Pellet Mill Press - December 16, 2014

Enviva joint venture to construct S.C. pellet, export facilities Enviva Holdings LP and John Hancock Life Insurance Co. announced plans to develop wood pellet plants and export terminals in the southeastern U.S. Construction on a pellet plant and export terminal in South Carolina is expected to begin this month. READ MORE SHARE
German Pellets' Louisiana plant expected to begin operations soon German Pellets GmbH has released its third quarter financial results, reporting a good start to the heating season and a new 10-year contract with a European customer. The company also announced its Louisiana pellet plant will begin operations soon. READ MORE SHARE
	Green Circle, Lauritzen Bulkers sign updated contract Lauritzen Bulkers recently announced it signed an eight-year contract with Green Circle Bio Energy for the transportation of 600,000 tons of wood pellets from the U.S. to Europe. READ MORE SHARE
Official opening of biomass terminal at Port of Hull celebrated It dominates the skyline in the eastern part of the city and now the Port of Hull's dedicated biomass terminal, built to support Drax Power Station's conversion to a lower carbon power generator has been officially opened. READ MORE SHARE
USDA announces advanced biofuel payments, bioenergy grants On Dec. 2, the USDA announced it is making more than $5.6 million grant payments to 220 producers under the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program. An additional $4 million in grants are being awarded though three programs supporting bioenergy initiatives. READ MORE SHARE
Waste-derived pellet fuel manufacturing facility planned for 2015 Engineered Carbon Solutions, the manufacturer of a hybrid pellet fuel made with recycled biomass material and coal, has plans to establish a mid-sized manufacturing facility in Connecticut next year. READ MORE SHARE
Genera announces investment from WindSail Capital Group Genera Energy Inc. has received a strategic financing commitment from WindSail Capital Group, a Boston-based investment firm that provides growth financing to companies advancing energy innovation and sustainability. READ MORE SHARE
Paul Smith's College, NYSERDA partner on renewable energy Paul Smith's College is installing a highly sustainable, state-of-the-art wood-pellet boiler system, which will heat its three academic buildings. The project was partially supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. READ MORE SHARE
USDA provides greater protection for specialty crop growers Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that greater protection is now available from the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program for crops that traditionally have been ineligible for federal crop insurance, including energy crops. READ MORE SHARE
Danish ministry announces biomass sustainability agreement The Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Building recently posted a notice to its website announcing a new voluntary agreement formed with members of its domestic energy industry on sustainable biomass. READ MORE SHARE
House passes tax extenders package, Senate vote expected soon The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to pass a short-term tax extenders package that aims to retroactively extend several tax incentives that expired at the end of 2013 and during the current year for one year, through the end of 2014. READ MORE SHARE
RFP issued for Windham County Vermont modern wood heat program A request for proposals to design and administer a modern wood heating program for Windham County, Vermont, has recently been issued by the Vermont Public Service Department's Clean Energy Development Fund. READ MORE SHARE
Census Bureau releases biomass power plant data The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new economic census statistics on renewable energy, reporting that revenues for electric power generation industries that use renewable energy resources increased 49 percent from 2007 to 2012. READ MORE SHARE
DOE awards $7 million to 2 feedstock logistics projects The U.S. Department of Energy has announced up to $7 million for two projects aimed at developing and demonstrating ways to reduce the cost of delivering bioenergy feedstocks to biorefineries. READ MORE SHARE
Tanac announces plans to construct pellet mill in Brazil Tanac S.A. has announced plans to construct a wood pellet manufacturing plant at its Rio Grande port site, in the south of Brazil. Construction of the 400,000-metric-ton-per-year plant commenced in October and is scheduled to complete in early 2016. READ MORE SHARE
Forest Service exceeds yearly forest restoration goals The U.S. Forest Service recently announced that it exceeded its forest restoration goals for fiscal year 2014, highlighting the agency's continued commitment to improving the health of the America's National Forests. READ MORE SHARE
Australian government funds biomass harvester development The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has announced $2 million funding support to develop a solution for collecting renewable biomass from fast growing trees. The project is scheduled for completion in 2017. READ MORE SHARE
Model evaluates where bioenergy crops grow best Farmers interested in bioenergy crops now have a resource to help them determine which kind of bioenergy crop would grow best in their regions and what kind of harvest to expect. READ MORE SHARE