Canadian Biomass • Spring 2024 • Thought Leader of the Year

In a world increasingly attentive to sustainable energy solutions, Liezl van Wyk stands out not just for her expertise but also for her visionary approach to biomass energy.

As the vice-president of Northern Operations at Drax Group Canada, van Wyk has been instrumental in steering Canada’s largest pellet plant grouping toward a carbon-negative future. Born in Namibia and educated at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, van Wyk’s academic roots in electrical and electronic engineering laid the groundwork for her career. Her professional path spanned across the power utility industry in the SADEC region before an MBA from IMD in Switzerland pivoted her focus towards mining and ,subsequently, renewable energy. “When Drax approached me to join them as the VP for their Northern Operations, I was ecstatic. I was not too familiar with the industry at the time,” she said. “I decided to join… because of Drax’s values as a company and their vision for a carbon negative future through their sustainability and carbon capture and storage programs.”

van Wyk’s leadership has not only enhanced operational efficiencies but has also foregrounded safety and sustainability. “One of the highlights, for sure, is how we are making our pellet mills safer through further investments in process safety,” she said. “You don’t ever do operations well without a very solid safety foundation to build on.”

Her broad international experience, working in more than 10 countries, has enriched her perspective, a diversity that she deems vital for personal and professional growth. “This has afforded me great personal and professional growth and allowed me to work on very interesting projects with very interesting people,” van Wyk said. Looking ahead, van Wyk is optimistic about the future.

“The Biomass industry is developing and diversifying in new and complex ways,” she said. “Responsible resource management is a key them and central to the climate change discussion.”

High above the ground in the lush forests of B.C., a young Benjamin Patton first found his calling among the branches as a climbing arborist. Today, grounded in his role as the founder and CEO of TreeCycle Canada, he is pioneering sustainable solutions in the biomass industry, earning him an Honourable Mention in the Thought Leader of the Year category.

His extensive background, which includes roles as an arborist technician, danger tree assessor, occupational first aider, and wildlands firefighter (and he’s only 31) has culminated in a focused commitment to environmental stewardship. Patton’s academic endeavors — spanning from BCIT’s Applied Biology Program to a Wood Kiln Drying Certificate from UBC’s Faculty of Forestry — have equipped him with a deep understanding of natural resource management and urban forestry.

Reflecting on his diverse career path, Patton finds resonance in the concept of ‘Ikigai’, a Japanese term meaning the “reason to live”, which aligns one’s passions and talents with what the world needs and is willing to pay for. “My career path could best be described by Ikigai. It’s about blending what we are good at and what we love, with the needs of the world and the opportunities to make a living.”

“Curiosity and intellectual stimulation.” That’s what drove Jamie Stephen to pursue and embrace a career in the biomass sector. Stephen, managing director of Torchlight Bioresources, was recognized with Honourable Mention in the 2024 Canadian Biomass Awards’ Thought Leader of the Year category. “I love complex systems and working to understand the relationships and interactions between the components in those systems,” Stephen said, highlighting his draw to the intricate dynamics of forest products and energy systems.

His approach to bioenergy integrates forest carbon dynamics, climate considerations, and socio-economic factors, positioning him as a critical and respected thinker. Under his leadership, Torchlight Bioresources has transitioned from a consultancy to a frontrunner in developing major bioenergy projects, such as Canada’s first bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) initiative, Rocky Mountain Carbon, and the pioneering community-wide district heating system, Heat New Glasgow.

Looking ahead, Stephen sees both opportunities and challenges for the bioenergy sector in Canada. He believes in the potential for Canada to play a globally significant role, particularly in BECCS and in decarbonizing the nation’s heat market.