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NNFCC News Review: Bioenergy Issue 65, August 2017

Category: bioenergy
Published: 21/08/2017
Author: NNFCC
Each month we review the latest news and select key announcements and commentary from across the bioenergy sector.

Foreword

Last month we reported on UK energy giants (and our fellow Yorkshire dwellers) Drax, and how they were considering deviating from their current path of converting their coal burners into pellets by opting for gas instead. Converting a coal burner into a gas burner would make Drax eligible for a 15-year Capacity Contract, and by allowing them to provide the “backup” energy to fill the gap left by renewables, would provide a steady income. However, this month’s news suggests that other options are on the table. As the summer draws to an end, Drax is nearing the end of its full pellet trial for its fourth biomass unit, in which wood pellets are being burned at the power station entirely in place of coal, as opposed to the cofiring the station has utilised up to now. Once the trial is finished the unit will........  

Other News this Month Includes: 

Policy 

  • Annual REA report covers biorenewables turnover and employment
  • EU energy and emissions data released up to 2015
  • $40m to fund bioenergy development centres in the US
  • DUKES report shows continued increase in UK renewables
  • Report aims to improve UK's energy crops growth​

Research & Development 

  • UK Government report on farm GHG mitigation
  • Viridor to trial use of CO2 from AD as fertiliser
  • Identifying barriers to SMEs entering the bioeconomy​

Biomass Heat & Power 

  • US study demonstrates scale of emissions reduction from biomass
  • July degression prompts RHI biomass surge
  • Full pellet trial continues at Drax
  • University of Northampton adds biomass burner to provide campus energy​

Biogas

  • Australian inventor developing AD system for plastic waste
  • Severn Trent begins work on food waste AD plant near Derby
  • AD Digestate as Biofertiliser
  • Record seaweed harvest to be trialled as AD feedstock​

Energy from waste

  • Slight decrease in median EfW gates fees

Events

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