U Sed Pallets As a Source of Pellet Fuel: Current Industry Status

S OLID W OOD P RODUCTS

U SED PALLETS AS A SOURCE OF PELLET FUEL: CURRENT INDUSTRY STATUS

P.B. ARUNA J AN G. LAARMAN P HIL A RAMAN E DWARD C OULTER F REDERICK C UBBAGE

be profitably produced from wood resi- A BSTRACT dues according to recent production and U.S. companies discard approximately 4 billion board feet per year of wood pallets cost studies (9, 16). Possibilities of raw and containers. Manufacturing fuel pellets from this wasted wood may bean alternative material shortages have led to the discus- to disposal. This study traces the development of biomass energy and the wood pellet sion of using increasingly marginal raw industry in the United States and considers the production aspects of making pellets from materials, such as used pallets, to manu- used pallets. In addition, an attempt is made to analyze the current market for wood facture pellets. Currently, large numbers pellets and pellet stoves and ascertain the industry’s views on exports. The study of used wood pallets end up in construc- concludes that the rising cost of raw material to manufacture pellets encourages the use tion and demolition waste facilities and of used pallets. If this resource is tapped, it could be a useful fuel source for the residential, in landfills. There is a tipping fee for commercial, and industrial market. At present, wood pellets and pellet stoves are mainly disposal of the waste at these sites. Pres- sold in the domestic market, with some exports, which might change in the future ently, there are only three manufacturers considering the growing interest in exports. who are using pallets to make pellets on the East Coast of the United States. There may also be some manufacturers on the West Coast, but these could not be veri- Roughly 4 billion board feet per well in automated stoves and burners (9). fied. About 40 average-size pallets of 40 year of wood pallets and containers are In the past, fuel logs have been primarily by 48 inches create about 2,000 pounds discarded by U.S. companies (1). Also, used for residential heating. In this paper, of woodwaste. This subsidized or free city managers and residents cope with a preliminary information pertaining to the raw material shows potential for pellet large quantity of urban waste, which in- feasibility of using used pallets to manu- manufacture. cludes trees, garden waste, furniture, old facture pellets is discussed. An attempt is A number of combustion Facilities dwellings, and excess recycled paper. In made to trace the development of that generate power using waste wood addition to charging fees, waste dumps biomass energy and the wood pellet in- have been built on the East Coast and in have limits on shape and material (6). dustry in the United States. In addition, the Midwest. These facilities were, for Unfortunately, most of this material is not the future of wood pellet use, marketabil- the most part, developed by independent being used for any product, including ity, and export is explored. power producers. In an effort to cut costs, fuel, and to a large degree this abundant Wood pellet fuel is a product that can utilities with coal-fired power plants are source of potential energy is being wasted. Densified wood fuel in the form of pellets, briquettes, and logs may be an alternative to disposal (2). The authors are, respective] y, Research Associate and Professor, Dept. of Forestry, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, N.C. 27695; Project Leader, Forest Prod. and Recycling, USDA Briquettes and pellets have been used Forest Serv., Brooks Forest Prod. Ctr., Southern Res. Sta., Blacksburg, VA 24061-0503; commercially and industrially in central Research Analyst, USDA Forest Serv., Pacific Northwest Res. Sta., Portland, OR 97208; and heating systems and gasifiers, in addition Professor and Department Head, Dept. of Forestry, North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, N.C. to residential heating. A typical pellet is 27695. This research was funded by the USDA Forest Service under a cooperative agreement with North Carolina State University. This paper was received for publication in October 1996. 1/4 inch in diameter, 3/4 inch in length, Reprint No. 8587. and has a bulk density of 42 pcf. As a dry, ©Forest Products Society 1997. dense, and uniform fuel, pellets work Forest Prod. J. 47(9):51 -56.

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL V OL. 47, NO. 9 51 exploring the economic benefits of sup- growth and development is based exclu- the remaining 3 percent share, incremen- plementing their primary fuel with waste sively on estimates from, and data col- tally up from 1 percent in 1988 (21). wood. Waste wood from pallets, spools, lected by, industry sources. The outlook for biomass energy in the shipping crates, etc., offers an ideal com- The biomass industry is composed of future is closely tied to government poli- bination of low moisture, high heat con- three groups of companies. First are cies. The U.S. Department of Energy is tent, and low metal emissions. Several those that produce equipment to harvest, seeking to establish a renewable energy utilities are testing the co-burning of transport, shred, and pelletize biomass base, and has established tax credits for waste fuels as a means of’ reducing SO2 feedstock. A second group of firms spe- using biomass fuel. Many public utility and NO emissions. cializes in the manufacture and sale of commissions have recommended that the Ridge Station, a power-generating combustion, gasification, and decompo- utilities put in place renewable energy company in Florida, burns a unique mix sition equipment that utilizes biomass sources within the state. of urban woodwaste (tree trimmings feedstock. In the third group are project Many observers expect the export from municipalities and utility crews, engineering and development companies market to undergo significant growth. pallets and reels from industrial sites, that design, develop, finance, and operate According to the International Trade Ad- utility poles, railroad ties, demolition de- biomass power projects. These projects ministration, exports of biomass power bris, construction remnants, and the can be 1) waste-to-energy plants (also equipment and services are expected to wood portion of residential trash) and called municipal solid waste plants); 2) increase 20 to 40 percent per year during scrap tires to provide 45 megawatt (MW) wood and agricultural waste-fired plants; the remainder of the 1990s. The U.S. of electricity while keeping large quanti- and 3) landfill plants. installed an estimated 30 MW of biomass ties of solid waste out of landfills (19). Installed biomass power in the United power in developing countries during Fiber Fuel International, a pellet manu- 1993-1994. At an average cost between facturing company in Georgia, has co- States grew from less than 100 MW in 1979 to 5,100 MW in 1988. The total $1,000 and $1,200 per kilowatt installed, fired coal with pellets (manufactured the total value of biomass power projects capacity of biomass power reached 7,090 from pallets) to generate power. The pellets built during 1993 and 1994 was esti- MW by the end of 1992 (21). produced at this facility are being con- mated to be in the range of $200 million sumed locally for power generation and The same factors that slowed other to $240 million per year. New biomass also being exported for use in gasifiers and types of renewable energy development power capacity is forecast to increase by central heat distribution systems (18). between 1986 and 1992 also affected the 15 to 25 percent annually between 1995 The objectives of this paper are to 1) biomass power industry. These factors and 1999 (21). trace the development of biomass energy included: lower prices for fossil fuels; D EVELOPMENT OF THE WOOD growth in the consumption of natural and the wood pellet industry in the PELLET INDUSTRY United States; 2) study the production gas; termination or modification of many The wood pellet industry in the aspects of making pellets from used pal- federal and state tax benefits for renew- United States is a relatively young and lets; 3) analyze the current market for able energy; and the introduction of a growing industry. It began around 1978 wood pellets and pellet stoves; and 4) federal policy to encourage utilities to to 1980 as a result of the “energy crisis.” determine how pellet fuel and pellet buy energy from the lowest-cost pro- Pellets were promoted as a cheap, locally stove manufacturers view exports. ducer. These factors have also made it produced alternative to oil and natural difficult for planners to justify develop- M ETHODS gas. A number of large plants were built ment of biomass power projects. While A review of various studies, magazine to process sawmill residues into pellets the average utility could purchase power publications, newsletters, and other lit- for industrial/commercial fuel users. The from combined natural gas or co-genera- erature was done to gather information number of wood pellet manufacturers tion sources for 4 to 5 cents per kilowatt pertaining to the different aspects of this has grown since the 1980s. Four mills hour, most biomass projects produce study. Informal personal interviews and produced pellets for the residential mar- telephone contacts were made with rep- electricity at 6 to 9 cents per kilowatt ket in 1985. According to the Pellet Fuels resentatives of pellet producers and pellet hour (21). Institute, this has risen to 53 companies stove manufacturers (found on a list pub- In addition, these factors explain the making bagged fuel pellets during 1996. lished by the Pellet Fuels Institute). decline in biomass power projects in re- There are 16 producers in the West, 10 in Views on the production aspects of cent years. In the United States, new the East, 9 in the Midwest, 2 in the South, manufacturing pellets from used pallets biomass power capacity was 220 MW in and 16 in Canada (15). were gathered. In addition, pellet manu- 1991, 150 MW in 1992, and an estimated Significant market interest in pelleti- facturers and stove manufacturers pro- 85 MW in 1993. By comparison, total zation developed during the 1980s. This vialed views on exporting pellets and new energy production capacity aver- was largely a response to the 1986 EPA stoves. aged 510 MW each year between 1979 regulations aimed at curbing emissions D EVELOPMENT OF and 1988 (21 ). Municipal solid waste from traditional (cordwood burning) BIOMASS ENERGY plants held a 37 percent share of the na- wood stoves. Driven by air-quality regu- IN THE U NITED S TATES tion’s biomass power capacity in 1993, lations and lower prices for pellets in the There are no reliable government sta- up from a 25 percent share in 1988. Wood 1980s, wood pellet stoves have emerged tistics on the value of production and and agricultural waste-fired plants held a as one of the most energy-efficient and trade of biomass energy products and 60 percent share in 1993, down from 75 clean wood-burning appliances available equipment. Information on industry percent in 1988. Landfill projects held for residential heating purposes. Pellet

52 SEPTEMBER 1997 TABLE 1. — Regional breakdown of North Ameri- for pellet production, and also purchase a into bits. Hence feedstock control is very can pellet production, 1991-1992 heating season. some residue from other companies if the critical. Region Production situation demands. Sales personnel are Natural adhesives in the wood (e.g., (tons) responsible for pellet marketing. lignin) are lost when pallets are broken Canada 6,000 Table 1 shows the regional breakdown to manufacture pellets. Hence, Western U.S. 264,000 down of pellet production in North binding additives have to be replaced, Eastern U.S. (east of Rockies) 26,000 America based on the survey that was which could be an additional cost that Total 296,000 undertaken by the Fiber Fuels Institute 1 could affect pellet prices. a Source: Fiber Fuel Institute. Production figures during the 1991-1992 heating season. It If the pallets are in a landfill and are are not available after 1992 and sales figures are is estimated that the total production of exposed to weathering, then the variation used instead in subsequent tables. bagged pellets during this season was in moisture content can pose problems. 296,000 tons. Most of it was in the pre- Moisture content is critical in manufac- mium grade (lower-ash fuel), with less turing pellets. According to Staab (18), stoves are superior to the traditional than 1 percent of the total production the grinding of used pallets for pellets has cordwood-burning wood stoves because being a higher-ash fuel. The survey also to be done indoors to maintain a control- they have a better overall combustion indicates that roughly 12,000 tons of pel- led moisture content. Therefore, it would efficiency. This reduces the amount of lets move from west to east within North be advisable to place pallets to be used ash generated, as well as the emissions of America. Production figures after 1992 for pellet production in covered storage. are not available. However, figures for carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and Extreme care is needed to separate out total sales of both pellets and pellet carcinogenic gases (11). all metals and other extraneous matter stoves are presented in subsequent tables. As of July 1992, the Clean Air Act from the ground-up pallets. Normal Phase II regulations covering residential P ELLETS FROM PALLETS: grinders have excellent separation capa- wood-heating appliances stated that if a PRODUCTION ASPECTS bilities. Presence of sand (silica) and wood-burning device has an air-to-fuel C ONTRASTING VIEWPOINTS other dirt results in a fuel with high ash ratio of less than 35:1, it must have total ON FEASIBILITY residue. There were two sharply contrasting emissions of all gases that contain par- R ESOURCE BASE ticulate matter (PM-10s) of less than 4.1 views about making pellets from pallets. Some manufacturers consider it non- Long-term supply of raw materials g per hour if the stove has a catalytic for a pellet manufacturer is affected by converter. The figure is 7.5 g per hour if it economical. For them, the costs estimated were too high to make any profit. timber sales, timber harvests, primary is non-catalytic. All pellet stoves have processing production levels, and eco- emissions well below the EPA limits They felt that good raw material of the preferred types was available, avoiding nomic and regulatory trends. At present, (most emit less than 1 g per hr.). Some the availability of waste wood does not stoves have air-to-fuel ratios greater than the problems encountered in making pellets from pallets. appear to be a limiting factor on the East 35:1, while others have ratios below this Coast, where prices have been stable. cutoff. As a result, some pellet stoves Other manufacturers see future com- Pellet producers experienced raw materi- must be certified by the EPA, while oth- petition for sawdust and other waste to be als shortage in the Northwest during ers arc considered exempt from certifica- keen. In the event of a shortage, an alter- 1995, as evidenced by rising prices for tion (11). native source needs to be sought, e.g., sawdust and other woodwaste during The majority of the pellet manufac- used pallets. In addition, pellet manufac- that period. Some composite board mills turers are undertaking pellet production turers may be able to recover a tipping were using ground-up pallet materials as an “add-on” to an existing forest prod- fee if they take pallets from the landfills due to the drop in primary processing. In ucts business (primary or secondary and municipal dumps or directly from the Northwest and Mountain regions, pa- processing), agri-business, or municipal disposers. per mills and board plants were aggres- solid waste disposal company (10). Con- As reported by Schutte (17), there is a sively buying all the sawdust and shav- sequently, they do not have to purchase big market for colored mulch manufac- ings they could. The result was higher land and office space, since labor and tured from ground-up pallets. A few in- prices and limited supplies for manufac- equipment are already in place from the dustries are manufacturing composite turers. Since then, many new pellet primary business of the company. Usu- board products from ground-up pallets, manufacturing firms have opened on the ally one employee operates the pellet but the key to using pallets in manufac- East Coast. Similar situations could arise manufacturing side of the company. Pro- turing any product is removing all the in the future, which could create compe- duction comprises different tasks: resi- metal. tition for raw material. due handling, pre-processing, process- T ECHNICAL ISSUES Possibilities of raw material shortages ing, pelleting, maintenance, and final Davis (7) indicated that pallets are lead to discussion of using increasingly packaging. Producers utilize the residue made from different species and grades marginal raw materials, such as those that is generated by the primary company of wood, leading to product inconsisten- that produce higher ash fuels. Using cies. Some species like red oak are more ground-up pallets to make pellets, for acidic than others. Acidity causes corro- example, would create higher ash. Sev- sion of pelletizing equipment. Too much eral firms make small quantities of 1 This organization was first known as the Fiber Fuels Institute, then the name was changed to Pellet Fuels variation in feedstock causes pellets to be higher-ash wood pellets, but at this time, Institute. of irregular form, and scoured or broken these fuels are only a tiny share of the

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL V OL. 47, NO. 9 53 market. According to the Pellet Fuels In- There is a close relationship between personnel in mass merchandisers are not stitute, an estimated 99 percent of the pellet sales and pellet stove sales in the Familiar with the product, since many bagged pellets sold in 1994 and 1995 context of residential heating. A certain sales personnel move in and out of jobs. were premium grade (under 1% ash). level of communication should be estab- Pellets and pellet stoves are only one of As reported by Bitler (3), very few lished between pellet manufacturers and the items they market. Since the pellet stoves in the marketplace at present can stove manufacturers for efficient market- industry is relatively young, the manu- burn a higher ash fuel. Ash residue causes ing of both. But this has not materialized facturers do not have enough financing to “caking” in the stoves. The amount of ash to date, neither for domestic nor for ex- undertake advertising on a large scale. residue is a function of dirt (silicates), port marketing. Therefore, the sales personnel have a contaminants, and the nature of the For the household market, pellets and very important role to play in marketing, biomass material. Unless the stove technol- stoves are currently being sold through but they arc not currently fulfilling this ogy advances enough to be able to burn “Mom and Pop stores” and some mass obligation.

higher-ash fuels, these fuels will be hard to merchandisers. Advertising for both the S ALES OF PELLETS AND sell for residential heating. In the absence products has been mainly through trade STOVES: RECENT TRENDS of stoves capable of handling higher-ash shows, in-store advertising, and through According to a survey of the Pellet fuels, these fuels will be limited to com- the Pellet Fuels Institute’s brochures and Fuels Institute, sales of bagged fuel pel- mercial and industrial heating. newsletters. Sales are seasonal, mainly lets in the 1995-1996 heating season was M ARKETING ISSUES during late fall and winter. approximately 586,000 tons. Table 2 M ARKET SETTING As reported by Monk (12), “Mom and shows the regional distribution of pellet The western part of the United States Pop stores” have done a better job in sales for the last 4 years. Sales of bagged produces a large part of the total pellet terms of customer satisfaction than the pellets rose 7.2 percent in 1996 and 14 production, mostly from sawdust. Of mass merchandisers. These stores know percent in 1995 compared to the preced- this, a significant amount is sold to the their customers personally, and have tried ing year. The main reason attributed for local market, and some is shipped to the to gain customer confidence by provid- this slow growth was warm winter tem- East Coast. ing quality service. In contrast, the sales peratures all across the country. A closer look at the regional sales numbers shows some interesting trends. Reported statistics over 4 years (1992- TABLE 2. — Pellet sales in the United States. a 1996) indicate that the western United 1992-1993 1993-1994 1994-1995 1995-1996 States (Pacific and Mountain) continues Region pellet sales pellet sales pellet sales pellet sales to be the largest market, accounting for ------(tons)------almost 65 percent of the total bagged fuel Pacific 198,000 239,000 293,000 262,000 sales in 1995-1996. The Northeast, how- Mountain 145,000 130,000 120,000 123,000 ever, continues to grow rapidly. Sales for Central 21,000 18,000 16,000 19,000 the Great Lakes region increased by 50 Great Lakes 11,000 26,000 24,000 36,000 percent from 1994-1995 to 1995-1996. Northeast 35,000 62,000 84,000 107,000 This area has a large population, a strong Southeast 16,000 21,000 34,000 39,000 economy, and cold winters. It should be Totals 426,000 496,000 571,000 586,000 fertile ground for pellets. A major drop in

a sales occurred in the Pacific region in Source: Pellet Fuels Institute. Pellet sales figures are based on heating season (April 1- March 30) 1995-1996, where shipments were down about 41,000 tons (11%), which can be attributed to the warm winter in the re- TABLE 3. — Pellet sales in Canada. a gion. Most of the pellet sales in the 1993-1994 1994-1995 1995-1996 Southeast region are in Maryland, Vir- Region pellet sales pellet sales pellet sales ginia, Washington D.C., and Delaware. ------(tons)------Table 3 shows pellet sales in Canada. Quebec and Maritime 10,000 16,000 33,000 Canada’s market is still small, but shows Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan 10,000 15,000 19,000 strong growth. The total 1995-1996 sales Alberta and B.C. 7,000 8,000 16,000 rose 74 percent in 1996 over the preced- Totals 27,000 39,000 68,000 ing year. A few firms on both Canadian a Source: Pellet Fuels Institute. Sales figures are based on heating season (April 1 - March 30). coasts continue to export to the United States, but several producers report they are busy with local customers. Canadian producers are forecasting a TABLE 4. — Total pellet stove sales in the United States and Canada. a major market expansion. Total shipments 1992 1993 1994 1995 among 16 plants are projected to be 135,000 tons, a 60 percent increase over 53,000 70,000 76,150 47,500 Appliance sales (units) the 1995-1996 season. They foresee a Source: Pellet Fuels Institute. Annual sales figures are based on calender year. strong local demand and significant ex-

54 SEPTEMBER 1997 ports to the Northeast and to the Pacific H OW THE INDUSTRY VIEWS pellets that burn in the stoves they manu- Northwest. Exports accounted for about EXPORTS: AN INFORMAL facture. ASSESSMENT 25 percent of Canadian output last year C ONCLUSIONS and that share is expected to increase P ELLET MANUFACTURERS There are two sharply contrasting (15). The profit margin from pellet produc- views on producing pellets from used Table 4 shows pellet stove sales in the tion is not high (around 15% on an aver- pallets. Some manufacturers consider it United States and Canada. Pellet stove age) and the majority of pellet manufac- non-economical, while others see prom- sales declined (37%) in 1995 over the turers undertake pellet production as an ise due to future competition for raw ma- preceding year. However, this trend is not “add-on” to an existing forest products terials. According to some manufactur- expected to continue, as U.S. producers business. Pellet manufacturers undertake ers, technical issues like variation in have reported a significant increase in pellet production mainly to reduce their wood species, natural weathering, and sales since then (7). costs because they get a better price for presence of extraneous matter limit the pellets than for sawdust. Most pellet use of ground-up pallets as a raw material P ELLET PRICES manufacturers perceive that it is expen- source. Pellets made from used pallets AND ENERGY COSTS sive to ship pellets. Some U.S. manufac- have a high ash content, which limits A factor influencing customer de- turers indicated that they were contacted their usc in some residential stoves. With mand is the price of compressed wood by business interests from Sweden, sufficient research, in the future we can fuel compared to competing fuels (4). China, and Czechoslovakia. A few larger expect better stoves and a better fuel. According to the Pellet Fuels Institute, manufacturers indicated that in the past However, ash content is not a major fac- the May 1996 Free on Board (f.o.b.) they have exported mainly to Canada and tor if pellets are used industrially and plant prices (per ton) for premium-grade some to Japan. U.S. export to Canada is commercially in either central heating bagged fuel are as follows: In the eastern minimal now, mainly because of a Cana- systems or gasifiers. United States, the price range is $98 to dian regulation that does not allow the With rising costs for raw materials as disposal of sawdust and other wood- $110, with most available at $90 to $95. already evidenced on the West Coast in waste in landfills and other dumps, In the Midwest, the range is $85 to $95 1995, discarded pallets that producers which has encouraged many forest prod- for early-season shipments. There is am- could be paid to take (tipping fees) show ucts industries in Canada to establish potential for use. Nails and other metallic ple plant capacity in this region, and pro- their own pelletizing plants. ducers are looking for new or expanded objects that cause problems in the manufacturing process can be removed using markets. In the Southeast, the range is S TOVE MANUFACTURERS tub grinders. Pellets from pallets provide $80 to $100 per ton. In the Southwest, it There are many stoves in the market an ideal combination of low moisture, is $90 to $110. In the Northwest and that burn only specific kinds of pellets. high heat, and low metal emissions. Even Mountain regions there is a wide price Each stove can handle only a certain if these pellets pose a few limitations for range, $85 to $128. grade of pellet fuel by ash content. Stove residential pellet stoves, they are an ex- Fuels are compared on the basis of manufacturers indicate that pellet stoves tremely useful fuel source in combustion represent the highest gross profit to re- delivered energy cost, i.e., $/Btu (8). The units generating power, gasifiers, and tailers, and remain the most expensive price of an energy source for a given use other central heating systems. hearth appliance they sell. Compared to is determined by its demand and supply. other heating units, profit on pellet heat- The price of a pellet in relation to the Consumers face different prices depend- ers remains at the top of the list (around price of alternative energy sources like gas, electricity, and other fossil fuels will ing on whether they are an industry or $600 per unit). In addition, pellet stoves residential consumer. The price must ac- represent major income to retailers. be a keen factor influencing the decision count for the greater inconvenience of About 80 percent of them are installed by of a consumer. Studies comparing differ- using pellets compared to electricity, gas, dealers who get additional income from ent fuels on the basis of delivered energy and other fossil fuels, which have fewer pipe sales, hearth pads, and accessories. cost need to be done to understand the or no handling requirements. This makes However, some stove manufacturers in- fuel efficiency of various energy sources. Further research should focus on the comparing the cost of energy sources dicate that dealers sometimes steer cus- costs and benefits of using a renewable quite complicated. tomers toward propane over pellet resource like waste wood. According to a study in Colorado stoves, citing reduced service calls, near equal operating costs, and maintenance- L ITERATURE CITED (1 1), the consumer cost for wood pellets free operation. According to Coles (5), 1. Araman, P. 1995. Personal communication. is $10.93/MBtu. This is cheaper than when retail prices of wood pellets exceed Project Leader, Forest Products Recycling, Center for Forest Products Marketing, Vir- $30.52/MBtu for electricity and $180 per ton, pellet stove sales tend to $13.75/MBtu for propane. Natural gas ginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va. decrease. Manufacturers are interested in 2. Atkins, R.S. 1995. Generating power with was the cheapest at $5.38/MBtu. In this selling stoves wherever people are inter- waste wood. Power Engineering 99(2). study, consumer cost for pellets was ested in buying them. Stoves have been 3. Bitler, H.C. 1995. Personal communication. based on a delivered price of $163/ton, sold to Canada, Sweden, and Japan in the Glo King Stoves, Florence, Oreg. however, the 1995 price for a ton of wood past, but the number is not significant. 4. Callas, B. and J. Haygreen. 1987. An analy- pellets was only $70 to $106 (14), which Manufacturers cannot export stoves un- sis of the densified wood fuel industry in the Lake States. Misc. pub. 42. Minnesota Agri. is considerably lower than that used in less someone else exports pellets, or un- Expt. Sta., Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, the Colorado study. less the importing country manufactures Minn.

FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL V OL. 47, NO. 9 55 5. Coles, R. 1995. Personal communica- 11 Haase, S., D. Rue, and J. Whittier. 1993. tion. Vice President - Operations, New York tion. Pellet Master Marketing, Lewiston, Wood pellet manufacturing in Colorado. Of- Pellet Products, Arcade, N.Y. Idaho. fice of Energy Conservation and U.S. Dept. 18. Staab, L.E. 1995. Personal communication. 6. Coulter, E. 1995. Financial analysis of a of Energy, Western Regional Biomass En- Executive Vice President, Fiber Fuel Inter- ergy Program. U.S. Dept. of Energy, Wash- briquette plant. North Carolina State Univ., national, Savannah, Ga. Raleigh, N.C. ington, D.C. 19. Swanekamp, R. 1994. Ridge station eases 7. Davis, R. 1996. Personal communication. 12 Monk, M. 1995. Personal communication. Florida’s waste disposal problems. Power Pellet Fuels Institute, Edina, Minn. Energy Innovations, Monroe, Wash. 138(11). 8. Fiber Fuels Institute. 1992. Newsletter. Fiber 13 Pellet Fuels Institute. 1994. Biannual news- Fuels Institute, Edina, Minn. letter. Pellet Fuels Institute, Edina, Minn. 20. .1995. Biomass co-firing tech- 9. Fisher, J.E. 1990. Pellet fuel - a market for 14 1995. May-June newsletter. nology debuts in recent test burn. Power wood residues. Tri-State Lumber Co., Du- Pellet Fuels Institute, Edina, Minn. 139(2). luth, Minn. 15. 1996. Biannual newsletter. 21 U.S. Dept. of Commerce. 1995. U.S. Indus- 10. Folk, R. L., R.L. Govett, L.R. Johnson, and Pellet Fuels Institute, Arlington, Va. trial Outlook. Electrical and renewable en- H.W. Lee. 1988. Manufacturing and market- 16. Resch, H. 1990. Case studies: how mills ergy equipment. Chapter 18. USDOC, Inter. ing of wood pellets. Tech. Rept. 20. Univ. of produce fuel from residues. World Wood Trade Admin., National Trade Data Bank Idaho, Forest Wildlife and Range Expt. Sta., 31:14-21. CD. March 30, 1995. USDOC, Washington, Moscow, Idaho. 17. Schutte, R.D. 1995. Personal communica- D. C..

56 SEPTEMBER 1997