News

Using biomass to generate low-carbon  electricity is a flawed policy that is speeding up and not slowing down climate warming, according to a new study from Chatham House. The report is entitled ‘Woody biomass for power and heat impacts on the global climate’. The study maintains that wood is not carbon neutral and emissions from pellets are higher than coal. Subsidies for…
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The Renewable Energy Association (REA), the UK’s largest trade association for renewable heat, power and transport, has slammed the Chatham House report on wood-based biomass and labelled it “misleading”. Yesterday (23 February), a report published by Chatham House, a London-based policy institute,  stated that using wood pellets to generate low-carbon electricity is a…
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Shares in UK-based construction firm Interserve have fallen by a third after the board announced that the costs of quitting the energy-from-waste (EfW) business are more than double those originally expected. The construction firm announced in August that it was leaving the EfW field after issues arose with its six contracts in the sector, noting that the ‘unique challenges’ of the…
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The UK should vary the pace at which it reduces carbon emissions by 2050 in order to prioritise energy policies that “keep the lights on”, according to a House or Lords committee. The Economic Affairs Committee examined the impact of the policies of successive governments on the electricity market.  In its report, "The Price of Power: Reforming the Electricity Market", published…
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Canada-based firm Airex Energy officially inaugurated its biomass torrefaction plant, located in the La Prade industrial park in Bécancour, Quebec. The industrial-size demonstration plant, which required around CAN $10 million (€14m) in public and private investments for its design, construction, and start-up, showcases the latest trademarked biomass torrefaction technology, CarbonFX.…
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CNG Fuels, a UK-based supplier of renewable biomethane fuel, and Waitrose, today announced that the supermarket group has introduced Europe’s most advanced fleet of CNG (compressed natural gas)-powered trucks with a range of up to 500 miles. They will use technology developed jointly with Scania and Agility Fuel Solutions, the leading CNG fuel systems and cylinders company in North…
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California-based construction company Swinerton Builders has announced that it has broken ground on the largest utility-scale biogas facility in the US, a plant that transforms animal and food waste into clean energy. Swinerton's newly formed waste-to-energy group has partnered with Carbon Cycle Energy (C2e) to build this plant, which is the first construction assignment of this type…
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David Newman, president of the World Biogas Association (WBA), gives his views on the year ahead. Whilst biogas is already a renewable industry player in developed nations, such as the UK, its potential in less developed countries has still to be realised. Indeed, the recognition of what the anaerobic digestion and biogas industry can contribute globally is really low. Hence, the establishment of…
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Sequential cropping can be a promising model to produce additional biomass without negative impacts on land use change or food production, a new study has found. In a research study for the Italian Biogas Consortium (CIB), climate and energy consultancy Ecofys found that agricultural crop yields can increase dramatically in a sustainable manner if sequential cropping is introduced. In Europe,…
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The Canada-based Alberta government has announced that it has launched a CAN$60m (€42m) grant pot to help bioenergy producers in the province. On the government’s website, it announced that its ‘Bioenergy Producer Program’ would help 500 direct jobs and is part of a larger effort to help companies succeed in Alberta’s low-carbon future. Alberta’s bioenergy…
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The president of the European Biomass Association (AEBIOM) has criticised the latest film released by Brussels-based NGOs BirdLife Europe and Transport & Environment - The Burning Issue: – When bioenergy goes bad. In a statement, AEBIOM president Didzis Palejs, said: “The release was supported by a significant marketing effort, including trailers that featured an arsenal of…
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Last year saw major developments for the bioenergy sector. The sector employed more than three million globally and is set to grow further this year. The Paris Agreement will be the major driver for all renewable energy sectors including bioenergy. What better time than now to announce our new conference, in light of these key events. The Bioenergy Insight Conference & Expo 2017, is not just…
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Finnish technology energy supplier Valmet has unveiled a new online analyser for wood chip and bark moisture measurement. According to the company, the Valmet Chip 'n' Bark Moisture Analyzer (Valmet CBA) offers pulp mills a new tool to advance productivity and efficiency. In a statement, the company said it continuously measures wood chip moisture to provide the means to accurately control…
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Coffee chain Caffè Nero has unveiled plans to recycle coffee grounds from 122 of its London stores to make coffee logs, which can be used in boilers and woodburners. The scheme, which was formally announced late last week but which has been running since July 2016, sees recycling specialists First Mile pick up coffee waste from Caffè Nero stores and take it directly to coffee…
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