CANBIO report CanBio/NRCan survey of the bioenergy industry By Christopher Rees The executive summary of the 2013 CanBio and NRCan bioenergy industry survey was released in Thunder Bay. C anada’s bioenergy industry is growing and contributing to the replacement of many jobs lost in small communities in traditional industry sectors. The industry is also diversifying from strictly energy prod-ucts to higher-value bio-materials and bio-chemicals. In 2013 CanBio and Natural Resourc-es Canada (NRCan) undertook a nation-wide survey of Canadian bioenergy plants and operations to understand the growth and structure of the emerging industry. Policy: The federal and provincial governments have implemented an array of policies to support the bioen-ergy industry. Federal programs have played a large role in the development of bio-fuels. Pellets: Installed production capaci-ty grew by 61 per cent in 2010-12 but uncertain markets led to a small capac-ity decline in 2013 with the closure of three plants. Community heat: Until 2000, only five biomass heat projects existed in Can-ada. By 2013 the number of systems had grown to 109, led by B.C. and the N.W.T. Nationwide, 33 additional bio-heat in-stallations are under construction. Cogeneration: In 2013, 39 operat-ing biomass cogen plants at pulp and paper mills in Canada were identified with combined electrical capacity of over 1,500 MW. Independent power producers provide an additional 540 MW of electrical capacity and 150 of thermal capacity. Ethanol: Capacity in ethanol from corn and grain has increased from 411 million litres in 2005 to 1,826 million litres from 14 plants, nearly all of which are producing at full capacity. Four pi-lots and four commercial demonstra-tion plants for ethanol from lignocellu-losic feedstocks are expected to come on stream by 2016. Biogas: By 2013, Ontario has become the definite leader in Canada for on-farm anaerobic digestion installations with 37 of Canada’s 77 operating facili-ties. Quebec is in second place with 14 plants but with twice as much capacity as Ontario based on five facilities. The full survey was released by CanBio following the CanBio Annual Conference in Thunder Bay in Sep-tember. The full results of the survey will be available on the CanBio website www.canbio.ca in October.• The Port of Belledune is your trans PORT ation solution to the world! www.portofbelledune.ca Wood pellets, wood chips, and all forms of wood products are handled at the Port of Belledune; not only does the port connect to strategic shipping routes, it is also an intermodal gateway with a rail spur and direct congestion-free access to a highway system spanning North America. 10 Canadian BIOMASS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
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