which restrict the sale of boiler systems that use wood pellets into the Canadian market. Once adopted, Canada can more easily design, manufacture and import small solid biomass combustors for Indigenous, re-mote and rural communities across Canada that use fossil fuel heating systems due to accessibility and affordability. WHAT IS A SMALL SOLID BIOMASS COMBUSTOR? A small solid biomass combustor uses small quantities of biomass materials, such as wood pellets or chips, to generate heat or en-ergy. As a low-carbon and renewable energy source, biomass has great potential to help solve the energy shortage problem and low-er energy costs, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions from space heating in Canada. Small solid biomass combustors are typically designed for small-to medium-scale applications such as residential, commer-cial or institutional heating systems. Over 600 are operational in Canada today, displacing propane, oil or electric baseboard heat-ing systems for many communities. WHAT’S LEFT TO DO? be referenced in the adopted standard. It is expected this assess-ment will be complete by December 2025. Review and public comment: The draft needs to be reviewed by the Technical Committee, and the draft standard will be distrib -uted for public review. Canadian adoption: Once consensus has been reached by the Technical Committee under CSA Group’s accreditation, it is ex -pected that EN 303-5 will be adopted as a Canadian standard with the Canadian deviations being currently devised. It is anticipated the standard will be published by Fall 2026. With adoption, Canadians will have the same access to effi -cient, low-carbon, small biomass central heating systems (hy-dronic heaters) that many across the world now enjoy, and more Canadian wood pellets can serve the heating and environmental goals of Canadians. • This is the third in a three-part series from the Wood Pellet As -sociation of Canada’s participation in the Arctic Energy Alli -ance’s 2025 Northwest Territories Biomass Week. Other articles include CHP 101 and BEECS Basics. They can be found online at: www.canadianbiomassmagazine.ca. Harry “Dutch” Dresser, Ed.D., is a biomass heating expert and consultant. Gordon Mur -ray is the executive director of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada. Draft new CSA Standard: A Working Group is reviewing the EN 303-5 standard to make it more easily understood and usable in Canada and recognize existing Canadian standards that should WATCH IT RUN! » » » » » 40” diameter capacity Heavy-duty 50” diameter x 66” wide hammermill 20 hammer inserts Caterpillar C32, 1,200 horsepower engine Standard impact detection system MODEL HM6420 40” Capacity Hammermill Grinder HM6420 HAMMERMILL If you haven’t tried a Bandit unit for your operation, please contact a local Bandit dealer , email [email protected] or visit our website www.banditchippers.com and we will be happy to assist you! FIND YOUR LOCAL DEALER! Canadian BIOMASS CB_Research NB_Spring25_CSA.indd 1 2025-05-02 CB_Bandit_Spring25_CSA.indd 10:32 AM 1 2025-04-28 8:26 AM 29
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