A milestone for achieving the historically elusive parity of biomass heat with other renewables, the BTU Act has finally passed. Now, industry stakeholders must strategize and collaborate to capitalize on momentum.
Ports across North America are upgrading facilities, tweaking logistics and increasing marketing efforts to attract tenants involved in the growing wood pellet export market.
The U.K. Department for Transport on Feb. 25 announced that the country will adopt E10 as its standard gasoline blend by September. The move will allow idle ethanol production capacity in the U.K. to be brought back online.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, E15 availability continued to increase last year. The U.S. saw a 10 percent of retail sites offering E15 in 2020, and the fuel is now offered at more than 2,300 stations in 30 states.
Year-end data released Feb. 26 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration provides evidence of both the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resilience of the ethanol industry. U.S. ethanol production fell to 13.93 billion gallons last year.
Senate conforms Granholm as secretary of energy
February 26, 2021
The U.S. Senate on Feb. 25 voted 64 to 35 to confirm Jennifer Granholm as secretary of energy. Granholm, a former two-term governor of Michigan, was sworn in later that day. She is the second woman to lead the DOE.
The U.S. Senate on Feb. 25 voted 64 to 35 to confirm Jennifer Granholm as secretary of energy. Granholm, a former two-term governor of Michigan, was sworn in later that day. She is the second woman to lead the DOE.
The U.S. EPA released data showing over 503 million gallons (EGE) of renewable natural gas (RNG) were produced in 2020 for transportation purposes, demonstrating a marked increase from the 404 million gallons in 2019.
Ethanol, biomass-based diesel RIN prices approach all-time highs
By U.S. Energy Information Administration
February 25, 2021
The prices of RIN credits—the compliance mechanisms used for the RFS program administered by the U.S. EPA—have been steadily rising in recent months and are approaching their highest nominal levels in the history of the program.
Glacial Lakes Energy has announced its four biorefineries participate in the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project being developed by Summit Carbon Solutions. The project with sequester carbon dioxide underground in North Dakota.
Enviva Partners LP released fourth quarter financial results on Feb. 24, reporting progress with efforts to increase its wood pellet production capacity and discussing plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.
Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. on Feb. 24 released fourth quarter financial results, reporting that pellet production was up when compared to the same period of 2019 despite operational issues experienced at several of its facilities.
The U.S. EPA has released renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for January, reporting that more than 1.4 billion RINs were generated during the month, down from 1.57 billion generated during the same month of 2020.
The U.S. EPA has released renewable identification number (RIN) generation data for January, reporting that more than 1.4 billion RINs were generated during the month, down from 1.57 billion generated during the same month of 2020.
Drax Group plc increased wood pellet production by 7 percent last year while improving quality and reducing costs by 5 percent, according information published in the company's 2020 financial report, which was released Feb. 25.
Cielo Waste Solutions has announced its first significant sale of renewable fuels with a purchase commitment for 900,000 liters (238,000 gallons) of renewable diesel at CAD$1.67/liter for an aggregate purchase price of CAD $1.5 million.
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced the opening of a new RNG fueling station in Whittier, California. The station is owned by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts and Clean Energy designed, constructed and will operate it.
Pam Miller has been named the interim executive director of Renewable Fuels Nebraska, effective Feb. 15, 2021. She has been involved in the ethanol industry since 2004 and was of the original founders of Siouxland Ethanol.
U.S. ethanol production fell 28 percent to 658,000 barrels per day the week ending Feb. 19, reaching its lowest level since May 8, 2020, according to data released by the EIA on Feb. 24. The drop reflects issues related to the recent polar vortex.
CVR Energy Inc. has confirmed construction is currently underway on a conversion project that will enable its refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, to produce approximately 100 MMgy of renewable diesel and 6 MMgy of renewable naphtha.
Editor's note from Biomass Magazine 2021 issue 1.
Green Plains Inc. announced that development efforts between Green Plains, Fluid Quip Technologies and other innovation partners have led to the production of 58 percent sustainable Ultra-High Protein at Green Plains' Shenandoah, Iowa biorefinery.
According to official data, Russia is one of the world's largest wood pellet producers, ranking among the top five.
The USDA recently released its Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production report for February, reporting that corn use for fuel ethanol was at 430 million bushels in December, down from both the previous month and December 2019.
Affiliates of HollyFrontier and Wynnewood Refining on Feb. 22 filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing their position against the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals' January 2020 ruling on small refinery exemptions (SREs).
Tom Vilsack is once again leading the USDA. The Senate on Feb. 23 voted 92 to seven to confirm him as secretary of agriculture. Vilsack, a former two-term governor of Iowa, served as ag secretary during all eight years of the Obama administration.
Using ATP program funds, the U.S. Grains Council sponsored participation at the Global Ethanol Summit of ethanol buyers from nearly two dozen Middle Eastern, European and African countries, who subsequently purchased $245 million in U.S. ethanol.
Affiliates of HollyFrontier and Wynnewood Refining on Feb. 22 filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing their position against the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals' January 2020 ruling on small refinery exemptions (SREs).
Covanta Holding Corp. provided an update on the development of its four U.K. waste-to-energy projects currently under construction and its ongoing strategic review during a fourth quarter earnings call held Feb. 19.
Tom Vilsack is once again leading the USDA. The Senate on Feb. 23 voted 92 to seven to confirm him as secretary of agriculture. Vilsack, a former two-term governor of Iowa, served as ag secretary during all eight years of the Obama administration.
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