GoodChips expands certification to global market with Azwood Energy

A leading energy supplier within New Zealand is enabling GoodChips® to grow its international base.

Securing the New Zealand based company, Azwood Energy, reinforces the certification scheme’s mission to ensure quality materials are seen throughout the entirety of the supply chain; both at a local and international level.

With the company moving around 1,000,000 cubic metres of raw and processed material each year, it aids towards the country’s aim of lowering its carbon footprint; supplying cost-comparative carbon neutral wood fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels.

Now, as Azwood Energy takes further steps to ensure only the best in bioenergy is supplied, being a GoodChips® certified company guarantees the quality of its wood chip and biomass fuel throughout its vast supply chain across New Zealand.

"Azwood Energy has led the New Zealand biomass industry for almost 20 years. The unique methodology that sets us apart has now been bolstered by a quality third-party certified accreditation. This gives our clients an assurance of quality and accountability that will continue to drive the market forward for the next two decades."

As wood fuel has the potential to be one of the cleanest means of energy production throughout the New Zealand, the marketplace of bioenergy is, like much of the world, an increasingly competitive one.

As the sector grows having the edge of the GoodChips® quality seal, not only ensures a fair, transparent, and structured market for wood chips and hog fuel but also enables Azwood Energy, to stand out amongst its competitors as focused on quality and accountability.

As the scheme remains the only international certification scheme for wood chips and hog fuel, it is leading the way in identifying and securing a niche in this ever-expanding marketplace.

GoodChips® Certification requires a wood chip production facility to develop a complete quality management system to include raw material sourcing, management of their operating processes, and use of an on-site laboratory to confirm product quality as it is made. Additionally, an annual audit includes collecting samples of their certified products to verify independently that all products are on-grade, confirmation that testing procedures are accurate, and their overall quality management system is effective at delivering on-spec product.

These quality systems and processes are third-party verified and audited by international biomass experts. Chris Wiberg, of Timber Products Inspection and Biomass Energy Lab located in the United States was on site at Azwood to complete the certification inspection.

"With specific reference to wood chips, Azwood is one of the pioneers of the GoodChips® certification project," said Wiberg.

"As this is a relatively new certification there are very few GoodChips® certified companies globally, so the fact that Azwood has stepped up to be one of the early adopters shows a dedication and commitment to the industry not seen in their competitors."