Pellet Mill Press - May 17, 2016

North American wood pellet exports reached record high in 2015 North America exports of wood pellets reached record-highs in 2015, with the U.S. Gulf States increasing shipments by 70 percent from 2Q/15 to 4Q/15, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review. READ MORE SHARE
Insolvency administrator sells 3 German Pellets’ plants The law firm of an attorney serving as insolvency administrator to German Pellets GmbH has released a statement noting three of the company’s pellet plants in Germany have been sold, with negotiations ongoing in the sale of a fourth. READ MORE SHARE
	Rentech Q1 2016: domestic pellet sales down big, rebound expected On May 11, Rentech Inc. reported first quarter results significantly below historic levels, attributing a main reason as being the struggles faced by the domestic wood pellet industry in the face of a warm winter and low oil prices. READ MORE SHARE
Enviva reports production increase, lower fiber costs for Q1 On May 5, Enviva Partners LP released its first quarter results, reporting that solid operating and financial performance during a historically high cost quarter lay a strong foundation for the remainder of the year. READ MORE SHARE
University of California mulls sawmill, CHP facility purchase The University of California is on the verge of purchasing the Sierra Pacific Industries Loyalton, California, mill and associated property, including a 20-MW, combined-heat-and-power (CHP) biomass unit. READ MORE SHARE
USDA funds 18 projects to increase wood energy markets The U.S. Forest Service has announced more than $8.5 million to expand and accelerate technologies and strategies that promote the use of wood in heat and power generation, commercial construction, and other wood product innovations. READ MORE SHARE
Andritz reports good project investment in biomass pelleting Andritz recently released first quarter financial results, reporting sales of nearly EUR 1.29 billion ($1.46 billion), down 8.5 percent from the same period of 2014. According to the company, all business areas recorded a decline in sales. READ MORE SHARE
EIA updates short-term bioenergy forecasts The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released the May edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, predicting total renewables used in the electric power sector will increase by 11.3 percent in 2016 and 4.4 percent in 2017. READ MORE SHARE
White paper refutes letter to Congress claims on biomass energy Earlier this month, FutureMetrics LLC published a white paper that discusses why an editorial the Washington Post published at the end of April, and the letter to U.S. Congress the article was based on, are wrong about biomass for energy. READ MORE SHARE
AEBIOM weighs in on post-2020 bioenergy policy The European Biomass Association (AEBIOM) welcomes the initiative of the European Commission to define a sustainable European Union bioenergy policy for the period post-2020, and to open up the debate through its public consultation. READ MORE SHARE
EIA releases 2016 International Energy Outlook U.S. Energy Information Administration released its International Energy Outlook 2016, which continues to show rising levels of energy demand over the next three decades. Renewables are the fastest-growing energy source over the projection period. READ MORE SHARE
DOE opens funding opportunity for biofuels, bioproducts, biopower Recognizing the importance of biofuels to energy and climate security, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced up to $90 million in project funding focused on designing, constructing and operating integrated biorefinery facilities. READ MORE SHARE
USDA: FSFL program now includes microloan option The USDA has updated its Farm Storage Facility Loan Program, which provides low-interest financing so agricultural producers can build or upgrade permanent facilities to store commodities. Renewable biomass is among the eligible commodities. READ MORE SHARE
UK REA responds to consultation on RHI reforms The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change’s consultation on the reform of the Renewable Heat Incentive closed April 27. The U.K. Renewable Energy Association weighed in on how the reforms could impact the biomass and biogas industries. READ MORE SHARE
Nippon Paper to install torrefied pellet demonstration plant Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. signed a joint research and development agreement with Phoenix Pulp and Paper Public Co. Ltd. to install demonstration facilities in Thailand for the production of torrefied pellets. READ MORE SHARE
ARENA supporting Australia’s largest bioenergy project A bioenergy project in Queensland could become a reality thanks to early stage funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. The project would produce ethanol, lignin for power production and fuel pellets. READ MORE SHARE