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Speakers announced for pellet heating conference

The Canadian Wood Pellet Heating Conference, to be held in Quebec City from Feb. 27 to March 1, has announced its speaker line up.

The conference will treat a wide range of topics: the Canadian heating market, international development, environmental aspects, installation and innovation in heating systems, the regulatory framework, distribution network, and more.

Recent years have seen the emergence of wood pellet heating in various applications and industries. Highly common in Europe, the development of this renewable fuel in Canada is in its early stages and shows great potential.

The 2013 Canadian Wood Pellet Heating Conference is the first event strictly dedicated to wood pellet heating in Canada. Organized by the Wood Pellet Association of Canada and the Quebec Wood Export Bureau, this event will allow attendees to learn, share and discuss issues and opportunities regarding the wood pellets heating sector. The goal is to introduce the concept and the benefits of modern pellet-based heating systems to a wider audience, from consumers and small businesses to heating specialists and installers, agricultural professionals and more.

The following is a list of topics and speakers confirmed for the 2013 Canadian Wood Pellet Heating Conference:

• Trends and Developments in the Canadian Pellet Market: Robert Tarcon, president, Wood Pellet Association of Canada
• Trends and Developments in the Global Pellet Market: Seth Walker, associate bioenergy economist, RISI
• Trends and Developments in the Boilers and Pellet Stoves Market in Canada: The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association of Canada (HPBAC)
• The Characteristics of Residential Wood Pellet Heating: Jean-François Fauteux, president, Maison DF Association des professionnels du chauffage du Québec
• Renewable Energy: The Benefits Related to Substituting the Fossil Fuels: Nature Québec
• The Vast Potential in the Field of Commercial and Institutional Heating: Éric Rousseau, executive director, Resomass/Ökofen
• Community Heat and Large-Scale Boilers: Simon Koeb, business unit manager, Biomass Commercial Viessmann
• Wood Pellet Heating and Sustainability: Evelyne Thiffault, research scientist, Forest Biomass Natural Resources Canada
• Stakeholder Engagement: How to Make Better Decisions, Create Better Outcomes, and Turn Opposition into Support: Cam McAlpine, president, PRMedia
• The Perspective of a Wood Pellet Producer: Ken St-Gelais, executive director, Granules LG
• The Latest Developments in New Brunswick and the Importance of Fuel Quality: Michael Albright, manager, Canadian Bioenergy Center/University of New-Brunswick
• The Perspective of a Pellet Stove Manufacturer: Marc-Antoine Cantin, president, SBI international
• Maine Energy Systems: A Success Story for Residential Wood Pellet Fueled Boilers and Bulk Pellet Delivery Systems: William Strauss, president, Future Metrics
• The Experience of a Pellet Stove Distributor: Sean Hunt, vice-president, Sales Forge Distribution Inc.
• Le Massif de Charlevoix: A Solution for Wood Energy in Mountain Housing: Vital Chamard, president, Distech
• A Case Study of Wood Pellet Heating in the Commercial Sector: Jérôme Simard, executive director, CFG Énergie
• La Cité Verte: The Use of Biomass In Urban Areas: Claude Routhier, president, PolyEnergie
• Wood Pellet Heating in the Agricultural Sector: Louis-Martin Dion, bioenergy expert, Jean Gobeil et associés
• Wood Pellet Evaporator and Maple Syrup Production: Vallier Chabot, president, CDL – Dallaire

Who should attend?

The conference and trade show is aimed at anyone looking for a way to put Canada’s heating mix on a more sustainable footing. This includes:

• Professionals of the wood pellet industry: pellets producers, distributors, manufacturers or distributors of stoves or pellet boilers, retailers, heating supplies installers, etc.
• HPAC professionals looking to diversify their offerings.
• Agricultural professionals, especially those looking for alternatives to oil, coal or propane.
• Developers
• Building professionals: architects, engineers, operators of heating systems, etc.
• Economic development officers
• Environmental organizations
• Professionals of the insurance business
• Remote communities
• Potential clients

To register

Conference fees are $200 (taxes not included) for all the activities of the conference and the trade show. An online registration form for the participant is available here.

Attendees are advised to make  hotel reservation as soon as possible, either online or by calling the Hilton Quebec City at 1-800-447-2411 or 418-646-6500 and mentioning Wood Pellet Conference to get access to the conference rate of $159 per night plus tax.