This month, while interviewing sources for a feature on residential and commercial pellet storage options, I was struck by how frequently pellet system engineers feel the burden of managing the industry’s overall reputation with their clientele. On top of that, it became clear that the storage and handling elements of installed systems are the components that end users are likely to interact with the most. As you’ll read in “Putting Pellets Away” on page 32, Dave Frank at Sunwood Biomass reminded me that, over time, biomass systems have gradually inched closer to requiring as little from their owners as their fossil-fuel based competitors. Carefully considered and well-engineered pellet handling systems contribute to this momentum, while solutions that frustrate the end user erode it.

Katie Fletcher’s page 22-feature, “Master of Logistics,” could be considered a companion piece to my story, but rather than looking at how tens of tons of pellets are stored and moved, Fletcher digs into Enviva’s investment in port infrastructure to move millions of tons per year. While the two stories couldn’t be more different when considering the volumes involved, the goals for each system are essentially the same. Enviva needed a solution that could efficiently receive pellets, keep them dry and move them down the line, all the while minimizing pellet degradation. Like the system engineers I spoke with, it is clear that Enviva knows that if they are to succeed, these storage and ship loading terminals have to work properly. Fletcher’s conversations with Enviva CEO John Keppler underscored this notion, and she closes her story saying, “Keppler believes it’s the effective storage and handling solutions that enable the company to maintain the integrity and high quality of its product, and ensure the consistent delivery of the product on time.”

In our power section this month, we dispatched Senior Editor Ron Kotrba to investigate the situation in California, the second-largest biomass power producing state in the nation. I urge you to read it, as it offers a sobering look at the uphill battle our industry faces, despite national momentum toward lower-carbon energy.

So often in this industry, our gaze falls to the moment biomass is converted into power, thermal energy, biofuels or pellets. While working on this month’s issue, the team at Biomass Magazine was reminded that the foundation upon which all of that sits is well-executed storage and handling solutions.

Author: Tim Portz
Vice President of Content  & Executive Editor
tportz@bbiinternational.com