Drax Biomass’ pellet mills in Louisiana and Mississippi, US, have achieved certification under the Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP).  The new certificate comes as an addition to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) acknowledgment... [Read More]

Whitehelm Capital, a UK-based independent infrastructure manager, has completed the acquisition of Sarpsborg Avfallsenergi (SAE), a modern waste-to-energy plant in Sarspborg, Norway, on behalf of Australian superannuation fund Prime Super. The company was recently sold by Hafslund one of the largest regional multi-utilities in Norway. Located in biorefiner Borregaard ASA’s... [Read More]

China Everbright International has won a contract to develop Vietnam’s first energy-from-waste (EfW) project - a 7.5MW plant in Can Tho. The Hong Kong based environmental services firm explained that the Can Tho Project will be constructed under BOO (Build-Operate-Own) model, commanding a total investment of approximately $47 million (€42m). The project is designed... [Read More]

Wheelabrator Technologies, a US-based energy-from-waste (EfW) specialist, has reached financial close on a new 550,000 tonnes per year EfW facility at Kemsley in Kent, UK. “To achieve financial close is a significant milestone and I’m very proud of our team for making this possible, and excited to welcome a second facility in the UK to our fleet,” said... [Read More]

Hawaii Gas, the state’s only regulated gas utility, has won a contract to capture and process biogas from the City and County of Honolulu’s Honouliuli wastewater treatment plant. The City and County of Honolulu is a consolidated city–county located in the US state of Hawaii. “This is a great example of how our administration... [Read More]

New official figures show that renewables now form the second largest source of UK electricity supply – outstripping coal for the first time The UK government unveiled the announcement in its updated fuel mix disclosure tables, which outline the full sources of UK electricity supply between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016. Renewables, which includes biomass, wind... [Read More]

Researchers from North Carolina State University and the US Geological Survey (USGS) have published a study on how wildlife is impacted by bioenergy demand. The researchers find that choosing how to meet bioenergy goals means making trade-offs about which wildlife species and ecosystems will be most impacted. The work focuses on the southeastern US, but yields general... [Read More]

UK power giant Drax Group has published its half-year results and reported a doubling of its electricity generation from biomass and an "operationally strong" business, despite a £50 million (€52m) fall in its profits. North Yorkshire-based Drax reported that its EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) figure for the half-year... [Read More]

The New South Wales (NSW) government has launched a renewable energy map to help drive investment into the Australian state. The NSW Renewable Energy Resource Map provides renewable energy project developers with free access to geospatial data and information on the state’s renewable energy resources and highlights more than 201 sites across NSW. The application... [Read More]

New official UK figures show 40% more renewable electricity was produced from biogas from waste and farms in 2015 compared to 2014. The UK government’s annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), published today [28 July], also reflects growth in biomethane to grid with the generation of heat from anaerobic digestion more than doubling.  Key figures include: AD... [Read More]

Environmental protestors have parodied a song made by US rock band Talking heads to criticise Enviva and Drax at the North Carolina-based American Pellet Fuels Institute Conference. According to media reports in Mountain Express, a spontaneous Flashmob broke into song and dance playfully criticising key conference goers Enviva and Drax for “their... [Read More]

Italian biogas plant designer SEBIGAS has signed a new contract with Thailand-based food specialist CPP Group to supply it with a 3.1MW tapioca-pulp-run biogas facility. The high cost of the electrical energy in Thailand, compared to other south eastern countries, makes it difficult for the industrial sector to preserve competitive prices maintaining high-quality standards. Tapioca... [Read More]

Scottish firm BSW Timber has become the first UK sawmiller to generate electricity from biomass fuel with the commissioning of a £2.5 million (€2.25m) combined heat and power (CHP) boiler at its Carlisle mill. The 3.2MW CHP Boiler is now operational and forms the latest phase of BSW’s £11 million investment programme in biomass energy across its... [Read More]

The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has appointed North Energy Associates (NEA) to lead a new Carbon Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Evidence Analysis project in its bioenergy programme. Sheffield-based NEA is a low carbon energy consultancy who specialises in conducting LCAs, particularly relating to bioenergy, biofuels, biochemicals and biomaterials. They will work with... [Read More]

Industry giants such as GE Marine, Mitsubishi Corporation and Shell have launched a new cross-industry initiative to accelerate the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel. Other coalition members of SEALNG are the Port of Rotterdam, Carnival Corporation & plc, DNV GL, ENGIE, ENN, GTT, Lloyd’s Register, NYK Line, Qatargas, TOTE Inc... [Read More]

US solid waste management company Republic Services said it will build landfill gas-to-energy facilities at three area landfills, located in the state of Georgia, with the help of clean energy specialist Mas Energy. Together, these facilities are capable of generating 24.1MW of electricity, or enough renewable energy to power 15,665 households. The plants will be located... [Read More]