Canadian Biomass • June 2016 • Biomass Update

WestJet has announced it has teamed up with Alberta-based, Clean Energy Technology Centre (CETC) to accelerate the development of sustainable aviation biofuel in Western Canada.

“WestJet’s collaboration with the CETC is an exciting first step in supporting the development and deployment of a sustainable fuel alternative in Western Canada,” said WestJet’s director of environment and fuel Geoffrey Tauvette. “WestJet has already made significant, demonstrable progress in our environmental commitment. As an example, our fleet investment over the last 15 years has improved our fuel efficiency by almost 50 per cent. The natural next step for us was getting actively involved in tapping Western Canada’s innovation potential in developing scalable, affordable and sustainable aviation biofuels.”

Aviation biofuels represent the biggest and best opportunity for aviation to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The focus now is developing sustainable sources to make the aviation biofuel, which Alberta’s Drayton Valley has in abundance. The location and proximity of Drayton Valley can help solve many of the challenges that face the development of the biofuel – namely finding an efficient and economical way of getting fuel from production to aircraft. The CETC itself is located in Drayton Valley, home also to the “Bio Mile,” an integrated bio-industrial park with close proximity to forestry and oil and gas industries whose infrastructure and human resources could eventually support the development of the alternative fuel source.

Michele Rebiere has resigned as president of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada.

Rebiere expressed the need to focus on her role as CFO of Viridis Energy as the company pursues the sale of its business. WPAC’s board is grateful for Rebiere’s five years of dedicated service as a board member and for her extraordinary effort over the past year as president.

In accordance with WPAC’s bylaws, the board has appointed former vice-president Rene Landry as its president. He has assumed this role until the next general meeting of the membership is held in September. Landry is director of pellet operations for Nova Scotia-based Shaw Resources, a company that operates two pellet plants in Atlantic Canada.

The Government of Ontario is making plans for the introduction of a new agency that will be given a broad mandate to change energy use in the province.

According to an article from The Globe and Mail, the information was stated as part of a confidential draft of Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan that was obtained by the newspaper.

The plan calls for the removal of seven million gas-burning cars from provincial roadways by 2030, ensuring most building are emissions-free by 2050 and additional carbon reduction initiatives.

The document, according to a spokesman for the Minister of the Environment, is a preliminary draft to solicit feedback on the government’s ideas for reducing carbon emissions.

The announcement of the first quarter financial results included a few points noting the ‘economic dispatch’ of Covanta Holding Corporation’s biomass facilities.

From the release: “Energy revenue from non-EfW operations decreased by $13 million, primarily driven by an $11-million decrease in biomass revenue as a result of economically dispatching facilities and lower market pricing.”

The economic dispatch of these facilities is a result of warm weather conditions in the northeast U.S., combined with an abundance of low-cost natural gas. There is no word yet from the company as to the future of these facilities.

In January, Covanta announced that it was closing both of its bioenergy plants in central Maine.

Government officials then approved a $13-million bailout of the bioenergy industry in the state, helping to offset the industry’s struggles.