Page 14 - Georgia Forestry - Issue 2 - Spring 2023

consultants can run their own models,” said Preston. “They can then make their own evaluations and projections so that their clients can make the best and most informed decision on site selection.”
GFC SUM Specialists Billy Whitley and Jonathan Brown provide timely and rele- vant information for the biomass industry as well as all other Georgia wood-using industries. Their team also provides technical and educational information to the rest of the forestry value chain, which ranges from forest landowners to forestry contractors and consultants. The SUM department’s work is truly a team effort, with each member adding their own expertise, value and unique talents.
The GFC’s Billy Whitley and Devon Dartnell
talk biomass with Fram Renewable Fuels President Harold Arnold.
The GFC pushes information out to stakeholders as it fulfills its mission to educate Georgians about the state’s forest resources. Presentations are regularly given to landowner groups, legislators, academia, municipal entities and the media. The Commission also staffs a number of relevant tradeshows and conferences, including the mammoth International Woodworking Show held bi-annually in Atlanta. A variety of GFC- produced publications support Georgia’s timber-ready messaging, including a Biomass Suppliers Directory that offers information on potential synergies that might be developed with local forest industry businesses and landowners. A
wide variety of reports and documents are available on GFC’s public website at gatrees.org/forest-industry.
The GFC has supported existing and startup industries that utilize wood bio- mass to generate electricity, produce wood pellets and refine biofuels. “We assist in identifying appropriate sites with ample feedstock supplies and infrastructure,” said GFC SUM Chief Devon Dartnell. “We help startup forest biomass industries with resource and supplier information as well as assistance in obtaining federal grant funding to help cover research and capital expenditure costs.”
Dartnell said an exciting example is the recently announced award of US Depart- ment of Energy funding to AVAPCO, LLC in Thomaston, GA. (See page 5 for more details.) The GFC has been supporting AVAPCO, LLC with technical and feed- stock support for many years.
The Commission calculates that more than 9 million tons (oven-dry basis) of unutilized forestry biomass could be captured by the bioenergy industry each year. Over the past 15 years, that excess has fueled a growing wood-pellet industry. The agency has been instrumental, along with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and local developmental
A NATURAL PROCESS:
HOW WOOD PELLETS ARE MADE
1 | DELIVERY:
Raw material is delivered via truck
as small-diameter trees or logging residuals that have been converted
to wood chips or via conveyor belt as sawmill residuals in cases where the pellet plant is connected to the sawmill.
» Without a market or immediate on-site use for this material, this raw woody biomass would typically be left behind or burned in the field.
2 | CHIPPER /
HAMMER MILL:
After unloading, the chipper or hammer mill will take bulk sawdust and wood chips and break them down into a uniform smaller size in order to make the drying and pressing process more efficient and consistent.
3 | DRYING:
If a pellet mill uses fresh-cut raw material, or a mix of raw materials that may contain moisture, they have to dry the sawdust to a consistent moisture level. Large dryer drums may use sawdust burners or other fuels to heat the drum, driving off the extra moisture.
» At this stage, the material will undergo testing to accurately predict pellet behavior and measure moisture content.