Business Briefs

CPM debuts new wood pellet technology

CPM has launched new technology designed to improve the efficiency of wood pellet mills. The company's patented Twin Track technology has been developed after a decade of research, with multiple goals of reducing energy demand, ensuring consistent pellet quality and boosting mill capacity.

Twin Track uses two rollers inside the pellet mill, and uniquely, each roller has its own track. The system is designed to push pellets with one long, energy-efficient push per die revolution, resulting in less required energy to move the pellet mass than with two- or three-roller machines. At the same time, Twin Track provides a surface area that has 43% more holes in the die than average.

CPM's research team validated that a higher hole count in the die also facilitates longer baking time in the die itself to make use of natural binding properties, including added binders, and maintain pellet consistency. Twin Track technology has been extensively tested in real world mill operations, and the higher die hole count has been found to stabilize mill running conditions due to the longer pellet retention times that help dampen fluctuations. Twin Track can be supplied in new machines or retrofitted into a range of CPM machines in as little as four hours.

Musser Biomass and Wood Products to install second dryer from Dryer One

After a successful launch in 2021, Musser Biomass and Wood Products LLC in Rural Retreat, Virginia, will bring online its second dryer from Belgium company Dryer One at the end of 2022. In addition to the second dryer, the company plans to open a pulpwood and log yard to supply its dryer operations, according to Ed Musser, president. When the new dryer comes online, MBWP will be one of the largest suppliers of dry wood fiber on the East Coast with an annual production of more than 200,000 tons. Musser said the company plans to expand operations in at least two more states during the next three years.

Groupe Lebel plans new wood pellet plant in Quebec

Groupe Lebel announced in early April that it will continue its investment program by building a new wood pellet plant on the Cacouna, Quebec, site it has occupied since 2002. The company acknowledged the financial contribution of nearly $15 million from key partners for this $40 million project: the Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation granted the company a $12 million loan, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Quebec contributed $1.75 million, including funds from Environment and Climate Change Canada; and the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks is contributing $1 million.

The first phase of the plant’s operations will begin in 2023 with an annual capacity of nearly 100,000 metric tons of wood pellets. Groupe Lebel aims to ship the majority of its production to growing international markets.

JAPEX announces plans for pellet-fueled power plant in Japan

Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd announced it is working with Maeda Corp., Yonden Business Co. Inc., and Shinko Denso Co. to develop a 50-MW, wood pellet-fueled power plant in Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture, Japan.   
Construction of the project, referred to as Ozu Biomass Power Co. Ltd., is scheduled to begin in June, with commercial operations scheduled to commence in August 2024. Electricity produced at the facility will be sold to Shikoku Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Co. Inc. under the feed-in tariff system for renewable energy.

The facility will be fueled by imported wood pellets. Once fully operational, the plant is expected to require approximately 200,000 metric tons per year.