Policy News

The European Commission has launched the Biomethane Mechanism, a voluntary matchmaking platform designed to accelerate the growth of Europe's biomethane market by connecting buyers, suppliers and investors. The tool, which sits under the EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform, is free to use and offers several functions: a matching service to connect buyers and suppliers, a regulatory dashboard…
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Malaysia's Bioeconomy Development Corporation has coordinated the signing of a Letter of Intent for a palm oil waste-to-Bio-CNG project in Terengganu, marking a further step in a bilateral renewable energy partnership with South Korea and a RM700 million investment pipeline targeting more than 20 biogas upgrading facilities nationwide. The Terengganu State Palm Oil Mill Biogas Upgrading…
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The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities has launched a request for proposals seeking feasibility studies into repurposing closed wood products manufacturing facilities, including pulp and paper mills, for bioenergy production. The initiative responds to the growing number of shuttered wood products sites across the US that have left behind industrial infrastructure, utility connections…
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A federal task force on Canada's forest sector has named the national scale-up of BDO Zones as a priority action, recommending it be supported through a proposed $10 billion, 10-year Forest Sector Transformation Investment Fund. The Canadian Forest Sector Transformation Task Force, an independent body of eight industry leaders appointed by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson,…
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Ireland's Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has published a decision paper updating the country's biomethane connections policy, introducing changes designed to reduce the cost of connecting anaerobic digestion plants to the gas network and support the national target of 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. The most significant change is an extension of the economic…
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South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment is launching a 36.6 billion won (approximately $27.5 million) programme to localise key technologies for biogas power generation systems, reducing reliance on imported generators and components as the country's biogas market expands. The funding — comprising 26 billion won from the national budget and 10.6 billion won from the private…
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British Columbia's Utilities Commission (BCUC) has concluded that no major changes to its definition of renewable natural gas (RNG) are warranted, following an inquiry into whether existing rules adequately account for greenhouse gas reductions from biomethane purchased outside the province. The final report, published on 26 May 2026, confirms that public utilities may continue to acquire…
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Mexico's energy ministry SENER is developing a comprehensive regulatory framework for the country's biomethane sector, including a new Official Mexican Standard (NOM) covering quality specifications, grid injection protocols and supply chain traceability. The framework was outlined publicly for the first time by Enrique Contreras, SENER's Subdirector of Biofuels, during the VI National Biogas…
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Germany's Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) has awarded contracts to 388 projects with a combined capacity of 491 MW in its latest biomass auction, though the tender was undersubscribed against a target of 727 MW. A total of 494 proposals representing 637 MW were submitted, but 29 were excluded from the process. Because admitted bids fell short of the sought volume, the regulator capped awards…
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More than 100 jobs could be lost if a Norfolk biomass plant that runs on poultry litter is forced to close following the expiry of its government support scheme, according to reporting by the Eastern Daily Press. Thetford Power Station, operated by Melton Renewable Energy on the edge of Thetford Forest, burns chicken litter — including droppings and feathers — to generate electricity, with…
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The UK Environment Agency has indicated that it is prepared to approve a permit variation that would allow carbon capture technology to be installed at Drax Power Station, marking a significant step forward for the proposed project. The regulator announced on 28 May that, following a review of evidence and feedback gathered during previous consultation exercises, it is "minded to" grant the…
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The Canadian federal government has unveiled a substantial funding package for the country's forest products sector, alongside the release of the final report from the Forest Sector Transformation Task Force. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson made the announcement on Vancouver Island on 3 June, confirming that the Business Development Bank of Canada's Softwood Lumber Loan…
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A short documentary making the case for bioenergy as a tool for wildfire prevention premiered at the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday, hosted by MEP Sakis Arnaoutoglou. 'Fuel the solution, not the fire' brings together local voices from Attica, Tuscany and Catalonia to show how active forest management — and the use of residues for bioenergy — can reduce fuel build-up and…
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New Zealand's wood processing sector has welcomed a Crown-backed loan guarantee scheme as a practical mechanism for shifting away from natural gas, while calling on the government to extend support to biomass supply infrastructure as well as demand. The Gas Transition Loan Guarantee Scheme, announced as part of Budget 2026, will see the Crown guarantee 80% of each supported loan, with banks…
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