NHPR: Wood Pellets Swift Rise Tests Supply Chain

by Sam Evans-Brown

December 29, 2014

Tags:: Wood Energy

The number of homes in New Hampshire using wood for heat has more than doubled over the last decade, from 3.8 percent in 2005 to 8.6 percent in 2013.

Much of that increase comes from wood pellets. Pellets have advantages over cord-wood – they are less work and burn more cleanly – and are cheaper than fuel oil or propane.

But the fuel’s rapid growth has meant the pellet industry has earned a few black-eyes from the occasional shortage, and manufacturers and retailers are struggling to figure out how to smooth out their supply chain.

NHPR: Wood Pellets Swift Rise Tests Supply Chain

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Biomass Plants Shut Down after Governor Sununu's Veto of Subsidy

October 13, 2023

Biomass plants in Bethlehem and Tamworth are winding down operations — at least temporarily — after the governor vetoed a bill that would have provided financial subsidies, a company spokeswoman said.

Gov. Chris Sununu’s office said that veto will save electric customers $30 millions a year.

Wood chip suppliers serving the biomass industry say the veto will send ripples through the economy.

“The trickle-down effect is just going to be massive,” said Rebecca Crowe, co-owner of Timberwolf Logging in Littleton. “We buy our fuel locally; guys stopping at the local gas station buying lunch.”

Senate Bill 365 would have required Eversource and other distribution utilities to pay above-market rates to the state’s six biomass (wood-burning) power plants. That cost would have been passed on to customers in their electric bills.

Carol Churchill, spokeswoman for the plants’ owner, Engie North America, said the plants will continue to run until they use up stockpiles of wood chips, then they will shut down. The plants would be fire up again if market conditions improve.

As of Tuesday, Bethlehem had six days of wood chips on hand and Tamworth had a three-week supply, Churchill said.

“We will evaluate the long-term outlook for the facilities in September,” she said.

Churchill said the plants have been “operating at a loss for some time” and the subsidy would have offered relief.

“However, given the outlook for power prices, it is unlikely that the plants will operate for the rest of the summer,” she said.

A notice Engie sent to wood suppliers said the Bethlehem and Tamworth plants would stop accepting wood deliveries effective June 22 and would begin operating in “reserve shut-down status” once most wood on site had been used.

Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed the bill June 19 after having been warned of possible shutdowns.

Churchill is hopeful the plants could operate again.

Click below to read the full story in the Union Leader.

Ask Governor Sununu to Support Biomass Bills

Matt Leahy | May 25, 2018

The New Hampshire Legislature recently approved three bills which will benefit the biomass industry, and, by extension, the private forest owners in our state. As a private forestland owner, the Forest Society supports all three bills because a healthy biomass industry helps private forest owners sustainably manage their forests. The harvesting of wood products is a significant part of our multi-use approach to being responsible land managers. Careful and sustainable timber harvesting can result in the creation of younger forests, thereby increasing the age and size class diversity of our landscape. Maintaining markets for low-grade timber reinforces our ability to protect our state's iconic forest landscapes. Senate Bill 365 would set up temporary three-year power contracts between the State’s six biomass plants and Eversource and the other distribution utilities under which the utilities would purchase the plants' energy output. Senate Bill 446 would expand the state’s net metering program to include biomass power plants. The bill will strengthen New Hampshire's net metering laws so businesses wanting to make their own power and sell the excess onto the grid can do so more easily. Some businesses are interested in doing this with biomass boilers and solar panels. Senate Bill 577 would extend an agreement through which Eversource buys power from the Burgess Biopower plant in Berlin. Governor Sununu is now deciding whether or not to support these bills. We would encourage all those who are concerned about maintaining the health of our forests to ask the Governor to sign these bills into law. You can also remind his office of the language in the 2018-2019 State Budget requiring the NH Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) to produce a study on the economic viability of the biomass electric generation resources in New Hampshire. The provisions in both SB 365 and SB 577 expire in three years but they will give the OSI enough time to develop a long-term solution while giving the biomass plants the interim support needed to maintain their operations. Let Governor Sununu know of your support by calling (603) 271-2121.