Pellet Mill Monthly - January 7, 2014

EPA releases proposed update to residential wood heater standards The U.S. EPA has released its New Source Performance Standards proposal for new woodstoves and heaters, which go into effect in 2015. The proposal will make the next generation of stoves and heaters an estimated 80 percent cleaner. READ MORE SHARE
Drax, 2 others make UK renewable support list, Eggborough omitted The U.K. Energy Act became law Dec. 18, when it received royal assent. The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change also made several accompanying announcements, including naming four biomass projects that are likely to receive subsidies. READ MORE SHARE
	Bonds authorized to finance Mississippi pellet port improvements The Port of Pascagoula is one step closer to building a pellet export facility for the planned Green Circle Bio Energy Inc. pellet plant. County supervisors authorized a bond issue for up to $24 million for construction of the export facility. READ MORE SHARE
Agenda set for 2014 International Biomass Conference & Expo BBI International announced this week the agenda for the technical sessions of the 7th annual International Biomass Conference & Expo, North America's largest and fastest growing biomass conference, taking place March 24-26 in Orlando, Fla. READ MORE SHARE
North American pellet exports to Europe continue increase Pellet export volumes from North America to Europe continued to rise during the second quarter of 2013, representing steady growth for the past seven quarters, according to data compiled by Wood Resources International LLC. READ MORE SHARE
FAO: 19 million metric tons of pellets produced in 2012 In its first report including wood pellet production figures, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations briefly discussed the surge in pellets, saying wood pellet production has increased 10 times in the last decade. READ MORE SHARE
10-year trials show 10-ton yields for miscanthus in Illinois Illinois researchers reported results from a decade of field trials with miscanthus. The average annual yield of miscanthus grown in seven Illinois locations over a period of eight to 10 years was 10.5 tons per acre. READ MORE SHARE
Coming into the Country Superior Pellet Fuels General Manager Chad Schumacher talks about the long and winding road that led to the construction of Alaska's first operating pellet mill. READ MORE SHARE
Sen. Baucus releases proposal to overhaul energy tax incentives Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., has released a discussion draft of legislation that aims to overhaul U.S. energy tax incentives by creating technology-neutral incentives for clean electricity and clean transportation fuels. READ MORE SHARE
Troubleshooting the Workhorse Monitor output, amp usage and vibration for indications of needed maintenance on hammermills, the workhorses of the pellet industry. READ MORE SHARE
FutureMetrics: Northeast pellet heat could spur 1.3 million jobs According to a new paper from FutureMetrics Inc., if the 6 million rural Northeast U.S. homes utilizing oil or propane for heating converted to pellet fuel, the economic impact would be significant and include the creation of about 1.3 million jobs. READ MORE SHARE
Blazing New Trails in Pellet Project Development A close examination of the plants and projects tracked by Pellet Mill Magazine reveals a radical departure in scope is emerging when existing pellet mills are compared to those under construction or in various stages of preconstruction development. READ MORE SHARE
Viridis Merchants structures its first transaction Viridis Energy Inc. announced that its recently launched, wholly owned subsidiary, Viridis Merchants Inc., an aggregation and trading service between buyers and sellers of alternative energy, including wood pellets, structured its first transaction. READ MORE SHARE
Crop-Based Pellets for Power, Fuel and Ag Heat Two Missouri companies are looking to pelletize crop residues and energy crops, following very different business models. MFA Oil Biomass is first developing a new energy crop and Enginuity Worldwide started with an engineered pellet. READ MORE SHARE
German Pellets Texas facility achieves ENplus certification German Pellets' facility in Woodville, Texas, has received ENplus certification. This certification confirms the high quality of product from the facility that only commenced its operations this summer. READ MORE SHARE
Getting Green Heat to Main Street In the Northern Forest region of New Hampshire and the western foothills of Maine, the Northern Forest Center's Model Neighborhood Project is helping residents switch from fuel oil to wood pellet boilers and fostering growth in the pellet industry. READ MORE SHARE
Viridis Energy reports increased revenue in Q3 results Viridis Energy Inc. has released its third quarter financial results, reporting revenue of $3 million, up 36 percent compared to third quarter 2012 revenue of $2.2 million. The increase is attributed to market dynamics and the company's Scotia plant. READ MORE SHARE
IXUS Energy opens biomass training facility IXUS Energy, a national biomass boiler distribution company, has opened a state-of-the-art training center to help meet demand for quality biomass installers, driven by the introduction of the domestic Renewable Heating Incentive. READ MORE SHARE