Pellet Mill Press - February 3, 2015

Zilkha closes on last land purchase for Arkansas pellet plant Zilkha Biomass Energy has closed on the purchase of the last parcel of land to be acquired for its proposed 450,000 metric-ton-per-year pellet plant in Monticello, Arkansas. The 80.99 acres were purchased from a university for $80,500. READ MORE SHARE
U.K. DECC increases CfD budget for less established technologies The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate change has increased the budget for new Contracts for Difference. The extra funding will increase the amount available for less established technologies, such as offshore wind and some biomass technologies. READ MORE SHARE
	Agenda announced for 2015 International Biomass Conference & Expo BBI International has announced the agenda for the technical sessions of the 8th annual International Biomass Conference & Expo, North America's largest and fastest growing biomass conference, taking place April 20-22 in Minneapolis. READ MORE SHARE
Government app to help companies export clean energy solutions A group of federal agencies are developing an interactive app that will serve as a mobile business directory for U.S. clean energy exports. U.S.-based suppliers of certain energy solutions are invited to apply to participate in the pilot phase. READ MORE SHARE
Wyoming task force report includes bioenergy recommendations In Wyoming, the Governor's Task Force on Forests has issued a report featuring its recommendations for proactively managing the state's forests. Several of the recommendations relate to bioenergy development. READ MORE SHARE
EPA: Agricultural Science Committee nomination deadline extended In late 2014, the U.S. EPA invited the public to nominate scientific experts to be considered for appointment to its Science Advisory Board's Agricultural Science Committee. The deadline for submitting those nominations has been extended to March 30. READ MORE SHARE
DOE accepting comments on engineered high-energy crop proposal The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy is accepting public comments on an environmental impact statement related to proposed confined field trials of engineered high-energy crops for use in bioenergy applications. READ MORE SHARE
DOE announces ARPA-E funding opportunity The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy has announced plans to award up to $125 million in support of transformational energy projects. The solicitation is the third open funding opportunity announced by ARPA-E. READ MORE SHARE
Vencor acquires bio-coal purchase order, anticipates expansion Vencor International Inc. recently announced an agreement to acquire the exclusive rights to torrefaction equipment and technology from Torretherm Inc. The company has also announced a purchase order from Vega Biofuels Inc. READ MORE SHARE
IRENA: Many renewable energy sources cheaper than fossil fuels The International Renewable Energy Agency has released a new report that determined many sources of renewable energy are now cheaper than fossil fuels. The report includes data on the the costs of biomass energy around the world. READ MORE SHARE
IRENA announces REsource, a new online data platform The International Renewable Energy Agency has launched REsource, an online knowledge platform that enables users to easily find country-specific data, create customized charts and graphs, and compare countries on metrics like renewable energy use. READ MORE SHARE
Genera Energy celebrates four years accident free Genera Energy Inc. recently celebrated 1,533 days, or four years, without an accident. Recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that Genera's core operations intersect three of the 10 most deadly occupations in the U.S. READ MORE SHARE
Work begins on quay extension at Port of Tyne The Port of Tyne has appointed the main contractor for the extension of Riverside Quay, the port's multifunctional deep-sea facility at South Shields. The extension will support the growth in cargo volumes handled by the port, including wood pellets. READ MORE SHARE
RusForest engages Hekotek to build pellet plant in Siberia RusForest AB, a Swedish forestry company with operations in Russia, has engaged AS Hekotek, a mechanical engineering company, to build a wood pellet production facility at the company's Magistralny sawmill in Eastern Siberia. READ MORE SHARE