Other News

An agreement to convert a Canadian power facility from a lignite-fired boiler to 100% biomass has been signed. The 227MW Atikokan Generating Station has awarded the conversion contract to Doosan Power Systems. The scope of work will comprise mechanical, electrical and instrumentation services in order to convert the facility to biomass ahead of 2014 legislation mandating the closure of coal…
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A newly proposed biomass facility in Oregon, US has received some strong investor backing. Despite concerns raised by other failed projects in the surrounding area failing to find energy purchasers, Klamath Falls Bioenergy (KFB) says it has two potential energy buyers lined up. ‘We already have a contract pending with Pacific Power and Portland General Electric could laso be a potential…
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A combined heat and power facility in the north west of England is to get an upgrade. The contract for a performance upgrade at the PDM Widnes plant in Cheshire has been awarded to Siemens and will focus on two of its scale-scale steam turbines. The current project is set to involve modernisation of the plant, plus upgrades and modifications including new nozzle rings, turbine wheels and valve…
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Consent was given today by the UK government for the construction of a 60MW energy-from-waste generating station in Cheshire. The proposed development in Northwich will generate enough power to supply 80,000 homes and create a total of 500 jobs during the construction period and a further 50 permanent operating posts. ‘It is essential we have a balanced energy mix in the future to provide…
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Operations have begun at the largest biomass driven CHP facility in France this month. The 69MW plant is based at paper manufacturer Smurfit Kappa Group’s Biganos-Facture facility in the south west. It will convert over 500,000 metric tonnes of tree bark and fines from its pulp screening process to produce electricity, which will be purchased by EDF Energy, and up to 360 metric tonnes of…
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Energy ministers from the G20 countries and heads of international organisations affirmed their commitment to renewable energy at the first-ever G20 Energy Ministers Meeting in Istanbul on 2 October. The high-level participants endorsed an 11-point communiqué, including the adoption of a renewable energy toolkit, which provides options for G20 countries to take a long-term, integrated, and…
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Millar Western Forest Products is to construct a $42 million (€32.4 million) bioenergy facility at its bleached chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp mill in Alberta, Canada. The project will involve integration of anaerobic hybrid digesters (AHD) into the mill’s existing aerobic effluent treatment system. The AHD units will recover organic material from the pulp mill’s effluent stream…
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Clean energy company Mustus Energy has begun construction on the first of six new biomass plants in northern Alberta, Canada. The 41.5MW power plant will cost Mustus $170 million (€134 million) and it is hopeful that the facility will be operational by spring 2014. The plant will use residual wood from aspen trees processed by local lumber mills as its main feedstock. ‘These residuals…
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Clean energy company General Biofuels Georgia is set to construct a new wood pellet plant in Washington County, Georgia to aid biofuels production. The facility is set to cost around $60 million (€46 million) and the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDED) is hopeful it will open in early 2014. Georgia timberlands and local lumber producers will provide feedstock and produce will…
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A UK-based biomass fuels producer and supplier has been forced into administration after failing to meet debt repayments to creditors. Silvigen, established in 2005 and based in North Humberside, began successfully processing woodwaste into fuel for co-firing in coal-fired power plants from 2006. Despite winning contracts with UK power generating companies to supply them with biomass fuels, a…
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Renewable energy group Kedco has begun the export of power from one of its biomass plants to the Northern Ireland grid. The plant announcement, which is based in Newry and produces a total of 4MW, sees Kendo’s transition from a pure development company to an operator of renewable energy assets. The receiving grid is Bord Gais Eireann. Kedco now intends to move towards the completion of the…
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India is set to see some new biomass power projects up and running thanks to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the Haryana state government. The MoU has been signed with four independent power producers to set up five biomass projects each producing up to 51MW of power via an investment of Rs230 crore (€33.3 million). Haryana has been heralded as a leading state in furthering…
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The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has voiced concerns following a Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) consultation for biomass power/CHP which it feels has ‘raised more questions than it answered’. The DECC has laid out tough criteria to ensure UK power stations are using sustainable biomass including all wood fuel to come from sustainably managed forests, plus a…
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The ribbon was officially cut on a new biogas facility in Tongeren, Belgium this month. Independent energy provider Enovos International, along with project partners NPG Energy and Pholpa, started the plant’s engines in the presence of Economy and Innovation minister Ingrid Lieten and Tongeren mayor Patrick Dewael. The plant will be powered by local corn feedstock provided by farmers within…
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