The U.K. government is seeking public comments on two proposed options aimed at controlling costs of non-grandfathered biomass conversion and co-firing units under the Renewables Obligation.
On Sept. 7, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., introduced a package of legislation he hopes will serve as the basis for a new energy section of the next Farm Bill. The legislation increases investments in popular energy programs.
Italy recently filed a report on its wood pellet market with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Global Agricultural Information Network, predicting its use of wood pellets will reach 5 million metric tons in 2020.
The Pellet Fuels Institute recently announced the qualification of PA Pellets of Ulysses, Pennsylvania, to the PFI Standards Program as the 38th facility qualified for the program.
Weir Engineering Services has partnered with Lynemouth Power Station to contribute to the project that will convert the plant from a coal fired to a biomass fired power station, including the overhaul of eleven butterfly valves and gearboxes.
Structural design, dust management and fire safety features are making domes a popular choice for large-scale wood pellet storage.
President Donald Trump has announced his nominations for three USDA posts, including the nomination of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to serve as under secretary for farm production and conservation.
Tony Tooke was sworn in as chief of the U.S. Forest Service by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Sept. 1. Tooke replaced former Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, who announced his retirement in August.
Following Bioeconomy 2017: Domestic Resources for a Vibrant Future, the U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office's annual conference, BETO held its 2017 Program Management Review in Arlington, Virginia.
When procuring recycling and biomass fuel preparation technology for the future, should operators prioritize speed, or throughput?
Japan recently filed a report with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Global Agricultural Information Network, noting the country imported a record 347,000 metric tons of wood pellets last year for thermal power generation.
Great Northern Timber Group has signed a tentative agreement to purchase the Scotia Atlantic Biomass pellet plant, pending due diligence and court approval, said Thor Olesen, CEO of GNT. The facility is expected to restart operations later this year.
In the U.K., the latest Electric Insights report, produced by researchers at Imperial College London, in collaboration with Drax, found that renewables accounted for 25 percent of Britain's electricity during the second quarter.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office has announced the official launch of its new technical blog, Bioprose: Building the Bioeconomy through Technology & Communication.
Metsä Group's next-generation bioproduct mill in Äänekoski, Finland, came into operation as planned on Aug. 15. The facility will produce several products, including pulp, biogas and biofuel pellets from sludge.
The Arizona Corporation Commission has ordered Arizona Public Service to evaluate forest bioenergy as part of its resource portfolio. The Arizona Corporation Commission will host its first workshop on the topic of forest bioenergy on Oct. 19.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has announced domestic sales of densified biomass fuel reached 80,000 tons in May, averaging $142.99 per ton, while exports for April reached 350,000 tons, averaging $135.12 per ton.
A consortium led by Macquarie, an Australian-based bank, has completed the acquisition of the U.K. Green Investment Bank Ltd. from the British government for £2.3 billion ($2.96 billion). GIB will now operate under the name Green Investment Group.
U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell has announced his retirement, effective Sept. 1. He has served at the post since June 2009. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Tony Tooke will take over as chief following Tidwell's retirement.
FutureMetrics has published a new white paper on the Japanese industrial wood pellet market. The report predicts most of demand growth for industrial wood pellets after 2019 will come from Japan and South Korea.
The Biomass Thermal Energy Council recently announced that validation testing of its biomass boiler efficiency protocol will begin in September at ClearStak LLC, a Connecticut-based testing laboratory.
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the launch of the fourth Wood Stove Design Challenge in partnership with the Alliance for Green Heat. Teams from around the world will compete for up to $25,000 in prizes.
A report filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Global Agricultural Information Network notes wood pellet production in the EU reached approximately 14.8 million metric tons in 2016, accounting for about half of global production.
On Aug. 10, Rentech released second quarter financial results, reporting the quarter continued to be challenging. During an investor call, Keith Forman, president and CEO of Rentech, discussed factors resulting in lower quarterly revenues.
In late July, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., introduced legislation that aims to repeal bioenergy programs contained under Title IX of the 2014 Farm Bill. A total of 10 programs, including the Rural Energy for America Program, would be eliminated.
A collaboration between the state of Idaho and Idaho National Laboratory could help turn 6,000 tons of alfalfa containing elevated levels of bromide into biopower used for industrial heat and electricity.
International Wood Industries is moving forward with a plan to build a sawmill and colocated wood pellet mill in northeastern Ontario. The target construction date is in the spring 2018, with startup in January 2019.
The New York Power Authority, Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Police, and Adirondack Park Agency recently announced the start of construction on a wood pellet biomass boiler heating loop in Essex County, New York.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the August edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook, predicting electricity generation from renewable sources will reach 1.857 million MWh per day in 2017, falling to 1.836 MWh per day in 2018.
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee Aug. 15-16 in Los Angeles, California.
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