A £14m (€16.6m) anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, the largest in Wales, was officially opened by Bridgend AM Carwyn Jones on 2 December, 2016. Developed by Agrivert, the plant takes food waste from Welsh homes and businesses and converts it into renewable energy. Located at Parc Stormy near Bridgend, it is the company’s first foothold into Wales and is set... [Read More]

A team of scientists at Bristol University have developed a technology that uses radioactive waste to create a nuclear powered battery encased in man-made diamond with a potential lifespan of thousands of years. The scientists behind the discovery say that it tackles the problems of nuclear decommissioning, clean electricity generation and battery life. The batteries could... [Read More]

Investors looking at residual waste treatment facilities should not be put off advanced conversion technologies (ACTs) by their checkered track record, according to specialist UK-based environmental consultancy Eunomia Research & Consulting. In a new report published on 30 November, 2016, Eunomia has analysed the prospects for ACTs, such as gasification and pyrolysis... [Read More]

Air Liquide plans to construct and operate a landfill gas (LFG) to renewable natural gas (RNG) purification plant in Mississippi, US. The plant will enable the conversion of the methane emitted by waste to a renewable energy capable of heating an estimated 4,500 homes per year.   The site in Walnut, owned by the Northeast Mississippi Solid Waste Management Authority... [Read More]

The Finnish Government has expressed its satisfaction with the sustainability criteria for the use of forest biomass in energy production in the European Commission's proposal for a new Renewable Energy Directive. The revised directive will create a solid foundation for increasing the use of renewable energy sources in Finland, said Olli Rehn, Minister of Economic Affairs. “What... [Read More]

The UK’s 540 anaerobic digestion (AD) plants now generate more energy than the landfill gas sector and represent 2% of total UK gas production. According to data from the UK Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA), the AD industry’s success in the past 12 months – during which time over 100 new plants have come on stream – can be... [Read More]

The bioenergy industry has given a mixed response to the European Commission’s revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The revised RED, published yesterday (30th November), strengthens the existing EU criteria for bioenergy sustainability and extends them to cover also biomass and biogas for heat and power, according to the EC. Commenting on the sustainability... [Read More]

Retail heavyweights Waitrose, John Lewis and Argos long-distance lorries are among the first users in the UK of a renewable biomethane fuel which is 35%-40% cheaper than diesel and emits 70% less CO2. UK-based CNG Fuels will be supplying the retailers with compressed natural gas using biomethane produced from food waste. According to CNG Fuels, renewable biomethane fuel... [Read More]

NexSteppe, a US feedstock provider for the bio-based industries, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Longping High-Tech Arable Land Remediation Technology Company, a subsidiary of the leading Chinese seed company, Longping High-Tech. Under this agreement, Longping will provide distribution, marketing and sales for NexSteppe’s Palo Alto biomass... [Read More]

Hong Kong-based China Everbright International has announced that it has secured the entrusted operation rights of Wuxi Xidong household waste-to-energy project in Jiangsu Province, and will be responsible for managing and operating the venture.  The Xidong project is designed to process around 2,000 tonnes of household waste and is expected to generate more than... [Read More]

French energy company Engie has announced two new major collaborations to foster new innovative green gas production methods across Europe. According to Engie, green gas is a key element of the energy transition because of its potential to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and provide a sustainable source of energy while contributing to the development... [Read More]

The European Commission has released its long-awaited revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and proposed the phase-out of food crop-based biofuels from 2021. The EC also wants to simultaneously introduce a sub-mandate for advanced biofuels. It also proposes to introduce a new sustainability criterion on forest biomass. It proposes an obligation on European transport... [Read More]

Green’s, a UK waste heat recovery specialist, has launched a boiler inspection service for bioenergy producers to identify current and potential problems with boilers and ancillary equipment so that they can be addressed before they become overly costly or result in avoidable outages. Neil Ford, Green’s service and repairs manager says: “The expertise... [Read More]

UK waste and recycling firm, Viridor has confirmed its intention to proceed with a £252 million (€296m) energy-from-waste (EfW) plant in Avonmouth, on the outskirts of Bristol.   The announcement was contained in half year results released by parent company, Pennon on 25 November, 2016. Once operational the plant is expected to process around... [Read More]

Climate policies will continue chipping away at fossil fuels’ role as the mainstay of global energy use, despite Donald Trump's appointment as US president in 2017, according to a new report by The Economist Intelligence Unit. The report expects that while the election of Trump as US president is not likely to halt the gradual transition towards cleaner energy globally,... [Read More]

Sewage contains a source of energy that can be harvested by using hungry bacteria, according to new research from Belgium-based Ghent University. Domestic sewage contains various organic substances, mainly from toilets and kitchens. These are harmful to the environment, but also contain energy. Researchers from Ghent University have discovered how to efficiently... [Read More]