snippets from recent issue of the *fabulous* madison’s wood pellets report . . .
By: Earl Heath, Madison’s Pellet Report Editor
BC Startup Turns Wood Waste into Biochar
Salmon Arm, BC-based SilvaChar Environmental Inc. has been converting wood waste residue into biochar since July of last year, creating a valuable agricultural amendment product out of material that would have otherwise been burned – either on site or in a biomass plant.
Biochar captures and stores carbon, increases crop yields, and reduces water and fertilizer use which can cut down on chemical pollutants entering waterways. SilvaChar partnered with an already established biochar company called Takachar, using their combined technical expertise and equipment to modify a pyrolysis reactor for producing biochar from Western Canadian forest residue.
The grinding operation is portable, allowing access to wood waste from cut blocks in remote locations or challenging terrain, a constant concern in British Columbia. Feedstock is brought to a set location where converted farm buildings serve as covered storage, as well as facilities for grinding, sifting, packaging, and storing the finished product.
The biochar is produced in varying coarsenesses which can be used for different applications, from golf greens to gardens to farm fields. The product purports to improve soil structure, increase nutrient retention, enhance water holding capacity, and promote beneficial microbial activity, all of which result in better overall plant growth and crop yields.
Nova Scotia Boosts Biomass Usage
The provincial government of Nova Scotia recently directed its main electricity producer to boost biomass energy generation until at least 2027. The regulatory change requires Nova Scotia Power to use 160 GWh of biomass-based energy over the next two years, following a similar ramp up in 2022 when the province called for 135 GWh of usage each year until 2025. This latest push is part of Nova Scotia’s broader plan to get more renewable energy on the grid while additional wind and solar projects come online.
The regulation introduced in early March no longer stipulates that biomass burned for electricity must come from forestry byproducts, rather than timber harvested solely for the purpose
of manufacturing wood pellets. Provincial representatives noted that the previous stipulation was essentially redundant, as it wouldn’t make economical sense for the forestry sector to harvest trees exclusively for making biomass.
Opponents of this regulatory scheme – and burning biomass for energy in general – continue to assert that the describing biomass energy as carbon-neutral is at least a dubious claim, and at worst an outright falsehood. Those in the forest industry understandably welcomed the continued push for biomass usage, as it creates and fosters demand for low-grade wood that used to be consumed by the province’s ailing pulp and paper sector.
New Bill Promotes Wood Heat in Nova Scotia Public Buildings
A new bill introduced by the Nova Scotia Liberal party aims to create new markets for the forestry industry while reducing reliance on fossil fuels for heating public buildings. The Wood Chip Heating Systems in Public Buildings Act would require provincial officials to consider wood heat systems in all new public buildings or in cases of major retrofits, including for schools and hospitals. This latest move is part of a broader goal to advocate for the use of efficient wood heat, creating markets for wood chips and low-grade forestry byproducts that are no longer consumed by the province’s dwindling pulp and paper industry.
