The European Environment Agency (EEA) has released a new report that looks at how biomass can help the European Union (EU) achieve its climate and environmental goals, and how climate change might affect the EU's biomass production in agriculture and forest sectors. The report, entitled The European Biomass Puzzle - Challenges, opportunities and trade-offs around biomass... [Read More]

The Municipal District (MD) of Greenview, the County of Grande Prairie, and Ecostrat have announced the issue of a new Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone rating for woody biomass in Alberta, Canada. The prestigious ‘A’ rating denotes ‘high quality’ feedstock supply chains and infrastructure, based on robust forestry and wood industry sectors, and local... [Read More]

Suzano, the world's largest producer of market pulp, has announced it will invest R$650 million (€66.4 million) in the construction of a tissue paper mill in Espírito Santo, where it will also invest R$520 million (€98.7 million) to replace a biomass boiler. The company will also invest R$490 million (€93 million) to expand the supply of fluff pulp in São Paulo. The... [Read More]

Bioenergy Europe has released its 2023 Statistical Report Pellets and its Policy Brief. The report analyses the state of play of the pellet sector. The geopolitical crisis and the EU sanctions against Russia made 2022 an exceptional year for the pellet market, according to the trade association. Fluctuations in pellet prices significantly grew due to flow disruptions... [Read More]

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has signed a grant agreement with Ecostar Energy Côte d’Ivoire for technical assistance to support the development of an estimated 25-megawatt cotton stalk biomass power plant in the Boundiali region of Côte d’Ivoire. Ecostar selected Washington, D.C.-based Delphos International Ltd. to carry out the assistance. Upon... [Read More]

The Shadow Minister for Energy Security, Dr Alan Whitehead, learnt about the important role that waste wood plays in delivering renewable biomass power during a meeting organised by the Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA). Dr Whitehead, who is also Labour MP for Southampton Test, was shown around the waste wood operation at Eco Sustainable Solutions’ Eco Park in Dorset... [Read More]

Honeywell and GranBio Technologies will combine Honeywell’s ethanol to jet (ETJ) technology with GranBio’s cellulosic ethanol AVAP® technology to produce carbon neutral sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biomass residues at GranBio’s forthcoming US demonstration plant. GranBio’s patented AVAP process converts biomass, including forest and agricultural residues,... [Read More]

Göteborg Energi has decided to build a new biomass-fired steam boiler that will be integrated with the Rya heat and power plant in Sweden, with an investment of SEK 2.53 billion (€217.7 million). The new biofuel-fired steam boiler will be integrated with Göteborg Energi's existing Rya heat and power plant. The boiler is expected to contribute 156 megawatts of heat... [Read More]

Japanese company RENOVA has announced delays to the start of operation of two of its biomass plants - the Tokushima-Tsuda biomass power plant and the Ishinomaki Hibarino biomass power plant. The two plants were due to begin operation in September 2023. However, further time was required for the final adjustments of boiler and turbine facilities to ensure long-term and... [Read More]

Fortum's new biomass-fuelled combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Jelgava, Latvia, was inaugurated on 11 September by Latvia's president Andris Bērziņš and the president of Finland Sauli Niinistö. The new plant will provide district heating to the residents and businesses in Jelgava as well as electricity to the electricity market. The new plant covers approximately... [Read More]

The ATIP Foundation, Ecostrat, Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission and the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority have announced the issue of a new Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone rating for woody biomass. Funded by the US Department of Agriculture through a Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG), the “Advancing the Bioeconomy in... [Read More]

French president Emmanuel Macron has said the country will convert its two coal-fired power plants, with combined capacity of 1.8GW, to biomass by 2027. In a televised interview on 24 September, Macron discussed plans to meet France's climate targets within the next seven years. France aims to reduce its emissions by 55% by 2030, against a 1990 baseline, in line with... [Read More]

As part of its ambition to phase out coal, in 2020 the major European sugar manufacturer Pfeifer & Langen decided to decarbonise its sugar factory in Könnern in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. After an initial meeting with AET, Pfeifer & Langen decided to carry out a combustion test and a load test to determine how to best convert the power source of its boilers from... [Read More]

Ence Group has formed a new subsidiary, Magnon Servicios Energéticas, which is designed to contribute to the decarbonisation of Spanish industry via the sale of renewable industrial heat. This subsidiary designs, develops and executes solutions for the decarbonisation of its clients’ energy consumption, supported by the experience of the Ence Group, and its renewable... [Read More]

Finnish forestry firm Metsä Group aims to start up its Kemi mills tomorrow (20 September). As of 10 September, the Kemi mills underwent a maintenance and connection shutdown to prepare for the deployment of the largest ever investment of the forest industry in Finland - the new bioproduct mill and paperboard mill expansion in Kemi. The company warned that odours may... [Read More]

The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) has launched a project that aims to improve the preconditions for sustainable use of biomass for power generation in Vietnam. The project will focus on strengthening the country’s planning, technical and financial capabilities. Vietnam has strong potential for bioenergy as the available biomass resources in the... [Read More]