News

The UK’s first commercial waste-to-biocoal facility is in development, thanks to a collaboration between the University of Nottingham, smokeless coal manufacturer CPL and the Energy Research Accelerator (ERA). Capable of producing next-generation biocoal from high moisture biomass such as food waste, the £4 million facility will contribute towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It…
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The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy has outlined its plans for its renewable energy credit system following public consultation. Following unanticipated levels of participation, the department is limiting the amount of credits that co-firing and biomass plants are eligible to produce. The decision was made to reduce the possibility of increased rates for energy consumers…
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A new study from MIT adds to growing criticism of biomass ahead of RED II decision. The European Biomass Association (AEBIOM) and the US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) have both taken out editorial space to make their case for biomass before the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) is finalised. In a new study slated to be published in Environmental Research…
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PPC Renewables is looking for a strategic partner to participate in the construction of the largest biomass CHP plant in Greece, according to a statement on the company’s website. A wholly owned subsidiary of Public Power Corporation – the largest electricity and production and supply company in Greece, PPC Renewables is involved in a variety of renewable energy projects. The…
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A newly launched certification scheme could be a breath of fresh air for the UK’s anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas industries, according to Duncan McPherson, finance director at CooperOstlund. As 2017 drew to a close, the UK’s Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) launched a new AD certification scheme, the first of its kind in the UK, designed…
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The European Bioenergy Association (AEBIOM) has released an op-ed accusing NGO’s of derailing discussions about the EU’s renewable energy future with ‘radical statements’ and ‘non-peer-reviewed studies’. On 10 January, FERN, an NGO that monitors forests in Europe, released a report denouncing plans by EU leaders to include wood in their 2020-2030 Renewable…
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The cell improves on previous plant and algae-based devices, and its Cambridge creators hope that it will be substantially more cost-effective and practical to implement. The device works using biophotovoltaics (BPVs, also known as biological solar-cells): a method for converting energy from the sun into electricity. During photosynthesis algae produce electrons, which are then used to produce…
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The plastic pollution to electricity project and biomass generator start-up aims to provide solutions for domestic and commercial problems. The company invested €4.2 million into ETIA Group, which provides services for handling plastic pollution through energy production, and COGEBIO, a start-up focused on developing biomass generators. ETIA Group is partnered with the Race for Water…
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Two major associations for the biomass industry have responded to a study claiming the burning of biomass prematurely kills tens of thousands of people each year. The study was commissioned by FERN, an NGO created in 1995 “to keep track of the European Union’s involvement in forests and coordinate NGO activities at the European level”. The research itself was carried out by Dr.…
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Independent private equity investment management firm Foresight has boosted its waste processing portfolio to over 2 million tonnes per annum with the acquisition of two large scale anaerobic digestion (AD facilities) and seven composting assets. The fee for the transaction has not been disclosed. The two facilities are located across East Anglia and the Midlands in the UK. Between them, the two…
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The designer of ‘the world’s largest’ downdraft gasification plant has announced the issuing of approximately $21.4 million (€17.9 million) of new equity. In addition, Nashville, Tennessee based Aries Clean Energy has received additional commitments from Boston based private equity firm Spring Lane Capital of $25 million for equity in future gasification projects. According…
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In a paper by Texas A&M scientists, biochar shows potential for increasing efficiency of the anaerobic digestion of animal manure. Biochar is a charcoal material composed of agricultural by-products, including manure, crop residues and grasses. The substance can be used as a fertiliser and as a filter to remove contaminants from water and wastewater, including antibiotics, pesticides and…
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Alkol Biotech and Bio Refinery Development have signed a letter of intent (LOI) for the sourcing of up to 500 thousand tonnes of non-woody lignocellulosic biomass for what would be Europe’s ‘largest’ biorefinery. UK based Alkol Biotech adapts plant varieties to grow in colder and drier climates, have better resistance to pests and diseases, and higher productivities. Its first…
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Renewable energy sources are expected to account for more than 36 percent of the gross amount of electricity consumed in Germany in 2017, according to research The Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the German Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW) reported the numbers after an initial assessment. Biomass came in second, with close to…
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