New VT Pellet Mill

[mascoma]

I am very happy to see another mill in the northeast bringing jobs back to a tough area of Vermont...
But wondering if this is a wise $9 million for the Feds to loan if the industry is in as tough a shape as some on this site have said (plants closing). Is the industry really ok? Or are Feds out of their mind? I wonder what kind of pricing they used in their business forcasting.



http://www.boston.com/news/local/ve...ood_pellet_plant_gets_9_million_federal_loan/

BURLINGTON, Vt.—U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says a $9 million federal loan is going toward a new wood pellet plant in Island Pond, creating 34 new jobs in the Northeast Kingdom.

Vilsack made the announcement while attending a dairy town hall meeting with Vermont's congressional delegation in Burlington on Saturday.

The congressional delegation says the USDA is guaranteeing $9 million of the total $10 million federal loan to create a pellet processing plant in the vacant Ethan Allen plant.

The company plans to turn hardwood lumber into pellets that can be burned for heat.

 

[coolidge]

Hmmm, Interesting, I wonder if its going to be owned by the same group that bought the "other" closed Ethan Allen plant in western Maine?

 

[jtakeman]

The feds seem to be investing heavily in biomass lately. Personally as long as the new plant is making above average pellets I say the more we have is a good thing. I have been through a couple of pellet shortages. They are no fun! Keep them coming IMHO.

Anybody get a brand name?

 

[summit]

b nice to see a northeast company that comes out and make a quality pellet.. which will be the case if the operation is already vested into its own pure stock material (I.E. lumber products processing)... Otherwise, I feel you'll see another company that throws out high ash pellets. I wonder how cost effective it would be to make a pellet raw, but treat the luymber like it was to be used for a finished building product? Making shavings of it before grinding in a hammer mill, kiln drying the stuff before you process.. I know mills out there have dryers, steamers, whatever, but those that get their material from a controlled source always seem to do better.

 

[jtakeman]

b nice to see a northeast company that comes out and make a quality pellet.. which will be the case if the operation is already vested into its own pure stock material (I.E. lumber products processing)... Otherwise, I feel you'll see another company that throws out high ash pellets. I wonder how cost effective it would be to make a pellet raw, but treat the luymber like it was to be used for a finished building product? Making shavings of it before grinding in a hammer mill, kiln drying the stuff before you process.. I know mills out there have dryers, steamers, whatever, but those that get their material from a controlled source always seem to do better.

There maybe one exception to this rule. Vermont Wood Pellet is from what I understand a super premium from softwood logs. They are debarking the logs, Chipping and hammer milling them into fiber. Very simular to what Rocky Mountain is doing. I have seen numbers in the (less than) < 0.3% ash range. Reasonably price too! I can't wait to try them!

 

[mascoma]

As I understand it pellets would be processed from whole logs / pulp wood. There is a bit of controversy as they want to buy part of the local airport to use for logyard.

 

[Bigjim13]

b nice to see a northeast company that comes out and make a quality pellet.. which will be the case if the operation is already vested into its own pure stock material (I.E. lumber products processing)... Otherwise, I feel you'll see another company that throws out high ash pellets. I wonder how cost effective it would be to make a pellet raw, but treat the luymber like it was to be used for a finished building product? Making shavings of it before grinding in a hammer mill, kiln drying the stuff before you process.. I know mills out there have dryers, steamers, whatever, but those that get their material from a controlled source always seem to do better.

There maybe one exception to this rule. Vermont Wood Pellet is from what I understand a super premium from softwood logs. They are debarking the logs, Chipping and hammer milling them into fiber. Very simular to what Rocky Mountain is doing. I have seen numbers in the (less than) < 0.3% ash range. Reasonably price too! I can't wait to try them!

I'm very high on Vermont Wood Pellet CO! To be fair, I have never burned Barefoots or Okies, which seem to be 2 of the more preferred brands on this board. I would stack VT Wood Pellets up against the best though, I can't imagine a pellet burning cleaner or hotter, but as I said, I have not tested ALL brands, LOL.

Anyway they seem to be doing it right. When I was at the mill they were very interested in customer feedback. They seemed more concerned with making a good quality pellet right out of the gates rather than making an ok pellet and getting it into as many stores as possible. I still think that even in VT there are only 3-4 stores you can get them at. I'm sure as they grow there will be plenty of places to get them, but for now it seems they want controlled growth.

 

[BDPVT]

b nice to see a northeast company that comes out and make a quality pellet.. which will be the case if the operation is already vested into its own pure stock material (I.E. lumber products processing)... Otherwise, I feel you'll see another company that throws out high ash pellets. I wonder how cost effective it would be to make a pellet raw, but treat the luymber like it was to be used for a finished building product? Making shavings of it before grinding in a hammer mill, kiln drying the stuff before you process.. I know mills out there have dryers, steamers, whatever, but those that get their material from a controlled source always seem to do better.

There maybe one exception to this rule. Vermont Wood Pellet is from what I understand a super premium from softwood logs. They are debarking the logs, Chipping and hammer milling them into fiber. Very simular to what Rocky Mountain is doing. I have seen numbers in the (less than) < 0.3% ash range. Reasonably price too! I can't wait to try them!

I'm very high on Vermont Wood Pellet CO! To be fair, I have never burned Barefoots or Okies, which seem to be 2 of the more preferred brands on this board. I would stack VT Wood Pellets up against the best though, I can't imagine a pellet burning cleaner or hotter, but as I said, I have not tested ALL brands, LOL.

Anyway they seem to be doing it right. When I was at the mill they were very interested in customer feedback. They seemed more concerned with making a good quality pellet right out of the gates rather than making an ok pellet and getting it into as many stores as possible. I still think that even in VT there are only 3-4 stores you can get them at. I'm sure as they grow there will be plenty of places to get them, but for now it seems they want controlled growth.

Vermont Wood Pellet ranks right up there with best softwood pellets I have ever used. The owners took their time to develop a great product. As a matter of fact, they missed all of last heating season because they would not sell an inferior product and even now refuse to grow to rapidly even though demand is strong. I wish more companies would put quality and customer satisfaction ahead of quick profits. In the long run we all benefit.

 

[jtakeman]

b nice to see a northeast company that comes out and make a quality pellet.. which will be the case if the operation is already vested into its own pure stock material (I.E. lumber products processing)... Otherwise, I feel you'll see another company that throws out high ash pellets. I wonder how cost effective it would be to make a pellet raw, but treat the luymber like it was to be used for a finished building product? Making shavings of it before grinding in a hammer mill, kiln drying the stuff before you process.. I know mills out there have dryers, steamers, whatever, but those that get their material from a controlled source always seem to do better.

There maybe one exception to this rule. Vermont Wood Pellet is from what I understand a super premium from softwood logs. They are debarking the logs, Chipping and hammer milling them into fiber. Very simular to what Rocky Mountain is doing. I have seen numbers in the (less than) < 0.3% ash range. Reasonably price too! I can't wait to try them!

I'm very high on Vermont Wood Pellet CO! To be fair, I have never burned Barefoots or Okies, which seem to be 2 of the more preferred brands on this board. I would stack VT Wood Pellets up against the best though, I can't imagine a pellet burning cleaner or hotter, but as I said, I have not tested ALL brands, LOL.

Anyway they seem to be doing it right. When I was at the mill they were very interested in customer feedback. They seemed more concerned with making a good quality pellet right out of the gates rather than making an ok pellet and getting it into as many stores as possible. I still think that even in VT there are only 3-4 stores you can get them at. I'm sure as they grow there will be plenty of places to get them, but for now it seems they want controlled growth.

Vermont Wood Pellet ranks right up there with best softwood pellets I have ever used. The owners took their time to develop a great product. As a matter of fact, they missed all of last heating season because they would not sell an inferior product and even now refuse to grow to rapidly even though demand is strong. I wish more companies would put quality and customer satisfaction ahead of quick profits. In the long run we all benefit.

Last year I got laughed at by a member when I thought that this was what the mills(that do not have a steady flow of fiber from there own woodworkings) needed to do, Well who's laughing now. I would like to see more mills except the logs and process there own fiber. AFAIK the only 100% chipped pellets are softies. Rockies and now Vermont Wood Pellet Co. They are both Super Premiums, Proof there are good pellets out of chipped wood. Just need to remove the bark to rid it of excess ash amounts. I know that Michigan is chipping some fiber but not the whole pellet is from chipped wood. Not sure if there debarking, Because there pellet is pretty high in as content. I would like to see Vermont or maybe another mill, Do a hardwood pellet in this maner. Or maybe a blended pellet. But I am sure the softwoods are choosen because they chip easier then the hardwoods. What about a Douglas fir pellet too?

What I like best about this it keeps the loggers working, Since the building trades are slow, This gives them some work. We get good pellets. Its a win win for me!

There are lots of dead or dying hardwood trees near me in Mass. Striken from a beetle kill problem. I wonder if is worth chipppng it for hardwood pellets? I think there wasting this wood. Not letting anyone remove it out of the area. But maybe if it were debarked and chipped first?

Only issue I have seen from a chipped pellet is density issues. If it isn't hammer milled fine enough the density drops on the finished product. So you loose a bit of heat. Pretty sure the Rockies had a similar issue, But fixed it with finer screens to reduce the milling size. Chuck them full of fiber, Cause we like them as hot as we can get!

 

[JustWood]

The difference in the chip quality between hardwood and softwood is less bark is removed from hardwoods due to butt swell, cavities, knots, and crotches. The debarking heads/flails just can't reach into all the areas to peel the bark off. Softwoods are most generally very round and have no convex knots or crotches to deflect debarking heads/flails. I believe a poorer quality pellet will be around until mills start producing very clean sawdust to mix with the "dirtier" chips.

 

[jtakeman]

Lee,

Have you burned any of these pellets from chipped trees?

 

[JustWood]

Lee,

Have you burned any of these pellets from chipped trees?

Don't own a stove.
I am involved in the raw material supply side of the pellet biz so I'm familiar with the specs and equipment needed to get it to spec..

 

[jtakeman]

Lee,

Have you burned any of these pellets from chipped trees?

Don't own a stove.
I am involved in the raw material supply side of the pellet biz so I'm familiar with the specs and equipment needed to get it to spec..

Ah, you have a vested interest. But if there is no demand for lumber, Your not making the bi-product needed. We still need and these chipped pellets will do just fine while we wait for the industry to get back to work. The lack of what you make hurt several pellet mills and there product. Settled for some cruddy dust and tried to get us to burn them crappy things and charged us a premium for them too!. No thanks!! The chipped pellet mills are not prone to that! Like it or not, There making a product thats worthy of buying. No shortage either!

 

[JustWood]

Lee,

Have you burned any of these pellets from chipped trees?

Don't own a stove.
I am involved in the raw material supply side of the pellet biz so I'm familiar with the specs and equipment needed to get it to spec..

Ah, you have a vested interest. But if there is no demand for lumber, Your not making the bi-product needed. We still need and these chipped pellets will do just fine while we wait for the industry to get back to work. The lack of what you make hurt several pellet mills and there product. Settled for some cruddy dust and tried to get us to burn them crappy things and charged us a premium for them too!. No thanks!! The chipped pellet mills are not prone to that! Like it or not, There making a product thats worthy of buying. No shortage either!

The pellet mills that are producing there own chips from whole trees with a whole tree chipper ARE the most prone to high bark content. If the machine is pushed and fed to quickLEE or species with stringy bark like hickory, basswood,or oak is used, then more bark makes it through to end product.Also if whole trees are used then small branches with high bark to wood ratios make it through. Chips and sawdust from sawmills will be far cleaner than any chip from a whole tree chipper.This is why the quality of end product is going down. Because more whole tree chipps are being used.

The bark content of chips from softwood whole tree chipping operations is much lower than hardwood chipping operations.

This is the type of chipper they are using and the exact type of material they are putting through although some are using just logs without branches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwArE6T1sSE&feature=related

 

[Ladderlieu]

b nice to see a northeast company that comes out and make a quality pellet.. which will be the case if the operation is already vested into its own pure stock material (I.E. lumber products processing)... Otherwise, I feel you'll see another company that throws out high ash pellets. I wonder how cost effective it would be to make a pellet raw, but treat the luymber like it was to be used for a finished building product? Making shavings of it before grinding in a hammer mill, kiln drying the stuff before you process.. I know mills out there have dryers, steamers, whatever, but those that get their material from a controlled source always seem to do better.

There maybe one exception to this rule. Vermont Wood Pellet is from what I understand a super premium from softwood logs. They are debarking the logs, Chipping and hammer milling them into fiber. Very simular to what Rocky Mountain is doing. I have seen numbers in the (less than) < 0.3% ash range. Reasonably price too! I can't wait to try them!

Picked up a half ton of them this past weekend and in the process of burning them now. So far, no complaints. Heat has been sufficient, and ash has been minimal. This might sound odd, but what I'd really like is a bout of really cold weather to see if they keep my house as warm as the Okanagans did. When it's 35+ outside temp, the stove doesn't need to burn much to maintain a comfortable feel inside.

Price was $249 a ton for the Vermont. I can get the Okanagans for $239 a ton, so price is pretty comparable although the Okies are a half hour further away than the Vermont pellets. I spoke with the dealer I bought the Vermont pellets from (Precision Heat Natures Way in Ashuelot NH) and he mentioned many of the same things as were mentioned in this thread. Seems the Vermont folks are NOT interested in quantity over quality, so for now they have a limited distribution area. Also interesting to note is that, according to the dealer, Vermont Pellet plants one new tree for every ton of pellets they produce. Pellet fuel IS a renewable resource after all!

 

[jtakeman]

Lee,

Have you burned any of these pellets from chipped trees?

Don't own a stove.
I am involved in the raw material supply side of the pellet biz so I'm familiar with the specs and equipment needed to get it to spec..

Ah, you have a vested interest. But if there is no demand for lumber, Your not making the bi-product needed. We still need and these chipped pellets will do just fine while we wait for the industry to get back to work. The lack of what you make hurt several pellet mills and there product. Settled for some cruddy dust and tried to get us to burn them crappy things and charged us a premium for them too!. No thanks!! The chipped pellet mills are not prone to that! Like it or not, There making a product thats worthy of buying. No shortage either!

The bark content of chips from softwood whole tree chipping operations is much lower than hardwood chipping operations.

This is the type of chipper they are using and the exact type of material they are putting through although some are using just logs without branches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwArE6T1sSE&feature=related

I was speaking more of what Vermont and the Rockies were doing. Pine logs used in the chip making. Very much less ash as with what some others are doing. These 2 mills are doing a good job at the log chipping process.

I agree the others should just stick to making pellets from the good dust the lumber industry supplies. Or take a page from what these 2 mills are doing and stick to an all softwood pellet.

I really hope things pick up for the lumber industry, Very hard in this economy. Then all the mills can make better pellets and flood the market(lower prices?). But in slow times having a couple of mills going, making good pellets isn't a bad thing for us burners. Probably not so good for you though. Hopefully things will get worked out soon.

 

[Bigjim13]

b nice to see a northeast company that comes out and make a quality pellet.. which will be the case if the operation is already vested into its own pure stock material (I.E. lumber products processing)... Otherwise, I feel you'll see another company that throws out high ash pellets. I wonder how cost effective it would be to make a pellet raw, but treat the luymber like it was to be used for a finished building product? Making shavings of it before grinding in a hammer mill, kiln drying the stuff before you process.. I know mills out there have dryers, steamers, whatever, but those that get their material from a controlled source always seem to do better.

There maybe one exception to this rule. Vermont Wood Pellet is from what I understand a super premium from softwood logs. They are debarking the logs, Chipping and hammer milling them into fiber. Very simular to what Rocky Mountain is doing. I have seen numbers in the (less than) < 0.3% ash range. Reasonably price too! I can't wait to try them!

Picked up a half ton of them this past weekend and in the process of burning them now. So far, no complaints. Heat has been sufficient, and ash has been minimal. This might sound odd, but what I'd really like is a bout of really cold weather to see if they keep my house as warm as the Okanagans did. When it's 35+ outside temp, the stove doesn't need to burn much to maintain a comfortable feel inside.

Price was $249 a ton for the Vermont. I can get the Okanagans for $239 a ton, so price is pretty comparable although the Okies are a half hour further away than the Vermont pellets. I spoke with the dealer I bought the Vermont pellets from (Precision Heat Natures Way in Ashuelot NH) and he mentioned many of the same things as were mentioned in this thread. Seems the Vermont folks are NOT interested in quantity over quality, so for now they have a limited distribution area. Also interesting to note is that, according to the dealer, Vermont Pellet plants one new tree for every ton of pellets they produce. Pellet fuel IS a renewable resource after all!

I did exactly what you want to do with the Vermont Wood Pellets. I waited until, back at the beginning of February, we had a snap of 3-4 days of 0* to below 0* temps and burned them then. I have never burned Okies but for my money the VWP kept my house nice and toasty when it was cold, around 75 in the room where the stove is and 68* in the rest of the house, FWIW. And like you said, very low ash which is nice.

From the info I got from the owners when I picked up the pellets they are usning trees from a 50mi radius of the plant, pulpwood. And yes they are definitely more concerned with quality over quantity. As stated previously they missed all of last heating season while trying to get things right. I actually mentioned that to the owners, I told them I bought my supply of pellets about a month before they opened. He told me that was a risk they thought was necessary, they didn't want to start selling a product that wasn't 100% ready to go. Kinda nice to hear that these days when everybody is so concerned about quick profit.

 

[Sawduster]

Vermont Energy Coop in Colchester, VT now has these pellets and are selling them for $239/ton. So, if you are in their Northern VT delivery area, you can now try them out for yourself. I picked up 8 bags on Tuesday, and so far I am very impressed. I have never smelled a pellet that smells like these. They smell exactly like freshly cut pine.

 

[Lousyweather]

good...hope it works out for them, logistically, as well as financially......I think it's going to be a trying year for pellet manufacturers and retailers both.

 

[turtle2010]

Lee,

The pellet mills that are producing there own chips from whole trees with a whole tree chipper ARE the most prone to high bark content. If the machine is pushed and fed to quickLEE or species with stringy bark like hickory, basswood,or oak is used, then more bark makes it through to end product.Also if whole trees are used then small branches with high bark to wood ratios make it through. Chips and sawdust from sawmills will be far cleaner than any chip from a whole tree chipper.This is why the quality of end product is going down. Because more whole tree chipps are being used.

The bark content of chips from softwood whole tree chipping operations is much lower than hardwood chipping operations.

This is the type of chipper they are using and the exact type of material they are putting through although some are using just logs without branches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwArE6T1sSE&feature=related

The pellets aren't prone to high bark content if the wood is debarked before its chipped. From the sounds of it BigJim13 had seen Vermont Wood Pellets operation and can probably confirm this. But, I know when I went in and took a tour with one of the owners they were debarking the logs before they were being chipped by an electric drum chipper. They sell the bark as mulch and the debarked logs are what helps in the reduced ash contents.

 

[Sawduster]

I have to say that I am really amazed at how little ash are in these pellets. Compared to the LG's that I have been burning all winter, the VT Wood Pellets have less than half the amount of ash. I am finally convinced that there are huge differences in the quality of different pellets. It is too bad that Maine Wood Pellets did not take the time to get it right before they started manufacturing pellets. If you get a bad rap right from the start, it is hard to ever get a good reputation back.