5. TRAINED OPERATORS A critically important aspect of successful bioenergy deployment in remote communities is ensuring there is always a trained local operator on hand to address issues and carry out maintenance. For the systems that use wood pellets, having staff operate the system (as part of their regular duties) seems to work alright, but several have experienced challenges with high staff turnover and do not have a plan for on-going training. For systems with a local biomass supply chain where the log yard and chipper also need to be managed, having dedicated staff was crucial. Some communities are working on establishing more permanent training programs for themselves as well as others in the region. In general, respondents noted the skills required to supply biomass and operate boilers fit well with local residents’ skillsets. 6. COMMUNITY-OWNED INFRA-STRUCTURE communities, which are owned by the provincial hydro company. Ownership of the bioenergy infrastructure gives communities an opportunity to generate income that can be re-invested into the community. Even if heating costs are not reduced, the money spent on heating is now kept within the community. Respondents also noted that biomass systems ideally are managed and operated by a corporation acting as a utility. This entity may be owned by the community but should be financially independent in order to have money available when needed. 7. COMMUNITY SUPPORT the community and got locals on board through educating and building trust. A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD In all communities interviewed, the biomass system and district heating networks are owned by the community. This is in contrast to diesel generation systems in remote Finally, no community energy project will ever be a success without the community’s support. Many communities were quick to welcome biomass heating as wood is traditionally used in the areas, while others were skeptical of its sustainability/viability as a local energy source. In most cases there was a project “champion” who helped get the community on board and pushed the project through hurdles. In some cases, the champion was someone from outside of the community with expertise in biomass heating, who saw an opportunity for These interviews have revealed that communities who have transitioned to community-based biomass heating and CHP are driven by a strong desire to raise socioeconomic conditions in their communities and achieve energy autonomy. While their early operational experiences have generally been positive, there are still technological, infrastructure and capacity challenges that limit the acceptance and implementation of bioenergy in these communities. For more detail on the technical and operations aspects, fuel and supply chains, communities’ training and capacity building efforts, and the communities’ perspectives and experiences, head to canadianbiomassmagazine.ca to read the spotlight articles. • Sebnem Madrali, Ph.D., is a senior research engineer at CanmetENERGY. Jean Blair, Ph.D., is a consultant and postdoctoral re-searcher who has been involved in biomass and bioenergy research for the past ten years. YOUR CHOICE FOR ANY BIOMASS DRYING NEEDS WOOD FIBER • CELLULOSE • AGRICULTURAL • WOOD CHIP SAWDUST • WOOD BIO PRODUCT • WOOD POWDER Our Rotary Drying Systems are custom-built to produce a variety of fuels and products. We have been custom building equipment worldwide for over 30 years. BIOMASS Consultations are FREE. Please contact our Main Office in Greendale, WI ( 414 ) 529-0240 or Our Kansas Office in Neodesha, KS ( 620 ) 325-2269 PROUDLY GROWING IN GREENDALE, WI, USA • WWW.UZELACIND.COM CBM_Uzelac _Summer19_CSA.indd 1 Canadian BIOMASS 2019-07-08 11:28 AM 21
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