News

In the US, Marathon County Court has overruled a civil lawsuit which was brought against the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Domtar and We Energies are jointly developing a $225 million (€167.5 million) biomass plant in Rothschild, Wisconsin, US, but local group Save Our Air Resources (SOAR) is worried about the environmental impact the plant would have on the local area. SOAR filed…
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One hundred and sixty wood pellet producers in 41 US states will receive grants from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand their biomass and biofuel output capacities. Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement on 27 September, highlighting that the financial backing will help support the economy and the biofuels market in the US. ‘Renewable energy production will…
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Two Canadian organisations, the Wood Pellet Association of Canada and the Quebec Wood Export Bureau, have partnered to help develop eastern Canada's wood pellet export market. The joint venture, which was announced on 29 September, is expected to bring advantages to the region's industry by building on Quebec's network of wood pellet manufactures, 'mainly because of the strong competition…
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In its largest project to date, the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) is to invest $150 million (€113.7 million) in the construction of a biomass-fired power plant in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. When it comes online in 2014 the plant will convert a variety of wood waste including bark, branches, sawdust and woodchips into renewable power. MLTC will sell all the power to a utility…
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Biodiesel has the potential to replace fossil-based heating oils, according to a new report by the UK Government and written by the UK's National Centre for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials (NNFCC). These non-renewable oils currently heat more than 1 million homes in the UK. Liquid fuels made from biomass (bioliquids), however, can be used to replace fossil-based fuels such as kerosene.…
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In the UK, Renewable Energy Generation's (REG), Leeds-based bioliquid-powered plant is ready to begin operating under the company's two-year National Grid contract. REG is a renewable energy developer and operator whose subsidiary REG Bio-Power was awarded a contract with National Grid in March. Under the contract, REG will supply Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR) to meet unscheduled power…
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In the US, the US Forest Service's Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) has awarded a $70,000 (€52,000) grant to the Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC) and Resource Professional Group (RPG). BTEC and RPG have embarked on a joint venture to encourage energy cost savings and make commercial buildings more greenhouse gas saving. The project will educate building architects and biomass…
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The Board of biomass energy development company Helius Energy is to raise £6.55 million (€7.57 million) by way of a placing of New Ordinary Shares at £0.16 per share. This placing will raise a large sum of capital for Helius, and additional working capital that will allow it to further develop both its immediate and future projects. These include seeking to secure project level…
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In the US, the Port St. Joe, Florida, City Commission has approved Rentech's Northwest Florida Renewable Energy Center. The renewable project will generate 55MW of power from 930 tonnes a day of woody biomass. Rentech and Progress Energy Florida have already signed a contract whereby Progress Energy Florida will acquire most of the power. The $225 million (€166 million) project was being…
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Construction work has officially begun at Glennmont Partners’ Port Clarence Renewable Energy Plant in Stockton-on-Tees, UK. Once completed, the £160 million (€220m) plant will burn 250,000 tonnes of waste wood annually to produce 40MW of combined heat and power. Commercial operations at the plant are expected to begin in 2018. The project was originally developed by Eco2 Limited…
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British Columbia, Canada-based Viridis Energy, an alternative energy company, has started supplying its wood pellets to sustainable energy solutions provider Abellon Clean Energy in Italy. This is Viridis' second European customer, but the company is about to embark on a third agreement and is scheduled to begin shipping wood pellets to Switzerland within the next month. Viridis signed an…
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Weltec Biopower, a German biogas plant manufacturer, has completed the construction of its fifth plant in the Czech Republic. Located in Příložany, the plant converts pig manure, grass silage, maize silage, crop silage and grain waste into 366kW of renewable energy, which is fed into the grid. Completed by Weltec in four months, the plant comprises a 2,500m3 stainless steel fermenter, a…
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In the US, River Basin Energy is developing a commercial-scale biocoal production plant, which it expects to break ground on later this year. When the facility comes online in 2012 it will produce more than 100,000 tonnes a year of biocoal. River Basin Energy already owns a demo-scale biocoal plant in Laramie, Wyoming. This partially commercial-scale facility has the capacity to manufacture…
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Canadian Biofuel held a grand opening ceremony on 17 September for its new wood pellet and briquette production plant. Located in Springford, Ontario, Canada, the plant has been under development for six years and Canadian Biofuel finally began construction in April. Production is expected to start by the end of the year, when it will manufacture 1,500 tonnes each month of biomass fuel. The…
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