Pellet Mill Press - May 19, 2020

EPA proposes to extend deadline for Step 1 wood heater sales The EPA on May 15 proposed to allow manufacturers and retailers additional time to sell residential wood heating devices that meet Step 1 standards under the 2015 new source performance standards due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. READ MORE SHARE
Drax opens consultation on biomass carbon calculator Drax recently opened a public consultation on a new biomass carbon calculator it has developed to help calculate wood pellet supply chain GHG lifecycle emissions in accordance with the U.K. Renewables Obligation and certain European Union directives. READ MORE SHARE
	Pinnacle provides update of Demopolis, High Level projects Pinnacle Renewable Energy has broken ground on a 360,000-metric-ton-per-year pellet plant in Demopolis, Alabama. Construction has also resumed on the company’s 200,000-metric-ton-per-year facility in High Level, Alberta. READ MORE SHARE
USDA: US wood pellet exports reach 670,464 tons in March The U.S. exported 670,463.8 metric tons of wood pellets in March, up from 546,435.2 metric tons in February and 646,824.5 metric tons in March 2019, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on May 5. READ MORE SHARE
Survey: COVID-19 impacts raw material availability for pellets The results of a survey by Hawkins Wright found 58 percent of wood pellet producers felt COVID-19 was negatively impacting their business, but only 33 percent reported that they had reduced production as a result. READ MORE SHARE
USIPA: Wood biomass given all clear by Europe’s highest court The U.S. Industrial Pellet Association on May 11 welcomed an order from the European Court of Justice dismissing a case against wood biomass. The court ruled the applicants lacked standing to challenge the EU’s inclusion of wood biomass in the RED. READ MORE SHARE
FutureMetrics explains benefits of coal-to-biomass conversions FutureMetrics LLC on May 6 published a whitepaper discussing how converting existing coal-fired power plants to be fueled with wood pellets offers a low cost, easy-to-deploy way to generate low-carbon electricity. READ MORE SHARE
UK BEIS extends comment period on proposal to amend CfD scheme The U.K. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has extended the public consultation period on proposed changes to its Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. Comments are now due on May 29. READ MORE SHARE
USTR report addresses barriers to US pellet exports The USTR recently issued its 2020 National Trade Estimate, an annual report detailing foreign trade barriers faced by U.S. exporters of goods and services and USTR’s efforts to reduce those barriers. Wood pellets are among the products addressed. READ MORE SHARE
EIA: Densified biomass fuel sales reach 650,000 tons in January The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released data showing U.S. manufacturers produced approximately 770,000 tons of densified biomass fuel in January, with sales reaching 650,000 tons. READ MORE SHARE