Recent Articles
Ireland poultry producers squabble over biomass plant, and impact on poultry economics
In Ireland, poultry producers are complaining that they will no longer be competitive with poultry producers in Northern Ireland because the biomass power station under development there will significantly reduce operational costs for those in the north. The project under development will fulfill 30% of Northern Ireland’s renewable energy requirements.
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Acciona connects 16MW waste straw-to-energy plant to national grid
In Spain, Acciona has connected its second waste straw-to-energy facility to the national grid. The 16MW plant at Briviesca will burn around 102,000 metric tons of straw a year from 100 farmers and 38 companies based in Castilla y Leon. The local energy agency Ente Regional de la Energia contributed 15% of the capital towards [...]
SmurfitKappa commissions 140MW biomass power plant in France
In France, paper manufacturer SmurfitKappa has commissioned a 140MW biomass power plant at its paper mill in Biganos, near Bordeaux in southwest France with French energy company Dalkia. The $168 million project will supply 69MW of power to the national grid while the remainder will be used by the paper mill.
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Easterday Ranches, Easterday Farms contribute $225K to anaerobic digester research
In Washington state, Easterday Ranches and Easterday Farms have donated $225,000 to support research being conducted in the to Washington State University Tri-Cities’ Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory. The donation, to be given over three years, will pay for an Easterday Graduate Research Fellow to focus on the anaerobic digestion of wastes such as those [...]
Greater London Authority OKs 12 MW wood biomass plant
In the UK, the Greater London Authority has approved the construction of a 12MW waste wood biomass energy plant in Enfield, North London. The $69.4 million facility will also produce 10MW of heat using the 60,000 tonnes of waste wood obtained from local construction and demolition industries. All waste suppliers are said to be located [...]
The Last Word: “Objective and reliable information about biomass technologies and fuels.”
Rick Handley, organizer of Biomass Boot Camps: “The purpose is to provide information for facility owners and managers who are looking for objective and reliable information about biomass technologies and fuels, the questions they have about development, and we are bringing together local experts to provide that information.”
Vail looks to biomass to utilize dying pine trees
In Colorado, the city of Vail is exploring the development of a biomass power facility to utilize the dead and dying pine trees in the region. Thanks to the mountain pine beetle, 80% of Vail’s lodge pole pines are expected to die within the next four years. Due to the contagiousness of the disease, city [...]
Dow Corning looking to install Michigan biomass-fired facility
In Michigan, Dow Corning is looking to install a biomass-fired energy facility near its Midland manufacturing headquarters using wood waste from sustainable forestry initiatives. The facility would produce both electricity and steam. Cirque Energy recently filed planning permission for the facility, who would build, own and operate the facility on behalf of Dow Corning.
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California’s Sierra Pacific Industries announce shutdown of biomass-powered facility
In California, Sierra Pacific Industries announced the immediate shutdown of its biomass-powered facility in Loyalton. The company said that lower off-take prices for the energy from NV Energy as well as reduced timber sales from the US Forest Service led to the mothballing of the facility.
The facility had only re-opened in January after shutting down [...]
Wisconsin residents express concern over proposed biomass project
In Wisconsin, more than 275 residents in Rothschild voiced their concerns at a village Board of Appeals meeting of a proposed We Energies $250 million biomass project to be sited next to the Domtar paper plant. The board approved the installation of stacks and a boiler building higher than village ordinances typically permit.
The project still [...]

