Steven Jay Mueller, President International WoodFuels Thermal Energy Renewable Fuels Perspectives from the Wood Pellet Industry Steven Jay Mueller, President International WoodFuels
Pellet Fuel - A Simple Concept Proven Renewable Energy Solid Fuels Technology – growing to meet diverse solutions for Commercial Metered Heat Community Heating Industrial Process Steam Utility Co-Fire Fuel Delivering Significant Economic & Environmental Benefits Permanent displacement of fossil fuels Lower greenhouse gas emissions Create quality rural community jobs Retain a critical logging industry
A Flexible Fuel Solution 40 Years+ of history as a home heating alternative fuel…. Now growing rapidly to meet new market needs: Commercial Metered Heat Community District Heating Industrial Process Steam University & utility Co-Fire Fuel
Meeting Economic & Environmental Needs Delivering Significant Benefits Displacement of fossil fuels Lower greenhouse gas emissions Create quality rural jobs Retain critical logging capacity
A Community-Based Industry 90+ Pellet Plants In 40+ States 3 million tons of production (serving US) Heating 1+ million homes
Strong Growth Potential “Community-sized” and rural based investment value High ‘generational job’ value Low environmental impact Matched to forest reserves Pellet fuel lower cost than #2 oil Pellet fuel soon to match cost of low-emission blended coals
The Future of Pellet Fuels 50+ new projects in development 30-50 jobs per new facility Uses low-grade whole log pulpwood 50 mile radius of fiber supply Growth driven by US consumption Not for export No Federal incentives today (unlike wind) Growth to come from displacement of coal, not from home heating
New Pellet Fuel Markets New-build – installing large heat-energy boiler applications Co-fire at substantial % for coal steam boilers Utility small % co-fire in coal power plants Growth for whole home furnace replacements Industrial steam applications A regional industry – serving local communities
Conclusions Pellet Fuels are a proven technology Strong future growth potential Ideal technology to support sustainable forest management practices 3x production growth in the next 5 years ~2-3,000 new jobs created from Alaska to Maine to Florida Will induce >$300 million of new capital At a local scale Exceptional carbon footprint
White Chip Storage & Rail Loading Pellet Storage White Chip Conveyor Pellet Rail Loading Pellet Plant White Chip Storage & Rail Loading Temporary Whole Log Storage Scale House Radial Log Crane & Storage (to be reinstalled April 2010) Scale Main Entrance 200TPH Whole Log Chip Mill & Debarker