Other News

A combined heat and power (CHP) plant fuelled on biomass will be built in the Belgian municipality of Ham. Belgian renewable energy company 4Energy Invest’s unit 4HamCogen has signed a deal with Finland-based industrial machinery company Metso, which will supply the 30 million plant. Metso will deliver the equipment via MW Power, its joint venture with fellow Finnish company Wartsila.…
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In Bangladesh poultry firm Paragon Group is setting up the country's biggest biogas plants. State-run Infrastructure Development Company will provide loans of up to Tk 150 million (€1.5 million) for the plants in Gazipur and Mymensingh districts, which will generate a total 350 kilowatts of electricity. Three biogas plants will be located at Bhaluka, Bhabanipur and Chamiadi in Gazipur…
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A 200MW power plant in Wisconsin, US, has started testing the introduction of burning biomass. Alliant Energy has been working with the Nelson Dewey Power Plant in Cassville on providing a range of biomass tests. ‘We'll be burning fuels that have been densified and pelleted, Bill Johnson, Alliant Energy's biofuel development manager, comments. ‘That would include wood that is…
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In the Philippines, the Department of Energy (DoE) is expecting to realise P95 billion (€1.44 billion) worth of investments in renewable energy projects in the country in the next two to three years. In particular the DoE is focusing on biomass to energy projects and hydro-energy in Central Visayas. The nation is looking to get away from coal-powered plants, and DoE undersecretary Roy Kyamko…
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In the north-easterly state of Maine in the US, a large portion of harvested wood would go to waste if it was not used to fuel biomass conversion facilities. Now, the US Agriculture Department (USDA) will provide up to $150 million (€104.3 million) in funding until 30 September to boost Maine’s struggling biomass industry. Maine has the nation's second-highest number of biomass…
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Biofuels International is pleased to announce that the third Biofuels International expo & conference will be held in Prague on 5-6 May 2010. With over 400 attendees in 2009, 2010 promises to be even bigger and better. To reflect the industry's move towards advanced biofuels and renewable power generation this year's event will include streams on biogas and biomass, as well as…
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Korea will raise its biodiesel blend levels in 2010. The proportion of plant and animal oil mixed with diesel will be raised to 2% from the current 1.5%. The government will also waive the oil tax of 529 won (€0.31) per litre for diesel fuel next year due to the rise in biomass content. Korea was the first Asian country to mix biodiesel with common diesel in July 2006. In 2007, the biomass…
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In the US, agricultural powerhouse Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has received a grant to construct a facility to turn biomass into fuel. The US Department of Energy (DoE) has awarded ADM a $24.8 million (17.2 million) grant to develop and construct the facility. The ADM Advanced Biorefinery project will produce fuel ethanol and ethyl acrylate, a compound used to make plastics, adhesives,…
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France’s government-funded technological research organisation CEA – Atomic Energy Commission, now renamed the Atomic and Alternative Energy Commission – is launching a biomass to liquids (BTL) project in north-east France. The Bure Saudron pilot will demonstrate a complete BTL production chain, which involves gathering and conditioning of biomass, gasification, gas processing and…
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In Zimbabwe, electricity shortages have led to severe power cuts harming industrial activities, and the rate of deforestation has been accelerated as more people resort to firewood as an alternative source of fuel. As a result, stakeholders in the energy sector are looking into alternative energy sources like a methane gas project in Lupane, ethanol project in Chiredzi and widespread biogas…
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Following a series of successful tests by KLM, Japan Airways and Virgin, airlines are queuing up to fill their planes with renewable fuels components. Now one company will provide them with quarter of a billion gallons of renewable jet fuel a year. California-based synthetic fuels producer Rentech has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 13 passenger and cargo carriers for a future…
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An ethanol project in Peru has received $25 million (€17.3 million) from the Inter-American Development Bank. Maple Energy’s $245 million ethanol plant, sugar plantation and electricity power generation facility will have a capacity of 35 million gallons a year. The company expects to achieve a 53% increase in sugarcane yield, compared to global averages on its 34,500 acre plantation. The…
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Located in south east Europe, Bulgaria is strengthening its biodiesel rules. The country will introduce compulsory blending of diesel and petrol with biofuels from 2010 to boost the usage of the green fuels and meet European Union environmental targets. The new rules, which come into force in March next year, require blending of diesel with a 2% content of biodiesel. Biodiesel content will be…
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