New BECCS pilot project under development at Drax Power Station
By Drax Group
June 24, 2020
Drax Group and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering Ltd., part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, have agreed a new bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot project at Drax Power Station that will get underway this autumn.
Testimony offered during a June 24 hearing held by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry to consider the Growing Climate Solutions Act explains how the bill could benefit the biofuel and bioproducts industries.
Usibelli subsidiary buys Superior Pellet Fuels, plans wood kiln
By Aurora Energy Solutions LLC
June 22, 2020
Aurora Energy Solutions LLC, a new company owned by Usibelli Investments, announced June 10 that it has acquired the assets of Superior Pellet Fuels and is constructing a state-of-the-art wood kiln. The kiln will produce clean-burning dry firewood.
Enviva acquires 2 pellet plants
June 19, 2020
Enviva Partners LP announced on June 18 it has agreed to purchase a wood pellet plant located in Waycross, Georgia, associated export terminal capacity in Savannah, Georgia, and a wood pellet plant located in Greenwood, South Carolina.
U.K.-based climate think-tank Ember released a report in June that claims the U.K. should abandon the carbon tax break afforded to large biomass power plants. Both the USIPA and U.K. REA say the report ignores current science on biomass.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on June 12 issued a memorandum to Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen providing direction that will serve as a blueprint to help modernize the agency's systems and approaches.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released data showing U.S. manufacturers produced approximately 700,000 tons of densified biomass fuel in February, with sales reaching 680,000 tons.
The Biogenic CO2 Coalition sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on June 9 urging the agency to seek public comments on the regulatory treatment of biogenic CO2 from annual agriculture crops.
A report released by the UN Environment Programme, the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre, and BloombergNEF on June 10 shows biomass and waste-to-energy received $123 billion in financing for new projects between 2010 and 2019.
A 28-day pre-application consultation (PAC) for the Uskmouth conversion project is now open. SIMEC Atlantis Energy Ltd. has proposed to convert the U.K.-based coal-fired power plant to operate using waste-derived fuel pellets.
$17 million available for biomass utilization in Tuolumne County
By Rural Community Assistance Corp.
June 05, 2020
A new $17 million program in Tuolumne County, California, will provide loans to increase the use of low- and no-value wood from Tuolumne County forests and provide an alternative to pile burning of forest waste.
The U.S. exported 595,166.2 metric tons of wood pellets in April, up from the 424,680.5 million tons that were exported in April 2019, but down from the 670,463.8 million tons that were exported in March 2020, according to data released by the USDA.
Fagus GreCon adds Todd Havican as new director of sales
By Fagus GreCon Inc.
June 04, 2020
Fagus GreCon Inc. has added Todd Havican as director of sales. Havican officially joined the organization as of May 4, 2020 with over 25 years of experience leading sales teams in a variety of industries.
PacBio kicks off Bobtail fire biomass recovery project
By Pacific BioEnergy Corp.
June 04, 2020
On May 1, Pacific BioEnergy Corp. (PacBio) achieved another milestone by planting its first seedling in the Bobtail fire area west of Prince George. During the next two months, 1.1 million seedlings will be planted in the area.
The Growing Climate Solutions Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate on June 4. The bill aims to break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climate-smart practices.
The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration has announced the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee will hold a virtual meeting via WebEX on June 4. The meeting will be the final of REEEAC's current term.
U.K. electricity generation from fossil fuels fell by 25 percent between the first quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020—the largest fall on record, according to data released in the latest in the Drax Electric Insights report.
The National Resources Institute of Finland recently released data showing a total of 363,000 metric tons of wood pellets were produced in the country last year, down approximately 6 percent when compared to 2018.
Flameless Explosion Protection for Combustible Wood Dust
By Jeramy Slaunwhite
May 27, 2020
SPOTLIGHT: When passive explosion venting is needed inside a pellet facility, or in areas where conventional venting is unsafe, REMBE has a reliable, maintenance-free solution that is easily installed on a variety of hazard-prone equipment.
Intelligent Spark Detection and Extinguishing
By Pellet Mill Magazine
May 27, 2020
SPOTLIGHT: Fagus GreCon delivers smart technology that identifies and squelches potential sources of fires and explosions before it's too late. The system can differentiate between dangerous sparks and harmless incidences of extraneous light.
Driving Down Pellet Plant Dust
By Ron Kotrba
May 27, 2020
A Pennsylvania pellet plant reduced its chances of incurring a dangerous explosion by installing oscillating fans that create a horizontal air barrier inside the structure, preventing combustible dust from settling up high in the rafters.
Next fall, people will need to heat their homes, regardless of the pandemic. So long as the upstream forest products manufacturing sector recovers and generates the fiber wood pellet producers rely on, the industry will be ready and able to supply.
The Biogenic CO2 Coalition released a video on May 27 highlighting the need for a rulemaking to clarify the de minimis character of biogenic carbon emissions from the processing of annual agricultural crops.
$15 million rail link helps Drax reduce emissions, biomass costs
By Drax Group
May 27, 2020
A one-year old rail link has increased capacity to deliver more sustainable biomass from Drax's LaSalle BioEnergy pellet plant in Urania, Louisiana, to its U.K. power station, taking thousands of trucks off local roads.
Explosion Protection for Dust Collection
By David Grandaw
May 26, 2020
Sound explosion prevention and protection strategies are critical in the most susceptible areas of a pellet plant. One process vessel especially prone to a dust explosion is the air-material separator, due to the very dry, fine dust it pulls in.
Changes to Dust Fire and Explosion Standards
By Jeff Davis
May 26, 2020
According to National Fire Protection Association standards for combustible dust, facilities utilizing wood-based products, including pellet mills and other biomass processing plants, must have a dust hazard analysis completed by early September.
The lines of communication between pellet facility employees, management and local fire and emergency response personnel begin with robust training and planning. But even the best-laid plans are only as good as a plant's practice regimen.
Understanding Ash Fusibility
By Chris Wiberg
May 26, 2020
For operations struggling with ash and slagging, the solution can often be found in the management of potential contamination sources. It's important to understand differences between tree species, and varying inclusion rates of bark, dirt and dust.
The EPA has opened a public comment period on a proposed rule that aims to allow retailers the opportunity to recover sales opportunities lost to the COVID-19 pandemic for wood heating appliances that meet Step 1 requirements under the 2015 NSPS.
USIPA: EU recognizes biomass is integral to energy transition
By U.S. Industrial Pellet Association
May 21, 2020
The U.S. Industrial Pellet Association has welcomed the EU Biodiversity Strategy, which acknowledges that sustainable biomass will be integral to achieving Europe's carbon reduction and biodiversity goals.
Advertisement
@ Copyright 2024 - BBI International - All rights reserved.