Prince George, B.C. - Most of Canada’s pellets from  wood waste, are shipped to Europe for power generation, but relatively little is used here. According to Gordon Murray, Executive Director of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada, commented in his presentation at the Bionergy Conference in Prince George that global wood pellet consumption currently stands at 10 million tonnes with Europe using 8 million of those tonnes. In contrast, Canada burns a mere 100,000 tonnes, which is 1% of global consumption.

 

Pellets are not used at all for electricity generation in Canada, which is something Murray believes should be changed. Canada is the second worst per capita emitter in Green House Gas emissions (just behind the U.S.) In that regard, coal, widely used in electrical power generation, is one of the worst emitters with high concentrations of mercury, arsenic, and other toxins, yet Canadian coal power production (60 million tones) is going up every year.

 

One of the solutions often put forward to deal with coal pollutants is “carbon capture and storage.” However, Murray argues that there is another solution involving “co-firing” the two fuels which involves using wood pellets in place of some of the coal to reduce overall emissions in an operation. This is something that could be implemented immediately and at a low cost. However, it needs the involvement of power generating companies, as well as changes in government policy. 

 

At this time, according to Murray, the federal government has no strategy for the development of co-firing operations or in terms of overall biomass utilization in the country. Murray believes that this is something that needs to change soon if Canada is to be in the running for renewable energy production, as well as reduction of green house gases.