Other News

A new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted a 40% jump in the global use of green energy by the year 2017. The IEA’s Medium-Term Renewable Energy Market Report 2012 believes the world’s dependence on fossil fuels will lessen as the use of biopower, wind, solar and hydro will grow. The document focused on eight common renewable energy sources* including…
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A new pilot plant heralded as ‘the world’s first direct solid biomass-into-diesel fuel operation’ has opened onsite at an ONV refinery in Schwechat, Austria. The BioCrack technology-powered plant is a joint venture by Austrian industrial company OMV and customised bioplant construction company BDI Bioenergy International, with support from the Austrian Climate and Energy…
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The US Department of Defence (DoD) has announced a public-private partnership opportunity to support an integrated domestic advanced drop-in biofuel biorefinery. The funding opportunity is designed to share the cost of establishing one or more first-of-a-kind biorefineries and feedstock supply chains to provide the US military with already certified blends of biofuels. The Biotechnology Industry…
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A new study has suggested UK renewable energy output could be substantially boosted if the government banned all food leftovers from reaching landfills. In the race to be using 15% renewable energy sources by 2020, the report on the UK by independent thinktank Centre Forum estimates that food waste used in anaerobic digesters could grow the number of homes powered by renewable energy sources from…
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Scotland-based Ayrshire Power (AP) has announced that it is withdrawing its planning application for a new multi-fuel power station with carbon capture and storage (CSS) facility in Hunterston, North Ayrshire. AP has taken this decision due to the level of uncertainty surrounding the ability to secure the necessary financial investment to build the power station. The decision means that a public…
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The doors have opened on a new biodigester in Wiltshire, UK following 12 months of construction and trails. The anaerobic digester plant is operated by Malaby Biogas and, after trialling feedstocks for around four weeks, is now fully operational and located at Bore Hill Farm. ‘"We have now moved into the main building and the technology providers have completed all their pre-start testing…
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UK business secretary Vince Cable will visit the University of York on 5 July to open the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC). The purpose of the BDC is to integrate modern genetics with ‘green’ chemistry and processing techniques to create renewable chemicals and materials. It will support the UK industry in developing manufacturing technologies that use plants, microbes and…
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A new £108 million ($167.9 million) biomass plant in Workington, UK that is halfway through its construction stage is now looking for energy crop suppliers. The plant is situated at the Swedish-owned Iggesund paperboard factory and is due to go live next year. Test harvesting on a farm near Carlisle has already taken place and 500,000 tonnes of willow will be needed a year to power the…
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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 pilot project for the…
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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 other nine ethanol…
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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 fossil fuel-run lime kiln.…
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US-based Greenleaf Biofuels is due to fully open what it is claiming to be the ‘biggest biodiesel facility in New England. Construction begun eight months ago and the plant is expected to produce around 10 million gallons of biodiesel a year. Greenleaf is hopeful it will be online by September and its Waterfront Street location has links to both rail lines and a nearby port. ‘Eight…
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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 to be constructed by…
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A €200 million ($252 million) biopower project in Rovaniemi, Finland is in danger of being halted due to an energy subsidy issue related to the use of low-grade timber. The CHP plant was meant to use wood chips from surrounding Finnish forests as fuel, but the initial felling of fully grown timber is not subsidised by the European Union, unlike the 70% wood feedstock produced by stumps and…
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