Nestled at the base of New Zealand’s Mt Putauaki, Sequal Lumber harnesses clean and renewable geothermal energy from below the ground to dry its lumber.
New Zealand has a long history in using geothermal energy. For hundreds of years Māori have used geothermal resources directly for cooking, washing, bathing and warmth and New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world to develop large-scale geothermal electricity generation in the 1950s. Geothermal energy is currently our second-most used fuel for renewable electricity generation, after hydro, supplying over 14% of our electricity in 2012.
So when it came time for Sequal to install its own kiln drying capacity in 2014 it just made sense to use geothermal steam. After all, Sequal Lumber sits atop one of the best geothermal fields in the world.
Geothermal kilns make Sequal Lumber just that more unique in the market. There is a limited number of custom cutting mills across the globe, even fewer cutting FSC radiata pine, and possibly only Sequal Lumber that is also using a truly renewable energy source to heat its kilns.
You are invited to visit this beautiful country yourself and see with your own eyes what is possibly the most sustainable and economic lumber solution in the world.