Renewable Energy

For decades Weyerhaeuser has used greenhouse-gas-neutral biomass to provide a portion of the energy to run our manufacturing operations.

We believe that forests and related biomass can be a prime source of raw material for a variety of products that will benefit a carbon-constrained economy. We're continuing our strong tradition of ingenuity, research and sustainability by exploring ways that our assets can be used to generate renewable energy. We currently collaborate with several research universities, national laboratories and technology-based companies in research on conversion of forest products into ethanol and other biofuels.

Biofuels Joint Venture: Catchlight Energy

In February 2008, Chevron and Weyerhaeuser announced the creation of a 50-50 joint venture company with a vision to be the leader in delivering advanced biofuels from forest-based resources. The joint venture, Catchlight Energy LLC, will research and develop technology for converting cellulose-based biomass into economical, low-carbon biofuels.

Catchlight Energy unites Weyerhaeuser’s expertise in innovative land stewardship, resource management and capacity to deliver sustainable cellulose-based feedstocks at scale with Chevron’s technology capabilities in molecular conversion, product engineering, advanced fuel manufacturing and fuels distribution.

The partnership reflects the view that cellulosic biofuels will fill an important role in diversifying the nation's energy sources and addressing global climate change by providing a source of low-carbon transportation fuel. Many states nationwide are seeking opportunities to diversify fuel sources with secure, renewable, low-carbon and environmentally sustainable alternatives.

Sustainable Feedstocks

Catchlight is working on both short- and long-term solutions to grow and harvest forest-based material. Potential sources include existing forest residuals as well as intercropped plants such as switchgrass.

Testing is underway, across different growing regions and environments, for producing biomass from intercropped switchgrass and from other understory vegetation, along with existing forest residuals. For instance, a large pilot test of 2000 acres of switchgrass is underway on the company’s forestland in Mississippi.

As part of Catchlight’s commitment to sustainability research, large, landscape-level studies are underway with a variety of third-party collaborators including universities and government agencies. These studies are assessing the ecological effect of biomass crops on factors including carbon, species diversity, soil and water.

Biomass-to-Energy Venture with Mitsubishi

Weyerhaeuser signed a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding with Mitsubishi Corporation in February 2010 to explore the possibilities of collaborating in the biomass-to-energy business.

The companies are assessing the feasibility of jointly investing in and operating a commercial-scale bio-pellet production facility in the United States by 2011. Depending on the success of the joint feasibility study, more facilities could follow in addition to the initial production facility, in aspiration to become a world class bio-pellet producer. The bio-pellets will be produced using wood -based biomass, targeted from U.S.-sourced sustainably managed forest resources or by-products, and sold to utilities and industrial users for energy production.

The agreement signals the belief of both companies that there are existing and emerging opportunities in an expanding bio-energy market. The MOU brings together two industry leaders and leverages the strengths of both companies: Weyerhaeuser's capacity to produce renewable biomass at scale from its sustainably managed forests and Mitsubishi Corporation’s worldwide network and experience in the energy sector and bio-pellet manufacturing business. Mitsubishi Corporation currently operates two bio-pellet facilities in Japan and is also actively involved in the management of Vis Nova Trading GmbH, a major producer of bio-pellets in Germany.

Bio-pellets are a renewable and carbon-neutral fuel made from biomass, which can include by-products from forest management. The biomass is compressed and molded into small, cylindrical pellets. Co-firing bio-pellets with thermal coal has proved effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants.

Harnessing Wind Power on our Land

In the fall of 2009, Weyerhaeuser entered into a 40-year lease agreement with EverPower, a New York-based developer of utility wind projects. EverPower plans to build 44 electricity-generating wind turbines on one of the company's tree farms in Southwest Washington state.

Exploring Potential of Biorefineries

In October 2008, Weyerhaeuser and Lignol Energy Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding to explore opportunities for developing cellulose fiber and lignin-based products from Lignol’s biorefining process. A number of Weyerhaeuser biomass feedstocks will be tested at Lignol’s pilot-scale plant in Burnaby, B.C., to determine the feasibility of a commercial biorefinery at or near a Weyerhaeuser mill site.

"Lignol and Weyerhaeuser," says Ross MacLachlan, Lignol president and CEO, "share a vision of developing markets and manufacturing plants that utilize technology for converting abundant cellulose-based, nonfood biomass into economical and environmentally sustainable cellulose fiber and biochemicals."

Geothermal Exploration

Weyerhaeuser has agreed to allow AltaRock Energy to explore the potential for developing Engineered Geothermal System projects on 612,000 acres of company-owned geothermal rights in Washington, Oregon and California. AltaRock can convert up to 40 percent of this acreage to geothermal development leases within two years. Generating clean, renewable energy from geothermal sources is another way Weyerhaeuser is exploring the possibility of releasing additional potential from its land and related holdings.

Many areas of the American West have high heat flow in the earth’s crust that is close enough to the earth’s surface to tap with conventional drilling techniques. Once a promising area is found and drilled, AltaRock plans to cycle water through a closed loop system to create steam that’s used to generate electricity. The water is recycled to continually capture more heat and produce more electricity. Once developed, such systems can produce electricity for decades and provide power on a twenty-four hour basis.