Pellet Mill Press - August 6, 2019

Drax to add 350,000 metric tons of pellet capacity Drax Group plc released its half-year financial report July 24, reporting increased profit. The company also discussed plans to expand pellet production capacity and reported an increase in biomass power output. READ MORE SHARE
Mississippi DEQ approves permit for Enviva’s Lucedale plant The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Permit Board has approved Enviva’s permit to begin construction on its Lucedale wood pellet plant. Enviva Chairman and CEO John Keppler thanked the community of Lucedale for its support. READ MORE SHARE
	Pinnacle to build pellet plant in Alberta, signs 2 new contracts Pinnacle Renewable Energy announced plans in early July to build a new pellet plant in Alberta. Later in the month, the company said it has entered into two new long-term, take-or-pay off-take contracts with customers in Japan and South Korea. READ MORE SHARE
EDA awards $10M grant to build pellet storage at Florida port The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is awarding a $10 million grant to the Panama City Port Authority in Panama City, Florida, to support the development of a new biomass bulk storage facility. READ MORE SHARE
Canadian government awards nearly $1 million to WPAC The government of Canada is investing nearly $1 million in the Wood Pellet Association of Canada in an effort to strengthen international demand for Canadian wood products. The award was announced as part of $24 million funding package. READ MORE SHARE
Report: EU demand for wood pellets continues to grow A recent report filed with the USDA FAS's GAIN predicts the EU market for wood pellets will likely grow this year but cautions future expansions could be limited by sustainability requirements introduced by individual member states. READ MORE SHARE
UK renewable electricity generation set record in 2018 Renewables accounted for a record 33 percent of U.K. electricity generation last year, up 3.8 percent from 2017, according to updated data released by the U.K. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy July 25. READ MORE SHARE
EESI: Jobs in renewable fuels, biomass energy up in 2018 The Environmental and Energy Study Institute released a fact sheet on jobs in renewable energy, energy efficiency and resilience July 23 that shows U.S. jobs in renewable fuels and biomass power both increased from 2017 to 2018. READ MORE SHARE
Uskmouth conversion on track, pellet plant begins commissioning SIMEC Atlantis Energy Ltd. has announced the biomass conversion of the coal-fired Uskmouth power station in Newport, U.K., is on track to begin operations by 2021. Once complete, the 220 MW facility will be fueled with waste pellets. READ MORE SHARE
Enviva thanks NCDEQ for hearing on expansion of Sampson plant Enviva Partners LP issued a statement July 15 thanking the North Carolina DEQ for the opportunity to hear from stakeholders at a public hearing regarding new emission control equipment to be installed at its pellet plant in Sampson County. READ MORE SHARE