Canadian Biomass • January February 2017 • Industry News

Canada is moving forward with a climate deal that includes the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, and the requirement that all provinces and territories have a carbon price in place by 2018.

All provinces and territories, save for Saskatchewan, signed on to the deal at the first ministers meeting in Ottawa on Dec. 9.

In a joint statement, Canada’s premiers said the framework is an “ambitious and achievable plan” that addresses common challenges, will improve quality of life, and build a healthy environment.

“Pricing carbon pollution is an efficient way to reduce GHG emissions, drive innovation, and encourage people and businesses to pollute less. It is a core element of the framework and governments will work together on its implementation.”

The framework promises to ensure a greater use of renewable electricity, and reduce methane emission from the oil and gas sector.

“A focus on clean technology is a core element of the framework and through the actions identified, we will foster innovation and create new jobs, new technologies and new export opportunities.”

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall rejected the framework’s carbon pricing scheme, telling media a price on carbon would create economic imbalance.

Washington state-based Alaska Airlines made history in November flying the first commercial flight using the world’s first renewable, alternative jet fuel made from forest residuals. The alternative jet fuel was produced through the efforts of the Washington State University- led Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA).

The demonstration flight departed Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Nov. 14 for Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The flight was fuelled with a 20 per cent blend of sustainable aviation biofuel. The flight, the first commercial passenger flight of its kind, continues to advance viable alternatives to conventional fossil fuels for aviation.

“This latest milestone in Alaska’s efforts to promote sustainable biofuels is especially exciting since it is uniquely sourced from the forest residuals in the Pacific Northwest,” Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines’ senior vice-president of communications and external relations, said in a news release. “NARA’s accomplishments and the investment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture provide another key in helping Alaska Airlines and the aviation industry reduce its carbon footprint and dependency on fossil fuels.”

While the 1,080 gallons of biofuel used on the flight has a minimal impact to Alaska Airlines’ overall greenhouse gas emissions, if the airline were able to replace 20 per cent of its entire fuel supply at Sea-Tac Airport, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 142,000 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to taking approximately 30,000 passenger vehicles off the road for one year.

NARA is a five-year project that launched in 2011 and comprises 32 member organizations. Today’s flight represents its efforts to develop alternative jet fuel derived from post-harvest forestry material that is often burned after timber harvest. The forest residual feedstock used to power Alaska Airlines Flight 4 was sourced from tribal lands and private forestry operations in the Pacific Northwest.

When the Tolko sawmill in Merritt, B.C., officially closed its doors on Dec. 16, one big question remained. Where will the fibre for Merritt’s biomass power plant come from?

The $235-million power plant, which is being built by Spanish energy firm Iberdrola, had 95 per cent of its construction phase complete as of Dec. 9.

Fengate Capital Management and Veolia are the developers and equity investors of the biomass plant. The Merritt plant is one of two green energy projects in B.C., as part of the Merritt Green Energy Limited Partnership (Merritt Green Energy). The other is in Fort St. James, B.C.

Delays in the Merritt construction process so far were due to one of the subcontractors in the U.S. going through a bankruptcy.

In a past press release announcing the financing closure on the plant, Merritt Green Energy stated, “Fuel will be provided by local partners, including Tolko Industries, under a long-term fuel supply agreement.”

Canadian Biomass reached out to Fengate Capital for comment and received a statement from Merritt Green Energy.

“The closure of Tolko’s Nicola Valley operation will not affect plans for the Merritt Green Energy Project,” Merritt Green Energy stated.

“The Merritt Green Energy Limited Partnership, a working partnership between Fengate Capital and Veolia, is confident that the fuel required to run the plant will be available through an existing agreement with Tolko,” it stated.

Merritt Green Energy, which first announced the project in 2014, also said the facility requires more than 20 full-time staff to operate it and has supported more than 250 jobs at peak construction periods.

The plant will generate more than 285,000 Mwh of renewable electricity when it begins operations. That number is enough to power more than 40,000 homes for a year, according to the statement.

The plant is also planning on reducing its carbon footprint through the use of emissions reduction equipment. The biomass power plant is scheduled to begin commercial operations and deliver clean electricity to BC Hydro in mid-2017.

The Canadian Wood Council has updated its free Carbon Calculator tool that allows users to plug in wood building material volumes to determine carbon benefits.

With growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in the built environment, designers are increasingly being called upon to balance function and cost objectives with reduced environmental impacts.

As the only major building material that is renewable and stores carbon over its lifetime, wood building products and construction systems can contribute to climate change mitigation efforts.

The Carbon Calculator, developed in partnership with US WoodWorks, can be accessed for free online at www.cwc.ca/carboncalculator.

Users input wood volumes and the carbon calculator estimates how much time it would take for Canadian and U.S. forests to grow that volume of wood along with the associated carbon benefits. Carbon benefits refer to the amount of carbon stored in the wood building materials and the amount of GHGs avoided by choosing wood instead of another more emissions intensive building material.

The Alberta government has changed the regulations governing how homeowners, businesses or municipalities generate their own electricity.

The new rules allow for more flexibility and a greater variety of configurations for micro-generation, including allowing one system to serve adjacent sites. The size limit has been increased to five megawatts from one.

“These changes will provide even more opportunity for Albertans to reduce their reliance on the grid and benefit from the choice to generate clean electricity. They provide more options and enable larger projects, and will contribute to our province’s target of 30 per cent renewable electricity by 2030,” Margaret McCuaig-Boyd, Alberta’s energy minister, said in a news release.

Lisa Holmes, president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, said in the new release the amendments were the result of feedback from communities.

Micro-generation in the province has increased on average by approximately 70 per cent each year since 2009. Alberta has more than 1,700 micro-generation sites that generate more than 16 megawatts of electricity.

Biomass North Development Centre has received a funding boost from Ottawa and the Ontario government to implement its Northern Ontario Bioeconomy Strategy.

The federal and provincial governments are investing $216,792 to allow Biomass North, in partnership with Union of Ontario Indians, to establish 13 demonstration facilities across the region to showcase the efficiency and effective- Ness of various biomass initiatives.

“We are thrilled that the federal and provincial governments recognize the importance of our efforts and are investing to implement the Northern Ontario Bioeconomy Strategy,” Dawn Lambe, Biomass North’s executive director, said in a news release. “Once fully implemented, the strategy will help revive our forestry sector, create business opportunities, enhance First Nations partnerships, reduce energy costs, and support the environmental sustainability of our natural resources.”