Pellet Mill Press - July 6, 2021

Bagasse pellet plant planned for development in Louisiana On June 28, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and Delta Biofuel CEO Philip Keating announced the company is evaluating Iberia Parish, Louisiana, for a planned $70 million facility that will produce biomass fuel pellets from sugaracane bagasse. READ MORE SHARE
Drax increases ownership share of 2 US pellet plants Drax has agreed to acquire a 20 percent minority interest in Alabama Pellets LLC—the joint venture which owns the Demopolis and Aliceville pellet plants—from The Westervelt Company for $29.7 million cash consideration. READ MORE SHARE
	UK moves up deadline to end coal-fired power generation to 2024 The U.K. Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on June 30 announced that the U.K. government will move up the deadline to remove unabated coal from the country’s energy mix by one year, to Oct. 1, 2024. READ MORE SHARE
Report: Dutch wood pellets imports reach new high in 2020 The Netherlands imported a record 2.76 million metric tons of wood pellets last year at a value of $511 million, according a report published by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network. READ MORE SHARE
Vilsack names Moore as new US Forest Service chief Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on June 28 named Randy Moore as the new U.S. Forest Service chief. Moore will replace current Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen, who is scheduled to retire on July 26. READ MORE SHARE
EIA: Wood, waste energy account for 22% of US renewables in 2020 The U.S. consumed a record 12 percent of renewable energy in 2020, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on June 16. Wood and waste energy accounted for approximately 22 percent of renewables. READ MORE SHARE
Phoenix BioPower explores next generation BECCS for Drax Swedish-based Phoenix BioPower and U.K.-based biomass power prodcuer Drax Group are exploring ways to drive down the costs of second-generation bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology. READ MORE SHARE
Enviva Forest Conservation Fund awards 2021 grants The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund has named the recipients of its 2021 grants. The projects funded will help conserve more than 4,000 acres and protect ecologically sensitive bottomland forests in the coastal regions of Virginia and North Carolina. READ MORE SHARE
Senate passes Growing Climate Solutions Act The U.S. Senate on June 24 voted 92 to eight to pass the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which aims to break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climate-smart practices. READ MORE SHARE
Biden nominates Torres Small to fill USDA post President Biden on June 18 announced his intent to nominate Xochitl Torres Small to serve as under secretary of rural development at USDA. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has spoken out in support of her nomination. READ MORE SHARE