Awards Profiles 2024 2024AMPION THE YEAR COMPANY OF THE YEAR Company of the Year 2024 2024 2024 THOUGHT LEADER OF THE YEAR COMMUNITY PROJECT OF THE YEAR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ECOSTRAT WINS 2024 CANADIAN BIOMASS COMPANY OF THE YEAR FOR PIONEERING BIOECONOMY SOLUTIONS In an era increasingly defined by the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions, Ecostrat has emerged as a leader in innovation and efficacy in the biomass sec -tor. The company has become synonymous with its groundbreaking Bioeconomy Development Opportuni-ty (BDO) Zone ratings. These ratings serve as a rigor-ous risk assessment tool that evaluates the potential for bio-man-ufacturing in various regions based on biomass feedstock, supply chain, and infrastructure. Over the past year, Ecostrat has made significant strides in en -hancing the credibility and utility of BDO Zone ratings. In 2023, these efforts were bolstered by the support from the Standards Coun-cil of Canada and the Canadian Standards Association’s anticipated release of the BDO Zone National Standard of Canada in early 2025. “Our BDO Zone Initiative has transformed how regions attract and FINK MACHINE WARMS UP THE BIOMASS SECTOR accelerate bioproject development, making it a cornerstone of regional bioeconomic planning,” said CEO Jordan Sol-omon. The company’s achievements include facilitating more than $1 billion in capital for the development of ad-vanced biorefineries, such as Velocys’ Bayou Fuels proj -ect in Natchez, Mississippi. “The BDO Zone Rating was instrumental in supporting this significant capital raise,” Solomon said. Ecostrat’s influence extends beyond North America. With over 48 BDO Zone ratings issued and more than 100 ex-pected by the end of 2024, the company’s standards are being recognized globally as essential tools for advancing the bioeco-nomy. This international acclaim is reflected in the recent U.S. Department of Agriculture’s report, which references the BDO Zone ratings four times as a key element in America’s bioecono-my framework. “We are proud to be at the vanguard of biomass supply chain innovation, helping to derisk and scale up the global bioeconomy,” Solomon said. BSB’S PIONEERING SPIRIT EARNS HONOURABLE MENTION The numbers tell an impressive story: Fink Machine has installed more than 180 systems across Canada, cumula-tively generating more than 55 mega-watts of energy. As a major supplier of commercial and institutional biomass boilers its portfolio includes Mawera and Schmid biomass boilers, along with custom-fabricat-ed, plug-and-play heating plants, it said. It was recognized with an honourable mention as the 2024 Ca-nadian Biomass Company of the Year. The past year has been noteworthy, highlighted by several projects. One of the standout achievements was the development of the Sicamous District En-ergy System, where Fink Machine not only supplied the boilers but also spearheaded the design and construction of the entire plant. This project exemplifies their expertise, from managing construction to installing the boiler and heating lines, and suc-cessfully connecting clients to the new system. Another significant installation was for the Saanich Common -wealth Games pool in Victoria. The successful implementation of a low-carbon heating solution in such a challenging environment underscores Fink Machine’s ability to handle demanding projects and provides a model for other urban centers looking to reduce carbon footprints. BSB was founded in 2011 in New Brunswick by Jean-Claude Savoie, owner of Groupe Savoie, and Malcolm Fisher, owner of Compact Appliances. Fast forward a little more than a de-cade, and the company has been honoured with an Honourable Mention for 2024 Company of the Year, underscoring its grow-ing influence and commitment to sustainable energy solutions across Canada. Jonathan Levesque, BSB’s general manager, said the company has been on a growth spurt — broadening its horizons beyond the Maritimes to embrace opportunities across Canada, including ventures in the Northwest Territories and Quebec. “We offer forced air, warm-hot water and steam systems rang-ing from 20 kW up to 20MW capacity,” said Levesque. “Some of our systems can use a variety of biomass, such as wood pellets, wood chips, demolition wood and agricultural waste.” One of their flagship products is the Binder boiler — a solution that is designed according to customer specifications. “Tell me what you want to burn, and I’ll design a boiler for you,” Levesque said. The genesis of BSB traces back to a transformative industry tour in Austria in 2011, which was a pivotal moment for the company. This experience highlighted the potential for local markets for bio-mass products, steering the company’s founding philosophy. “Why export all our wood pellets overseas when there’s a mar-ket in our own country?” Levesque said. SPRING 2024 20 Canadian BIOMASS
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