Drax on Dec. 15 announced it has reached an agreement to sell its natural gas-fueled power generation assets. The company said it will use the proceeds from the sale to develop its biomass supply chain and support its plans to become carbon negative.
The U.K. government on Dec. 14 published a white paper that describes how the country will clean up its energy system and reach net zero emissions by 2050. BECSS and RNG will play an integral role in reaching that goal.
The U.S. EPA on Dec. 9 released a final rule that changes the way the agency will consider the costs and benefits of all significant Clean Air Act rulemakings. The EPA said the impacted rulemakings will be accompanied by a benefit-cost analysis.
President-elect Joe Biden has announced he will nominate Tom Vilsack as secretary of agriculture. Vilsack is a former two-term governor of Iowa who served as secretary of agriculture during all eight years of the Obama-Biden administration.
A 108-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant located on an island in the Indian Ocean located approximately 500 miles east of Madagascar will soon be converted to biomass, according to France-based power producer Albioma.
Highland Pellets LLC has announced a strategic capital partnership with Orion Energy Partners L.P. to fund the expansion and upgrade of its existing wood pellet facility in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and provide capital for growth initiatives.
Pinnacle Renewable Energy announced on Dec. 8 it has commenced initial pellet production at its newly constructed facility in High Level, Alberta, which is owned 50 percent by Pinnacle and 50 percent by Tolko Industries Ltd.
The U.K. Climate Change Committee on Dec. 9 released its Sixth Carbon Budget, which provides guidance on GHG reductions needed achieve net zero emissions. The budget shows BECCS is one technology necessary to meet the U.K.'s GHG goals.
The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency has introduced the EERE Program Information Center, EERE's new portal for funding opportunities. Several training opportunities on the new system are available in December and January.
Several biofuel and bioenergy groups are among nearly 70 trade organizations that sent a letter to congressional leadership last month urging the passage of tax extenders legislation before the 116th Congress adjourns sine die.
Enviva Partners LP on Dec. 2 announced that its first shipment of sustainable wood pellets is on its way from Port Panama City in Florida to Japan's Iwakuni Port. The shipment consists of approximately 28,000 metric tons.
The EIA is inviting public comments on a proposed three-year extension of its form to collect data for the Densified Biomass Fuel Report, which features data on the manufacture, shipment, export, energy characteristics and sales of densified biomass.
Japanese energy company Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd. announced on Nov. 30 a groundbreaking ceremony for its 50 megawatt (MW) Tokuyama biomass plant, a facility under development in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
U.K.-based Hive Energy recently announced it has partnered with South Africa-based iLive Sustainable Development and the Netherlands-based Partners for Innovation to take over and restore a wood pellet export plant in Africa.
The USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service is soliciting applications for FY 2021 funding under the Rural Energy for America Program. Biomass energy systems, including biogas and anaerobic digesters, are among those eligible for the program.
The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association posted a notice to its website on Nov. 18 announcing it has received confirmation from the U.S. EPA that the agency will not be providing a sell-through period for Step 1 residential wood heating appliances.
Canfor announced on Nov. 17 it has reached multi-year $30 million agreements with pellet producer Peak Renewables involving the sale of the company's forest tenure in the Fort Nelson region of British Columbia.
Japan imported a record 1.6 million metric tons of wood pellets last year, according to a report filed with the USDA FAS Global Agricultural Information Network. Wood pellet imports for 2020 are expected to reach 2.1 million metric tons.
The U.K. government on Nov. 24 confirmed that coal-to-biomass conversion projects will be excluded from future allocation rounds under its CfD scheme. Dedicated biomass with combined-heat-and-power (CHP) will continue to be eligible.
The Biogenic CO2 Coalition on Nov. 19 commended a bipartisan group of six U.S. governors who are urging the U.S. EPA to take prompt, science-based action to keep the United States from falling behind its competitors in the international bioeconomy.
FutureMetrics LLC published a white paper in mid-November describing how co-firing sustainably produced wood pellets at existing power stations can help the Biden administration meet its climate goals.
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the EU's review of its Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) focused on aligning RED II targets with the European Green Deal and a review of sustainability criteria for for forest biomass.
A county official from Arizona offered testimony in favor of the Forest Health and Biomass Energy Act during a Senate hearing held Nov. 18. The bill aims incentivize the removal of dangerous overgrowth in forests.
American Wood Fibers Inc. has selected Scotland County, North Carolina, for a new manufacturing site and will create 51 jobs. The company will invest $19.5 million to add new capabilities to a facility previous operated by Nature's Earth Pellets.
The government of Quebec on Nov. 16 unveiled its 2030 Plan for a Green Economy. The plan focuses primarily on clean electricity, but also addresses the use of renewable natural gas (RNG) and bioenergy for heating.
The Alliance for Green Heat congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their 2020 presidential victory and welcome their commitment to scale up renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The U.K. government on Nov. 18 issued its 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, which addresses sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and an accelerated phase-out of the sale of new gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles.
A new report from researchers at the University of Copenhagen shows that the burning of wood is significantly more climate friendly than coal and slightly more climate friendly than natural gas over the long run.
Global biomass electricity production capacity expanded by 8.5 gigawatts (GW) in 2019, the second-highest level of annual addition on record, according to the International Energy Agency's Renewables 2020 report, which was released in November.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released data showing U.S. manufacturers produced approximately 750,000 tons of densified biomass fuel in July, with sales reaching 650,000 tons.
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