Canadian Wood Products Magazine

The Atlantica Bioenergy Task Force and PricewaterhouseCoopers released a report yesterday on the possible role that bioenergy may play in replacing or aiding the traditional forest products sector in the Maritimes and Maine. The authors conclude that after years of attrition in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, there is a significant volume of biomass available to the emerging bioenergy sector, but that considerable work needs to be done by government and industry if the region is to attract the investment required.

"The region is struggling to attract new investment and is facing the added challenges of high log and wage costs, weak markets and energy costs that are above average," explains Bruce McIntyre, leader of PwC's forest sector practice in Canada. "Without new investment, the business prospects for the region's forest products sector are bleak, with little room to improve energy efficiency, develop emerging technologies, or generate new sources of revenue." The report has a long list of things that will help set the stage for this investment, and a new bioenergy sector, including:

• Sustainable forest management strategies to boost forest growth and improve biomass harvesting efficiency.
• The development of biomass removal guidelines as soon as possible and update inventories regularly (although how much is available remains a mystery).
• Improve transportation logistics.
• Encourage NB Power and NS Power to target biomass solutions.
• Create a demand for biomass fuels in NB and NS for use in co-gen.
• Create tax incentives, offset tools, and other incentives to drive this sector.

McIntyre adds that most of the recommendations would fit the rest of Canada's forest sector as well.

Scott Jamieson, Editor

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