A proposal to turn abandoned agricultural land in Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia into a biomass production site has overcome initial environmentalist concerns. Energy crop project developer Pro Farm Energy and Minas Basin Pulp and Power want to grow elephant grass on the land and use it to produce electricity via a proposed $50 million (€39.7 million) plant... [Read More]

Finnish wood and pulp supplier Metsa Group (MG) is to consider increasing the use and production of renewable energy sources at its pulp mill in Kemi despite another project falling by the way side. A feasibility study and review of production technology will be undertaken by MG as it considers putting in a gasification plant for biofuel production in place of a current... [Read More]

US-based oil refiners Valero Energy (VE) and ethanol producers Nedak Ethanol (NE) have both temporarily closed their ethanol plants in Nebraska recently. VE spokesman Bill Day cited ‘poor profit margins’ returned by its facility, which produces up to 110 million gallons of biofuel annually, as the reason behind the suspension. There were no signs that VE’s... [Read More]

Rhyl Leisure Centre will be the home to a new biomass heating system after planning permission was granted by Denbighshire council’s planning committee. The system, to be installed by E.ON Energy Solutions, will provide heat and warmth to the centre and its swimming pool. The structure will be 10.1 metres in width and stretch up 3.5 metres. “The scheme is a... [Read More]

The Japanese ministry of industry gave the go-ahead for renewable energy feed-in tariffs to be introduced on 18 June. Effective from the start of July, and set to last at least 20 years, the new incentives will require Japanese utility companies to purchase electricity from renewable sources including biomass. The Japanese government sees this move as a positive move to... [Read More]

Leading renewable chemical producer Gevo has announced a collaboration with US-based ethanol producer BioFuel Energy to explore high-volume production of isobutanol. ‘The capacity of BioFuel's plants would allow us to begin delivering isobutanol at the scale that refinery customers are likely to demand,’ says Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo. ‘BioFuel Energy... [Read More]

New Jersey-based alternative fuel producer Primus Green Energy has started building its new $7 million (€5.6 million) demonstration plant. It is slated for completion in late 2012 and is designed to produce 33 litres of petrol per hour. The facility will serve as the proving ground for the company’s first commercial plant, which it hopes to break ground on next... [Read More]

Clean World Partners (CWP) and Atlas Disposal Industries, both of Sacramento, California, have just broken ground on a $13 million (€10.4 million) anaerobic digester and renewable natural gas fuelling station in south Sacramento. This is said to be the US’ largest commercial solid waste digester and phase one will be complete in the next few months. Atlas Disposal... [Read More]

Ethanol producer Poet is now producing corn oil, as well as ethanol at its refinery in Groton, South Dakota. ‘It is one more value-added product we can produce from a kernel of corn,’ says Kelly Kjelden, general manager. ‘Poet is always looking for the next step to add value, to be more efficient and to make the plant more viable and profitable. Being... [Read More]

Scottish minister for energy, enterprise and tourism, Fergus Ewing, is to launch a new bioenergy initiative for the Highlands and Islands today (22 June). Around 50 bioenergy experts will attend the inauguration of the Highlands and Islands Bioenergy Region Initiative, led by the University of the Highlands and Islands’ Energy Research Group, at the Culloden Battlefield... [Read More]

A German-owned biomass power plant in Tilbury, UK is starting to thrive again following a fire which occurred on-site in February. Electricity and gas producer RWE Group claims the plant is again providing electricity to the national grid as one of its three units has returned to normal service. It is hopeful the other two units will be back online in July. RWE claims... [Read More]

A biogas plant based at a bioethanol distillery in Hincesti, Moldova is on schedule to be launched at the end of July. The plant, designed by engineering company Zorg Biogas, is hoped to help the distillery cut down on its power related expenditure. Zorg also supplied all the plant’s necessary equipment and supervised its installation. The biogas will be generated... [Read More]

Australian-based algae-to-biofuels company Algae Tec has formally announced the opening date of its showcase facility in New South Wales, Australia. The ribbon on Shoalhaven One will be cut by Chris Hartcher, the New South Wales minister for Resources and Energy, on 2 August and will represent the start of algae oil production for biofuels under the supervision of newly... [Read More]

US-based drop-in petrol producer Primus Green Energy as almost completed construction on a new demonstration plant in New Jersey. PGE uses natural gas and biomass to produce its fuel and the final of four reactors will soon be in place to wrap up construction on the $12 million (€9.4 million) project. The demonstration plant will serve as a model for PGE’s first... [Read More]

A proposed biomass plant in Killarney, Republic of Ireland that would provide a district heating system has drawn ‘reservations’ from local residents. Killarney Renewables (KR) has lodged a planning application for the plant but home owners close to the chosen site, which is the centre of town, claim the development would be unsuitable for the predominantly... [Read More]

Hu Honua Bioenergy has signed an agreement with the Hawaii Electric Light Company to provide 21.5MW of power. The power will come from Hu Honua’s Big Island biomass plant and, pending approval from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, the agreement will last for 20 years. Big Island is located on the site of the former Pepeekeo sugar mill and a converted electric... [Read More]