2025-08-01 06:53:09
Sept. 23-24, 2025
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront, Halifax
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A Maritime welcome to everyone!
I’m excited to invite you to join us at the Wood Pellet Association of Canada’s 2025 Annual Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Canada’s Maritime provinces are actively developing renewable energy, with a focus on transitioning away from fossil fuels. “Biomass for a Low-Carbon Future,” our conference theme, highlights key roles for biomass and wood pellets.
Seven wood pellet plants operate in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, meeting regional demand and exporting fuel to the United Kingdom and Europe. Local governments are seeing the benefits. Nova Scotia recently directed all government departments to use biomass for heating. The province has pushed for the increased use of wood pellets, biomass, and biofuels made with leftovers from wood harvesting and sawmill operations to make Nova Scotia more self-reliant and energy secure according to Nova Scotia Minister of Public Works Fred Tilley. New Brunswick Power’s board of directors has given the green light to convert its coal-fired power plant to heat-treated biomass. The utility plans to phase out coal at the 450MW power plant at the Port of Belledune and replace feedstock fully with biomass by 2029.
Conference keynote speaker Dr. Jamie Stephen will highlight the use of local forest biomass for heat and power generation, to ensure energy expenditures stay within a region and safeguard energy security.
Experts will discuss other trending topics, including:
• Safe biomass storage practices;
• Bioheat opportunities in remote and rural Canadian communities;
• How Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) can turn biomass into climate progress;
• The role for biomass to reduce emissions across hard-toabate industries and existing heat and power generation systems;
• The future of Canada’s wood pellet industry in a world of regulatory changes and shifting trade policies; and
• Bioenergy’s transformative role in decarbonizing aviation, marine transport, rail and trucking sectors
It’s important to acknowledge that none of this could happen without our sponsors and extend a huge thank you for your support.
Our annual conference is a great way for colleagues to reunite and explore opportunities to incorporate biomass and wood pellets into a responsible energy future. Join us for some famous East Coast hospitality in Halifax!
All the best,
Gordon Murray
Executive Director
Biomass for a Low-Carbon Future
AGENDA
MONDAY, SEPT. 22, 2025 | PRE-CONFERENCE
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Golf Tournament - Glen Arbour Golf Course
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Facility Tour
A full-day tour of two local wood pellet mills and biomass heating installs in the area.
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Opening Reception
TUESDAY, SEPT. 23, 2025 | CONFERENCE DAY 1
7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast and Registration
8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Moderator: Gordon Murray, Executive Director, WPAC
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Panel Session: Inside the Smoulder—How to Detect, Prevent, and Survive Self-Heating in Biomass Storage
Moderator: William Strauss, President, FutureMetrics
Speakers:
• John Swaan, FutureMetrics
• Håkan Johansson, Firefly
• Fahimeh Yazdan Panah, WPAC
• Bill Laturnus, British Columbia Forest Safety Council
10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Coffee Break
– Networking in the Exhibit Area
10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Bioheat Opportunities for Canada
Moderator: Gordon Murray, Executive Director, WPAC
Speakers:
• Jonathan Levesque, Biomass Solution Biomasse
• Mark Heyck, Arctic Energy Alliance
• Jean Blair, TorchLight Bioresources
• Gustav Melin, World Thermal Services
• Christiane Egger, OÖ Energiesparverband
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Lunch and Networking in the Exhibit Area
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Keynote: Local Energy: The Foundation for Economic Success and Export Growth, Jamie Stephen
Moderator: Vaughan Bassett, President, WPAC and Senior Vice-President Biomass Sales & Logistics, Drax
Speaker: Jamie Stephen, PhD, Managing Director, TorchLight Bioresources
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
One on One: Powering the Net-Negative Transition—BECCS in Action
Moderator: Jamie Stephen, PhD, Managing Director, TorchLight Bioresources
Speakers:
• Søren Alsing, Director Bioenergy, Head of Fuel, Ørsted
3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Coffee Break
– Networking in Exhibit Area
3:30 p.m.to 4:30 p.m.
Panel Session: Decarbonizing Industry
Moderator: Patrick Lapointe, Chief Commercial Officer, Airex Energy
Speakers:
• Juha Hyvärinen, Taaleri Biocoal Canada Development Ltd.
• Chris Wiberg, Timber Products Inspection Inc./Biomass
Energy Lab
• Brad Coady, NB Power
5:00 p.m.
Wood Pellet Barbecue and Reception
John Swaan, the grandfather of wood pellets and FutureMetrics pellet expert, will be cooking his world-famous pellet-smoked ribs.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24, 2025 | CONFERENCE DAY 2
7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast and Networking
8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Market and Policy Update: Navigating Regulatory Change
Moderator: Vaughan Bassett, President, WPAC and Senior Vice-President Biomass Sales & Logistics, Drax
Speakers:
• Monique Frison, Natural Resources Canada
• William Strauss, FutureMetrics
• Fiona Matthews, Hawkins Wright
• Marta Imarisio, Argus Biomass
9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Coffee Break
– Networking in the Exhibit Area
10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Fuelling the Future: Decarbonizing Transportation with Bioenergy Innovations
Moderator: Fahimeh Yazdan Panah, Director Research and Technical Development, WPAC
Speakers:
• Kristen McDiarmid, CN
• Warren Mabee, Queen’s University
• Cate Moran, NYK Group
11:30 a.m.
Summary and Wrap-up
Speaker: Vaughan Bassett, President, WPAC and Senior Vice- President Biomass Sales & Logistics, Drax
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