We are making some inroads. Can-ada has made a commitment to get off high-emission coal. But, most Canadi-an electric utilities have simply opted to switch to a different fossil fuel, such as natural gas, or to have the government pay them to shut down altogether. And then there is the bioheat opportunity. At the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC)’s recent Maritime Bioheat Confer-ence on June 2, Jamie Stephen, managing director of TorchLight Bioresources, noted that we have 475 commercial/institutional bioheat projects in Canada (75-5,000 kW scale), with the industry growing at 15 per cent per year. Over 99 per cent are using wood chips or wood pellets, choices de-pending on wood biomass supply chains, and capex and logistics advantages. In many regions of Canada, particular-ly those with existing high heating costs and fossil fuel-dependent heating envi-ronments, transitioning to biomass heat-ing is a win for the environment and a win for households, businesses, and com-munities. By using local natural renew-able resources, provinces such as Nova Scotia and New Brunswick could reduce CO 2 emissions by 3.2 million tonnes per year. This represents 16 per cent of the Canadian Clean Fuel Standard’s 2030 tar-get for liquid fuels. It could also result in a savings of nearly $1 billion for house-hold and commercial heating across the two provinces. Government policy makers are also turning their attention to the role wood pellets can play in low-carbon innova-tion. We have a world of possibilities, with most experts agreeing pellets, with their low moisture content and homogenous characteristics, are a critical starting point for biorefineries producing second-gener-ation liquid biofuels and advanced renew-able biomaterials. The United Nations and international climate leaders have identi-fied bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS or Bio-CCS) as the preem-inent critical ‘negative emissions’ technol-ogy. Canadian wood pellets are now being used at Drax Power’s UK BECCS project. The future for our industry and its contribution to the fight against climate change is bright, both internationally and here at home. From our humble begin-nings as a means of phasing out waste-wood beehive burners to an internation-ally recognized source of clean, renewable and responsible energy, I’m proud of the contribution our industry is making ev-ery day here at home and around world. But, there’s more work to be done – we will continue to drive research and inno-vation in our sector, improve safety for our workers and enhance forest health through better utilization of residuals. • FUNDING FOR EMPLOYERS Green Jobs employers are eligible for a wage match to hire youth (aged 15–30) into jobs that contribute to a more sustainable planet. DID YOU KNOW? JOBS FOR YOUTH HELPED PLACE SINCE 2018, PLT CANADA HAS YOUTH 3,500 IN OVER + AND SUPPORTED PAID WORK EXPERIENCES 250 + GREEN JOB SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE SFI-00001 EMPLOYERS WITH A WAGE MATCH Youth can also access mentorship opportunities, skill-building resources, mental health services, equipment subsidies, and much more. Learn more: pltcanada.org . PROJECT LEARNING TREE CANADA PLT is an initiative of SFI Funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy CB_TLC-Canada_Summe21_CSA.indd 1 Canadian BIOMASS 2021-06-29 10:56 AM 9
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