Wood pellet plant breaks ground in Virginia

Enviva Pellets Southampton announced in November 2011 and located in Southampton County, Va., just outside the towns of Courtland and Franklin, will be Enviva’s fifth wholly owned and operated industrial wood pellet manufacturing facility. Pellets will be manufactured from 100 percent raw wood materials, to be procured locally using existing supply chains. The plant will have an annual production capacity of approximately 500,000 metric tonnes.

Pellets produced at this plant will be transported by truck to Enviva’s Port of Chesapeake in Chesapeake, Va., for export to European utilities.

The facility broke ground on July 25, 2012, with Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, along with Southampton County Supervisors Dallas Jones and Dr. Alan Edwards, welcoming Enviva’s newest facility.

Ultimately the facility will employ more than 70 full time positions, including operators, technicians and engineers. Additional employment will be created indirectly throughout the facility’s logging and forestry supply chain. During the construction phase, the site will employ approximately 300 construction workers and contractors. Enviva is looking forward to being part of the community and supporting local businesses and suppliers in the region.

"As power producers increasingly turn to sustainable, renewable processed biomass fuel to reduce their carbon footprint, Enviva will continue to look to great communities like Courtland to build the future in renewable energy manufacturing," said Enviva Chairman and CEO John Keppler. "Southampton County has all the elements essential to our success: a rich wood basket, a strong and seasoned timber industry, a skilled and experienced labor force and an advantaged location relative to our export terminal."