New Zealand is facing a pivotal moment. Rising energy costs, tightening emissions requirements, and volatile global fuel markets are placing unprecedented pressure on the country’s industrial base. The Bioenergy Association says that “the recent announcement of the Wattie’s processing line closure and McCain’s in Hawke’s Bay is the clearest signal yet: without affordable, reliable, low-carbon heat, New Zealand risks losing the industries that underpin regional economies. Wood fuel—produced from domestic forestry residues and low value logs—offers a low-cost practical, scalable, and immediately available solution to halt this slide.”