Pellet Mill Monthly - April 2, 2013

First pellet producer qualifies for PFI standards program New Hampshire-based New England Wood Pellet has qualified for the Pellet Fuels Institute's pellet fuel standards program, making it the first manufacturer to do so. NEWP operates three manufacturing plants in New Hampshire and New York. READ MORE SHARE
Pellet stoves make huge gains in market share In 1999, pellet stoves only had an 11 percent share of the stove market. Nine years later in 2008, they had a nearly 43 percent market share. READ MORE SHARE
	Confluence Energy acquisition nearly doubles pellet capacity Kremmling, Colo.-based Confluence Energy has acquired certain assets of Rocky Mountain Pellet in Walden, Colo., a transaction that will nearly double the company's current capacity of 100,000 tons. READ MORE SHARE
ABP makes investments in port pellet terminals to support Drax Associated British Ports has announced that it has signed a 15-year contract with Drax Power Ltd., operating subsidiary of Drax Group Plc, which will see terminal investments of up to GBP 100 million to handle wood pellet shipments at three ports. READ MORE SHARE
Biomass Secure Power secures location for La. pellet plant Biomass Power Louisiana, a subsidiary of Biomass Secure Power Inc., secured a six-month option to lease a site where it is proposing to build a new pellet plant. The plant is a four-phase project set to be completed over several years. READ MORE SHARE
Rep. Tonko to deliver Northeast Biomass Heating Expo keynote The 2013 Northeast Biomass Heating Expo kicks off this week in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. This year's annual event will feature a keynote address from Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y. on April 4, the first day of the expo. READ MORE SHARE
ARS researcher studies home heating with switchgrass pellets Studies by a USDA scientist have provided a complete cost-benefit breakdown of using switchgrass pellets, which are potentially a cheaper source of energy, instead of fuel oil to heat homes and businesses in the Northeast. READ MORE SHARE
Consultation on UK biomass rail charge ends The U.K. Office of Rail Regulation's consultation period on implementing a freight-specific biomass charge has ended, and the Rail Freight Group is urging the ORR not to proceed with proposals to increase charges paid for rail transport of biomass. READ MORE SHARE
UK DECC publishes heat strategy, provides RHI scheme update The U.K. Department of Energy & Climate Change has published its heat strategy and provided an update of the renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme. The residential RHI scheme is expected to be up and running next spring. READ MORE SHARE
DONG Energy, AVA form biomass district heat agreement DONG Energy and AffaldVarme Aarhus (AVA) have agreed on a new biomass-based heat agreement for the period until 2030. It will mean that Unit 3 of the Studstrup power station in Aarhus will have to be converted for firing with wood pellets. READ MORE SHARE
New tours added to International Biomass Conference & Expo The updated agenda for the sixth annual International Biomass Conference & Expo, North America's largest and fastest growing biomass conference, taking place April 8-10, 2013 in Minneapolis is now available online. READ MORE SHARE
Biomass Magazine to reveal plant construction data at April event Detailed information about 27 new biomass facilities recently completed or currently under construction will be presented by Biomass Magazine at the International Biomass Conference & Expo to be held in Minneapolis April 8-10. READ MORE SHARE
BNEF report highlights findings of Bioenergy Leadership Forum In early March, Bloomberg New Energy Finance published a report outlining its Bioenergy Leadership Forum, which was held in October. The report includes information on the first- and second-generation biofuels, biochemicals, biopower and pellets. READ MORE SHARE
Millinocket Regional Hospital commissions biomass boiler Local and state officials joined officials from the Millinocket Regional Hospital in late February to take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the commission of their wood pellet-powered steam boiler. READ MORE SHARE