BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, PowerPinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. announced on April 6 that the company has obtained a final order from the Supreme Court of British Colombia approving its acquisition by U.K.-based Drax Group. The transaction is expected to close April 13. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, PowerJapan-based Renova Inc. announced on April 1 construction is underway on its Omaezakikou Biomass Power Plant, a 75-megawatt (MW) facility under development approximately 150 miles southwest of Tokyo in Omaezaki and Makinohara, Shizuoka Prefecture. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, PowerPinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. and Drax Group plc. on March 31 each announced shareholder approval for the planned acquisition of Pinnacle by Drax. The transaction is expected to close in April 2021. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Power, BiogasThe USDA on March 30 announced it is seeking public input on a new rural energy pilot program that was authorized in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, a bill signed by former President Donald Trump on Dec. 27, 2020. READ MORE

BY Martin Engineering Found In:Pellets, Power, ThermalBecause of their size, speed and high-horsepower drive motors, conveyors pose a number of risks to those working on or near them. While fault is often attributed to worker actions, safety experts say that injuries occur due to a series of factors. READ MORE

BY Aemetis Inc. Found In:Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced FuelsAemetis Inc. on March 17 announced that the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors has issued an approval for the construction of a 32-mile extension to the existing Aemetis Biogas 4-mile private pipeline that was completed in 2020. READ MORE

BY U.S. Department of Energy Found In:Power, Thermal, Advanced FuelsThe U.S. Department of Energy on March 15 awarded $2 million to four research and development (R&D) projects advancing clean-hydrogen production technologies, including several that use biomass and waste as feedstock. READ MORE

BY American Biogas Council Found In:Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced FuelsOn March 15, the American Biogas Council announced the eight fastest growing biogas businesses in the US: DMT, DVO Inc., Envitec Biogas, Evonik, Greenlane Biogas, Nacelle, Paques Environmental Technologies, and PlanET Biogas. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsUSDA Rural Development has announced it will hold a feedback forum at 1:30 EDT on March 17 for lenders who have applied or are interested in applying to programs under the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, ThermalThe U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released data showing U.S. manufacturers produced approximately 800,000 tons of densified biomass fuel in November, with sales reaching 770,000 tons. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe U.S. Senate on March 10 voted 66 to 34 to confirm Michael Regan as administrator of the U.S. EPA. Representatives of the biofuels and bioenergy industries have spoken out in support of Regan’s confirmation. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, BiogasThe U.S. Energy Information Administration released the latest edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook on March 9, predicting that electricity generation from renewables will reach 21 percent this year and 23 percent in 2022. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, PowerDrax Group plc has announced an informal public consultation on its proposed BECSS project is open through late March. The consultation represents the first phase in securing a DCO from the U.K. government, which is needed to deploy the project. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsSens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Joe Manchin, D-W.V., on March 1 introduced the American Jobs in Energy Manufacturing Act of 2021, which aims to incentivize domestic manufacturing of advanced energy technologies. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, PowerDrax Group plc increased wood pellet production by 7 percent last year while improving quality and reducing costs by 5 percent, according information published in the company’s 2020 financial report, which was released Feb. 25. READ MORE