PFI's Weekly Newsletter

 

June 23, 2017

In this Week's Pellet Wire:



PFI Annual Conference Schedule Finalized    

The PFI Annual Conference is the premiere trade show and conference for the domestic pellet fuels industry. By attending, you will have key opportunities to network with your colleagues across the country, and to learn about the latest trends in pellet fuels. Get the latest updates on the PFI Standards Program and federal policy initiatives that could benefit the pellet fuels industry. Check out the finalized conference schedule here

Hotel rooms for the PFI Annual Conference in Stowe, VT, are going fast! As of this week, only 40 rooms are still available, so be sure to book as soon as possible. Book your room today! Staying at the Stowe Mountain Lodge makes attending the PFI annual conference convenient and easy. All PFI attendees receive a discounted rate of $259. Take advantage of this discount while it lasts!

The PFI Annual Conference is the premiere trade show and conference for the domestic pellet fuels industry. By attending, you will have key opportunities to network with your colleagues across the country, and to learn about the latest trends in pellet fuels. Check out the latest conference schedule here

Stowe has been a destination for world travelers for well over a century. The alpine style of the lodge reflects the beauty of the green mountains and rolling hills. Having opened in June 2008, Stowe Mountain Lodge sets a new standard of luxury and aesthetics for the East Coast's most magnificent resort. Built at the base of Stowe Mountain Resort, in the new "Vermont-Alpine" style, Stowe Mountain Lodge offers a truly luxurious setting while still paying respect to the Vermont traditions of utilizing local artisan products and embracing the tranquility of nature. We can't wait to see you this July in Stowe! Sign up today to secure your spot.

In conjunction with a dynamic conference program, you can visit some of the nearby sites like the Alchemist Brewery and some of the best shopping and dining Vermont has to offer. Combined with some of the area outdoor activities such as zip lining, biking, the PFI conference is a must-attend event. Take a look at all the great things Stowe has to offer.

We hope to see you this summer in Vermont! Please contact [email protected] with any questions. 


Government Affairs Update

BTU Act

The Biomass Thermal Utilization (BTU) Act of 2017 is scheduled to be introduced June 27 following an issues briefing of the Senate Working Forests Caucus. The bill once again will be carried in the Senate by Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME). Once the bill is introduced, we will be working aggressively to recruit cosponsors on a bipartisan basis. The goal is to build up enough bipartisan support that the BTU Act will be considered for inclusion in any tax-related legislative vehicles that may emerge later this year.  

In the House, Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and (tentatively) Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) are slated to lead the effort. Rep. Kelly's staff had signaled that Mr. Kelly, a member of the Ways & Means Committee, was interested, but the office has not yet committed to an introduction date. We will continue our efforts with him.  His district is heavily populated with hardwood sawmills, which are struggling with mounting residuals piles that the BTU Act would help alleviate. The Hardwood Federation, the leading trade group representing the hardwood forest products industry, has urged Mr. Kelly to be the Republican lead in the House.  

In conjunction with the Senate's introduction, the National Wildlife Federation is sending a letter to every Member of Congress urging them to cosponsor the bill. We have been working on NWF for many months to get on board with our effort and they recently agreed that the BTU Act would be beneficial to rural economies and the forest resource and will help us lobby for its enactment.


Follow PFI on Facebook and Connect with us on LinkedIn! 

This week, PFI updated its LinkedIn page. We'd like to connect and interact with PFI members and anyone else involved in pellet fuels production! 

Here's how you can help us build our online community:

  1. Follow us on LinkedIn!
  2. Encourage your colleagues and other business associates to follow us.
  3. Send Carrie Annand news or other ideas to post on LinkedIn.

Bioenergy Day 2017 - Save the Date for October 18

Wednesday, October 18, marks the day for the Fifth Annual Bioenergy Day. With more than four months to go, there's plenty of time to decide how your organization will recognize the day, sharing with audiences old and new the many benefits of bioenergy. 

This year, we are highlighting the economic benefits of bioenergy. The presence of bioenergy in a community creates jobs, enhances revenue and forest products markets, and reduces waste. Our video on bioenergy, forest products and forestry in Northwestern Montana will illustrate how manufacturers convert leftover fuels into energy. 
 
There are many ways to contribute to Bioenergy Day 2017. We've uploaded our Participation Guide on the site to help you brainstorm the ways to mark Bioenergy Day, with some best practices and sample materials. You can also look around our website, www.bioenergyday.org, to see how other groups have approached Bioenergy Day. 

Contact Carrie Annand with any questions on Bioenergy Day 2017 or to register your organization's event. 


Save the Date for RFG2018 in Vancouver, Canada

The Resources for Future Generations 2018 (RFG2018) is taking place June 16-21, 2018, in Vancouver, Canada.

Over 200 proposed Sessions from around the globe will provide a highly diverse program delivered by geoscientists, industry professionals, students, educators, policymakers, and civil society. RFG2018 is a conference anchored by Canadian and international leaders and innovators that will showcase advances in Earth Sciences, education, and innovation. Be part of this global movement towards a sustainable future: http://rfg2018.org


2017 PFI Sponsorship & Advertising Opportunities

PFI invites you to become a 2017 sponsor! This year, we have developed a new, streamlined sponsorship program that will create multiple opportunities for your company in 2017. Your company will have great visibility at PFI events, on the PFI website, and in the PFI newsletter, amongst other benefits.

The 2017 Sponsorship packages include benefits such as:

  • PFI Annual Conference registrations
  • Breakfast & Biomass registrations
  • Company logo listed on the PFI website
  • 10x10 booth at the PFI Annual Conference
  • Weekly newsletter advertising
  • Website advertising
  • And more!

PFI's membership includes over 100 member companies, and our electronic newsletter is sent to over 3,500 people every week. Now is the time to become a sponsor of this organization. Visit our website to explore how you can become involved.


Follow and Connect With Us on Social Media!

We urge all PFI members to engage with us on social media. By joining PFI in being visible and active on social media, we can make our voices heard more loudly and by many more audiences.

Follow us on Twitter: @PelletFuel
Friend us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pfipellets
Link with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/pellet-fuels-institute


Have News to Share on Pellet Wire?

We'd love to feature your company's news in a future Pellet Wire! We want to be the first to know your company's recent developments to share them with the wider pellet fuels industry.

Please be in touch with Carrie Annand at [email protected] with information on your company's growth, job openings, promotions or other news. 


Join a PFI Committee

We welcome and encourage all interested PFI members to get involved in our committees. There are many opportunities to help steer the association. No matter where your expertise and interests lie, we have a committee that will suit you. Help us plan our next conference, shape our policy agenda, lead communications outreach or grow the PFI Standards Program. Visit PFI's website for more information. 



Upcoming Industry Events

July 23-25, 2017: PFI Annual Conference

Connect with PFI

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Fuel Availability

Are you a PFI member pellet manufacturer or distributor that has fuel available? Email [email protected] to have your listing updated or added to the PFI website.


Industry News

Why Biomass Remains a Challenge, Even in Timber-Rich Georgia   
Southeast Energy News

A new biomass plant under construction in Georgia highlights the challenging economics of the technology, even in a state so rich in forestry waste it exports it to other countries.

The 50 MW Albany Green plant - the largest renewable energy project in the state so far - is a unique collaboration among Georgia Power, private companies (including Procter & Gamble) and a nearby Marine base. While the cost for biomass generated electricity is too high to compete with wind and solar, the project also produces steam for industrial use, which improves its economics.

Read Full Article


A Crucial Piece of Natural Resource Legislation    
Opinion, Concord Monitor, NH

The guest opinion in Monday's Monitor"Biomass bill is a bad deal for New Hampshire," by lobbyist Marc Brown and state Rep. Michael Harrington, certainly caught my attention, as it did for thousands of other forestland owners, loggers, truckers, sawmill operators and foresters throughout New Hampshire. As a New Hampshire tree farmer who has managed timberland and who has been affiliated with the forest products industry for more than 56 years, I must respond to several points in the column. The full economic story needs to be told.

For example, Brown and Harrington failed to mention that the heart of the debate over Senate Bill 129 involves two key issues: economic activity/jobs and managing our forests. Brown and Harrington refer to the supporters of SB 129 as "special interest groups," but in fact, the market for low-grade timber (i.e. wood chips) created by our state's biomass power plants is a critical foundation supporting our state's entire timber economy, and those markets are vital for maintaining the health of our forests. Biomass is not just about energy, it is also about natural resource management.

Read Full Article


Fueling Cars with Wood Pellets   
Canadian Biomass Magazine

Scientists, engineers and inventors are putting great effort towards developing advanced lignocellulosic biofuels in Canada. Some examples include cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and synthetic natural gas. It is interesting to consider how this might impact the wood pellet industry.

Could lignocellulosic biofuels become so valuable that their production will use up all the forestry residues currently being used as raw material for wood pellets? Or, in addition to their use for heat and power, could wood pellets become a feedstock for lignocellulosic biofuels?

Read Full Article 


Interview with Bioenergy Expert - Time for the Real Story on Bioenergy  
Energy Collective

Bio-energy has acquired a bad reputation in many European countries in recent years, as André Faaij knows all too well. "There is this idea that as a result of the production of palm oil and wood pellets forests are being cut down, food prices are going up and people are starving to death. That's a totally one-sided picture. It is deadly for the development of a sector that is crucial for the economy and the climate."

Faaij is one of the top experts in the bio-based economy in Europe. The concept "bio-based economy" refers to the broad aim to make a transition from an economy based on fossil fuels to one in which biomass is one of the key raw materials.

Read Full Article

Pellet Fuels Institute |  [email protected]   | 206.209.5277