Gordon Hoekstra
Prince George Citizen
January 17, 2001

The Northern Interior’s third pellet plant is set to open before the end of the month in Vanderhoof, as investors try to capitalize on a renewable energy resource that’s already established in countries like Sweden.

There are already pellet plants in production in Prince George and Quesnel.

A partnership between L & M Lumber, Nechako Lumber and Norm Avison, the $6-million plant in Vanderhoof will employ a dozen people, and more jobs will be created in trucking and distribution.

“With the climb in natural gas prices, there’s been a dramatic change in the public’s view toward the alternative heating source,” said Avison.

“We hate to see it when you have natural gas prices this high, but it may be a catalyst to people examining pellet fuel,” he said. “It needed a little help. Maybe the (the high prices of fossil fuel) will get it rolling.”

The wood shavings and sawdust are pressed under high pressure and can be burned in specially-manufactured wood stoves, furnaces and boilers.

The addition of the wood pellet plant on the site of L & M Lumber and Nechako Lumber in Vanderhoof means that about 99.94% of the trees’ fibre is now being utilized, says Stewart Sinclair, who’s helping market the pellets worldwide.

“There are already well-established markets in Europe and especially Scandinavian countries, where pellet use is helped by the fact that it’s carbon neutral and does not add greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere,” explained Sinclair.

The Vanderhoof-based company will be trying to market its product into Europe, North America and Asia, Sinclair said.

Closer to home, the wood pellet industry is hoping to interest greenhouse growers of B.C. in using the alternative fuel.

“Markets here are just being born — it’s really quite exciting,” said Sinclair.

The plant will have a 100,000-tonne capacity, but is expected to produce 50,000 tonnes during the first year. Pellets are also marketed as pet litter and for use in animal stock yards.