Pellets + Bioeconomy

Despite the record global demand for wood pellets over the past two decades, biomass, particularly wood pellets, is in the infancy of its evolution. Both domestically and internationally, biomass’ potential in the transformation to a low-carbon, clean, and renewable world is almost limitless.

Read: WPAC Report: Today’s Wood Pellets for Tomorrow’s World

Professor Gary Bull, head of UBC’s Department of Forest Resources Management, has a long and distinguished career academically, globally, and across resource sectors and sees wood pellets as an energy solution with a bright future.

Read Canadian Biomass Magazine Article: Wood Pellets: A Growing Climate Change Solution 

In this podcast, Professor Dr. Gary Bull discusses the innovative uses for wood pellets as an energy source in Europe as well as advancements in British Columbia and the potential to supply Asia with a sustainable, environmentally friendly fuel source rather than its current dependence on coal-fired electricity.

Listen to Construction Record Podcast: Dr. Gary Bull on the Uses and Potential of Bioenergy

According to these esteemed researchers and featured professionals, biomass’ potential is almost limitless, both domestically and globally, in the transformation to a low carbon, clean and renewable world is almost limitless.

Watch: Power of Pellets: Innovation in the Bioeconomy

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is the process of capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from biomass (organic matter) energy generation.

Sustainably sourced biomass-generated energy (bioenergy) can be carbon neutral, as trees absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere as they grow. This, in turn, offsets CO₂ emissions released when the biomass is combusted as fuel.

When sustainable bioenergy is paired with carbon capture and storage it becomes a source of negative emissions as CO₂ is permanently removed from the carbon cycle.

Many countries are already using bioenergy in the form of wood pellets, sourced from sustainably managed forests like those in Canada, in place of coal in pulverized coal (PC) power stations to lower their net CO₂ emissions.

Experts believe that negative emissions technologies (NETs) are crucial to helping countries meet the long-term goals set out in the Paris Climate Agreement. As BECCS is the most scalable of these technologies this decade, it has a key role to play in combating climate change.

Read Drax Article: What is Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)?

Read Drax Presentation at 2022 WPAC Conference: Carbon Negative Company by 2030

Watch Bioenergy Europe Video: Carbon Removal—Bioenergy Applied