Bioenergy could transform provinces forestry industry, support 100,000 direct jobs – BiV
Despite the ups and downs of forestry as a commodity-based industry, the bioenergy sector is poised to take it in a futuristic direction.
That message emerged from a number of expert observers during the early discussions at the 2014 International Bioenergy Conference and Exhibition, which finishes June 13 at the Prince George Civic Centre.
BC Bioenergy Network executive director Michael Weedon said “we are blessed with an abundance here” of the basic material used in bioenergy: trees.Wood pellets is the flagship product in the bioenergy industry, but it also includes things like grain- and corn-based fuels, diesel from decomposed kitchen scraps, converted pulp mill waste, agricultural waste, and others.
“There is a prize for all of us in job creation,” Weedon said. “We estimate 100,000 direct jobs can be created from full utilization of bioenergy in B.C. We are part of a sunrise industry.”
