Inside this issue

From the Editors

Years ago when it was introduced, the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was quickly challenged in court on several fronts, the biggest being that the plan had over-reached by attempting to regulate energy policy through the Clean Air Act as opposed to sticking with environmental issues.

Yet now, with the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule from the Trump Administration being finalized to replace the CPP, rule-makers at the EPA have again wandered off course, this time ignoring the benefits of biomass in favor of emphasizing coal technology improvements in the pursuit of lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Scott Osbourn, principal with Trinity Consultants, covered the impact of the new rule during a presentation at the Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo in Atlanta in March.

From Left: Rich Donnell, Editor-in-Chief; Jessica Johnson, Senior Associate Editor; Patrick Dunning, Associate Editor; David Abbott, Senior Associate Editor; Dan Shell, Senior Editor

The biggest difference between the two plans when it comes to biomass, he said, is the CPP only considers “inside the fence” systems and technologies that can be improved upon at a given facility, not any benefits that can be gained by using alternate fuel sources or closing facilities to shift capacity and feedstock.

 A key term EPA uses is the best system of emission reduction (BSER), which gives operators guidance on how to best meet emissions reduction goals. However, benefits derived from biomass conversions or co-firing such as sustainability and carbon sequestration from replanting aren’t even considered.

Cover Story

Article by Jessica Johnson, Senior Associate Editor, Wood Bioenergy

ALICEVILLE, Alabama – In late 2018, Pinnacle Renewable Energy announced the purchase of the majority of The Westervelt Co.’s wood pellet production facility in Aliceville, Alabama, while also entering into a long-term partnership agreement with Westervelt. For Pinnacle it represented a continuation of its focus on building partnerships with wood products companies who operate sawmills. Westervelt had long been known in the region for its high production sawmill and vast timberland holdings, when it built and started up a high production wood pellet mill at Aliceville in 2013.