Firms in the biomass industry operating in Scotland will be pleased to hear that the country's government has provided its backing for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
Scotland's energy minister Fergus Ewing has reached an agreement with Westminster counterpart Greg Barker that will see the plans implemented in Scotland also.
This means that the ambitious scheme to provide rewards for householders and businesses generating renewable energy – many through the use of biomass boilers – will be the same across the UK.
Read the rest of this entry »
Firms in the animal feed sector can expect high prices for cereals for some years, it has been suggested.
A new report from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said that there should be some easing from the high cost of cereals seen this year, according to Reuters.
However, it also warned that prices will remain higher than normal for the rest of the decade.
Read the rest of this entry »
Malting barley is making waves as a major ingredient in the baking industry, it is claimed.
While British malt products have been used in foods for many years, new uses for them are leading to a sharp increase in sales for malting firms, according to Farmers Weekly.
Malting barley now constitutes the basic ingredient for many popular extracts, syrups, powders flours, flakes and blends, for use in the baking industry and the animal feed sector.
Read the rest of this entry »
New research suggests that switching from weekly to fortnightly rubbish collections can help waste management firms.
Academics at the University of Bath examined data from 434 local authorities to assess the difference in recycling rates among those who collect waste every one or two weeks, the Bath Chronicle reports.
According to the findings, there was a correlation between the two, with reduced bin collections showing a resultant improvement in the rate of kerbside recycling.
Read the rest of this entry »
Firms in the oil extraction from seed sector are facing a serious shortage of rapeseed, it has been claimed.
According to the latest study from Oil World, reported by Blomberg, stockpiles of rapeseed in the European Union (EU) are set to reach a four-year low.
This is due to a combination of factors. There has been heighted demand for use of rapeseed in the biofuels industry, while poor weather has damaged harvests and resulted in an 8.7 per cent reduction in output over the last year.
Read the rest of this entry »
A public meeting is to be held to discuss the merits of proposals to build a biomass plant in Norfolk.
Plans have been drawn up for a sustainable wood-burning facility at Snetterton Heath, close to the A11, according to the Eastern Daily Press.
The applicant, Iceni Energy hopes to generate 40 megawatts of energy each year by burning biomass pellets and straw, which it claims could power 65,000 homes.
Read the rest of this entry »
Permission has been given for work to begin on the construction of a new biomass power plant in Scotland.
The project, operated by Land Energy, will be the first in the UK to bring together biomass wood pellets and a new type of turbine that runs on waste heat, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
Built on the site of an old textile factory at Girvan, the facility will provide sufficient heart energy to power 15,000 homes, using timber sourced from local forests.
Read the rest of this entry »
New plans to prevent three million tonnes of waste from going to landfill sites have been unveiled by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap).
The organisation is to focus its resources on recycling and preventing the generation of waste.
If the targets are achieved, Wrap expects seven million tonnes of carbon will be saved from entering the atmosphere, while the UK economy will be £2 billion better off.
Read the rest of this entry »
Serious thought needs to be given to sustainability before seaweed is adopted as a major source of ingredients for animal feed.
This is the thrust of a new report, Mapping the Intertidal Seaweed Resources of the Outer Hebrides, which looks at the possibility of farming seaweed from the ocean, the Scotsman reports.
The aquatic plant is already used in animal feeds, and with the cost of cereals remaining high and volatile, manufacturers are looking at new ingredients that can be used on a large scale.
Read the rest of this entry »
Farmers who want to harness the power of biofuels have been invited to take part in an open day near Driffield, East Yorkshire, later this month.
Driffield Today reports that advice on choosing the best crops for biofuels, as well as how much fertiliser to apply, will be given out at the ADAS High Mowthorpe Open Day on June 29th.
According to research by the environmental consultancy, wheat and rye hybrid triticale is one of the top crops for yields compared to the low carbon emissions associated with growing it.
Read the rest of this entry »
Firms in the biomass industry operating in Scotland will be pleased to hear that the country's government has provided its backing for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
