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Date Published:
11 October 2012

Volume 3, Issue 5


The leaked Commission proposal on ILUC: what changes for biofuels in Europe?

Feature
The European Commission is expected to propose1 a new Directive that will, if approved, overhaul European biofuel policy. The draft proposal is predicted to be finalised and submitted to the European Parliament and to the Council before the end of this month2. Its primary objective is to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from indirect land-use change (ILUC), which occur when biofuel... [read more]

State divided over revised biomass regulations

Feature
After two years of debate and evaluation the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) finalised the Massachusetts Renewable Portfolio Standard Class One regulations for biomass eligibility this summer. The final standards will require all woody biomass plants to generate heat or power at a minimum of 50% efficiency to receive one half of a renewable energy credit (REC), or at 60% to... [read more]

Biogas â

Feature
Until now, much of the heat generated by burning biogas produced by anaerobic digestion to generate electricity has literally gone up the chimney. In the light of climate change, escalating emissions targets and the pressing need for energy security, that seems like a criminal waste. But, with the recent introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) in the UK, the economic case for cleaning... [read more]

Co-firing solid biomass: underrated option?

Feature
The German government’s Energy Plan (Energiekonzept) identified three criteria any new energy solution must meet if the government is to succeed in transforming the country’s energy supply. New forms of generation must deliver a supply that is: 1) environmentally friendly; 2) reliable; and 3) affordable. The affordability factor is crucial. For the foreseeable future, generating... [read more]

The land of contrast

Feature
Canada: it’s a land of superlatives. It is the second largest country in the world, after Russia; it has the longest coastline in the world at 202,080km; and the world’s longest land border, with the US, which stretches for 8,891km. It boasts two of the largest lakes in the world. Even its islands are big: Baffin Island is more than twice the size of Great Britain. It is also a fossil... [read more]

Princely new terminal for Pinnacle

Feature
Canada-based pellet producer Pinnacle Renewable Energy has just received final approval for a new wood pellet terminal in the port city of Prince Rupert, Canada. This is the latest boost for the 23 year old company, which already produces a third of North America’s wood pellets across its six plants. The company plans to spend C$42 million (€32.8 million) to redevelop the old Westview... [read more]

Hoping for world domination

Feature
Canada-based renewable energy company Nexterra Systems is one that thinks on a global scale. As a provider of energy-from-renewable waste systems, it does not view being established in a country that uses hydro and natural gas in abundance as a hindrance to its own progress. And, despite the Canadian market for smaller scale renewable bioenergy systems being still quite small, Nexterra has been... [read more]

Nearing the inevitable?

Feature
For the last two centuries the manufacturing industry has looked to mineral deposits and fossil fuels for most of its raw materials and energy supplies. This is changing, for many reasons both environmental and economic. More biomass used in power generation and heating is being used to produce liquid and gas fuels for transport and industrial use and in the chemical industry. This increased... [read more]

Backing biogas in Sweden

Feature
It is fairly common knowledge that Sweden is one of the world leaders in the production and use of biogas fuel. At the heart of this is Scandinavian Biogas (SB), which has been converting biogas fuel from wastewater sludge on a large scale since 2005. SB communications manager Alexandra Fleetwood is proud of the way Sweden and its people have embraced renewable energy, despite the fact banks and... [read more]

The role of supercritical hydrolysis

Feature
The success of the global biochemical and fuels market — estimated to exceed $1 trillion (€800 billion) by 2025 — hinges on the accessibility of affordable, reliable supplies of feedstocks such as sugar. As petroleum becomes more difficult to access, driving up production costs, manufacturers are seeking affordable sugars as an alternative to meet increased demand for everyday... [read more]

Threeâ

Feature
Today’s European biomass market is over capacitated. The mild winter of 2011, coupled with the growing number of companies entering this space, has left a big gap between low demand levels and oversupply. And what is sold is done so at a reduced cost. In a market such as this, the quality of biomass products can make or break a sale. While in the past biomass plants did not always study the... [read more]

New brique on the block

Feature
Wood pellets and briquettes share many similarities: they are both made by compressing dry sawdust or wood scraps; are bound together with the pressurised and softened lignin; both comprise a low moisture content (below 10%); are high density (typically three to four times that of woodchips); and are clean-burning, free flowing fuels suitable for industrial and domestic applications. But, as... [read more]

Fuel for thought

Feature
Intangible assets such as brands now contribute by far the greatest shareholder value in most sectors and many organisations consider their brand to be their most important asset. Studies have shown that companies with a strong brand outperform others in a number of different respects. When it comes to intangible assets, there are three key issues to consider in an M&A scenario. Firstly,... [read more]

Screening for a greener future

Feature
Using biomass instead of traditional fossil fuel-based alternatives comes with its own set of challenges for industries such as power generation, cement production and glass manufacturers. New considerations for size and consistency have to be factored in. Supplied as pellets, shreds, chips or even in raw form, the biomass could cause problems in the firing or transporting process. Safe guards... [read more]

Screening for a greener future

Feature
Using biomass instead of traditional fossil fuel-based alternatives comes with its own set of challenges for industries such as power generation, cement production and glass manufacturers. New considerations for size and consistency have to be factored in. Supplied as pellets, shreds, chips or even in raw form, the biomass could cause problems in the firing or transporting process. Safe guards... [read more]

Mitigating moisture

Feature
Manufacturer and distributor Ribpellet is just about to open its first pellet plant in Huerta del Rey, Spain. The facility will use Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology — the third plant in Spain to do so — and will produce 45,000 tonnes of pellets a year, as well as 1.4MW/h of electricity from forestry biomass. The new plant, opening in October, will be fed with 30% sawdust, 60%... [read more]