The preparation of high-grade biochar through the controlled, low temperature microwave activation of bug killed wood and waste materials providing an emission free technology for the production of bio-mass char, marketing and transportation services.
McIntyre explains that some of the advantages of treated biomass include low water content, calorific value similar to coal, low oxygen to carbon ratios. The bio-coal is suitable for micronisation, stable for long term storage, and contains consistent physical properties.
"The bio-coal industry was developed in Britain and takes wood chip bio-mass through micro-wave technology," and the process can be applied to any type of wood, including the crown of a tree and the bark left on the forest floor after timber harvest. "If it's on the forest floor it's use-able."
Canadian Bio-Coal Ltd. principals traveled to Britain a couple of years ago and obtained the marketing and distribution rights, and, "When we first started we took the technology to the major forestry companies in the province of B.C., offering a brand new revenue stream that would help solve problems in the forests. We found no interest."
Then they turned to the First Nations, "and we outlined all the benefits in May 2009. The interest level was there so we returned to Terrace in January of 2010. We began to realize it would be First Nations that would drive this technology forward. They have the fibre, they have the access to freight bio-mass to the facilities."
Canadian Bio-Coal Ltd. is in joint-venture mode with two Bands in the area of the North-West Pacific, and they are consulting with First Nation Forestry Council to create an information stream to other Bands in the region. They are arranging long-term contractual scenarios for rail freight of the end-product for shipping to international markets that exist everywhere, including Europe and China.
The torrefaction of bio-mass is an improvement in the shipping of bio-mass because shipping wood pellets creates a fire-threat, "Wood pellets are known to catch fire on-board ship." Wood waste when piled up creates a high amount of heat generation, enough to start fires even when sitting motionless, for the wood continues to settle according to the law of gravity. Add the motion of ship transport at sea, the fire hazard becomes rather extreme. Bio-coal is fire-safe in these circumstances of ship and rail transport.
The plan for production involves development of a three and a half acre site including storage facilities; development will be in proximity to road and rail. The process of making coal takes less time than producing charcoal. Bio-mass includes all types of trees, aspen and birch included, bio-mass left behind from clear-cuts.
The process uses a large scale oven that is totally sealed and applies microwave technology to produce no emissions. The process takes the heat generated in the oven and diverts it back to the pre-dry stage, and takes gases to create electricity around the facilities. The world demand for wood pellets was 1.5 million tonnes last year.
With 799 coal-fired electrical generation plants around the world the future burns bright for Canadian produced bio-coal, and the company is looking at Terrace to build the first facilities. "We believed in 2009 that First Nations would drive this industry and we believe it now. They have the forestry business acumen and they have the wood fibre. They are seeking well-paying assets for their communities."
McIntyre says, "We'll take the bug-infested wood, we can take anything," including the decadent forestry timber found in Nisga'a and Gitxsan, "and we are working with people like Keith Atkinson fo the FNFC."
Atkinson says, "We are willing to produce documentation and presentation of the investment potential for this new industry," and, says he, "FNFC promotes First Nation equity in the forestry industry. We must have transparency and public disclosure in the business dealings. We want to see business resources put into First Nation communities."
FNFC is promoting value-added forestry prospects, "Business is coming into First Nation territories and relying on First Nation owned resources to make a profit. Cooperation with First Nations at all levels of the business cycle will do a great deal to reduce the uncertainty of their business prospects."
Meanwhile, regarding the mitigation of fire threats in the province of B.C.,
Atkinson notes, "The Ministry of Forests has already declared fire season is underway, as of April 15, 2010." He adds that it is a bit of an 'I told you so' scenario from the FNFC membership point of view.
