like them and put them on a boat and set them across the ocean...shoot that's us! Errrr.

 

[killie11]

I have to agree with the protesters stop clear cutting our forest to heat Europe. If we are going to kill our lovely trees givem to us.

 

[fedtime]

Viridis (which owns Okanagen Wood Pellets) bought the former Enligna plant in Nova Scotia.

Viridis ships everything it makes to Europe - and I mean everything. They will not sell into the local market, despite the fact that Nova Scotia (and other Maritime provinces) had a pellet shortage last winter.

Enligna sold into the local market (decent pellet, in my view), so I'm left to wonder why Viridis won't do the same. Obviously, there are market forces at play.

 

[UpStateNY]

Viridis (which owns Okanagen Wood Pellets) bought the former Enligna plant in Nova Scotia.

Viridis ships everything it makes to Europe - and I mean everything. They will not sell into the local market, despite the fact that Nova Scotia (and other Maritime provinces) had a pellet shortage last winter.

Enligna sold into the local market (decent pellet, in my view), so I'm left to wonder why Viridis won't do the same. Obviously, there are market forces at play.

Sounds like something is not right. I was going to say contact your local congressmen but you live in Canada. I have no idea who you contact there.

 

[ScotL]

and they don't like meat, and they don't like republicans, and they don't like AC, and they don't like calling Christmas Chirstmas...I hear ya dude. 400 years ago they took pains in the ass like them and put them on a boat and set them across the ocean...shoot that's us! Errrr.

I'm referring to the group of 3 or 4 people you see in pictures like the one posted. There are some fringe groups out there that will never be happy. They usually really don't know anything about what they're protesting - forestry and wood harvesting in this case. They don't understand that wood is a crop that is being managed. Those of us who've managed forests for decades tend to have pet peeves about tiny vocal groups who receive more attention than the legions of professionals, which then drives public opinion and legislation.

Also, I bet some of them do like AC, they just don't want anyone else to know.

 

[peakbagger]

Southern wood pellet manufacturing is far different than northern wood pellet manufacturing. The southern approach that many oppose grows genetically identically monocultures on vast acreages. The trees are clearcut long before they would be able to yield higher value lumber. Its closer to producing hay than it is forestry. Some of the species of trees have a 10 year rotation from planting to havesting. Its potentially very hard on the soil and the woods are devoid of most wildlife. Northern wood pellet production tends to be using sawmill residuals or low grade logs that didnt make the grade for higher value products. It supplies a market for low grade wood that makes a more attractive for a land owner to manage their woodlands. Effectively northern wood pellet production has stepped into the market that pulpmills have abandoned.

 

[fedtime]

Sounds like something is not right. I was going to say contact your local congressmen but you live in Canada. I have no idea who you contact there.

With three levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal) there is no shortage of elected representatives in Canada. That being said, Viridis does not appear to be doing anything illegal - as our provincial politicians quickly point out when the issue is raised.

My choice is to support smaller, local mills to the extent that I can. I won't buy Viridis Oakies (not that we see them here that often) and do what I can to avoid Eastern Embers, which also sells overseas - often at the expense of the Canadian market, in my view.

 

[maple1]

With three levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal) there is no shortage of elected representatives in Canada. That being said, Viridis does not appear to be doing anything illegal - as our provincial politicians quickly point out when the issue is raised.

My choice is to support smaller, local mills to the extent that I can. I won't buy Viridis Oakies (not that we see them here that often) and do what I can to avoid Eastern Embers, which also sells overseas - often at the expense of the Canadian market, in my view.

Between the growing Euro market for pellets/'pucks' - which we have been exporting to for years - and the new biomass plant on the Strait, I think our forests will be under a lot of stress the next few years (the whole Atlantic region) & never be quite the same. Even with the downturn in the paper industry. Heck with the cowbell, we need more windmills.

 

[Highbeam]

It's not our forest. The trees are owned by somebody. If you don't like people cutting their trees then you can buy the forest and preserve it.

 

[peakbagger]

Be aware much of the Canadian woodlands are Crown land (owned by the government). The rules are different on either side of the border.

 

[ScotL]

There's quite a lot of that in the US too; Government ownership and control of land. Not nearly as much as Canada though.