Other News

Algarythm, a South Australian company, has developed a new method in producing algal biomass in commercial quantities. Fishace Ecological Engineering has designed an open pond algae system coupled with photo-bioreactors to increase microalgae density and volume whilst decreasing operating costs. Nutrient-loaded waste waters have been introduced whilst managed fish culture provide vitamin streams.…
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FuturaGene, a woody crop plantation company for the bioenergy and biofuel markets, has opened a new biotech R&D centre in China. Although Futuragene has been working in China through partnerships with universities and research institutes over the last six years, this is the first such centre of its kind for the company in the country. Stanley Hirsch, CEO of FuturaGene, says: ‘China,…
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Biogas plant developer Malaby Biogas is to begin commissioning an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in the second quarter of 2012, which will be the first plant of its kind in Wiltshire, UK. The Bore Hill Farm Biodigester at Warminster will use commercial food waste, abattoir waste, spoiled non-woody crops and animal slurry to produce the gas. By the third quarter of next year, the plant is…
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Universal Bioenergy says it generated revenues of nearly $50 million (€37 million) for the first three quarters of this year, an increase of more than $7 million made on the same time last year. The company increased its total operating expenses for the three months ending on September 30 2010 by 7.5% to more than $576,000 for the same period in 2011. The company’s assets have also…
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US company Fulcrum Bioenergy has raised $100 million (€74.5 million) in an venture capital financing round. The company uses municipal solid waste (MSW) to produce renewable fuel and currently makes about 700 million gallons a year from 13 million tonnes of rubbish taken from landfills in the US. The company uses heat generated from its refinery process to power its plant, therefore reducing…
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Construction has begun on a new bioenergy plant in Stockport, UK, which will convert food waste into gas, providing about 1,400 homes with renewable gas in the north west of England. The plant will run on organic material taken from hotels, restaurants and offices in the surrounding area and is scheduled to open in April 2012. The facility is expected to cost about £5 million (€5.8…
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Atlantec BioEnergy says it is to build an R&D demonstration plant on Prince Edward Island off Canada. The company recently purchased a facility in Cornwall in the UK and is also turning this into a demonstration plant by renovating it and installing its technology. Atlantec plans to use ‘non-traditional feedstocks’ to create the bioenergy, such as energy beets grown in the local…
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Canadian company Core BioFuel has produced a wood-to-fuel process to create high-octane, benzene-free, drop-in petrol. The fuel will be produced from dimethyl ether and Larry Melnichuk, vice president of process design and development at Core says the technology ‘performs better than expected’. He says: ‘The catalyst for this reaction did not produce benzene - which the EPA has…
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Wood pellet manufacturer Enviva is to develop a production factory in Courtland, Virginia, US. The plant, which could be up and running by the first half of 2013, will produce 454,000 tonnes of wood pellets a year. The majority of these pellets will be exported to utility companies in Europe through Enviva's Port of Chesapeake deep-water port terminal outside of Norfolk. Upon completion of the…
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Algae.Tec, a company dedicated to the production of renewable oils from algae, has been awarded a contract to build its algae biofuels production facility in Sri Lanka. The plant is being constructed for cement and building company Holcim Lanka and is Algae.Tec's first plant to be built in Asia. Holcim is investing in the plant to reduce its carbon footprint by channelling waste carbon dioxide…
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Belgium-based tradeshow operator easyFairs has acquired the market leading bulk liquid storage conference and exhibition, StocExpo. easyFairs will take over the organisation of the 2012 event with immediate effect. International sales manager, Sharé Mason, has transferred to the UK offices of easyFairs in Twickenham and will continue in the success of the 2012 event. UK-based StocExpo…
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Canada-based wood pellet producer Biomass Secure Power has outlined its three-year growth plan. The company currently has five wood pellet production plants under development, which will manufacture a total 3.5 million tonnes of wood pellets a year. The first plant is slated to come online in 2012, with a further two to be ready for commissioning in 2013. The remaining two will be operational in…
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In Berlin, New Hampshire, US, a new programme has been set up to encourage local homeowners to convert from burning fossil fuels to wood pellets. The Model Neigborhood Project, a collaboration between the Northern Forest Center, Berlin BetterBuildings, the city of Berlin and Maine Energy Systems, is to offer subsidies to around 40 local homeowners to incentivise them to switch. These financial…
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KTG Agrar, a producer of agricultural commodities, has reached a 20MW milestone as it continues to expand its biogas capacity. To date the company generates enough electricity for 34,000 homes; a significant increase from the 28,000 households it served in mid-2011. This figure is set to increase further as KTG Agrar is currently building more biogas plants with a combined capacity of over…
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