The Costa Rican government, with the support of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and other organisations, is seeking to formulate a National Biogas Strategy - utilising pineapple and coffee residues, to transform its energy matrix. The strategy would chart the way for the development, use and transportation of clean energy and fuels... [Read More]

A 7.5MW biomass plant in Iitate village, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, has completed construction and is set to begin commercial operations in mid-July, the operating company has announced. The biomass facility will process 95,000 tons per year of unused wood and wood bark sourced from various areas in Fukushima prefecture, including those affected by a nuclear disaster,... [Read More]

The European Commission (EC) has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €3 billion (SEK 36 billion) Swedish scheme to support carbon capture and storage (CCS) aimed at reducing carbon dioxide released during the combustion or processing of biomass (biogenic CO2). The measure will contribute to the achievement of Sweden's climate targets and the EU's strategic objectives... [Read More]

Suzuki Motor Corporation's Indian subsidiary, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL), has installed a pilot plant for biogas generation & purification at its Manesar Plant in Haryana, India. The plant started operations in June this year. This facility is a functioning pilot plant, generating biogas from Napier grass, a perennial grass of the Poaceae family, cultivated... [Read More]

In a push to ‘waste to wealth’ drive of the government, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) in India has planned to produce biomass briquettes by processing the green waste generated in the capital city separately. The civic body also plans to set up a processing unit for flower waste generated in temples to be used in marketable products. The proposals have... [Read More]

CM Biomass has released its results for 2023/24, which, with an EBT of €41 million, represent its best results yet. Having for the past two years added production to CM Biomass’ portfolio of trading and expanded on logistics and sourcing solutions, CM Biomass said it has shown the strength of combining production and trading as a flexible provider. The past financial... [Read More]

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has agreed to divest its UK biomass facility Kent Renewable Energy Plant to Greenvolt, a Portugal-based company. The deal was made via CIP's Flagship Fund Copenhagen Infrastructure II K/S (CI II), and Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC). The transaction is expected to close by October 2024. CI II, BWSC and original... [Read More]

Clean energy developer New Energy Blue and construction firm ARCO/Murray have announced a partnership to build out the New Energy Biomass Refinery-designed platform across the US Midwest. ARCO/Murray will construct the flagship New Energy Freedom biomass refinery in Mason City, Iowa, to process corn stalks into second-generation fuel ethanol and clean lignin at large... [Read More]

Germany's Federal Network Agency had allocated 240 MW of biomass plant projects out to tender in its latest round, which was 'significantly oversubscribed', leading to a decrease in average prices. The regulatory authority received 788 bids with a total volume of 742 MW. The awarded projects came to 263, with 257 of these relating to operational plants. The values of... [Read More]

The Butte County Fire Safe Council and Ecostrat have announced the issue of an investment grade BDO Zone ‘BBB’ Rating for Woody Biomass. The Butte County BDO Zone is the first ‘BBB’ rating in the State of California and extends a 75-mile drive distance from the centre point in Oroville, CA. Butte County’s BDO Zone ‘BBB’ rating denotes good prospective viability... [Read More]

Bioenergy Europe has released its Statistical Report on Pellets and its Policy Brief. The report analyses the development of the world’s pellet market over the past year with a deep dive into the European market. “Despite significant progress, our industry's growth is being stunted by the EU's continued dependence on fossil fuels. It's imperative that we accelerate... [Read More]

Toyota Tsusho Corporation has announced that Kumamoto Forest Generation, LLC completed construction on the Yatsushiro Biomass Power Plant in Japan, and began commercial operations yesterday (16 June). Kumamoto Forest Generation is a joint-owned company by Toyota Tsusho Group subsidiary Ene-Vision Co., Ltd., Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., and Toho Gas Co., Ltd. The plant... [Read More]

Former Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) member, Sir Christopher Chope, learnt about the important contribution that waste wood biomass makes to UK energy security and the economy during a visit to Eco Sustainable Solutions in Christchurch, Dorset, earlier this month (June). Sir Christopher – the current Conservative candidate for Christchurch who was Christchurch’s... [Read More]

Over 97% of UK waste wood was sent for processing in 2023, the highest level to date, according to the latest annual statistics published by the Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA). The data indicates that while total UK waste wood arisings remained constant last year at approximately 4.5 million tonnes, the amount processed edged upwards from 4.312 million tonnes in... [Read More]

RWE has applied for permission to build a support system next to its 55MW biomass plant on the outskirts of Markinch in Fife, Scotland. The gas-fired system would consolidate the plant's robustness should there be a power disruption; and would provide power through the National Grid. If approved, the system will involve two gas engines in a single powerhouse, and a new... [Read More]

Authorities were called to extinguish a third-alarm fire at the Springfield biomass plant in New Hampshire, US, on Friday 7 June. New London fire responded to a first-alarm fire at the facility on Fisher Corner Road at around 10.30pm. After a conveyor belt became fully involved and a portion of the structure collapsed, the fire escalated to a third-alarm. Over a dozen... [Read More]