Why An All-Electric Forestry Supply Chain Matters for Mass Timber's Carbon Balance Cross laminated timber already stores more carbon than it emits. Each cubic metre locks away close to a ton of CO2,… | Michael Barnard

Why An All-Electric Forestry Supply Chain Matters for Mass Timber's Carbon Balance Cross laminated timber already stores more carbon than it emits. Each cubic metre locks away close to a ton of CO2, while supply chain emissions are only about 120 kilograms. That makes it net negative cradle to gate, with some provisos explored in a later piece in the series. But diesel burned in harvesters and trucks, natural gas in kilns, and fossil adhesives still eat into the balance. CleanTechnica article, one of a series on mass timber: https://lnkd.in/eTKdBNPy The good news is that these emissions can be driven down with technology we already have. Biomass boilers can replace natural gas kilns using sawdust and bark residues, where they haven't already. Battery electric logging trucks have already been trialed in BC and can scale with the right infrastructure. Lignin-based adhesives are moving from pilots to production. Factories can run fully on renewable electricity, with on-site solar and cogeneration closing the loop. Canada is in a strong position to lead. The forestry sector operates well below sustainable harvest levels, and a large share of the cut still goes to low-value paper products or raw log exports. Redirecting more of that resource to mass timber is an obvious move. It creates jobs, adds value, and delivers carbon-negative building materials. Policy is the lever. Carbon pricing, procurement standards, and climate funds can accelerate investment in clean forestry chains. Indigenous partnerships and climate-smart management can ensure higher yields without sacrificing ecosystem health. The result is not just lower emissions but a more resilient forestry sector in the face of pests, wildfire, and shifting growth zones. Mass timber is already carbon negative. With electrified harvesting, hauling, drying, and fossil-free adhesives, it becomes a core material of 21st century construction: scalable, sustainable, and a foundation for housing, economy, and climate alignment.