Biomass News

UK Miscanthus specialists Terravesta have been boosted with a private investment of £2 million. Nat le Roux, former chief executive of IG Group and current Scotgold chairman, has bought a personal stake in the renewable biomass business. “We’re responding to the devastating effects of climate change by moving away from fossil-based hydrocarbon products, and replacing them with…
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Multinational commercial catering and food service company, Elior has announced in a press release that its partnership with sustainable biofuel producer Bio-bean has saved 36 tonnes of coffee waste from going to landfill. The partnership began in 2016, when waste coffee grounds started to be collected from various Elior sites across the UK. Once collected, the waste coffee is turned into Coffee…
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A pilot study from the Ben-Gurion University (BGU) demonstrated that raw human excrement could ‘potentially’ be converted to a reusable fuel and a nutrient rich fertiliser, according to a press release. The study, described by BGU as ‘groundbreaking’, was published in the Journal of Cleaner Production. It details how scientists from BGU’s Zuckerberg Institute for…
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ReEnergy has closed down its biomass-fuelled 37 megawatt electricity plant in Fort Fairfield, Maine, local media are reporting. Opened over 30 years ago and situated close to the Canadian border, the facility employs 21 people. Its feedstock is, according to ReEnergy’s website, sustainably harvested forest residue material and mill residue. This biomass is used to produce approximately…
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Finnish energy technology developer Valmet announced that it will be supplying a biomass-fired boiler plant to fellow Finland-based electricity and heating company Elenia Lämpö Oy for its power plant in Hämeenlinna, Finland. According to Valmet, the investment will allow Elenia Lämpö to raise the share of used renewable fuels in the city’s district heat production…
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The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has published two new reports on land use and biomass and the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) has responded. ADBA’s chief executive Charlotte Morton said that the association “welcomes these two important reports from the CCC.” The first report, Land use: Reducing emissions and preparing for climate change,…
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New research from energy company Drax Power revealed that total capacity available from UK renewables has overtaken fossil fuels for the first time, which includes biomass’ contribution of 3.2GW. The promising results are according to Drax’s Electric Insight Report, which was produced independently by researchers from Imperial College London. The report also looks at why power prices…
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US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acting administrator Andrew Wheeler sent a letter to the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations, detailing the steps taken to ensure consistent federal policy on forest biomass energy and promote clear policies that encourage the treatment of forest biomass as a carbon-neutral renewable energy solution. The letter was written alongside US Department…
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The Energy Institute (ETI) has released a report reviewing its 10 year bioenergy programme in which they recommend an increase in biomass production as well as the creation of the correct environment to advance bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. The ETI feel that both recommendations are core components in the push towards a low and net zero carbon UK. In the report, the ETI published…
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By 2022 there is to be a 15 MWth biomass fired combined heat and power plant (CHP) constructed in Duiven, the Netherlands. The plant is being built by bioenergy installations company HoSt, on behalf of Dutch energy company Sparkling Biomass B.V. The ‘new generation’ installation will be able to combust wood as well as other future biomass and residues. All heat, electricity and steam…
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Reuters has reported that Swedish power company Vattenfall is considering converting to gas or biomass to fuel its German power stations. Currently fuelled by coal, the company is thinking about switching to more renewable fuels as other utility companies in the country are preparing for a government deadline that will phase out coal altogether.      According to Reuters,…
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According to The Economic Times, India’s largest power producer NTPC is to start biomass co-firing across all of its coal-based thermal power stations. The Economic Times has reported that sources have said that NTPC will start procuring biomass pellets as well as torrefied biomass pellets and briquettes for the co-firing of its coal fired plants. In an attempt to reduce greenhouse gases…
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The UK government has launched a consultation on the restriction of new biomass installations in urban areas under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Introduced in November 2011, the RHI is a scheme put in place to incentivise and encourage the generation of heat from renewable energy sources by subsidising non-domestic users for every kilowatt an hour of renewable energy that they use. In an…
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The UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has appointed Triple Point, an FCA regulated investment management firm, as delivery partner for its £320 million heat network investment project. BEIS’ aim is to create a self-sustaining heat network market to increase volume, improve quality and draw £1 billion of additional investment to meet…
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