Biomass Week - May 12, 2021

Drax to kickstart development of 3 Arkansas pellet plants Drax Group,will begin constructing the first of three new “satellite” pellet plants in Arkansas, the company announced on May 6. The three plants are together expected to produce around 120,000 metric tons of sustainable biomass pellets a year. READ MORE SHARE
EPA to disclose CBI associated with SREs to GOA The U.S. EPA on May 5 published a notice announcing it will disclose confidential business information (CBI) to the U.S. Government Accountability Office that is associated with small refinery exemption (SRE) petitions filed under the RFS. READ MORE SHARE
	US wood pellet exports top 667,000 metric tons in March The U.S. exported 667,309 metric tons of wood pellets in March, up from both 556,801.7 metric tons in February and 670,463.8 metric tons in March 2020, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on May 4. READ MORE SHARE
US Forest Service funds wood energy projects The USDA on May 7 awarded more than $15 million to fund grant proposals to develop and expend the use of wood products, strengthen emerging wood energy markets and protect community forests. A portion of that funding will support bioenergy projects. READ MORE SHARE
CVR Energy: Progress continues on renewable diesel conversions CVR Energy Inc. has announced progress is continuing on its two renewable diesel projects. The conversion process at the Wynnewood refining is continuing and a feasibility study is underway for the proposed Coffeyville converison. READ MORE SHARE
Ontario seeks comments on draft Forest Biomass Action Plan The Ontario government on May 6 released a draft Forest Biomass Action Plan for public review and comment. The plan, in part, aims to support demand for forest bioenergy, including heat and power generation. READ MORE SHARE
Mitsubishi Power receives order for 50 MW biomass power plant Mitsubishi Power, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, has received an order for a 50-megawatt (MW) class woody biomass-fired power plant planned for development in the city of Hyuga, in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. READ MORE SHARE
DOE funds 4 biofuel projects under Co-Optima initiative U.S. Department of Energy on May 10 announced the selection of four projects totaling $1 million to conduct cutting-edge applied research and development concerning the interaction between promising biofuels and combustion engines. READ MORE SHARE
Southern Company Gas launches RNG subsidiary Southern Company Gas announced that it has taken ownership of the Meadow Branch Landfill Methane Recovery Facility, the renewable natural gas facility located at the Meadow Branch Landfill in Athens, Tennessee, from sister company PowerSecure. READ MORE SHARE
Marathon uses wind power to lower CI of Dickinson biorefinery Marathon Petroleum announced progress with its renewable diesel projects, including efforts to reduce the carbon intensity (CI) of biofuel produced at the Dickinson, North Dakota, plant using wind energy, during the company's Q1 earnings call. READ MORE SHARE