Production of CoalSwitch™ pellets at Active Energy Group’s (AEG) Ashland, Maine facility has begun. AEG, based in London, announced on 2 June that the five-tonne per hour production facility is now producing the CoalSwitch pellets, formed of locally-sourced residual biomass, including bark and treetops/branches, which burn at temperatures nearly identical to coal. Deliveries... [Read More]

SCA, a major forest owner in Sweden, has invested SEK 50 million (€4.9 million) to reduce its pellet mill's environmental impact. The investment into the Härnosänd pellet mill will also reduce ‘discomforts’ for the neighbouring community. Since 1992, the Härnosänd site in Murbergsviken, northern Sweden has been producing wood pellets made from sawdust from... [Read More]

The UK is setting an example to the rest of the world in transitioning from coal to net-zero using bioenergy, according to the authors of a new report. ‘Electric Insights: Q1 2021: Britain’s Transition from Coal to Biomass to BECCS’, an independent report by academics from Imperial College London for Drax Electric Insights, has shown that the UK is the largest... [Read More]

Glennon Brothers, a third-generation family timber processing firm, has entered into an agreement with SHV Energy to buy Balcas. Balcas operates a sawmill in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, producing quality sawn timber products for the fencing, landscaping, agricultural, construction, and pallet and packaging sectors. The company also operates two... [Read More]

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced plans to procure a newbuilding Panamax bulker to transport woody biomass for energy as its main cargo, in light of increased demand. The new vessel’s specifications are in pre-compliance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index - the environmental regulations that will be adopted in 2025. The specifications also call for reinforced... [Read More]

Active Energy Group (AEG), headquartered in London, is building a second production plant for its alternative CoalSwitch™ pellets in Maine, US, the company revealed in a recent update. AEG is currently expanding production of its alternative CoalSwitch pellets in the US, including the development of its initial pellet production facility in Lumberton, North Carolina.... [Read More]

International biomass exchange Baltpool has started selling sustainable biomass programme (SBP)-certified sustainable biomass that is in high demand in the market. From now on, exchange participants can trade in biomass that meets the requirements of sustainability and has a SBP certificate, which is particularly relevant to Scandinavian and Baltic companies. The certificate... [Read More]

Drax Group will begin constructing the first of three new ‘satellite’ pellet plants in Arkansas. The three plants are together expected to produce around 120,000 tonnes of sustainable biomass pellets annually from sawmill residues, supporting the company’s plans to increase self-supply to its power station in Yorkshire, UK. Drax will begin construction of the... [Read More]

Enviva has published its 2021 Implementation Plans – a detailed proposal of the company’s goals and initiatives designed to deliver on its commitment to responsible, sustainable wood sourcing. The company operates according to its global Responsible Sourcing Policy (RSP) – its standing environmental pledge that ensures its wood is sourced according to its strict... [Read More]

Drax Group has joined the Race to Zero, committing the company to science-based targets to fight the climate crisis. Led by the United Nations, Drax joins more than 2,000 companies worldwide that have signed up to the campaign, which brings together businesses, cities, regions, states, and universities with a joint commitment to net-zero targets to limit global temperature... [Read More]

Enviva has joined the Sea Cargo Charter, a cross-industry partnership of over 20 ship charterers that aims to establish a consistent global framework for transparently assessing and disclosing the climate impact of ship chartering operations. Earlier this year, Enviva announced its goal to become net-zero in its operations by 2030. As part of this target, the company... [Read More]

Wood pellet certification scheme ENplus® is expecting to certify more than 14 million tonnes of pellets in 2021. In 2020, the total production of certified pellets was 12.3 million tonnes. These volumes reflect the scheme’s continued expansion and the growing number of companies joining the scheme. One month ago, ENplus announced that the list with active certificates... [Read More]

Drax Group has completed its acquisition of Pinnacle Renewable Energy – a major producer and supplier of compressed pellets. The acquisition received overwhelming support from both companies’ shareholders, with 95.7% of Pinnacle’s and 99.99% of Drax’s shareholders voting in favour. With this move, Drax transforms into a ‘truly’ international business,... [Read More]

Developing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) at Drax could save the UK energy system and consumers billions of pounds over the next decade, according to a new report. The independent analysis by energy consultancy Baringa, commissioned by Drax Group, evaluates the impact of deploying BECCS at scale as part of achieving the UK’s climate change targets. The... [Read More]

Construction is underway on a 112 MW thermal biomass power plant in Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture. Sumitomo Corporation, together with Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku, has commenced construction of the plant in Sendai City. The facility will be located on an industrial site on Sendai Shiogama Port premises, located in Miyagino-ku. With a generation capacity of 112 MW,... [Read More]

Pinnacle Renewable Energy has obtained a final order from the Supreme Court of British Columbia, approving its planned takeover by Drax Group. The arrangement, announced earlier this year, will see Drax’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Drax Canadian Holdings, acquire all outstanding shares of Pinnacle for $11.30 (€7.54) in cash per share. In a statement, Pinnacle confirmed... [Read More]