As of October 30, 2011, Wood Bioenergy US includes 471 wood-consuming, announced and operating bioenergy projects in the continental US.

• In total, these projects represent potential, incremental wood use of 135.9 million green tons/year by 2021.
• Based on Forisk analysis, projects representing only 73.0 million tons/year pass basic viability screening. Click here to download the free summary.

How does Forisk screen projects?  Amanda Lang, Managing Editor of Wood Bioenergy US, prepared the following “summary in one slide” to outline the process.  (For those interested in the complete history and methodology of the screening process, click here to access our 2010 bioenergy screening white paper.)

Forisk’s ongoing research includes this project-by-project screening to better understand how capital is being allocated in the energy and forest industries as it relates to markets for wood and timber.  Examples of project-specific updates from October include:

• F.E. Wood & Sons plans to build a 300,000 ton per year pellet plant in West Baldwin, ME. The plan is contingent upon signing contracts with pellet customers and the state of Maine restoring a key rail line.
• Enviva will supply wood chips to Dominion’s biomass conversions at the Hopewell and Southampton power stations in Virginia. The 50 MW power stations are planned to begin operations in 2013.
• German Pellets plans to build a 500,000 metric ton per year pellet plant at a former chip mill site in Woodville, TX. The company plans to start operations by early 2012 and will export pellets to Europe.
• Liberty Green Renewables dropped plans for two 32 MW biomass plants in IN and asked the Department of Environmental Management to revoke air permits.
• ZeaChem signed an agreement with Pacific Ethanol to provide operating and accounting services to its Boardman, OR plant starting in the fourth quarter of 2011. The 250,000 gallon per year plant is planned to be operational in 2011 and is located adjacent to the Pacific Ethanol Columbia plant.

To purchase the subscription version of Wood Bioenergy US, including the full project list, please click here to visit the Forisk Store.