The University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship’s Alex Fraser Research Forest (AFRF), in partnership with FPInnovations, has launched the Community Bioenergy Systems Training Program, a new training program designed to help remote and Indigenous communities transition from diesel-based energy to sustainable, wood-based biomass power.
AFRF and FPInnovations built a biomass Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in Williams Lake, BC, and is offering training using their system with support from Natural Resources Canada and the Province of British Columbia. The new program trains participants to operate this type of power plant, manage biomass supply chains for power and heat generation and develop other wood-based bioenergy systems, enabling them to return to their communities and play an active role in transforming local energy infrastructure.
“The Alex Fraser Research Forest has built its own small-scale wood biomass Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant over the past year and conducted its first field training with participants from across Canada.” says Rick Walters, interim manager at AFRF. “This training session gave us the opportunity to share everything we learned during and after the construction process, and we are very excited to have the opportunity to continue to share our experiences with new participants in future training sessions”
Hands-On Training Workshops
Registration is open for the upcoming workshops happening June 16–20, September 8–12, October 6–10, December 1–5, and January 26–30, 2026 at the AFRF in Williams Lake, BC. Participants will receive hands-on training using the on-site CHP plant, wood chippers, and other specialized equipment, gaining practical experience in bioenergy system operations.
Williams Lake’s forest industry currently focuses on producing commodity building products such as dimensional lumber and plywood, but is also well set up to utilize the by-products, like treetops and limbs. In more remote communities, where they are also processing high value lumber, they are often not able to fully utilize the by-products. The Community Bioenergy Systems Training Program also teaches participants how these low-value by-products can be used locally as biomass to generate heat and power for their communities, among other biomass options.
“FPInnovations is pleased to be at the heart of this collaborative project with First Nations, Natural Resources Canada, the Province of British Columbia and UBC,” says Stéphane Renou, president and CEO of FPInnovations. “Our expertise and knowledge are being passed on to interested communities to create energy independence and while creating a clean source of energy, economic development and local jobs. This project has been in the making for many years, and we are excited to see it become a reality.”
A Pathway to Energy Independence
The training program focuses on Indigenous and remote communities, especially those not connected to provincial or territorial energy grids. It offers practical knowledge in forestry processes, wood supply chains, and energy principles – skills essential to create energy independence while providing a clean source of energy, economic development, and local jobs.
How to Participate
The program is open to participants across Canada. Individuals from Indigenous and remote communities are especially encouraged to apply. Tuition fees are waived for participants from Indigenous communities, with accommodations and meals provided at no cost for four nights in Williams Lake, BC. Travel subsidies are also available, with amounts depending on registration and participant location, to help cover travel to and from the Alex Fraser Research Forest for in-person training. To register, visit the AFRF website or contact chp.academy@ubc.ca.
Testimonials
“Attending the Community Bioenergy System Training at the Alex Fraser Research Forest in Williams Lake, B.C., provided valuable insight into the practical applications of small-scale biomass energy systems. The Volter 40 CHP unit, with its 40 kW electrical and 100 kW heat output, showcased the efficiency of converting wood chips into clean energy through gasification. Training also covered forest inventory techniques, such as timber cruising and stand density measurement, which are essential for assessing biomass availability. Discussions around the economics and quality of biomass fuel and the importance of seamless interconnection with the electrical grid emphasized the operational challenges and opportunities in community-scale bioenergy.
This experience has directly supported my work in developing renewable energy projects. With the knowledge I gained, I am well-positioned to apply for a grant through NRCan’s Clean Fuels Fund Call. This application will set an example for the West Kootenay. A system that can provide both heat and electricity with forest biomass is consistent with Canada’s clean fuels goals and will demonstrate the scalability of biomass CHP systems for community and industrial users while supporting local circular economies.
I strongly encourage representatives from remote communities to attend this valuable training offered by UBC if they have the opportunity.” — Melmar, Training Participant (Castlegar, BC)
“Our education with UBC was fantastic. We learned so many new things about combined heat and power systems (CHP) and Forestry in a short time from educated teachers of UBC.
We are thrilled to begin business plans for entering into agreements with other First Nations to help grow the CHP systems.
Our sincere thanks to all of the educators at UBC Forest management.” — Todd and Dee (Windsor, ON)
About the Alex Fraser Research Forest
The Alex Fraser Research Forest, part of UBC’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, spans nearly 10,000 hectares of crown forest in British Columbia’s Cariboo region. The research forest provides opportunities for education, research, and demonstrations of sustainable forest management practices.
About FPInnovations
FPInnovations is a not-for-profit organization that specializes in creating solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector global competitiveness. We accelerate the growth of the forest sector and contribute to the diversification of its products and markets. The organization is ideally positioned to perform state-of-the-art applied research, develop advanced technologies, and deliver innovative solutions to complex problems for every area of the sector’s value chains. Its research and development laboratories are located in Québec City, Montréal, and Vancouver, and technology transfer centres are located across Canada.
