Pellet manufacturer German Pellets and ZG Raiffeisen Energie, a trading and service company, have created a 50/50 joint venture for the sale of wood pellets. The name of the joint subsidiary company will be 'best:Pellets Handelsgemeinschaft'. It will begin pellet sales on 1 January 2015. 'We are now taking the next logical step in our cooperation, so as to gain further... [Read More]

Microsoft and the University of Wyoming (UW) have officially opened their zero emission green data centre that is fuelled by methane biogas and allows the university to run computing and modelling applications from the Laramie campus. A cable-cutting ceremony for the Cheyenne Biogas Power Plant, which is located at the Dry Creek Water Reclamation Facility, was scheduled... [Read More]

KiOR has announced that, as part of its refocus on R&D, it has accepted a bid for substantially all of its assets from certain affiliates of Vinod Khosla that have been providing and will continue to provide it with senior secured financing. KiOR has also filed for relief under Chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Under the Bankruptcy... [Read More]

In the US, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has released a request for statements of interest (RSOI) in the development of a biomass gasification project for combined heat and power (CHP) application in Sacramento, California. SMUD says it is seeking an experienced project developer with a commercial technology that has a track record of successful implementation... [Read More]

Rentech, the owner and operator of wood pellet production and wood fibre processing businesses, has closed the previously announced sale of its alternative energy technologies to Sunshine Kaidi New Energy Group. Rentech received a cash payment of $14.4 million (€11.6 million) from Kaidi, which is in addition to $500,000 in cash payments previously... [Read More]

In Ghent, Belgium, Abengoa has announced it will build the largest commercial-scale biomass-fired power plant in the world. The company was chosen by electricity and gas company Belgian Eco Energy (Bee). The plant, expected to cost in excess of €315 million, will utilise woodchips and agro-residues to generate 215MW of renewable power. Abengoa will be responsible... [Read More]

After this year's extremely successful event in Las Vegas, API has scheduled its next Tanks, Valves and Piping event for the 12-15 October 2015. Tank Storage magazine will once again be the official media partner and the only tank-focused publication distributed at the event.... [Read More]

Bronzeoak Philippines, a developer of solar power projects in the Philippines, is diversifying its portfolio with a biomass power project. Following approval from its board of directors, Bronzeoak will now invest $90 million (€72 million) in a 20MW biomass-fired power plant in Negros Occidental. The feedstock for this facility will be sugarcane farm waste. The work... [Read More]

A new £319.5 million (€409 million) waste treatment plant in North Yorkshire, UK is to receive a £33.1 million investment from the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB). The project is expected to process up to 320,000 tonnes of household, commercial and industrial waste per year. It will divert more than 7 million tonnes of waste from landfill over its lifetime... [Read More]

China Everbright International has signed an agreement with the People's Government of Rudong County in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, for the investment, construction and operation of an agricultural waste and straw project in Rudong County. This will be the seventh biomass project Everbright International has secured in 2014. The total investment of Rudong Project is... [Read More]

In the US, DTE Biomass Energy has completed its 9.6MW landfill gas-to-energy project at the Uwharrie Environmental Landfill in Mt. Gilead, North Carolina. The landfill site at which it is located is owned and operated by Republic Services of North Carolina.DTE Biomass Energy started operating the facility in September. Landfill gas at the site is used to generate renewable... [Read More]

The Gainesville Renewable Energy Center (GREC), a 102.5MW biomass-fired power plant in Florida, US has received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. The certification affirms that GREC's purchase procedures for its waste wood fuels conform to the FSC Chain of Custody standard. It is the first power generation facility ever to receive this certification. The... [Read More]

Ireland's electricity utility Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a loan facility for €100 million. The funds will be used for continued investment in the electricity network in the south west region of Ireland to connect renewable energy to the national transmission network. This is the second part of a total loan facility... [Read More]

Harvest Power, a North American-based company dedicated to converting organic waste into clean energy, has announced a $20 million (€15.8 million) financing round. The lead investors were True North Venture Partners, Industry Ventures, and Generation Investment Management. This financing will allow Harvest to accelerate development of new opportunities in the clean... [Read More]

The wood pellet production facility being built by Rentech in Atikokan in the Canadian province of Ontario has commenced start-up. The company says the plant will undergo safety inspections, equipment testing and final commissioning in the upcoming weeks. 'I'm pleased to reach this important milestone at the Atikokan facility,' comments Sean Ebnet, senior VP of Rentech's... [Read More]

In Texas, US, Gemma Power Systems, an EPC company and wholly owned subsidiary of Argan, has finished building the East Texas Electric Cooperative (ETEC) Woodville Renewable Power Project, three months ahead of schedule. The 49.9MW biomass in Woodville has now completed testing and been turned over to ETEC for commercial operation. 'The Gemma team worked in close partnership... [Read More]