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EIA Data Shows US Imports Of Biomass-Based Diesel Spiked In March
Taylor Scott International Continue reading
SSE and Forth Ports Win Consent for $710 Million Biomass Plant
SSE and Forth Ports Win Consent for $710 Million Biomass Plant By Louise Downing – Jun 3, 2013 SSE Plc (SSE) , the U.K.’s second-biggest energy supplier, and Forth Ports Ltd. won Scottish government approval to build a 465 million-pound ($710 million) plant to generate electricity and heat from wood. The facility in the Port of Grangemouth, central Scotland , will be the largest of its kind in the country, Forth Energy, a joint venture between SSE and Forth Ports, said in a statement on its website. It will have capacity of 120 megawatts of power and 200 megawatts of heat using imported wood. The project will help Scotland in obtaining a target for all of its electricity to come from clean sources by 2020, from about 39 percent now. Only biomass facilities of more than 15 megawatts that produce both electricity as well as heat are eligible for subsidy support from the region’s government. Construction of the plant will take three years and create about 300 jobs. It’s expected to start working in 2017 and is forecast to deliver about 26 million pounds of economic growth a year to the area, according to the statement. Electricity will be fed into the grid and heat supplied to industry. To contact the reporter on this story: Louise Downing in London at ldowning4@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at landberg@bloomberg.net Continue reading
Algeria To Open Up Farming Sector To Foreign Investors
REUTERS Friday 31 May 2013 Last Update 30 May 2013 11:57 pm ALGIERS: Algeria is to open up its farming sector to foreign investors for the first time to try to help cut food imports and also diversify its economy, which is heavily dependent on oil and gas exports, the head of a government agency said. Kamel Chadi, chairman of SGP-Proda, a holding company for animal production, said 16 pilot farms focused on grains, vegetables, fruit trees and cattle breeding would be on offer via tender to investors. “This tender is intended for both Algerian private investors and foreigners,” Chadi said. “The invitation stipulates creating joint ventures for managing and operating farms. The land is not for sale,” Chadi said. Agriculture in Algeria has been largely closed to foreign investment. Algerian law requires that foreigners partner with Algerian firms and limits any stake they take in an investment project to 49 percent. But the government has pledged reforms to cut dependence on oil and gas, which account for about 97 percent of total exports. Volatile oil prices have forced the country to look for alternative sources of revenue and to attract foreign capital. Algeria’s food imports account for about 20 percent of an estimated $ 45 billion annual import bill. Main food imports include wheat, barley, milk and meat due to insufficient domestic production in the country, which has a population of 37 million. It has begun providing financial incentives for farmers, including interest-free loans, also as way to create jobs. The head of Algeria’s farmers union, Mohamed Alioui, said earlier this month the government would launch its first commercial maize production next season. The country currently imports almost all its maize requirements. Chadi said the winning bidders for the farmland tender would sign contracts that stipulate mainly modernizing the farms through introducing new equipment. “Partnership could bring something new and help create the necessary conditions for development,” Chadi said. The areas on offer are set to be sowed with cereal and vegetables such as potatoes, an essential ingredient in Algerian cooking. Each farm is between 100 and 500 hectares and they are located in central, western and eastern provinces. Some of the farms will be devoted to producing fruit, including olives, apples and dates. Foreign investors would also help develop breeding activities for poultry, dairy cattle and also beekeeping, Chadi said. “We are optimistic agriculture will play a leading role in our economy.” Continue reading
