The U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, along with the State of Oregon, recently received 10 Wood Innovation grants funded by the Department of Agriculture.

The grants, totaling over $1.9 million, will help accelerate wood energy development, expand wood product markets and support forest management needs, including reducing wildfire risk.

One of the recipients, the Oregon Torrefaction Project, will design a commercial torrefaction plant to manufacture a wood-based renewable coal replacement using small diameter trees from forest restoration activities with emphasis on Oregon national forests. Project partners include Ochoco Management, Inc., Bonneville Environmental Foundation and the Forest Service.

The project provides biomass processing support to ongoing forest restoration efforts in Eastern Oregon, including a large-scale collaborative restoration project based out of John Day that implements fuels reduction activities on the Malheur National Forest.

The torrefaction facility will be capable of producing 50,000 tons of renewable biomass fuel annually that will be used to produce electricity to heat and power homes and businesses. Grant funds will be used for the engineering and design of the facility.

If successfully implemented, the project will provide a unique opportunity to diversify the utilities’ fuel portfolio and support compliance with state renewable energy standards and the federal Clean Power Plan.

“Choosing John Day as a location for the torrefaction facility is great news,” said Malheur Supervisor Steve Beverlin.

“The increased pace and scale of restoration across the forest through implementation of the Malheur Ten-Year Contract continues to provide opportunities for business investments. We look forward to expanding these efforts across the Blue Mountains,” Beverlin said.

For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r6/communityforests/?cid=fseprd502769.