Canadian Biomass • Spring 2021 • Editorial

Is it time to resolve the catch-22 when it comes to using biomass boilers in Canada?

An article we posted to Canadian Biomass’ website a little while ago made for some interesting reading. Co-written by Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) executive director Gordon Murray and industry consultant Harry Dresser, it asked why domestically-produced wood pellets aren’t being used to provide clean, responsible energy and heat for industrial, commercial and residential uses right here in this country.

Even though Canada is the world’s second largest pellet producer, almost all pellets produced in the country are exported to Europe and Asia.

But before getting into that, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mike Jiggens. For the past 27 years, I’ve been the editor of a sister publication of Canadian Biomass called Turf & Rec, which serves the Canadian turf and grounds maintenance industry. Since late January, I’ve been helping with Canadian Biomass in the absence of one of our team members, who isn’t expected back until October.

That’s enough about me. Back to the article by Messrs. Murray and Dresser, which was entitled, “Residential use of wood pellets: a missed opportunity in Canada.”

On the surface, it seems incredible that a country that produces three million tonnes of wood pellets annually isn’t using it to provide clean energy and heat for industrial and commercial applications here at home. The answer, it seems, is somewhat political in nature.

Boilers aren’t manufactured in Canada, and those manufactured in Europe don’t meet the global safety and market development standards set out by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

Austrian and German-made boilers with output power up to 500 kilowatts are manufactured according to EN 303-5 standards and are recognized as safe and effective almost every where in the world with except Canada. This presents the catch-22 predicament to which Murray and Dresser alluded – boilers aren’t made in Canada and those that are manufactured elsewhere don’t meet Canadian standards. Therefore, there is little need here at home for the vast quantities of Canadian- produced pellets.

WPAC, however, is trying to work with the CSA to knock down the existing trade barrier, and ask that small biomass boilers certified to EN 303-5 meet American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) pressure vessel standards. It seems like a reasonable request and one that could open a lot of business doors.

To see Canada participate in the use, importation and manufacture of pellet central heating systems, manufactured to proven EU standards, is WPAC’s objective. It would allow Canada to get more into the game of utilizing clean energy from its own pellets.

Perhaps it’s time we stepped away from being observers of working pellet central heating systems in Europe and Asia and see how effective this can be in Canada.

As awareness of the need for cleaner energy heightens throughout the world, perhaps it’s only a matter of time that all players will have their ducks in a row and this matter can finally be resolved.