Pellet Mill Press - August 1, 2017

EPA SAB to review biogenic carbon framework at August meeting The U.S. EPA has announced the Scientific Advisory Board will conduct a quality review of the agency’s draft framework for assessing biogenic carbon dioxide emissions from stationary sources at a meeting in August. READ MORE SHARE
Sumitomo buys stake in Canadian wood pellet producer Wordwide general trading company Sumitomo Corp. has acquired a 48 percent stake in Canadian wood pellet producer Pacific BioEnergy Corp. The company said that is is seeking to establish a steady wood pellet supply for the long-term. READ MORE SHARE
	Fiber costs for North American pellet plants trend downward With the feed stock shifting towards lower cost fiber, including industry and forest residues, total wood costs for pellet manufacturers fell during 2016 and early 2017, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review. READ MORE SHARE
Drax discusses future plans during investor presentation Reducing the cost of wood pellet production, finishing two capacity expansions and overhauling a recently acquired plant are just a few of the many focuses Drax CEO Dorothy Thompson discussed during the company’s recent investor presentation. READ MORE SHARE
Russian pellet production, exports expected to grow The Russian Federation recently filed its annual biofuels report with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network, reporting wood pellet production and exports are expected to increase by 10 percent this year. READ MORE SHARE
Trump announces nominations for 3 USDA posts President Donald Trump has announced nominations for three USDA posts, including deputy secretary and two under secretary positions. Ted McKinney has been nominated to fill the new under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs post. READ MORE SHARE
Enviva releases updated Track & Trace data Enviva has released its latest proprietary Track & Trace forestry data, highlighting the company’s ongoing commitment to a sustainable and transparent supply chain. The data measures and demonstrates the company's sustainability practices. READ MORE SHARE
UCSC awarded $250,000 grant from U.S. Forest Service The U.S. Forest Service awarded a $250,000 grant to the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure at UC Santa Cruz. The center will use the grant to study the economic feasibility of developing an innovative forest industry cluster near Reno, Nevada. READ MORE SHARE
Funding allows ORNL to accelerate biofuel, bioproducts research The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is one of four bioenergy centers chosen by DOE to advance a new biobased economy with the production of fuels and other products directly from nonfood biomass. READ MORE SHARE
Canadian government invests $2.6 million in Sustane Technologies Canadians will benefit from well-paying jobs and business opportunities created by a Halifax-based company that turns landfill waste into clean-burning fuel, thanks to a $2.6-million investment by the government of Canada. READ MORE SHARE