News

Kerala state agriculture minister K P Mohanan says his department wants to green light the installation of biogas plants in government and aided schools across the state. The waste generated at the schools will be treated for biogas production and used back on-site to help power canteens. There will be separate schemes for primary, UP and high schools. Primary schools will have a scheme of Rs…
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The Helius Corde biomass energy plant and animal feed processing unit in Rothes, Scotland has opened. The plant was officially opened on 17 April by HRH the Duke of Rothesay and it will use by-products from nearby malt whisky distilleries to produce renewable energy and a animal feed protein supplement. The plant, owned and operated by the joint venture of Helius Energy (HE), Rabo Project Equity…
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European ethanol association ePure has responded to the draft report by European parliament member Corinne Lepage which focused on the European Commission’s (EC) proposal for a directive amending the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) and the directive of the use of energy from renewable sources (RED). ‘We see some constructive suggestions in Lepage's draft report but also some ideas that…
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Second generation feedstock business NexSteppe has launched its new sorghum hybrid products in the US and Brazil. The company hopes its sweet sorghum and high biomass hybrids will offer alternative solutions to advanced and cellulosic biofuels, biopower and biobased product producers. ‘Through a combination of directed conventional breeding, marker-assisted breeding and analytical…
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Norwegian finance minister Sigbjørn Johnsen officially inaugurated a biorefinery demonstration plant at Borregaard’s production facility in Sarpsborg this April.The demo plant started preliminary operations last summer, followed by normal operations in the first quarter of 2013. The plant uses proprietary Borregaard technology and aims to produce cost-effective and sustainable lignin…
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The first commercial biogas plant in South Africa is nearing construction in Bronkhorstspruit. Project development company Bio2Watt will build, own and operate the 3MW capacity facility, which it aims to have online by the end of spring 2014 latest. The Bronkhorstspruit location allegedly provides the project with proximity to key fuel supplies, grid access and sufficient water supplied by one of…
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Bioenergy plant operator Katrinefors Kraftvärme (KK) is set to build a new CHP plant in Sweden with local municipal energy company VänerEnergi. This will be the second plant involving KK, a 50/50 joint venture owned by Metsä Tissue (MT), and it will be based in Mariestad near a MT mill. Construction is slated to start this April and be operational by the end of 2014. MT will supply…
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The Colorado Economic Development Commission has dangled a multi-million dollar carrot in front of biomass company Cool Planet Energy Systems (CP) to try and entice it to the state. CP, a California-based start-up, claims to have a petrol generating process via biomass and plant waste that does not need to rely on federal subsidies. The CEDC hopes $3 million (€2.3 million) in tax credits…
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A UK charity, the Gorning Heath Almshouses, has used a National Lottery grant to purchase a biomass boiler to help heat its buildings. The £50,000 (€58,600) windfall was put towards a £155,000 system that will burn wood pellets on behalf of the charity to heat low-cost housing for 17 pensioners. The almshouses, which are nearly 300 years old and Grade One listed, were…
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The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) has changed its name following a recent meeting of its delegates. The organisation is now known as Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials to reflect its expansion of scope to apply its standards to biomass that is being used for other products in addition to biofuels. ‘There is a large range of biomaterials including bio-plastics, cosmetics, food…
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The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has announced a shortlist of companies vying for £2.8 million (€3.3 million) in funding to build an energy-from-waste gasification demonstrator plant. ETI launched the competition in 2012 to find a company to design ‘the most economically and commercially viable, efficient energy from waste gasification demonstrator plant possible’.…
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A memorandum of understanding has been signed so Sino Bioenergy can acquire a Cambodian agriculture project. Sino will purchase 100% of the 198,900,000 shares in Sky Energy holdings at US$0.60 each and the deal is under going due diligence before final sign off. A Sky Energy subsidiary, Noble Success, is cultivating cassava in Cambodia and intends to plant Sino’s exclusive rice seed crops.…
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A unanimous vote will mean US-based biogas producer Anaergia will utilise biogas currently being flared at a location owned by the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) in California. The agreement will last 20 years and aims to produce thousands of megawatt hours of renewable electricity annually. This will be pumped back into the facility to reduce its reliance on local…
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UK bioenergy company Dalkia has ceased operations at its wood pellet facility in County Durham as an investigation into alleged dust emissions is conducted. Dalkia is working with the Environment Agency to determine if the dust is coming from its facility or from another location, following concerns from local residents. The wood pellets produced at the facility are from grade A wood waste and…
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