Three domestic pellet fuel manufacturers partner with Timber Products Inspection to begin implementation of the PFI/ALSC Pellet Fuel Standards Program.
By Tammy Hippchen - October 22nd, 2012
October 22, 2012 (Conyers, GA) - Timber Products Inspection (TP) has entered into agreements with American Wood Fibers (Marion, VA & Circleville, OH), Curran Renewable Energy (Massena, NY) and Marth Wood Shavings & Supply (Marathon, WI & Peshtigo, WI) to provide third party testing and inspection services in accordance with the Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI)/American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) Pellet Fuel Standards program. Each of these manufacturers is currently working on setting up their internal quality management programs with the intent of complying with the PFI/ALSC Pellet Fuel Standards Program. Once each facility is ready, TP will conduct an initial inspection to verify compliance, followed by on-going auditing and testing to assure continued compliance.
TJ Morice, V. P. Marketing & Operations for Marth Wood Shavings & Supply and Marth Peshtigo Pellet Company, made the decision to be one of the first manufacturers to initiate implementation of the PFI/ALSC Pellet Fuel Standards Program because of his ongoing commitment to producing a quality pellet. "I know how important it is for consumers and our partners who sell to them to have confidence in what they are buying. If the bag says 'Premium' there should be a quality and control process like we and others are committing too in this process so the user is confident and every bag labeled with 'Premium' would be confirmed as such" Morice stated. He went on to say that consumer confidence in fuel grades could help increase the number of homes and/or businesses that currently heat with a renewable energy source such as wood pellets.
By achieving compliance with the PFI/ALSC Pellet Fuel Standards Program, each of these manufacturers will be able to display a Quality Mark on their bags indicating that they are producing pellets that are compliant with the fuel grade listed on their bag.
TP, accredited by ALSC as an auditing agency and as a testing laboratory for the PFI/ALSC Pellet Fuel Standards Program, will play a key role in ensuring the pellets produced are consistent in quality. Through regular testing and plant audits, TP will help oversee the quality process, and provide necessary guidance to ensure consistent quality. Chris Wiberg, Manager of Biomass Energy Services at TP, is confident that compliance is achievable by each of these three manufacturers. "All three companies have a culture that is committed to quality. It is therefore not a surprise to me that each of them would be among the first to step forward and commit to a formal quality process."
The PFI/ALSC Pellet Fuel Standards Program has been proposed to be incorporated by reference into the US Environ- mental Protection Agency's (EPA) New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Residential Wood Heaters. EPA is mandating the regulation of pellet fuel through its NSPS and has voiced support of the PFI/ALSC Pellet Fuel Standards Program for inclusion in the NSPS. Pellet manufacturers participating in the PFI/ALSC Pellet Fuel Standards Program produce pellets that are assured to be qualified to a specific grade and can then be properly matched to appliance fuel requirements.
For more information, please contact:
Tammy Hippchen
Business Development Specialist, Timber Products Inspection
218-461-2579
thippchen@tpinspection.com