Pellet Mill Press - September 5, 2017

GNT to purchase, upgrade Scotia Atlantic Biomass facility Great Northern Timber Group has signed a tentative agreement to purchase the Scotia Atlantic Biomass pellet plant, pending due diligence and court approval, said Thor Olesen, CEO of GNT. The facility is expected to restart operations later this year. READ MORE SHARE
Macquarie completes acquisition of GIB A consortium led by Macquarie, an Australian-based bank, has completed the acquisition of the U.K. Green Investment Bank Ltd. from the British government for £2.3 billion ($2.96 billion). GIB will now operate under the name Green Investment Group. READ MORE SHARE
	EIA: 500,000 tons of densified biomass fuel produced in May The U.S. Energy Information Administration has announced domestic sales of densified biomass fuel reached 80,000 tons in May, averaging $142.99 per ton, while exports for April reached 350,000 tons, averaging $135.12 per ton. READ MORE SHARE
Tooke sworn in as chief of the U.S. Forest Service Tony Tooke was sworn in as chief of the U.S. Forest Service by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Sept. 1. Tooke replaced former Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, who announced his retirement in August. READ MORE SHARE
Report shows reduced carbon intensity of UK grid In the U.K., the latest Electric Insights report, produced by researchers at Imperial College London, in collaboration with Drax, found that renewables accounted for 25 percent of Britain’s electricity during the second quarter. READ MORE SHARE
Trump nominates Northey to serve as USDA under secretary President Donald Trump has announced his nominations for three USDA posts, including the nomination of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to serve as under secretary for farm production and conservation. READ MORE SHARE
Report: Japanese imports of pellets, biomass expected to increase Japan recently filed a report with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network, noting the country imported a record 347,000 metric tons of wood pellets last year for thermal power generation. READ MORE SHARE
Arizona studying bioenergy for wildfire management The Arizona Corporation Commission has ordered Arizona Public Service to evaluate forest bioenergy as part of its resource portfolio. The Arizona Corporation Commission will host its first workshop on the topic of forest bioenergy on Oct. 19. READ MORE SHARE
Tidwell to retire, Tooke named as new Forest Service chief U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell has announced his retirement, effective Sept. 1. He has served at the post since June 2009. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Tony Tooke will take over as chief following Tidwell’s retirement. READ MORE SHARE
FutureMetrics publishes analysis of Japanese pellet market FutureMetrics has published a new white paper on the Japanese industrial wood pellet market. The report predicts most of demand growth for industrial wood pellets after 2019 will come from Japan and South Korea. READ MORE SHARE
DOE: BETO publishes tech blog on innovations in the bioeconomy The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office has announced the official launch of its new technical blog, Bioprose: Building the Bioeconomy through Technology & Communication. READ MORE SHARE
BETO evaluations presented at 2017 program management review Following Bioeconomy 2017: Domestic Resources for a Vibrant Future, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office’s annual conference, BETO held its 2017 Program Management Review in Arlington, Virginia. READ MORE SHARE
Metsä Group starts up bioproduct mill in Finland Metsä Group’s next-generation bioproduct mill in Äänekoski, Finland, came into operation as planned on Aug. 15. The facility will produce several products, including pulp, biogas and biofuel pellets from sludge. READ MORE SHARE