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Woodchip Data Sheet: Rubber Wood Chips From Liberia

Buchanan Renewables (BR) produces a high quality woodchips

with a commercially deliverable moisture content rangebetween 25 and 45%, depending on the time of year. The

optimal productive dry season starts in September which is

ideal for winter fuel deliveries into Europe, and as the season

progresses the moisture content of the wood drops going into

the rainy season which starts in June. The raw material for the

woodchips is from rubber trees that are no longer producing

latex at viable rates. They are classified as agricultural waste

products cleared as part of the normal crop rotation cycle ofrubber farms. BR ensures that at least one new tree is planted

for every unproductive rubber tree removed. As a result, BR Fuel provides a renewable source of

biomass fiber that is considered to be carbon neutral and contributes to the rejuvenation of the

rubber industry in Liberia.

Target Markets and Applications

The energy content from rubberwood chips yields higher net energy values relative to other

forestry and agro waste products, which have higher moisture contents. Our first customers were

in the energy market and they found our product to be highly beneficial as a combustion

stabilizer, when burned with the wet, non homogeneous wood fibre they typically fire. We have

had discussions with the manufacturers of MDF and particleboard machinery that have ample

experience with the Hevea brasiliensis fiber in South East Asia and suggest that our product

would be useful as a raw material for European wood product manufacturers. We are also

discussing applications with wood pellet manufacturers. In fact we have completed a 5 year

supply agreement with a pellet manufacturer.

Our Base Port and Stowage

Our primary export port is the Port of

Buchanan in Liberia. It has a 10 meterdraft. The woodchip stows well at 130

cubic feet per BDMT and our current rate

is 6000 GMT per day.

Corporate Social Responsibility

The spin-off social and economic benefitsof BRs activities in Liberia are profound.

Harvesting activities forms a natural part

of plantation management. In the case ofLiberia, where past years of war have left

plantations in ruin, this normal crop

rotation has to be accelerated to ensure the health of the rubber industry in the country. BR

works on rubber farms owned by large companies, as well as on smallholder farms. Many of the

smallholder farmers lack resources to rejuvenate their unproductive plantations. On theseplantations BR, through its Farmbuilders initiative, goes as far as helping the farmer to replant

his/her farm, using trees from our professionally run nursery.

Liberia is in its 8th year of peace and stability and BRs activities are helping ensure a peaceful

future by creating jobs, contributing to the redevelopment of the rubber industry, supporting local

businesses, and generating revenue for the Government of Liberia.

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Environmental Benefits:

A large European Utility conducted a study on the carbon footprint of Liberian woodchips and

concluded that including all emissions along the product life cycle, the woodchips from Liberia

produce less emissions arising from the pure combustion of lignite, anthracite, oil and naturalgas.

Certification and Verification:

BR is committed to sourcing its rubber wood responsibly and operates in compliance with its CSRPolicy. BR is also seeking certification of its chain of custody and investigating upcoming biomass-

specific certification systems that apply more directly to its business. Currently, SGS Liberia

verifies all of BRs woodchip exports on behalf of Liberias Forestry Development Authority and

provides BR with a Certificate of Origin as part of the National Chain of Custody System.

Import Compliance:

The product has been imported into Italy, Sweden,

Poland and Germany so far and passed allrequirements. It is clean to the touch and free from

dust, bark and extraneous contamination. The

chipping process efficiently removes all bark, leavesand dust in a single pass operation.

The sizing illustrated is typical but the chip can bemade larger or smaller by adjustment of the chipper

head to meet individual requirements.

Biomass Specification: Revised 2010-02-28

Biomass Name Woodchips from Rubber Wood Trees

Biomass Origin Liberia, West Africa

According to Standard UNI CEN/TS 14961

Parameters Standard Code Specification Unit

Net Calorific Value (wet basis)Net calorific value (qp,net,d)

UNI CEN/TS14918

Expected 3,3 MWh/ton

Ash Content (dry basis)

Ash content (A)

UNI CEN/TS

14775

A2,5 Max 2,5 wt%

Moisture (wet basis)

Total moisture as received

(Mar)

UNI CEN/TS

14774

M48 Max 48 wt%

Moisture (wet basis) Annual

average

Total moisture as received

UNI CEN/TS

14774

M30 Max 30 wt%

Fraction of fragment,

Particle size distribution (P)

UNI CEN/TS

15149-1 and -2

P45 3,15mm

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Chemical Analysis

(dry basis)

Standard Code Specification Unit

Nitrogen (N) content UNI CEN/TS 15104 N0,3 Max 0.3 wt%

Chlorine (Cl) content UNI CEN/TS 15289 Cl0,03 Max 0.03 wt%

Sulphur (S) content UNI CEN/TS 15289 S0,05 Max 0.05 wt%

Alkali (Na + K) content UNI CEN/TS 15290 Max 0.5 wt%

Port Information

Port of Buchanan, Liberia

Depth 10 meter draft

Stowage Factor Approximately 130 per BDMT

Current Load Rate 6,000 GMT per day

Load Rate Q2 10 9,000 GMT per day

Phytosanitary PHOSTOXIN 56% at rate of 1 tablet per 10 GMT

Shipping Agent OBT Peter Burgel Nielsen, +231 77 590 911 pbn@obts.dk

Contact Information

Don Durand

don.durand@buchananrenewables.comTel +41 79 814 5332 (Geneva)

Tel +231 643 9851 (Liberia Mob)