CBIN Results Meeting
March 18-19, 2013, Ottawa
Title: The Canadian Wood Pellet Industry
Speaker: Pierre-Olivier Morency, Director, Market Access and
Promotion, Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC)
Evolution of the Canadian Wood
Pellets Industry
- 60,000 tonne/year annual production prior to 1997
- First export shipment 1998 – 5,000 tonne
- Production today exceeds 2 million tonne/year
Strong support by NSERC, NRCan, NRC
- Projected growth 25-30% per year (export/domestic)
Continued strong support by NRCan, EnvCan
- Enormous potential for domestic market dominance
Federal policy - Copenhagen Accord (COP 15)
Canadian market 5-8 million tonne/year by 2017
Coal replacement and heating market.
A wide range of research areas
 Contribution to several milestone documents (IEA)
Torrefaction, Pellet Handbook, Sustainability issue
 Development of ISO classification and testing standards
 Leading edge research on safety and health
 Development of guidelines for large scale logistics
 Development of IMO Safety Code Regulations
 Development of industry wide MSDS
 Pioneering ocean transportation of wood pellets
 WPAC triggering the use of pellets for power/heat (EU)
 Introduction of Plant Safety Certification
Importance of Funded R&D
What advantage(s) were provided by partnering with
the federal government to conduct your R&D (science
advancement, industry development, economic
development of the sector) ?
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From 0 to 2 M tonne/year !
Significant knowledge and expertise
Financial support
Credibility: partners and collaborators, other
countries, customers, etc.
Some Key Achievements
 The Pellet Handbook (2010)
 International Standards Development (in progress)
Some Key Achievements
A voice at the International Energy Agency
(IEA)
 IEA was founded in 1973 and has 28 member nations
 Task activities:
 32 Combustion and Co-firing
 33 Gasification
 34 Pyrolysis
 36 Photovoltaics
 37 Solar Resource Management
 39 Liquid Biofuels
 40 Sustainable Bio-energy Trade
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Some Key Achievements
Development of IEA Pellet Handbook
(IEA Tasks 29/31/32/40)
 Supporting funding from NRCan and WPAC
Most comprehensive document available (600 pages)
30% authored by Canada
Used as the “pellets industry bible” around the world
Physico-chemical characterization, Standards, Safety and health,
Production and Logistics, Combustion, Cost analysis, Market projections,
Research, Case studies
Some Key Achievements
Development of IEA Status Overview
Torrefaction Technologies (IEA Task 32)
- Supporting funding from NRCan and WPAC
- Most comprehensive document available (53 pages)
- 30% authored by Canada
- Used as a reference document around the world
Physico-chemical characterization of torrefied materials
Comparative technology assessment, Safety and health, Production and
Logistics, Cost analysis, Market projections, Research
Some Key Achievements
Development of IEA Health and Safety Aspects of
Solid Biomass Storage, Transportation and Feeding
(IEA Tasks 32/36/37/40)
- Supporting funding from NRCan and WPAC
- Most comprehensive document available (132 pages)
- 30% authored by Canada
- Used as a reference document around the world
Hazards from self-heating
Hazards from off-gassing and oxygen depletion
Risk of dust and gas explosions
Biological health risks
Occupational hazards during handling and storage
Some Key Achievements
International Standards Development
Continued support by NRCan and WPAC
 Supporting funding from NRCan and WPAC
 ISO Technical Committee 238 Solid Biofuels
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Canada founding member in 2008
34 nations participate
World leading edge researchers and large users of biofuels
Extensive drafting, consensus building, round robin lab testing
Inventory and evaluation of over 600 standards worldwide
Liaison with OECD, IMO, IEA, all Standards Institutes worldwide
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Some Key Achievements
International Standards Development
(Canada Leader for Working Group #4)
 Supporting funding from NRCan and WPAC
 ISO Technical Committee 238 Solid Biofuels
WG #1 Terminology, definitions and descriptions
WG #2 Fuel specifications and classes
WG #3 Fuel quality assurance
WG #4 Physical and Mechanical Test Methods
WG #5 Chemical Test Methods
WG #6 Sampling and Sample Preparation
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SOLID BIOFUEL STANDARDS & CERTIFICATION DEVELOPMENT
US PFI STANDARDS
US NATIONAL
STANDARDS
US PFI
STANDARDS
SUPER PREMIUM
PREMIUM
STANDARD
UTILITY
ASTM
ASABE/ASAE
ISO/TC 238
SOLID BIOFUELS
PREMIUM
STANDARD
UTILITY
ISO XXXXX
NONEUROPEAN
STANDARDS
ISO5XX
AGRO/HORTI/FRUIT/AQUA
AS
JIS
EN14XXX
EN15XXX
CEN 14XXX
CEN 15XXX
Testing Methods
Classification
Quality Assurance
EUROPEAN
NATIONAL
STANDARDS
DIN
D
SS
S
ÖNORM
AU
DK
DK
SFS
SF
NTA
NL
NT
NORDIC
CTI
I
BS
GB
WG1 TERMINOLOGY
(1)
WG2 CLASSIFICATION
(7)
PART 1 GENERAL
PART 2 PELLETS
PART 3 BRIQUETTES
PART 4 WOOD CHIPS
PART 5 FIRE WOOD
PART 6 NON-WOODY PELLETS
PART 7 NON-WOODY BRIQUETTES
WG3 QUALITY ASSURANCE
(2)
WG4 PHYS & MECH TEST
(34)
WG5 CHEMICAL TEST
(6)
WG6 SAMPLING + PREPARATION (2)
ISO/TC 248
CEN/TC 335
SOLID BIOFUELS
WG1 TERMINOLOGY
WG2 SPEC & CLASS, QUAL
WG3 SAMPL + PREP
WG4 PHYS & MECH TEST
WG5 CHEMICAL TESTWood
SUSTAINABILITY
CRITERIA FOR
BIOFUELS
FSC
SFI
PEFC
PelletCSA
Association of
NATIONAL
QUALITY
CERTIFICATION
USA
PFI QUALITY
CERTIFICATION
ENplus A1/A2/B
Enplus I1/I2
ENagro
ENagro A/B
PFI PREMIUM
PFI STANDARD
PFI UTILITY
Canada
ISO9001
2005
2008
MIL-1-45208
M3-05
2012
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Some Key Achievements
ISO TC 238 Physical and Mechanical Testing Standards
In preparation for publishing
Moisture, ash, bulk density, particle size distribution, particle density, calorific
value, volatile matter, durability of pellets /briquettes, length /diameter of
pellets, disintegrated pellets, fines content
Under development
- Off-gassing, Self-heating, Dust explosibility (ISO/ASTM/EN & sampling &
sample preparation)
- Hygroscopicity, absorbicity, freezing characteristics (for torrefied pellets)
- Ash melting temp
- Grindability of pellets
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- Angle of repose, angle of drain, bridging, permeability, impact resistance
Some Key Achievements
ISO Technical Committee ISO Project Committee 248
Sustainability Criteria for Bioenergy – (ISO 13065)
 Definition of Principles, Criteria and Indicators involved
throughout the bioenergy supply chain involving all Economic
Operators (EO) - Process Standard
 WG 1 – Terminology and Cross-cutting Issues
 WG 2 – GreenHouseGas (GHG) Balance (LCA perspective)
 WG 3 – Social, Economic and Environmental Aspects
(LCA perspective)
 WG 4 – Indirect Effects (secondary effects)
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Some Key Achievements
International Standards Development
 Direct benefits of ISO/TC238 Standards Development
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Elimination of national standards worldwide (trade barriers)
Level playing field (quality, performance evaluation)
Foundation for international sustainability criteria
Foundation for quality certification
Worldwide commodity trading with standard contracts
Clarity in defining safety and health guidelines
Clarity in defining environmental performance (e.g. emission
factors)
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Next Steps
Wood Pellet from Canada : a renewable source of
energy !
 Our industry is based on the facts that it is a great
solution for: energy independence, local economy,
clean air, fight against climate change, reduce the
consumption of fossil fuels
 We need to continue to invest time, efforts and R&D on
the sustainability issue and on emissions studies.
 We wish to thanks NRCan for their support.