In the frostbitten reaches of the Northwest Territories, the Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) is redefining community heating with sustainable solutions that have now earned them an honourable mention at the 2024 Canadian Biomass Awards. The AEA’s biomass program is designed to being affordable, clean heating to the far north. Through comprehensive projects ranging from supporting existing systems to implementing new community-scale biomass heating solutions, AEA has become synonymous with renewable energy education and advocacy in the region. A crucial aspect of the program is its focus on t ..read more

With a career spanning two decades, Burkhard Fink’s groundbreaking work has not only shaped the industry but has also established a sustainable pathway for the future. This year, his achievements are being recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Canadian Biomass Awards. Fink began his foray into biomass heating out of necessity and ingenuity. Originally a builder of log homes, Fink was bothered by the inefficiencies and costs associated with traditional energy sources. “I had been building log homes for a number of years and I was frustrated with how we were paying for natur ..read more

The Come By Chance refinery is turning 50 years old, and owner Braya Renewable Fuels says the refinery has successfully commenced operations. Once a traditional crude oil refinery, it now uses used cooking oil, among other oils, to produce diesel and jet fuel. The refinery, once the biggest emitter of carbon in the province, will now be one of the lowest industrial emitters, says Premier Andrew Furey, one of many attendees at a celebration Wednesday of the refinery’s 50-year anniversary. Major employer Starting at 18,000 barrels per day, and with hopes for further expansion, the refinery em ..read more

John Swaan is not just an industry pioneer — he also has a cool moniker. “The grandfather of wood pellets.” Swaan’s journey begain in 1994 when he founded the Pacific Bioenergy Corporation in Prince George, B.C. “Desperation during the ‘Livestock Feedmill’ era made pelletizing low-value fibre resources such as sawdust seem like a fix for our financial woes,” he said. “Little did I know, it would set the stage for a multibillion-dollar industry.” Indeed, Swaan’s venture marked a pivotal shift in the industry when, in 1998, he orchestrated the first trans-ocean shipment of wood pellets from West ..read more

From the busy urban landscapes of Singapore to the rugged natural beauty of British Columbia, Rob McCurdy has shaped an industry and helped spearhead the biomass movement. This year, he was named one of three recipients of the Canadian Biomass Lifetime Achievement Award. As a visionary whose career has spanned continents and cultures, McCurdy’s story is not just about professional success but a sustained commitment to environmental stewardship. He began his career with a simple mission: to influence climate change positively through sustainable industrial practices. His leadership at Pinnacle ..read more

Over 100 people from across Canada participated in the online Drum Dryer Symposium on April 4, 2024, to hear from producers and subject matter experts on their learnings and experiences, the current state, and new approaches to drum dryer safety. The Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC) hosted the event in collaboration with the BC Forest Safety Council (BCFSC) and Canadian Biomass, the Media Sponsor. One of the symposium’s outcomes was establishing a Drum Dryer Working Group. Over the next year, the group will work collaboratively to examine trends, identify opportunities for im ..read more

As the vice-president of Northern Operations at Drax Group Canada, Liezl van Wyk has been instrumental in steering Canada’s largest pellet plant grouping toward a sustainable energy future. She has her roots in Namibia, where she was born and worked as an engineer, and followed a career path that led her to being selected as the Thought Leader of the Year at the 2024 Canadian Biomass Awards. van Wyk studied at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, and her academic roots in electrical and electronic engineering laid the groundwork for her professional journey — which spanned across th ..read more

“Curiosity and intellectual stimulation.” That’s what drove Jamie Stephen to pursue and embrace a career in the biomass sector. Stephen, the managing director of Torchlight Bioresources, was recognized with Honourable Mention in the 2024 Canadian Biomass Awards’ Thought Leader of the Year category. His professional path was carved out by his fascination with complex systems, he said. “I love complex systems and working to understand the relationships and interactions between the components in those systems,” Stephen said, highlighting his draw to the intricate dynamics of forest products and e ..read more

A new carbon dioxide removal (CDR) project has been announced in Saskatchewan. The Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) and Carbon Alpha are teaming up to build the North Star Project near Meadow Lake, Sask. North Star builds upon the existing MLTC Bioenergy Centre by adding carbon capture and storage (CCS). The bioenergy centre generates renewable power fuelled entirely by waste biomass, such as bark and sawdust, from MLTC’s integrated sawmill and sustainably managed forestry operations. Forestry biomass consumes carbon dioxide (CO2) over its lifetime. By capturing the biogenic CO2&nbs ..read more

High above the ground in the lush forests of British Columbia, a young Benjamin Patton first found his calling among the branches as a climbing arborist. Today, grounded in his role as the founder and CEO of TreeCycle Canada, Patton is pioneering sustainable solutions in the biomass industry, earning him an Honourable Mention in the Thought Leader of the Year category at the 2024 Canadian Biomass Awards. At just age 31, Patton’s professional journey is a narrative of passion melded with purpose. His background, which includes roles as an Arborist Technician, Danger Tree Assessor, Occupational ..read more