The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts 19 percent of U.S. electricity will be generated from renewable sources this year, up from 17 percent last year, according to the agency's latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released March 11.
The U.S. EPA on March 11 finalized amendments to the 2015 NSPS for residential wood heating appliances. The amendments remove the minimum requirements for pellet fuel and clarify a requirement regarding the use of unseasoned wood to make pellets.
The U.S. exported 500,904 metric tons of wood pellets in January, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on March 6. Exports were up from both the previous month and January 2019.
Drax achieved an industry-leading safety record during 2019 with Morehouse BioEnergy surpassing the two-year mark with no recordable safety incidents. The company's port operation in Baton Rouge also reached a new safety benchmark.
The USDA's Commodity Credit Corp. and Farm Service Agency published a final rule on March 2 implementing changes to the agency's Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), as required by the 2018 Farm Bill.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Feb. 28 announced the appointment of Bette Brand to serve as USDA Rural Development Deputy. Brand replaces former Rural Development Deputy Donald “DJ� LaVoy following his retirement.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., filed an amendment to the American Energy Innovation Act on March 3 that includes an expansion of the residential energy tax credit to include efficient biomass thermal boilers and furnaces.
The U.K. government has proposed to exclude new coal-to-biomass conversions from future rounds of its CfD scheme. Under the proposal, dedicated biomass with CHP and various forms of biogas projects would continue to be eligible for CfDs.
Pinnacle Renewable Energy released fourth quarter financial results on March 3. The company's financial performance was negatively impacted by sawmill curtailments and a rail strike. Pinnacle, however, is continuing to implement expansion plans.
Torrefied wood pellets were among the products discussed during a Feb. 26 hearing held by the House Subcommittee on Conservation and Forests, titled “Innovative Wood Products: Promoting Rural Economies and Healthy Forests.�
For more than 30 years as a single-source contractor, IMI Industrial Services Group has provided a complete range of industrial contracting services and turnkey solutions, including dryer technology and the balance of plant systems.
Enviva Partners LP released fourth quarter and full year 2019 financial results on Feb. 27, reporting increased annual pellet production and net revenue. The company also discussed future expansion plans and announced new off-take contracts.
Drax announced on Feb. 27 that the company will stop burning coal by March 2021, far ahead of the U.K. government's 2025 deadline. Drax also released full year 2019 financial results on Feb. 27 and provided an update of its biomass strategy.
Biomass markets need to play the vital role they can in forest restoration efforts across North American and the world.
Biomass electricity production set a new record in the U.K. last year, according to the fourth quarter 2019 Electrical Insights Report, produced by researchers at Imperial College London in collaboration with Drax.
On Feb. 24, Pellet Fuels Institute Executive Director Tim Portz, Board Chairman John Utter and Past-Chair Stephen Faehner testified at the OMB about the impact to pellet manufacturers of the inclusion of minimum pellet fuel requirements in the NSPS.
The U.S. EPA delivered a proposed rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget on Feb. 24 focused on the treatment of biogenic carbon dioxide emissions under the Clean Air Act's permitting programs.
The 13th annual International Biomass Conference & Expo drew nearly 900 attendees to Nashville, Tennessee.
The USDA unveiled its Agriculture Innovation Agenda on Feb. 20. The initiative, in part, aims to support renewable fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel and biomass. This includes a goal to achieve market-driven blend rates of E30 by 2050.
GE announced Feb. 5 that it will provide its renewable steam technology for the high efficiency Kamisu Biomass Power Generation plant in Japan. The facility is scheduled to start commercial operation in July 2023.
Leaders from the U.K.'s biomass heat industry have called on the chancellor for support ahead of the spring budget to help government meet heat decarbonisation targets, address climate change and deliver on its 30 million tree planting initiative.
President Trump on Feb. 13 nominated Douglas Benevento to serve as deputy administrator of the U.S. EPA and Mark Wesley Menezes to serve as deputy secretary of energy. Both nominations are subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released data showing U.S. manufacturers produced approximately 870,000 tons of densified biomass fuel in October, with sales reaching 850,000 tons.
The North Carolina Bioenergy Research Initiative and the New and Emerging Crops Program recently awarded $1 million in grants for 15 projects aimed at boosting bioenergy opportunities and crop production in the state.
In its first report, an Independent Advisory Board has found that Drax's sustainable biomass sourcing reflects recommendations made by Forest Research—the research agency of the Forestry Commission widely considered the industry gold standard.
The Forest Enhancement Society of BC announced on Jan. 30 it will award $408,320 to Terrace, British Columbia-based Skeena Bioenergy Ltd. to use materials from slash piles to make wood pellets in the Coast Mountains Natural Resources District.
Pinnacle Renewable Energy, a wood pellet producer based in Canada, relies on Prodesa expertise for the design, manufacturing and commissioning of a low temperature belt dryer for its new wood pellet plant in High Level, Alberta.
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service released data on Feb. 6 reporting that the U.S. exported 541,893.4 metric tons of wood pellets in December, bringing total pellet exports for 2019 to 6.89 million tons.
At the 13th Annual International Biomass Conference & Expo Feb. 3-5 in Nashville, Tennessee, two exceptional, well-deserving candidates in the biomass space took home the Excellence in Bioenergy Award and the Groundbreaker of the Year Award.
The 13th Annual International Biomass Conference & Expo opened with a roundtable discussion among biomass association leaders that covered topics including the state of the industry, policy, carbon markets, and what is needed to grow public support.
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