A Vision for Thriving: How NZ Bio Forestry is unlocking the vast renewable potential of forestry

In 2017, NZ Bio Forestry was formed when a group of partners from New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan joined together with a mission to create a “sustainable and renewable bioeconomy that provides scalable alternatives to fossil fuels and petrochemical products.”

The New Zealand team, in partnership with Māori, had a vision of business anchored on “mauri,” i.e. the living essence and life-science of the forest – which turned their attention to the huge plantations of Pinus Radiata grown throughout the country.

And they asked the question: How can the harmful biomass (up to 45%) left behind by these trees be turned into a transformational opportunity?

It’s a question they believe they have the answer to – with the science and research to back it up.

Over the past few years, the team have developed a business model to have an on-site bioenergy, biomaterial, and biochemical refining business that focuses on turning wood mass into an energy replacement for fossil fuels.

During the same period (2022), AGMARDT supported the work of the NZ Product Accelerator to quantify the economic and environmental opportunity for New Zealand Bio-Forest products.

The report was released in 2023 and showed that these products have the potential to create a new manufacturing and processing industry, almost the same size as the dairy industry.

NZ Bio Forestry was part of an industry-led working group and identified an opportunity to take the next step through an R&D project focused on creating black wood bio-pellets. The project is an extension on their biochemical steam explosion model, which won a Top 100 Global Award in 2023.

With the help of AGMARDT, the team are creating patented technology that will combine steam explosion and hydraulic pressure in one chamber, resulting in the high calorific black wood bio-pellets that can replace coal.

The process reduces the energy to create a high-value energy source and is currently being tested and refined at institutions in Taiwan with energy groups and heavy engineer manufacturers.

 “The people behind NZ Bio Forestry have the passion and thinking to really make a go of things and we are happy to support one small step in their innovation journey,” says AGMARDT GM Lee-Ann Marsh.

“The AGMARDT grant has essentially supported our design to make a product from wood residual and forestry slash, which at best costs producers to get rid of and at worst is left behind and damages the environment. And we’re converting it to a high calorific value bio-pellet for global energy generators and data centres to use.

We’re able to produce these pellets using the residuals from our two other manufacturing processes: biochemicals and ply manufacturing. So, the bio-pellets are better for the environment and can earn between US$250-US$300+/tonne,” explains NZ Bio Forestry’s CEO, Wayne Mulligan.

And, in fact, this project is part of a bigger vision: As the technology is developed, the team will create bio-energy products and liquid biofuels, with the end goal of producing everything at purpose-built facilities in New Zealand and Asia-Pacific. They plan to open their first site in 2025.

“Ultimately, our vision is about ushering in a new economic and environmental approach: Economics which is bold and draws upon the rich history, heritage, and cultures across Asia-Pacific. Environmental in that we’re working with indigenous knowledge to build better solutions that enhance environment replenishment,” says Wayne.

“It’s a vision that should lift everyone – building prosperity and social growth from the land to benefit regional, rural, and island communities across Asia-Pacific.”